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OK thanks, seems then that the script keys must have come in with the eights in 1929….
Nice! Anyone know what years had the key with “PIERCE” embossed on them, I’ve collected several over the years (and I’m not talking about the repro Pierce script keys)….
The VIN you mention is actually the body number, as Ed mentions, the “S” standing for five passenger sedan …you would also have a motor number and a serial number, the serial number should be on a nameplate riveted to the frame under the left front fender…at the very least you’d see two small holes where the plate had been located…
I dated a High Speed Miss when I was in college. Couldn’t keep up with her. And, the sad part of the “joke”, I’m serious, she was a cheerleader for the Nawlin’s Saints in the early 1970’s, I even remember her name. But, to protect the guilty, I won’t mention it here.
In all seriousness, my ’31 had a funny miss, all else was well and we tracked it down to a worn bushing in distributor, as John mentioned. It’s just not something you think of offhand, but it can affect performance.
Greg, I’m with you on that….and since I do upholstery work, then it would just be the cost of materials and a paint job to finish! Oh, and having you sort it out mechanically…..
None of my comments were meant to take away from what a GREAT car this would be for someone….and, again, like Greg, wish it were “me”” someone!”
That is correct. Information was obtained from Pierce service bulletins and other printed matter, and at one time there was even a Pierce Arrow Mechanical Club, where interested mechanics would meet at the factory to discuss various issues. These meetings and findings were then also published.
There were also information sheets published about many models, that showed lubrication and major information. You can usually find these on Ebay.
Period “generic” shop manuals also usually had a section on Pierce Arrow.
There have been a few mid-30’s cars for sale lately, which one did you buy, and could you post a picture?
If you have specific questions, posting them here can usually get you an answer, there’s nothing that can be done to the cars that someone in the Pierce Arrow Society hasn’t already been there and done that!
I’ve watched early Pierce cars for years, and lost out on two very early cars due to poor decision making on my part, a 1909 24 and a 1910 36.
It seems at one time that replicated cars, with major components being new (such as the body and frame of this one)were close to par in value with original ones. Now, from what I’m seeing, a known replicated car has much less value than one with a pedigree and history.
That said, there are a lot of early cars out there that have had major work, but some of THAT history is being lost as time goes by. I’ve walked Hershey with a friend who is one of the top brass car experts in the US, and it was fascinating….he’d point out this car that had a rear body replaced by Harrah’s, or that car that started out as an engine and some parts….
Sure wish my pockets were that deep, I’d like to see that car at the museum…..but as it is, if a trip around the world cost a dollar, I’m not sure I could afford to get to the end of ny driveway….
Where’s your seat belt? Hold on tight, those box seats can be expensive!
I believe there are four of the five that have survived……three are quite visible, I believe the fourth is in a private collection and seldom seen…..someone more in tune can verify or deny that…
Oh, I wasn’t aware that Mr. Derro had passed, sorry to hear that and it explains the car being available….will be interesting to see where it ends up….
Well, heck, I offered to go partners on it, now if Stu would just come up with the rest of the zeros on the check, we’d be set! I’d even let him drive every now and then….
Thanks, Stu…wow, finally, the last one I could afford…but I think that car has been discussed before, and is somewhat of a, uh, bastard, perhaps? ….I’m sure hankering for a 36 on car, but it’ll be a dream I guess, particularly after seeing the estimate on that open front limo… yours is a beauty….
Greg, you are 99.9% correct in your description! The only thing I believe incorrect is that Uvira puts and aluminum/glass coating over NICKEL plating.
You must send them your reflectors already nickel plated.
As a side note, I believe the owner of this business is not in the best of health, I sure hope someone continues this service if he gets to the point he can’t handle it….
Eric Haartz is a great resource for our hobby, I won’t go into the whole story, but he reproduced 40 yards of a fantastic replicated Pantasote for me, which now is proudly on two 1907 Autocars, a 1909 Reo, and a 1910 Stanley….and it’s great, black with a whipcord liner, impossible to get these days. Oh, and I have enough material left to do one more of my cars! He should be commended for his efforts, which are motivated by his love of early cars. Stop at Hershey on the Red Field and say hi to him! I do think that the Tonneau material that Benjamin is referencing is one of the closest things to original I’ve seen, a good grain, but no distinct directional stamping….thanks for sharing…
I believe in the original design the hub had a standpipe at the drain hole, thus when you rotated 180 degrees as stated, the proper amount of oil would stay in the hub, excess would drain out. The remaining oil is then distributed correctly by centripetal force (engineer speak) to the correct places (I must interject, my family gives me heck about thinking like an engineer, once they were trying to take a picture of our then- 2 year old granddaughter, and I told her “turn ninety degrees” to get her in line with camera…and the response was, seriously, ninety degrees, to a 2 year old??!?…). A good system, well engineered, but it takes maintenance. How many of us are guilty of storing a car for a year or more, then hitting the road on a tour and expecting the car to be 100%. Part of the enjoyment of old cars is tending to their needs, and the more you do so, the more you understand every noise and smell and feel of your car.
For example, my ’31 did a wonderful job of driving 250 or so miles in two days, but the second day I noticed a little water leak down the right side of the radiator shell. I’ve been there before, water pump sucking air, foaming the coolant, most noticeable when you’re driving at speed and back off the gas,causing an overflow, so know what it is since I’ve experienced before. Time to look at packing in water pump, but also water pump grease, as the grease around the water pump shaft performs both lubrication and sealing duty.
I agree, I’ve put a number of top inserts in a lot of different make cars, and never seen such a robust top frame. Much more typical, as Greg mentions, to have the larger spacing for the front to back slats.
As to the jute, you can buy it in different weights. The most common available now are 20 ounce (about 1/4 inch thick) and 40 ounce (about 1/2 inch thick). The weight is per square yard of the jute fabric. If I were using jute on an insert top, I’d go with the 20 ounce. You don’t want such a thick padding that the top material stands “proud”” of the roofline.”
Well said, Greg, and he’s right, folks….it’s just something that needs lubrication and one never thinks of it….and it seems to be the most common semi-disastrous failure that can happen to our cars…
I believe the previous owner of my ’31 reworked the fan hub, but I’m probably going to go with John Cislak’s fix anyway. His work is excellent, and the price of the new hub, if it saves radiator and/or other damage, is reasonable.
The proper construction of the top insert should be, in my experience and observation:
-wooden slat framework
-chicken wire
-very thin material over chicken wire, similar to drapery backing cotton material
-very thin cotton batting, yes, you can go to a fabric store and get quilt padding, it’s very thin, I usually use two layers
-top material
Please don’t use foam, it will disintegrate. Also, the chicken wire is often used as the antenna for the radio in later cars. As such, it is attached to the wood only, and not touching any metal body part.
Headliners have a seam sewed in them, and the seam will leave a tail of about half an inch. To this tail is sewed a piece of listing (thin cotton fabric). The listing is tacked to the cross braces of the top, starting in the middle and stretching to the side as you go, hanging the headliner slightly below the cross braces. The other old trimmer trick is to use tacks on the listing, and DON’T drive them all the way in. That way you can pull sideways on the headliner to eliminate wrinkles, and the listing will rotate on the tack allowing you to do so.
Curtiss, enjoyed our talk, good to see you!
Yes, wonderful job by David and Diana, and Bill and Wilma, it was a wonderful event…..
