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4.5 million dollars?….

Did they think they found the last silver arrow left?….

What kind of legal repercussions would happen if someone paid that kind of money for a car that was never disclosed to be a re bodied car?…

Isn’t that called fraud?…

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Dave,

I don’t know how you have manged to juggle your time with all of the responsibilities you have taken on with the PAS, but if anyone needed a well deserved break it would be you. (And Diana)

I think I speak for all the members of the Great Lakes Region when I say you have (both) done an outstanding job with your duties and accomplishments within the PAS. Without your hard work it is possible the GLR may never have gotten past the “it’s a good idea” stage.

Your guidance and friendship has meant a lot to me and and I hope we have many, many years of your continuing services and camaraderie within the club.

Curtiss & Kirsten

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Hello Oivind,

I’m curious, the photo shows what appear to be left hand drive vehicles, would that have been the norm for cars in Copenhagen or would the majority of cars be right hand drive?

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I found this photo of the Maharaja’s car on the Heritage Motoring Club of India’s webpage.

I hope this comes out all right.

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Edgar,

You are a wealth of information when it comes to these cars,it’s been a pleasure to have this discussion.

I am really interested to learn more about these cars, any chance you could send me copies of the photos and information you have?…

Thanks. Curtiss

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Here is a photo of the Shah’s Pierce as it appears in the museum today.

I hope this turns out all right.

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Thank you for clarifying this mystery Edgar, though I would still like to know when it was repainted and the side mounts added.

When it was restored, it appears the jewels in the Shah’s crests were removed, as they clearly do not appear in the photos or videos taken of the car. Perhaps they were used to pay for the restoration of the car!

It would be something if there was a way we could get that car to a PAS meet sometime in the near future but I’m not going to hold my breath on that one!

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Joe,

I think all of us dream of that undiscovered find of a lifetime!

But, without actually knowing, either from the records of the Pierce-Arrow plant, or the history of the Shah’s limo from the museum in Tehran, if, in fact, that car is the actual original white limousine the Shah ordered in 1930 or if it a similar model limousine that was built for someone high up in the Shah’s cabinet and they are passing it off as the Shah’s car.

Like I said, I actually wrote to the museum in Tehran but received no response.

If it is the Shah’s limousine then when was it repainted and outfitted with side mounts? Did the shah’s own people do it after the 1979 revolution, or did they ship it back to NY to have the Pierce factory do it prior to it’s closing?

I would really like to know.

Maybe if we could find someone in the PAS that speaks reads and writes Farsi we might have better luck.

Anyone going to Iran for vacation anytime soon?…

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An interesting video on you tube entitled the Great Reza Shah Pahlavi shows an officer stepping out of what appears to be the very same car that is on display in Tehran. The video is blurry and grainy but at 6:53 in the video you can clearly see the fender headlamp of the car for a mere split second before the camera cuts to another shot. This was shot during the Shahs funeral in 1944. The car is clearly not the white limousine the Shah ordered and it is equipped with sidemounts.

If that was the Shahs limousine that was ordered in 1930 then it had clearly been repainted and equipped with side mounts by the time of his death in 1944.

However, in a book entitled August 1941: The Anglo-Russian occupation of Iran, published in 1997, the author states: “Among the fleet of luxury automobiles owned by the Reza Shah, his favorite was a 1930 gold plated Pierce-Arrow”. It goes on to say the Shah has “three or four of this make in addition to several Lincoln’s and a Rolls Royce.”

The author then goes on to say; Finally, it is not known what became of this car, it is not on display in the auto museum that was set up in Tehran after the 1979 revolution for the purpose of displaying the luxury cars which belonged to the two Shahs. We can only speculate that the Reza Shah took this car with him in 1941,or it was subsequently shipped out by his son and successor.

Without actually knowing what became of the Shah’s white limousine, is it possible this car could be another Pierce made to look like the Shah’s limo?… or perhaps another limo ordered for one of his ministers or cabinet members?…

Without any records from the P-A factory to know how many cars were ordered and shipped out in 1930 and to whom, is it possible they built more than one limo for the Shah?…

Thoughts, ideas anyone?…

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Speaking of famous Pierce-Arrows, does anyone know whatever happened to Charlie Chaplin’s P-A?… I know it was up for sale last year but then it dropped off the radar. Does anyone have any information on what became of it?… Did it sell?… how much?… ?????

