Pierce Arrow Cars

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2012-02-12T14:28:00.001-05:00

1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow

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Pierce-Arrow History

Pierce-Arrow was once one of the most recognized and honored names in the automobile industry. For 38 years, from 1901 to 1938, the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company in Buffalo, NY, produced some of the finest automobiles ever made. Pierce-Arrows could be found anywhere the rich and famous worked and played, including the White House, and royal familes throughout the world.

Many early automakers began as bicycle manufacturers and by 1900 the Pierce Cycle Company started experimenting with automobiles.

In late 1901 Pierce introduced the Motorette, a small car with a single-cylinder de Dion gasoline engine and embarked on demostrating it to its Pierce bicycle agents throughout the country. In 1903 Pierce offered three models of automobiles: the Runabout, the Stanhope, and a five-passenger touring car.

In 1903, Pierce offered three models of automobiles: the Runabout, the Stanhope, and a five-passenger touring car. The Stanhope was the company's best seller with 149 units sold. It featured an engine nearly twice as large as the original 1901 Motorette.

In 1908 the George N. Pierce Company became two seperate companies - The Pierce Cycle Company and the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company.

Pierce-Arrow really hit its stride during the second decade of the 20th century. Pierce was an innovative manufacturer, offering features such as aluminum bodies, dual-valve engines and power brakes. Fender-mounted headlamps became a trademark design feature in 1913.

The 1922 Series 33 Pierce-Arrow was the peak in development of Pierce-Arrow's dual valve, T-head engine design. These very quite and powerful engines were not only used in Pierce-Arrow's automobiles but also in speedboats and as stationary power sources.

Pierce-Arrow introduced a less espensive luxury automobile in 1925 with their entry-level Series 80. it was the smallest car offered by the company in many years but it still had the same quality and workmanship for which Pierce-Arrow had become famous.

The Pierce-Arrow Series 80 automobiles were marketed as the car for the owner/driver rather than the chauffeur driven. Introduced in 1925, sales for the less-expensive peaked in 1926 with 7,500 built. Declining sales would cause the Series 80 to be dropped in 1928. Depending on which body style was selected, the Series 80 sold for $2,400 to $4,000 less than Pierce-Arrow's large Series 36.

In 1928 the Studebake Corporation of South Bend, Indiana purchased controlling interest in the Pierce-Arrow company. Engineering and manufacturing remained seperate but the merger provided Pierce-Arrow with much needed capital.

A new straight-eight engine was developed for the 1929 model year that increased the available power to 125 bhp providing the muscle neccessary for the new line of Pierce-Arrow cars to reach speeds of 85 miles per hour. Sales for Pierce-Arrow reach a historical peak of 10,000 cars in 1929 - nearly double that of the previous year.

The stock market crash of October, 1929 caused major drops in sales for all the luxury car makers including Pierce-Arrow. By 1931, annual sales dropped to a little than 4,500 cars. Cadillac's introduction of their V-16 engine in 1930 also added to the pain being felt by the other manufacturers. It would be 1932 before Pierce-Arrow could offer their high-performance V-12.

The Series 42 was Pierce-Arrow's mid-range model line offered for 1931, a year when the economic depression in the US continued to worsen. Sales of new cars, regardless of make, plummeted and the luxury car market was especially hard hit. At Pierce-Arrow, 1931 sales were half of those two years earlier. By comparison, sales of the inexpensive Ford Model A had fallen from sales of two million cars annually to just over 500,000.

The big news at Pierce-Arrow in 1932 was the introduction of its 12-cylinder engine. This was to meet the challenge of V-12 and V-16 engines being offered by fellow luxury automakers at packard, Cadillac, Lincoln and Marmon. The Series 54 was Pierce-Arrow's least expensive model for 1932 and used the previous smaller version of the eight-cylinder engine.

With the effects of the Depression still being felt throughout the US in 1936, Pierce-Arrow sales continued to slide. In an attempt to boost sales, the company offered three series of automobiles and built the "Travel Lodge" camper trailer. Potential customers could opt for custom-built bodies or select from a total of 40 different catalog body styles and chassis combinations. Despite the abundance of choices, car sales barely reached 800 vehicles sold in 1936.

Pierce-Arrow ended production in 1938, a victim of the depression and changing tastes. The company built approximately 85,000 cars during its history. There are less than 2,000 documented survivors.

1933 Pierce-Arrow V12 Silver Arrow

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1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow

I photographed this beautiful 1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow at the Blackhawk Automobile Museum in Danville, California.

1934 Pierce Arrow Sedan

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1934 Pierce Arrow Sedan

1934 Pierce Arrow 1248A Limousine

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1934 Pierce Arrow Limousine

1934 Pierce Arrow Limousine Front

Photographed by Douglas Wilkinson at the Forney Museum of Transportation in Denver, Colorado.

