The Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, Michigan, July 31, 2017--Part 11: Pierce-Arrow

Once upon a time America boasted "the Three Ps"--leading brands of luxury cars as good as anything made in the world.  Peerless, Packard and Pierce-Arrow are long gone but the cars remaining conjure up the Golden Age of Coachbuilding and that most stylish era of cars that existed before World War II.  In 1957 the Pierce-Arrow Society as founded to promote the preservation of Pierce-Arrow products and a Pierce-Arrow Foundation was established by the group in 1999 to organize a museum.  The Pierce-Arrow Museum was originally housed in one of the barn-like buildings at the Gilmore Museum but a purpose-built museum was officially opened in 2004.

In 1872 George N. Pierce bought out his partners in the Buffalo, New York, firm of Heinz, Pierce and Munschauer, manufacturers of household items including gilded birdcages, and renamed the company the George N. Pierce Company.

George N. Pierce Company Icebox, 1880s

In 1896 Pierce added bicycles to the firm's line and soon after began to look into automobile manufacturing.  After a steam-powered car failed in 1900, Pierce moved onto to internal combustion and then came the rather simple one cylinder Motorette of 1901, using a de Dion motor built under license.  The company spent the year testing the car and then demonstrating its new vehicle to existing Pierce bicycle dealers.

1903 Pierce Stanhope

One of three models offered in 1903, the single cylinder 6.5 hp Stanhope was simple but reliable and was Pierce's big seller that year, with 149 cars built.  It offered twice the power of the original Motorette, and other styles that year included a Runabout and 5 Passenger Tourer.  The first two cylinder car (the Tourer with 15 hp) was produced in 1903 and named "Arrow" the next year.  

1905 Pierce Bicycle

1899 Pierce Bicycle, with shaft drive

1935 and 1936 Pierce Bicycles made by Emblem Manufacturing

The Pierce Company was split into two parts in 1907, with the Pierce Cycle Company producing bicycles and, starting in 1909, motorcycles. This company was run by George Pierce's son, Percy, and would remain in operation only until 1914 although Pierce-branded bicycles were built by the Emblem Manufacturing Company of Angola, New York, until the 1930s using Pierce tooling.  In 1908 the car company became the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company and in 1909 the brand name of the cars became Pierce-Arrow, in recognition of the success of a Great Arrow model in the Glidden Tour endurance events between 1905 and 1909.  George N. Pierce left the company in 1908 and passed away two years later.

1912 Pierce Motorcycle

Between 1909 and 1914 the Pierce Cycle Company built motorcycles, in four cylinder and, later, one cylinder versions.  Each motorcycle, with direct-drive driveshafts to the rear wheel and a friction clutch for the two-speed transmission, was meticulously built by hand.  Capable of 60 mph, these were the first inline four cylinder motorcycles offered in the United States and were very expensive.  Originally priced at $325, Pierce Cycle lost money on each one and even raising the price to $400, when a nice automobile could be bought for $1,000, did not save the company.  Very few were built and are known to exist today.

From its modest beginning, Pierce-Arrow quickly established a reputation for high-quality (and expensive) cars.  The first six cylinder Great Arrow had arrived in 1907 and the company would be noted for its use of advanced technologies, notably in aluminum and in power-assisted braking.  One of the most distinctive features of the Pierce-Arrow was the headlights faired into the fenders, introduced in 1913--although the more typical drum headlights were available until 1932.  Pierce-Arrow retained right-hand steering until 1920, which was not unusual for high-end cars of the period.

1911 Pierce-Arrow 48-SS 7 Passenger Touring Car

Pierce-Arrow produced 1,200 cars in 1911 and this mid-size 48-SS was one of three chassis available, with the smaller 36-UU and huge 66-QQ rounding out the line.  This car, which cost an eye-watering $5,000, featured a 48 hp (in reality 92 hp) six cylinder engine of 525 cu. in. The car had a four speed transmission and rear wheel drum brakes.

