My first Pierce, a 1934 840 sedan, was a very nice medium gray (possibly the Harbor Mist?), just about like the gray primer used today…it was a wonderful original car that fell victim to the 1970’s restoration craze (mea culpa)…the original paint was so nice that when I put the untouched body on the restored frame, people would say “wow, that primer is shiny”…..I’ll try to dig up a picture in my spare time, meanwhile back to work on the identical car in my garage!
Probably some nice cars, if the seller is willing to discount somewhat so that new owner can tastefully do upgrades.
If seller wants high dollar because they’re “classy”, then that’s another story. I believe these cars have been for sale for a while.
There’s nothing wrong with painting or trimming your car as you see fit, and you enjoy, but when it comes time to sell (as it always does), then choices can help or hurt you in sale price realized….
My ’31 phaeton was green with khaki fenders, and when the gentleman who restored it in 1960 upholstered it, he did so with heavy green vinyl, because it would last longer than leather. I loved the car and hated the colors, thus it’s now slightly different…
Pierce was oh so close to being a viable part of the war effort. If one reads the book “Freedom’s Forge” by Arthur Herman (and I highly recommend it, it details the leaders of the automotive giants helping the war effort), one will see that preparations for entering WWII began well before the US actually entered the war. Had Pierce just had decent 1938 sales, and gotten into calendar year 1939, things might have been different.
Just imagine, three Pierce V-12’s powering a PT boat! Yes, reality was that Packard supplied the trio of engines for each PT boat, but Packard could have been second runner up!! The throaty roar of a Pierce V-12 powered Mustang P-51! Sherman tanks….and the list goes on…..
Woulda Coulda Shoulda….doesn’t your heart skip a beat seeing the attached picture (not a new catalog, unfortunately, rather a school yearbook!)…
Yowza….that hurts, on many levels…. now I know what staring at the sun feels like….
Yes, Ed, I thought about that, so will apologize in advance to the new owner….it may be a really good car, but since I’m upholstery sensitive (a trimmer disease), I just see too many cars where the fabric seems to come from JoAnnes Fabric Store or similar. The labor is the huge portion of putting in a new interior, so to skimp on material seems a waste (although, as mentioned, judging from the other cars it seems to be this collection’s downfall, maybe not skimping, but making non-authentic choices)
Mr. A., “disturbing” is a good word for it! I know colors are a matter of taste, but tasteful colors are a matter of sense….
The ’34 twelve cylinder is now on Ebay, listed by a dealer….
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1934-Pierce-Arrow-1240A-Sedan-/391743414292?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276
You have to be Wacko to fly in a Waco, particularly in Waco, Texas or Waco Field, Ohio….
Nothing like the sound of a radial engine, though….I “upholstered” a Ryan monoplane, this is me getting a ride through the Pennsylvania fall foliage, what a beautiful flight….although mail bags would squeeze in that compartment better than I did!
I like the Lexus idea! It’s a lot less messy than the 50 caliber option I had envisioned…..
Actually, people slower in front of me don’t bother me NEAR as much as someone two feet behind my rear bumper…
The old saying is that anyone driving slower than you is stupid, and anyone driving faster than you is an idiot, because only YOU are driving the perfect speed….
Perfect, thanks! I used to own an 840, my first of my dozen or so Pierce’s, but don’t have any info left on them and I’m working on one….
Happy Birthday yesterday, Jak! And that’s no joke!
Car looks like it might be usable, but also like it needs some TLC. Here’s a picture from the catalog. If good mechanically, some money spent judiciously might result in an OK car, but as has been discussed before, a full restoration and you’re “in the bucket”” big time.”
Kenneth, thanks for offer, but Mama didn’t raise no fool. I’ve already bought the only bridge in Brooklyn that was on the market, just waiting for my Western Union payment to clear the bank…..
I saw that too, thumbing through Hemmings today. It appears like it needs a total restoration, so the low sale price is not shocking, based on what project cars are bringing these days.
One is so much better off buying a car that’s restored, or even a good older restoration. Just the cost of rechroming everything on that “bargain” would exceed the purchase price.
In the old days, you’d dust ’em off and drive them. Today, you either need an exceptional original car, or a restored car….
Well, living in Virginia…I’m born and reared Louisiana style, and my heart is still there….
You can get cheaper molasses by going to a livestock feed store or a Tractor Supply, they sell “feed grade molasses”….
Reminds me of the farmer’s wife baking cookies, the Papa Mole stuck his head out of the burrow’s hole and said “I smell cookies!”. The Mama Mole squeezed beside him and said “I smell cookies too!” The Baby Mole, not able to get by his parents to the top, said “Darn, all I smell are molasses…..”
Bob, don’t apologize for being an Engrinear, I are one two.
In my family, I’ve never lived down trying to get our 2 year old grandchild to move by telling her to “turn ninety degrees””….”
And, of course, there’d be four distinct pieces, as they’re all different.
Now the question would be, is the bottom lip of the hood the SAME on, let’s say, all 1929-1938 cars? Or, are there different cross sections. I could make a drawing of the piece need for a ’31 Model 43, but what other models would that fit?
AHA! I thought there was a metal base. I have a metal worker who could make these, but I think they’d be expensive, I’ll talk to him.
It needs a pretty heavy coating, since the purpose is not to scratch!!
Thanks…
I’ve been working with some heavy leather to try to figure out a way to make it work. I’ll continue my research and testing and let everyone know if I can figure it out.
I seem to remember the original Pierce hood corners were actually metal, shaped to fit, then covered in leather. This is from one of the cars I’ve owned, but I don’t have proof of that.