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The ball bearing needle is called a Gross Jet. They are no longer made. They seem to work well with very low fuel pressure systems, but also cause problems on certain set ups. They are suppose to be self cleaning but depending on the install I have seen them cause problems. While I like them on early Cadillac’s I would not run them on your Pierce. V-12 fuel system problems can be a real pain to fix, and its easiest to just do the entire system from the tank to carbs to properly sort it. Installing a bigger pick up tube in the tank, and installing an over size fuel line all the way to the pump and carbs solves all vapor lock and fuel starvation issues. You need to make all new fittings and machine them with larger holes also. It’s a fair amount of work, but well worth the time. When I looked at you car two years ago it was dumping fuel at idle and starving for fuel on the high end, possibly caused by the Grosse Jets. Also, the timing seemed retarted. I have driven more than two dozen V-12 Pierce cars, more than half had severe running issues, another forty percent we just marginal, only ten percent actually run well. If you have never driven a well sorted Pierce 12 it’s hard to understand what very good performing car they are and thus many people never get their cars set up to their full potential. A clean tank with no rust and a good fuel filter are also very important. With modern fuel rejetting the carbs both main and idle circuit should also be done, as well as a electric fuel pump to,deal with hot soak from the carbs dumping gas in the summer months. The car should start EASILY hot or cold, and rev and pull like a 60’s V-8 motor. If it doesn’t you still have issues. As a side note, have you changed out your tires and tubes yet? They were like new but quite old, and I wouldn’t run the risk of running them, especially in warm weather or at high speeds. It’s a nice car, ENJOY! Ed.
The UU2 and UUR2 were installed on engines from 198 cid to almost 600 cid, so there were if memory serves me no less than 148 different applications. Issue number one is they fit Bugatti and Duesenberg as well as being the go to carbs for Stutz today. Thus they bring heavy money. Recently I know for a fact that 7 new carb bodies were made successfully for the Dusenberg application, cost of ONLY the body with nothing else was four thousand dollars, and the guy who made them said they lost money on the deal. They only did the project as it was bankrolled by a major collector. There is about 75 to 125 pieces that are chrome or nickel on them, so plating cost is also a major consideration. I see used carbs all over the place for 500 to 2500 in “as found” condition. Usually they are junk, and lots of people end up with two or three bad ones before they get a good one. Be sure to insist you have a money back option to return it before you buy it. If you end up with a Nash or some other smaller car it can be VERY expensive to get it up to correct application. Also, if the throttle shaft is worn, the carb will never idle right unless you machine it and install bushings and a new throttle shaft. All these years later, mostly what people come across is stuff removed for defects in the 60’s and 70’s ………what I like to call floor sweepings. Recently the Bugatti guys are buying up spares fast as they can find them, and with cars that run from 750,000 to 3,000,000 they are driving up prices and making it hard for the Pierce, Stude, and Hupp collectors to find anything at what use to be reasonable prices. I have three on the shelf for spares myself, including a NOS unit still in the box. It’s probably the last one on the planet. Ed
Without a chassis dyne and a five gas analyzer I would NOT recommend you try it. There are very few competent people on pre war cars today, and it would be easy to end with a disaster. A few years ago, at the PAS meet a carb was swapped out with another identical unit, and the car melted a piston.
You can buy a correct carb, a UUR2 from member John Cislak. He makes more than 100 parts for the Stromberg carb series that fit Pierce Arrow. The UU-2 is not correct for your car, and it’s probably not even a Pierce application. He has correct venturies, jets, linkage, choke and air horn, ect in stock. Go to the AACA website and the forum section and type in Stromberg UUR2 in the search engine, you will see more than a dozen photos of his work and parts avaliable. His number is 413-542-9017 eastern time, same as New York City. I was in his shop last week, and there was a customer interested in a UUR-2 for a Stutz, so I am sure he has a carb available. Good luck, Ed.
Ok, just looked over the photos for five minutes. Ken, if you like, give me a call and I will discuss this car with you. I have never seen it in person, but see other things worth commenting on. I rather do so on the phone. I am in Portugal right now, but will be home by mid day Sunday. My number is listed in the roster. Ed
Ken, Jim above just gave GREAT advice. Pay someone who knows these cars to look at it. I have not seen photos of the car in question. V-12 Pierce Arrows are great cars, they can take a bit to get them sorted, but once dialed in the run forever. Before you buy ANY Pierce have a expert look at it, it will be the best money you ever spent. Ed.
Another try.
Photo didn’t post. Will try again.
It’s a one off neat car. I have seen it in person. I think it is listed on the sellers website with a asking price. It would be great to see it back on the road again. Ed.
Sounds like a difficult issue, the short and the incorrect wires sure would make most people pound their heads against the wall trying to figure it out. We recently had a set of windings made for a Pierce, the first five shops either would no longer do them due to “elderly employee who does them is sick/died”” or some other issue. We got them done on the seventh try after almost a 12 month delay. Its getting very difficult to get craftsmen to do some of these off the wall projects. I recently learned of an armature hand wound and the cost was almost two grand. Makes me want to have a spare generator for every car…..Ed”
I run the regulator up till it will push past the float, then back it off three pounds……usually ends up being 6 or 7 pounds. Be careful with the Strombergs on your car, if you have the correct one they are impossible to find , ex-32 only need money to find them. Good luck, Ed.
By the way…….it looks great!
The first auto radio was sold in 1922, it cost 1200.00 and was so large it was placed on the rear luggage rack.
Peter, I am overseas right now and don’t have access to my records. Maybe I am confused with a different car, is this the one that was sent overseas?
If memory serves me well known PAS member Fred Tycher owned the car in the late 1950’s and sold it to someone in Califorina and if fell of the radar screen until about five years ago. I have a suspicion that the owner was a secretive collector / hoarder where it was, along with some other cars that I would like to purchase, so I won’t divulge the location it came out of. I believe a dealer handled the sale, and the car was on eBay or some other site, I can’t quite remember. It is a very nice car. Ed.
Also, you need the correct hubs when changing from wood to wire……and drums and hubcaps on certain years also.
It’s a good process if you can get the colors and pattern right. Would like to see a sample dash done this way. Ed.
We use molded for years with no issues. Many of the old linings available today are not correct for automobile use. It seems they are for industrial equipment. With the S-W power brake unit, on my cars the molded has not been an issue. Ed.
No, 1930 cars are five lug, 1931 are six lug.
I have never seen an eight block listed as anything larger than 385, even on the later Segrave ads. I have never seen an eight installed later than 1948 on a fire truck but they may have been installed later. The blocks can be marked several different ways, inside with black paint stencils. Not always, post a photo with the casting numbers on the side of the block.
