Jump to content

1934 Pierce Arrow For Sale -


Recommended Posts

The rest of the story......1934 Pierce Arrow.

 

Ok, so as Paul Harvey would say..........”and now, the rest of the story.”


 

Jimmy Carter was president, the hostages were in Iran, inflation was out of control.............and the date was January 19, 1980. It was a warm day for the season, and as a 13 year old kid, I took the 1931 Cadillac 355A Sport Coupe I was working on for a spin around the block of our Kawasaki motorcycle dealership. I stoped out front to adjust the POS Cadillac-Johnson fuel induction apparatus that tries to pass as a carburetor.........an old, worn out boot with a hole in it would be much better at making a stoichiometric fuel mixture than the factory carburetor.......but I digress............ I’m outside in a bit of a pickle, trying to get the car to start again......and up pulls a Buick Electra with two VERY old guys.........they were in their early 60’s...........(I’m 55 today).......almost ready for the grave as far as I was concerned. The driver was a gentleman named Larry Gould, and his passenger was Donald Ayers. They were flabbergasted that a 13 year old was working on a 31 Caddy........I knew about zero when it came to cars........I was a motorcycle wrench at the time.........and the Caddy was in our barn and mine for the taking...........so, I decided to assemble it and make it run.(Another story) So the two guys stopped to chat and we went inside to warm up.....it was 40 degrees outside. They had coffee........I had hot chocolate.........hadn’t had Rye yet............ after a brief chat, we got to talking cars, and Larry mentioned to me he had a Pierce Arrow......my response was......there were two of them in the barn back home, a 1931 Series 42 Dual Cowl, and a 1930 Series B Limousine. He was impressed..........I had never heard of a Pierce......that’s why I chose the Cadillac. (BIG MISTAKE!) After a brief time, he handed me a membership application for the Pierce Arrow Society......back then, you needed a sponsor to join...........and thus, I became introduced to the worlds best automobile. It took another nine years to dump Cadillacs and adopt the marque that would alter the path of my life...........and that’s also another story. The important point......the 1934 Pierce five passenger sedan was the car Larry bought back in the 70’s. In the fifty  years he owned the car about 80 miles from me, I never had a chance to see the car. Back two years ago, he passed away at the age of of 102 years young. Through a strange  turn of events........we ended up with the car from his estate. In his and his wife June’s honor, we assembled the car and made it run. It wasn’t a sound financial decision...........it was a debt of honor...........save the car that the gentleman who got me into Pierce Arrow’s as his family’s legacy. Well......you see it here now. Running, driving, not perfect.......but perfectly sorted. It made its first public debut in 75 years at the PAS meet this week. I’m certain he would approve and appreciate the work we did. Many long time PAS member were astonished that we pulled it over the finish line..............It was a proper legacy to a very nice couple. I shall remember them fondly as long as I live. So.....here’s to the people who changed the course of my life.........I’m eternally grateful..............and my final wish for Larry, June, & Donald.............Happy Motoring.

 

This last two weeks were the most trying on my 55 years, and driving the car was a great ending to a disaster of a month. The car has come full circle. The great people who gave of their time to me will now be forever remember as the longtime owner and restorer of the car. Things are now much better in the world.....another great pre war car is on the road......

 

The journey through life I have experienced would be much less colorful, and much less automotive related if they didn’t stop by that day and show a snot nosed kid some kindness. Larry was the first person in my life to address me as an adult, an equal, and had a genuine interest in my well being outside my family. Countless years of PAS Meets, shows, CCCA events, and Hershey Fall meets all went along for the adventure. I remember his smile, and easygoing ways, a kind and gentle soul. A decent man who took an interest in a kid that at the time made absolutely no sense to me then.........today I give back to the hobby as much as possible..........always thing of his kindness. 

 

6851ECA6-5EE0-47E5-9FFB-13A4A2332B0D.jpeg

3D607ACD-E7A0-4442-B4BE-2DF5AA777C02.jpeg

298AEDC1-F87B-4476-BBED-C2918F82A14E.jpeg

Edited by edinmass (see edit history)
  • Like 15
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wonderful story! (Except of course for the parts about a bad month?)