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An article from the Pittsburgh Press on July 13, 1930, calls the Shah’s Pierce the “Costliest Auto made” and and goes on to say “The car itself cost $18,500 dollars, but the lavish addition of diamonds and other costly jewels furnished by the Shah himself is said to raise the price of the finished product far above that of any auto made”

Another article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette dated April 19, 1930, states ” One glance at the car, a snow white Pierce-Arrow, is sufficient to convince one that his nibs, the Shah, when he wants an automobile, goes in for classy jobs. What, with all the gold and diamonds, the Shah’s new buggy is the costliest auto built.”

Another article from the Burra Record (Australian newspaper)on May 20, 1931 headline reads “Costliest car in the world.” Owned by the Shah of Persia,though it does not state the actual price in the article.

When the car was on display in New York City prior to being shipped out, armed guards watched over the display.

The Shah’s car is still extant in the National Car Museum in Tehran. It has been restored and repainted a dark blue and side-mounts have been added. It still retains the gold finish on the bright work but I doubt that it is the actual 24ct gold that was used when originally built.

I wrote to the museum asking for more information on the history of the car but received no response. (Not surprised actually!)

Several videos of the Shah’s car are available on Youtube. One of the better ones is entitled classical cars museum of Iran. It is interesting to note that, while this beautiful car is on display, apparently no one in the museum knows how to clean whitewalls!

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Dave,

I’ve got two (2) 700-18 WW tires and tubes you can have.

Sorry Greg.

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Wow, I was really getting choked up watching that.

The first car I remember my father having was a black 1959 Chevy Impala with red leather interior. I know he loved that car but he sold the car to buy a station wagon (remember those?) when our sister was born.

I always thought about finding another 59 Impala for him but he passed away before I could realize that dream. I know he would have loved it.

To me the real love of my “first”” Pierce-Arrow came from tracking down the cars history and finding out the original owners. Then meeting the daughter of one of the original owners in NY at the Centennial meet in 2001. The joy at seeing the car again brought tears to her eyes!!!

You can’t replace memories like those…”

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You have a point Ed, any woman that can drive a Pierce is a woman after my own heart, but you know how tight those driver compartments can be, I don’t think she would fit behind the steering wheel!…

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She is very HEALTHY to say the least… not a very flattering dress either…

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Wow, great responses everyone, keep it up!

When I lost my job last year I went into panic mode and told my wife I was selling everything.

I ended up selling my 26 Town Car to Greg Long and, while I do miss the car terribly, I am glad he was the recipient of the sale as I know he will take good care of “Miss Helen”. And, since the car is only 45 minutes away, he has graciously extended the invitation to come visit anytime.

While it was very hard to see the car go, knowing it went to a friend and fellow PAS member, it made the transaction a lot easier.

At that time I felt it was the right thing to do, but since that time my wife’s cooler head prevailed and we are now planning on keeping the ’32 even if we have to end up living in it someday!

For me it was always the historical value. It’s the old saying “If these cars could talk the stories they’d tell” Well, when these cars are all gone (or worse, rodded out!) then there are no stories left to tell.

I always love the looks of the older generation that tell stories of either owning one or knowing someone that owned one way back when.

In fact, one of my old bosses learned how to drive in a pierce almost identical to the one I have.

THAT is value!

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Bill,

The pinion must be installed to the correct depth that is specified on the end of the gear otherwise it will not work.

If the pinion is installed at the correct depth, and there is still a problem, then Phil will take care of it.

But to Ed’s experience, when they are installed to the correct depth, they work.

If you have any questions call Ed linn 248-797-8781

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Oivind,

Wow, you are dedicated my friend, I would not be so brave as to drive an open car like that in the snow.

Actually, the only reason I do not drive the car in the winter is not because of the snow itself, but of the tons of salt they spread on all the roads here. If it were only the snow itself, I suppose I would take the limo out once in a while!… (the heat from the engine actually keeps the interior fairly warm.)

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Tony,

I suppose that thought would also apply to a winter front grill, who would use it?… I can’t say I know of anyone who would take their Pierce out into the snow unless it was absolutely necessary!…

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Edgar,

Yep, that’s kinda what my back yard looks like up here in Michigan too!

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