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Richard, well done, great detective work! Will be looking for an update on the story of this beast…
My 1931 Model 43 phaeton was a very nice original car in 1959, when the previous owner bought it in New York, and drove it home to New Orleans.
These days, one would hesitate to restore (I have the 1959 picture showing a wonderful original car), but restore he did. 1959-60 restoration, and I’m sure he made sure the engine was top-notch, as he worked for and with someone who was in the automobile business.
During the 60’s, 70’s, and early 80’s, he drove the car all over the South on tours. He didn’t own a trailer, and he and his Buddy (literally, Buddy Walton from New Orleans), drove everywhere.
Conservative estimate, when I bought the car from him in the early 80’s, he had somewhere between 60,000 and 70,000 miles on the car (and engine), on antique car tours.
Car still drove strong, but was a 60’s restoration, and getting tired cosmetically. I took the engine apart, the mains were fine, we fitted modern bearings to the rods and put in new pistons and rings.
Thus, fantastic engines, if set up correctly and well maintained.
Not sure that answers the question, but these aren’t fragile or short lived engines…………..
By the mid 30’s, a two tone combination (fenders and body) was becoming fairly rare, for some reason it looks right on earlier models, but not so good on later models. Sometimes the body mouldings were painted a different color, usually one that was a few shades different than body color, not a contrasting color.
My guess is that if you found dark green, the whole car was dark green.
Pierce did have an “art and styling” department at that point, and there are charts existing showing “factory” color combinations. I’m out of town so don’t have access to my files, perhaps someone could get a copy and scan it for you…….good luck David Coco
The pin was added to the knob in a letter dated September 12, 1921, to the supplier (BTW), so would have appeared on production cars soon after that.
And, you are correct on the Model 33 year. The documents show that the drawing (blueprint #75334) for the knob was modified on December 9, 1921, to state that “Mod. 33 [added] to title”.
So, to revise my question, I’d be curious to know how many Model 32’s were produced in 1921. thanks David C.
Thanks Tony…that’s a help. It’s more information found in the files of Buerk Tool Works, that I acquired a while back, and was the source of an article recently in the Arrow magazine. BTW made the regulators for Pierce, and there’s even a reference to having the arrow, but that Pierce would paint the white fill color, and as mentioned the pin modification. Working on it!! David C.
Hi Gregg – door panels are easy, in most cases, compared to seats and such. I do upholstery, used to do it professionally, now only as time permits.
The problem is that trim. It’s a beautiful detail, and one that would be a shame to lose, but can’t imagine you’re going to find it anywhere.
Are the pieces of trim good enough to try to use again, or are there problems with it? Can you see a visible stitch on the trim, or is the fabric stitched to backer board and then trim glued in place?
Would be an interesting project, if you can’t find someone I might be able to help you with it. David Coco Winchester Va.
What a great building, thanks for pictures, my Google search showed that as the original Metropolitan motor building, but that must be incorrect as the street address doesn’t match. Wouldn’t that building make a great garage for old cars!!!!
In 1906 Metropolitan Motor Car Company built a new building, on Euclid Avenue, to handle Pierce, Cadillac, and Babcock. The building still exists, and has a very nice detail inset into the side which mimics the 25 year PA pin. I don’t know if it changed names anytime after 1906, while dealing in Pierce cars….best David Coco Winchester Va.
Hi- since we’re doing memorabilia too, here are a few interesting Pierce pieces (well, one’s not Pierce, but it’s Buffalo!), some rare some not.
–1911 Ten Years of Industrial Activity medal (a real one)
–badge – “Automobile club of [picture of buffalo in middle]”
–two bird feeders to fit on bird cage (one water, one food), marked “Pierce Buffalo NY May 1878”
–Pierce bicycle medal with ribbon
–Pierce “July 1920 Truck Convention” medal with ribbon
–Endurance test medal, New York to Pittsburgh, October 7 to 15 1903, National Ass’n of Automobile Mfg’rs, awarded to George N. Pierce Co., appears gold plated
Ed, you’re a wealth of information about Pierce cars…
I thought I knew that there were 4 Model 43 Phaetons, mine, Phil’s that was sold recently, Mr. Dluhy of course with the best one, and then another in Texas. All of a sudden, one shows up overseas. Ya never know, there are still “unknown” (more or less) Pierce cars out there…I always get a kick out of someone saying “one of X known.” There are cars out there, it’s a big country and world…..
Here’s a very nice early Pierce….once owned by Harrah…now sitting in a museum….sorry for poor quality of picture…although it does have a certain artistic value…like a dream……
Sheesh. Wish I’d seen that sight, the convertible coupe staring at me…..ya had good luck on that one…best dc
…..and as it looked when I drove it to the Pierce Arrow tent at Hershey a couple years ago, best comment from a young lady ….”It doesn’t look like it should run…”””
Here’s the first look I had at a 1936 Pierce club sedan, driven into a shed in 1953….
Here’s one of a bunch of pictures in a safety demonstration book that I have, photos taken in New York City…..
Hi- I put inserts in my ’31 Pierce engine, lost track of time, 6 or more years ago. At the time there was a place in California (not Egge) that did them for $125 per rod, which I thought was reasonable. I believe it’s the right thing to do, particularly when modern drivers tend to go a little faster on the highway……
Yes, when looking at watches or pocket watches for Pierce, it’s tough, as there are so many reproductions. The same caveat goes for pocket watch fobs, as there were repops of those also. If it doesn’t quite look original, it’s probably not. Even those that look right might be suspect. I’ve always regreted selling the one PA fob that I found, complete with silk ribbon, and it was correct and never used..oh well, we all have those regrets…best David C.
Yikes. Well, at least the 12 engine is included. The boat tail is not an awful idea, but the execution on this one is awful. The BT loses the scale of the car as it goes back, it’s too small for the front of the car. That’s why it’s ugly, in my opinion. Properly done, with the BT well into the fenders on each side of the rear, it probably would be somewhat attractive. Bet they want big bucks for it thought….makes you wonder what shape or style the body was to start, before restoration, as it would be hard to conceive that someone would do this to a good convertible….dc
Tony- I’ll take a set, check in the mail today thanks David Coco
Well said, Ed. I can recall Irvin Blonder helping me (as he did many others) many times when I was restoring a couple of mid-30’s cars. I specifically remember the hood pieces for a 1935, he reproduced them in brass, chrome plated, and they were priced to me cheaper than I could have had the old ones just plated. I was also lucky enough to purchase a manifold for my ’31, back when they were in the $500 range, before I needed it. To your point, the time I needed it came, and I was fortunate to have it in the pile of parts. Things are much more expensive these days, and of course some of the parts are being made by people making a living in the hobby, so more expensive still.
I recently needed some muffler ends reproduced for a 1910 Hupmobile. Got a quote from one shop, $300 each end. Found a great little foundry in Boston, Mystic, and they did them for about $40 each, I’d recommend them for brass and bronze casting if anyone needs that. As Ed says, both the parts and the willingness to make replacement parts are disappearing. best to all, David C.
