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32 president


Guest R L Elder

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Neat car, and as you say quite a history to it.....a CCCA Full Classic....it has a Studebaker engine, not a Pierce Arrow engine as you mention on Ebay......similar engines but different....hope you find a good home for it!!

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Just some further clarification re that engine to add to David's comments. It is definitely NOT a Pierce Arrow engine. Studebaker bought Pierce in 1928. At that time Pierce did not make an Eight (though Studebaker did). The same Studebaker engineering team (headed by Delmar “Barney” Roos) that developed the Studebaker President straight 8 designed a new Pierce 8 engine so the two were similar in overall exterior size and general appearance, however the Pierce had a larger displacement at 362 c.i. (vs 336 for the Studebaker) and used a timing chain vs a timing gear for the Studebaker. Casting for the blocks, heads and other major engine components were done in the Studebaker foundry but there were very few interchangeable parts between the two. Both were very good engines and the Studebaker 8 was used extensively in Indy 500 race cars from 1930-37. The Pierce was too large, displacement-wise, to qualify. For the record STUDEBAKER NEVER USED A PIERCE ARROW ENGINE AND PIERCE ARROW NEVER USED A STUDEBAKER ENGINE.

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Guest R L Elder

Thanks for the info on the engine when I got the car they said it was a pierce arrow engine it is a lot larger than my 31 commander engine.I am glade it is all studebaker

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Yes, the Commander is smaller being a 250 c.i. vs the 336 for the President. However it actually had a better power to weight ratio. A few 250 c.i. engines were run at Indy. In fact in the 1933 race 7 of the top 12 finishers were Studebaker powered with the top Studebaker being the Art Rose Special driven by Dave Evans to a 6th place finish. It was powered by the smaller 250 engine. The 5 Studebaker sponsored entries all with the larger 336 finished 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12. 8th place was another 336 Studebaker driven by independent Russ Snowberger.

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The '32 Studebaker engine was 9 main bearings, but the '29-30 Studebaker engine was only 5 main bearings...the Pierce engine was 9 always...

Yes, good engineering by Studebaker. The first 336 with the nine main bearing was the President series 80-90 introduced in June of 1930. It was used thru the 1933 model 92 Speedway President series.

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Studerex, every source I see says that the 1928-30 Studebaker straight eight was five main bearings, improved to nine pressurized bearings in the 1931 Studebaker engine.

Either way the President's were great cars.....

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Rex was referring to the 250 c.i. Eight introduced on the Commander model FD in January 1929. This engine with some modifications was used thru 1942 in both the Commander and later the President series cars (1934-42). And yes, it was a nine main bearing engine. You can throw away any source you have that states anything different! :)

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As a reference on the rarity of 1932 presidents. We in the club have been keeping records of early presidents for 35 to 40 years. There are 9 roadsters, 3 coupes, 2 convertible sedans, 3 saint regis broughams, and less than a dozen sedans. Hopefully this one can be saved or help keep the others on the road.

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No. It is a '32. The only car Studebaker ever referred to as a Four Season roadster was the '31 President model 80, never the '32 model 91 which was referred to as a convertible coupe. The two cars are totally different and almost nothing interchanges.

Incidentally if you would like to buy a '31 Four Season there are plenty to choose from, in fact 54 survivors known and 3 for sale in Hemmings at this time. Not so with the '32s that are much more scarce.

Edited by studeq (see edit history)
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