I was very fortunate when I was getting into this hobby (at the ripe old age of fifteen!) to find several mentors and a local club eager to encourage me along. Several of my best friends today are ten to twenty years older than I am, and have been my best friends for more than fifty years now. The downside of starting in such a hobby so young, and having so many good friends considerably older than myself, is of course having lost so many of them over the past twenty years. There must be nearly fifty different people that I recall fondly, and often.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great story Ed!  At 13 I got my first car, a rough 1931 Chevrolet, and by the age of 16 (much to the dismay of my family) I had it restored.  I can’t imagine how, but at that age my parents let me drive to, and attend, tours all around Louisiana (no trailer).  Not sure these days a 16 year old could even make a hotel reservation!

 

Numerous of the Louisiana car people took me under their wing, and it showed me how great this hobby could be.  While they didn’t have the universal name recognition some of your mentors have, they were just as supportive of a young man who loved old cars.

 

Now, 57 years later, I still have the Chevy, and have friends I never would have met had it not been for the love of cars.

 

Great hobby.

 

By the way, I upholstered and topped a Darrin like that beautiful one shown.  Doing the top was very challenging, with no front bow, just two metal pieces which clip on the windshield frame.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

SOLD

 

 

The car did sell to the gentelman who rode in it at the PAS meet. Great first time pre war car buyer. He stopped by the shop today, drove it for a few hours, and bought it. It's great when dealing with "club people" .....no BS, just a smooth transaction. I knew the car would sell........it's just too nice of a sorted driver. Thanks to all who asked. Ed.

Edited by edinmass (see edit history)
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Car is sold .Very good to have a happy buyer and a happy seller .I am sure it is in a very good condition .The only thing i don't like about the PA are the build in head lights .I like the seperate head lights much better .I  know its much easier to keep the lights in the same position as they cannot move but still they are not my favorite .I sold my 1940 cadillac last week for the invested money so now i can look around again .Shipping from the US has become much more expensive as the wood goes up in price as crazy ( a lot of wood needed to block the cars in the container ) and the containers are all occupied but we'll what happens .Its a luxury problem .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, daniel boeve said:

Car is sold .Very good to have a happy buyer and a happy seller .I am sure it is in a very good condition .The only thing i don't like about the PA are the build in head lights .I like the seperate head lights much better .I  know its much easier to keep the lights in the same position as they cannot move but still they are not my favorite .I sold my 1940 cadillac last week for the invested money so now i can look around again .Shipping from the US has become much more expensive as the wood goes up in price as crazy ( a lot of wood needed to block the cars in the container ) and the containers are all occupied but we'll what happens .Its a luxury problem .

 

Throw a dart and hit a Packard and then a Pierce you have a 90% chance the Packard is more attractive.     But,  the Pierce is typically way over built, seen much less and the club is  very active and supportive.

 

Wood prices are supposedly coming back down again.   Take your time,  lots of interesting cars for sale.   Although the market has not been this hot in a while.

Edited by alsancle (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 1934 Pierce was bought by a gentleman who’s grandfather worked at Thomas and then Pierce Arrow in Buffalo. Interestingly it seems the grandfather was involved with racing Thomas cars and likely the Vanderbilt Cup race car from 05 or 06. They have family photos to support the story. I’m quite certain the car went to a good home.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, alsancle said:

 

Throw a dart and hit a Packard and then a Pierce you have a 90% chance the Packard is more attractive.     But,  the Pierce is typically way over built, seen much less and the club is  very active and supportive.

 

Wood prices are supposedly coming back down again.   Take your time,  lots of interesting cars for sale.   Although the market has not been this hot in a while.

 

 

Pierce cars are generally attractive, and much more so when I am sitting in them........just saying. 

 

As far as fender lights, people who have been around Pierce Arrows and have grown up with them find them appealing......... beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

Edited by edinmass (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Pierce cars are generally attractive, and much more so when I am sitting in them........just saying. 

Damn you, I just sprayed my diet green tea all over the keyboard!

32 minutes ago, edinmass said:

As far as fender lights, people who have been around Pierce Arrows and have grown up with them find them appealing

Absolutely!!  And from childhood I deemed the Packard oval rear windows and then their 2-pc rear windows as a "sad face."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Grimy said:

Damn you, I just sprayed my diet green tea all over the keyboard!

Absolutely!!  And from childhood I deemed the Packard oval rear windows and then their 2-pc rear windows as a "sad face."

 

Also, fortunately, I had just swallowed MY drink when I read YOUR comment!

 

And, I always have loved the Pierce Arrow headlamps. Especially when they were on MY car!

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...