1936 Pierce Arrow Model 1601 5-Passenger Sedan

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1936 Pierce Arrow Model 1601 5-Passenger Sedan

1936 Pierce Arrow Model 1601 5-Passenger Sedan Rear View

1936 Pierce Arrow Model 1601 5-Passenger Sedan Front

1936 Pierce Arrow V-12 Limousine

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1936 Pierce Arrow V-12 Limousine

1936 Pierce Arrow Sedan

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1936 Pierce Arrow Sedan

1935 Pierce Arrow Convertible Coupe

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1935 Pierce Arrow Convertible Coupe

1933 Pierce Arrow Model 1242 7-Passenger Touring

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1933 Pierce Arrow Model 1242 7-Passenger Touring

1933 Pierce Arrow Model 1247 Convertible Sedan

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1933 Pierce Arrow Model 1247 Convertible Sedan

1934 Pierce Arrow Model 840-A Silver Arrow

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1934 Pierce Arrow Model 840-A Silver Arrow

1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow

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1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow

1932 Pierce Arrow Twelve Touring Sedan

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1932 Pierce Arrow Twelve Touring Sedan

1932 Pierce Arrow Model 53 Sedan

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1932 Pierce Arrow Model 53 Sedan

1932 Pierce Arrow Model 54 Club Sedan

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1932 Pierce Arrow Model 54 Club Sedan

1932 Pierce Arrow Model 53 Touring Sedan

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1932 Pierce Arrow Model 53 Touring Sedan

1931 Pierce Arrow Dual Cowl Phaeton

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1931 Pierce Arrow Dual Cowl Phaeton

1931 Pierce Arrow Sedan

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1931 Pierce Arrow Sedan

1931 Pierce Arrow Series 42 5-Passenger Sedan

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1931 Pierce Arrow Series 42 5-Passenger Sedan

1931 Pierce Arrow Series 54 4-Door Sedan

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1931 Pierce Arrow Series 54 4-Door Sedan

1930 Pierce Arrow Model B Cabriolet Coupe

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1930 Pierce Arrow Model B Cabriolet Coupe

1930 Pierce Arrow Touring

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1930 Pierce Arrow Touring

1930 Pierce Arrow Model B Roadster

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1930 Pierce Arrow Model B Roadster

1930 Pierce Arrow Model A-144 Convertible Coupe

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1930 Pierce Arrow Model A-144 Convertible Coupe

1930 Pierce Arrow Model B Dual-Windshield Phaeton

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1930 Pierce Arrow Model B Dual-Windshield Phaeton

1929 Pierce Arrow Roadster

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1929 Pierce Arrow Roadster

1929 Pierce Arrow Roadster

Photos by Douglas Wilkinson at the Tupelo Automobile Museum in Tupelo, Mississippi.

1929 Pierce Arrow Series 133 Roadster

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1929 Pierce Arrow Series 133 Roadster

1928 Pierce Arrow Model 81 5-Passenger Sedan

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1928 Pierce Arrow Model 81 5-Passenger Sedan

1928 Pierce Arrow Series 81 Philips Convertible

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1928 Pierce Arrow Series 81 Philips Convertible

1928 Pierce Arrow Series 81 Cabriolet

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1928 Pierce Arrow Series 81 Cabriolet

1927 Pierce Arrow 4-Passenger Opera Coupe

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1927 Pierce Arrow 4-Passenger Opera Coupe

1927 Pierce Arrow Series 36 Judkins Coupe

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1927 Pierce Arrow Series 36 Judkins Coupe

1927 Pierce Arrow Series 36 Dual Cowl Phaeton

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1927 Pierce Arrow Series 36 Dual Cowl Phaeton

1927 Pierce Arrow Series 80 5-Passenger Sedan

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1927 Pierce Arrow Series 80 5-Passenger Sedan

1926 Pierce Arrow Series 80 Derham Town Car

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1926 Pierce Arrow Series 80 Derham Town Car

1926 Pierce Arrow Model 33 7-Passenger Sedan

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1926 Pierce Arrow Model 33 7-Passenger Sedan

Photos by Douglas Wilkinson at the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

1925 Pierce Arrow Series 80 Roadster

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1925 Pierce Arrow Series 80 Roadster

1925 Pierce Arrow Experimental ALCOA Aluminum Sedan

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1925 Pierce Arrow Experimental ALCOA Aluminum Sedan

1925 Pierce Arrow Model 80 2-Door Trunk Sedan

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1925 Pierce Arrow Model 80 2-Door Trunk Sedan

1923 Pierce Arrow Limousine

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1923 Pierce Arrow Limousine

1923 Pierce Arrow Model 33 Roadster

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1923 Pierce Arrow Model 33 Roadster

This original, unrestored 1923 Pierce Arrow roadster has less than 14,000 actual miles!

