1913 Pierce Arrow – Model 66A 7 Passenger For Sale

[Guest Julie Karges]

This super rare 1913 Pierce Arrow Model 66A is currently for sale out of Newport Beach, CA.  The vehicle previously ran and drove prior to storage, however does need finishing repair work.  Full Restoration Estimate is at $104,000.  Estimate available upon request.  Please look at the pictures and let us know if you have interest or questions.

 

66 hp, 824.7 cu. in. T-head inline six-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, solid front and live rear axles with three-quarter elliptical leaf-spring suspension, and rear-wheel mechanical brakes. Wheelbase: 147.5 in.

 

• An ultimate Brass Era automobile; the largest engine of the era
• One of 14 known surviving Model 66s

 

The Model 66 Pierce-Arrow occupies the same position among Brass Era automobiles that the Bugatti Type 41 La Royale does among its Classic Era brethren. It was the largest, grandest, and most potent thing produced by a manufacturer during its time. For collectors of contemporary automobiles, it is simply the Holy Grail.

 

The 66 was named for the rated horsepower of its engine, a massive inline six-cylinder mill that, at its introduction in 1910, displaced an immense 714 cubic inches. By 1913, the engine had swelled to nearly 825, and while its name remained the 66, its rating had increased to nearly 100 horsepower. This 1913 66A was built with a full wood frame with sheet aluminum.  For some years, the model was recorded in Guinness World Records as having the largest engine installed in a production automobile.

Some 1,250 Model 66s were built between 1910 and 1918, but only 14 survivors are recorded today. Almost all are held in private collections and rarely, if ever, emerge for sale on the public market.

 

For more information contact Betty at 949-395-1708 or http://www.1913piercearrow.com/

 

[hidden_hunter]

If you load the web site, the price is $375,000 

[Pete Phillips]

Does that thing have 24 spark plugs? (!)

The 1919 model 48 that I used to take care of had 16 plugs.

[Guest Julie Karges]

Yes. Right now it has 3 per cylinder with the option of 4

[trimacar]

Great car, well known in the Pierce Arrow Society, some replication done but with great attention to detail and originality, would be an incredible car finished.  The 66 was the biggest and the best of early cars.....

[John_S_in_Penna]

I know someone who got a Pierce 66 a couple of

years ago.  He confirmed what I had read:

the body panels are not aluminum sheet, 

but cast aluminum.  (There was at least one 

other make and model that did the same back then.)

 

The seller states that this 1913 example has sheet aluminum.

Did Pierce change their method by this time?

Edited September 3, 2017 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Grimy]

Pierce used cast aluminum through 1920, then sheet aluminum (except cowls, fenders, hoods) through 1928.  The castings were flanged to be bolted or riveted together, and used varied thicknesses to support the structure.  Cast aluminum bodies did have supplemental interior wood to support door hinges and latches, seat cushions, etc.

 

Many cast aluminum bodies (rear tubs and doors) were scrapped during World War II while the chassis and dash forward were maintained as trucks--and they made very good trucks.  That said, a number of restored Pierces today have sheet aluminum rear bodies.  Peter Fawcett (and his late father Ron) have been recasting some Pierce body parts.

[trimacar]

My understanding is that on a T head engine, multiple spark plugs add about 10% to the horsepower.  If the car runs and needs nothing major mechanically, then the 100K for paint, upholstery, and probably some nickel plating and miscellaneous , sounds in the ball park, in a professional restoration shop.

 

If anyone is interested in a little more specific history of this car, PM me and I'll tell you, would rather not post here as that should be the seller's decision.

 

Edited September 3, 2017 by trimacar (see edit history)

[Guest Julie Karges]

Hello, I wanted to let you all know that we have reduced the price to $350,000 OBO. 

 

Thank you,

Julie Holland Karges

[Dkutz]

On 9/2/2017 at 6:28 PM, John_S_in_Penna said:

I know someone who got a Pierce 66 a couple of

years ago.  He confirmed what I had read:

the body panels are not aluminum sheet, 

but cast aluminum.  (There was at least one 

other make and model that did the same back then.)

 

The seller states that this 1913 example has sheet aluminum.

Did Pierce change their method by this time?

 

 

It is my understanding that this car had the cast aluminum panels  replicated using hand made molds, and dimensions and specs taken from surviving cars.  So the panels are CAST aluminum not sheet.

 

.

Edited April 4, 2018 by Dkutz (see edit history)