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I had a problem with my ’31, with water being pushed out of radiator, particularly when letting off accelerator after a run. The radiator was new (thanks to an aggressive radiator man ruining a good original one)so it had flow, but still couldn’t handle the volume of water being pushed to top tank.

My solution was to take a freeze plug the same outside diameter as the inside diameter of the upper hose, drill a 5/8 inch hole in it, and insert.

Car has run cool ever since, never loses water, even in a recent 100 mile run in 95 degree heat.

It once foamed, but that was because the grease was gone out of water pump and it was pulling in air, new grease and problem solved.

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I have one, will try to figure out how to email it to you…

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What a great find, and a great body style…..nice!!

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That’s one too Minnie puns, Ed…….

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A “left over” LeBaron body, or just a left over Pierce body (my understanding is that most convertible sedans were Pierce design, built by LeBaron shops, delivered in the white to Pierce factory, thus a body can be LeBaron built but not a Lebaron body….whew, that could be confusing!)

I’ve been watching this car too, and though I couldn’t afford it without major collection change, wondered why it hadn’t sold, as it’s somewhat attractive and Tom is saying by LeBaron….

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Interesting update, these lenses are now listed in the “Parts and Services”” directory…..”

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I believe these are the easiest of the headlamp lenses to find for Pierce.

Numbers are Multibeam 919661 (left) and 919662 (right).

These are the same lenses as used on 1936 Oldsmobile, and as such are fairly common. Be careful of anyone asking very high prices for them.

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I bought my first car (or should say, my Dad bought it for me), in 1964, when I was 13 years old. It was a 1931 Chevrolet, I restored it and drove it to high school and used it some at college, still have it.

In 1965, there was an indoor car show at a coliseum in my hometown. There were a few people there from New Orleans, one of whom owned and displayed a 1931 Pierce phaeton. I fell in love with that car, and have a picture of me gazing at it longingly at the show. Little did I know that 20 years later, the gentleman would sell it to me. I’ve owned numerous other Pierces, including a production Silver Arrow 12 and a ’35 coupe, but the phaeton is the one I’ve kept, and will own it ’till the end….

Styling, engineering quality, unique with lights….and just a great car…attracted me to the Pierce Arrows…

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Shucks, I can’t match the time owned except with my 1931 Chevrolet, next year will be 50 years.

My ’31 Pierce phaeton, well, I first met it 47 years ago, but only bought it 29 years ago….

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana…..

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Yes, Studebaker used the same ball bearing system, and it was promoted in their advertising. If you Google the topic you can find an article that discusses the testing that the Studebaker engineers did on the system.

I don’t know what other cars other than Pierce and Studebaker used these shackles, but Fafnir advertised at the time that kits were available to convert any make to the system.

One point made in this discussion was that there is very little travel for the balls themselves, thus a dimple in the race may just be the travel range, not a “failure” of the system. I would bet that, over the 80 years since they’ve been in place, more bearings have “failed” due to corrosion and non-lubrication than due to wear or breakage.

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I agree that most regular garages would not service ball bearing spring shackles, but I bet the Pierce dealerships did…..from a business standpoint a service manager was probably telling his mechanics “look at the odometer, 20K 40K 60K let’s work on those shackles and generate income!!……and I agree with Bob, who has taken a sound engineering approach to the discussion, as did the original engineers……..

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Jak, perfect reply by you, and I agree that driving them is the goal…although will admit I have too few miles behind me in an old car during the past few years…but retired now, and doing trim work as a hobby, so hopefully will view over the bonnet much more often in the coming years!!

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Pardon me, I mis-typed, and meant ball bearings. I also stand by my statements, what we see as “failure” is on cars that have many more than 20,000 miles on them, and the parts have never been replaced, thus the damage. Period literature states the design is for 20,000 mile life on a car.

I agree that modern pin/bushing arrangements are more durable, but the original design is not at fault if used within stated limits.

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Well, I’m not sure it’s fair to criticize the engineers with such force.

We are quick to assume faulty engineering, when something doesn’t make obvious sense, or newer things have been developed that seem to be better than the original.

Fafnir designed roller bearings specifically for spring shackles, and they were used on both Pierce and Studebaker cars, and available to convert other makes to the system. Literature of the time states that the bearings were good for at least 20,000 miles, which was a lot of driving in the 30’s. Viewed from out “100,000 miles on a spark plug” mentality, it would seem that’s a flaw in engineering, but I’d disagree. It was an engineering decision based on design and calculation of the time in which it was produced, and used as a selling point for many a car….

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Repeating what others have said, but it bears repeating. You and Diana have given much to the PAS, and it is greatly appreciated. David C.

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I would bet he’s looking for the complete mat, which was standard issue on open car. Rubber ribbed mat, Pierce logo in the center, with a backing, and covering the entire front floor.

Mine is original but brittle and cracking, I’d like to have a new one and save the old.

At this point no that that I’m aware of is reproducing. If someone has a procedure for molding a mat of this size I’d like to know it….

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Hyman has been advertising for one, but a couple of good deals have come and gone since he started advertising, so it’s a mystery…..

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Thanks Ed, appreciate the lead…..

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Front of pedal car….

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Congratulations Fay. I still remember how nice you were to my young son at the Mass. meet, even bought one of his Pierce car sketches from him! You deserve this….

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