1923 Pierce Arrow Touring Car

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1923 Pierce Arrow Touring Car

1922 Pierce Arrow Series 33 Phaeton

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1922 Pierce Arrow Series 33 Phaeton

1920 Pierce Arrow Waldon Prototype 7-Passenger Touring

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1920 Pierce Arrow Waldon Prototype 7-Passenger Touring

1920 Pierce Arrow Model 48 7-Passenger Touring Car

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1920 Pierce Arrow Model 48 7-Passenger Touring Car

1919 Pierce Arrow Model 48-B-5 5-Passenger Touring

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1919 Pierce Arrow Model 48-B-5 5-Passenger Touring

1917 Pierce Arrow Roadster

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1917 Pierce Arrow Roadster

Photos by Douglas Wilkinson at the Tupelo Automobile Museum in Tupelo, Mississippi.

1917 Pierce Arrow Model 66-A-4 7-Passenger Touring

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1917 Pierce Arrow Model 66-A-4 7-Passenger Touring

1917 Pierce Arrow Model 66 7-Passenger Touring

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1917 Pierce Arrow Model 66 7-Passenger Touring

Photos by Douglas Wilkinson at the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

1917 Pierce Arrow Model 38 Roadster

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1917 Pierce Arrow Model 38 Roadster

Photos by Douglas Wilkinson at the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

1915 Pierce Arrow 48B-3 5-Passenger Touring Car

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1915 Pierce Arrow 48B-3 5-Passenger Touring Car

Photographed by Douglas Wilkinson at the Nethercutt Collection in Sylmar, California.

1913 Pierce Arrow Touring

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1913 Pierce Arrow Touring

Photographed by Douglas Wilkinson at the 2005 Classic Car Club of America Concours.

1913 Pierce Arrow Model 66-A-1 7 Passenger Touring

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1913 Pierce Arrow Model 66-A-1 7 Passenger Touring

Photographed By Douglas Wilkinson at the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.

1913 Pierce-Arrow Model 38 Roadster

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1913 Pierce-Arrow Model 38 Roadster

Photographed by Douglas Wilkinson at the 2010 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.

1912 Pierce Arrow Model 66-QQ 5-Passenger Touring

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1912 Pierce Arrow Model 66-QQ 5-Passenger Touring

1912 Pierce-Arrow Model 36 Runabout

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1912 Pierce-Arrow Model 36 Runabout

In 1912, three different 6-cylinder models were offered by Pierce-Arrow: a small 36-horsepower, a 48-horsepower, and the mighty 66-horsepower. This Model 36 runabout has a "dickey" or "mother-in-law" seat to the rear. Total production for Pierce-Arrow in 1912 was 1,453 vehicles. This runabout cost new $4,000, compared to the Ford Model T which costs $690.

Engine: 6-cylinder, 386.4 cid, 36 horsepower
Wheelbase: 119 inches

1910 Pierce-Arrow Model 48 SS 7-Passenger Touring

2011-05-15T10:48:00.000-04:00

1910 Pierce-Arrow Model 48 SS 7-Passenger Touring

Photographed by Douglas Wilkinson at the 2009 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.

1907 Pierce Great Arrow 65Q Touring Car

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1907 Pierce Great Arrow 65Q Touring Car

Engine: 6-Cylinder, 647.9 cid, 65 horsepower
Price When New: $6,500
Photographed by Douglas Wilkinson at the Nethercutt Collection in Sylmar, California.

1903 Pierce Stanhope

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1903 Pierce Stanhope

1903 Pierce Stanhope Rear View

In 1903, Pierce offered three models of automobiles: the Runabout, the Stanhope, and a five-passenger touring car. The simple, yet very reliable Stanhope was the company's bestseller in 1903 with 149 units sold, and featured an engine nearly twice as large as the original Motorette.

Engine: 1-cylinder, 6.5 horsepower
Wheelbase: 70 inches
Factory Price: $1,150
Photographed by Douglas Wilkinson at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, MI.

1902 Pierce Motorette

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1902 Pierce Motorette

This 1902 Pierce was the 13th built of the total of 25 Pierce Model 1 cars built in 1901 and 1902. Two motorettes like this one competed in the New York to Buffalo reliability run of 1901 which was terminated prematurely when President McKinley was assassinated.

Original Factor Price: $650
Horsepower: 2.75
Displacement: 20.3 cubic inches
Bore and Stroke: 2-15/16 x 3 inches
Cylinders: 1 (De Dion-Bouton)
Wheelbase: 58 inches
Manufacturer: The George N. Pierce Company, Buffalo, New York
Photo by Douglas Wilkinson at the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, Cleveland, Ohio.

1913 Pierce Model 66 Touring

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Antique 1913 Pierce Model 66 Touring photographed at the 2005 Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance in Michigan.

1933 Pierce-Arrow V12 Convertible Coupe

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I photographed this vintage 1933 Pierce-Arrow at the 2010 RM Auctions collector car auction at Amelia Island, Florida. It sold at a price of $205,000.