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In a not so long ago issue of the Arrow, I wrote a story about this dealership, attached pictures of one of the give aways….
I forgot to mention, Sonnenland is a “German” top material, that’s the connection I made to your comment!
I agree that engine work has really become expensive, not to mention the rebuilding of the accessories and attachments to such an engine.
I’ve bought and sold a lot of cars, and should have learned my lesson, but within the last couple of years bought two cars (non-Pierce) that seemed to be GREAT deals. Neither were running. The first one started, I thought the gas tank was empty but had traces of old, bad, gas, gummed up valves, locking them up and making pretzels out of pushrods. Big bucks. The second, I knew it needed engine work, but wasn’t quite prepared for how much, from fan hub to back of transmission, everything needed rebuild. This one, not real expensive, but time consuming, as marque specialist working on it is trading me for upholstery work.
It’s so hard to judge a car’s mechanical condition, but one needs to at least hear it run and drive it, and be comfortable there are no major issues. If not, there should be a MAJOR discount in acquisition price, assume the worst.
I know of a Packard V-12 that’s having a hard time finding a new home, because last time it was started, there was exhaust smoke and a knock in the engine.
Fun stuff…..
I like your body color choices. I’m familiar with Sonnenland top material (actually a Haartz product too), and there is a dark green available. That and a dark green leather interior might work, but it’ll be tricky to get all the green shades to match. Green is almost as bad as gray, trying to get 2 or 3 different shades to blend!
It’s my personal opinion that top and interior choices can make or break the overall look of the car, and trying to get too fancy can ruin it.
Of course, as always, it’s your car and your choice, but if I were doing the car I’d lean toward traditional trim treatments. Dark green interior and black top, black interior and black top. I’m not sure how tan interior and top would work with the “bronze” body color. It would work with the green, but just not sure on the main body color.
Just my thoughts, but intent should be to end up with a car that gets an “Oh Wow” and not an “Oh Gee”!!!
On another note, make sure your painter gets all the way around on the jambs on the doors, the upholstery panels don’t really go all the way to the edge. I made this mistake on my ’31 phaeton, see attached picture…
Whew, I was worried about what colors you were going to pick, but that looks nice! I like that the green is a dark shade.
Of course, being a hobbyist trimmer, I would question the top material. If it’s Haartz/Stayfast, there’s only one greenish color available, and it’s much lighter than the paint you show.
What color interior! Black I hope, or?
As far as pinstripe goes, body color on the green would work, unless you’re doing something different with wheel color, and then you might want to match stripe to wheel color.
Good progress!
Most of us know the effort that has to be exerted to restore any old car, even the ones that are “nice” when we start.
I admire your work, but even more, admire that you restrained from complaining about the hours spent to make the “before” picture into the “after” picture. Many hours, the patience to do things correctly and, if not correct, to do over again. All for one small detail of a much larger project…..you’re hearing nothing but admiration from me! Well done….and then some…
As many of you know, I’m a retired engineer who now does a little trim work as a hobby. I’d be willing to take this on as a project, if there’s enough interest….I could have the new Pierce tags made, source the back fabric (and it is quite interesting, as mentioned, a faux fur), it appears the outer fabric is a broadcloth so could be made in any color broadcloth now available. I think I’d be tempted to put a layer of thin batting between the layers for warmth, but that would also depend on the thickness of the “fur”. If of interest, contact me directly or post here…thanks David C.
That sounds like a great deal for a V-12, unless it had some hidden fatal flaw we don’t know about…not perfect but usable for sure!
Dave, if you don’t have a place that can make small embroidered labels, let me know, I have a source, just have to dig it up.
Also, if you’re trying to be accurate to size and construction, here’s what’s in my files: “Pierce robe 69 x 51 inches, fake fur on one side, pinkish wool on the other”.
Sourcing the correct looking material will be the fun part. They’d be easy to sew, although there is some detail work, see picture…
All I have is a small picture, I’ll attach and see what it looks like….
Darn, that rod must have been hard to get to! A day to take apart, three years to put back together!
I agree, pricing is crazy, just thought it was an interesting war relic!
I believe this was for sale by Henry Yeska, and I don’t believe it’s been restored, it was a wonderful survivor. I took a lot of pictures to document the interior, which was all original. I believe it also had the neat little front door half moon roll up windows.
I’m sure the owner will chime in, or some will state who (whom?) the owner is at this point.
It’s a great car, wish I’d had the wherewithal to buy it when I saw it!
Here is a link to a website that details how to get a title in Ohio. It seems the State has grouped antique cars and custom built cars together in the requirements for titling, although the license plate for each is different. It appears to be a slightly tedious process, but for an inspector to tell you it must be custom built since he’s never heard of it is silly, you need to ask for another inspector or his supervisor.
http://https://www.dmv.com/oh/ohio/custom-vehicle-registration
A lot of the outside of early aluminum crankcases had aluminum paint “daubed” on them as somewhat of a sealant. I don’t know if this was done on Series 81, I’ve mostly seen it on ought and teens car engines…
The inside should be sealed with Gasoila, a red compound that will seal the porous aluminum and not flake off if metal is relatively clean.
That would make sense, for the square fitting on the plug on a vacuum tank, thanks, hadn’t thought of that….
I will post a video, it will be a little while before I get it…although it sounds like I might need to go up there with the High Sheriff of Hampden County to get it away from Ed!! I wish now the fellow I got it from had taken a video, he ran it briefly on a Model T carb….
Can’t seem to post picture, you can see carb laying in a box in the above picture featuring Ed and the engine!
One more history lesson that I got today, thought I’d pass it along.
The fellow who had this engine, had it running on a Model T carburetor. He said he sent the “original” carb with the engine, but Ed was convinced it was a later Holley carb.
In 1901, the Holley brothers went to Paris, France, and came back with the rights to manufacture and sell Longuemare (a French brand) carbs. They did so, all the while making and trying to market their own “Holley” motorette. Henry Ford came to them at some point, and convinced them to build carbs for him, and thus the brothers gave up the idea of making an automobile and put all their efforts into a carburetor company, and of course, the rest is well known.
Turns out that Don Silbert, who owns a 1903 6 HP Stanhope, verified that this is, indeed, a carb original to this engine. He indicates to me that they are a little more than rare to find.
So now, I’m even happier, if that’s possible! Thanks to Don for the info.