1917 Pierce-Arrow Model R8 5 Ton Motor Truck

In addition to luxury cars, Pierce-Arrow also produced heavy trucks, manufacturing designs based on the British Halford and Dennis types.  Strong demand to supply the US military in World War I saw the company produce around 7,000 trucks in 1917.  As well as the 5 Ton R, there was a 2 Ton X, as well as standard US Army Liberty-type trucks.  Truck production after the war saw the line expanded to six types, from  2 1/2 to 7 tons, and eventually the introduction of a lighter line of trucks, the Fleet Arrow, using components from the Series 80 passenger car.  Pierce-Arrow also produced buses and fire trucks.  Truck manufacturing ended in Buffalo in 1932 when this part of the business was transferred to the White Motor Company in Cleveland, Ohio.

1919 Pierce-Arrow Series 51 Limousine used by President Woodrow Wilson

Pierce-Arrows (along with a pair of White steam cars) were the first official cars to be used at the White House, serving every President from William Howard Taft to Franklin Roosevelt.  The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton, Virginia, has the 1919 Limousine used by Woodrow Wilson after he returned from Paris and the Versailles Peace Conference until the end of his Presidency.  Friends of Wilson, knowing how much he admired the car, arranged to purchase it for his use after leaving office.  Wilson did not allow his driver to exceed 25 mph and there is no evidence that Wilson ever learned to drive himself.  The Wilson car does not feature the famous Pierce-Arrow "Archer" hood ornament but rather has the Princeton Tiger as Wilson had been President of the university.

1920 Pierce-Arrow Series 48 7 Passenger Touring Car

This Series 48 car would have cost over $7,000 in 1920.  It is the first vintage car to come into the hands of Donald Gilmore when his wife gave it to him as a "project car" in 1963.  With the help of friends, he restored the Pierce-Arrow under a tent in his driveway.  His new hobby took hold quickly and soon he had 30 cars, at which point he and his wife purchased the 90 acre parcel of land and bought and reassembled a number of historic barns in which to display the cars.  This was the beginning of the current non-profit foundation that owns and operates the Gilmore Car Museum.

Left to right: 1926 Pierce-Arrow Series 80 Derham Town Car; 1927 Pierce-Arrow Series 80 Salamander Sedan; 1927 Pierce-Arrow 4-Passenger Touring Car

1925 Pierce-Arrow Series 80 Roadster

This very handsome car represented Pierce-Arrow's attempt to introduce a lower-priced car into its lineup with the introduction of the Series 80 in 1925.  This example was built with the same attention as the more expensive models, reflected in its price of $2,895 for the roadster.  It used a six cylinder engine of 70 hp and rode on a 130 inch wheelbase.  This body style offered storage for golf clubs and a rumble seat.

1929 Pierce-Arrow Series 125 Roadster

In 1928 the Studebaker Corporation purchased controlling interest in Pierce-Arrow and while the companies remained separate to a large degree, with different engineering departments and manufacturing locations, it provided a necessary injection of capital to the luxury brand.  In 1929 Pierce-Arrow was able to enter a new era as its classic six cylinder engine was supplanted by a more modern 125 hp straight eight.  The new Pierce-Arrow was capable of 85 mph and in 1929 the company produced 10,000 cars, a record it was not to match again.  This roadster, priced at $2,895, rode on a 133 inch wheelbase.

1930 Pierce-Arrow Model B Club Sedan

One of Pierce-Arrow's most popular styles, the short-coupled Club Sedan was meant to be driven by its owner.  With the new straight-eight engine, Pierce-Arrow saw excellent sales as the only luxury brand to defy the onset of the Depression, producing nearly 7,000 cars in 1930.  This beautiful example, which cost $4,600 new, was rescued from a junk yard in 1963 and restored.  It has been donated to the museum.

1931 Pierce Arrow Series 41 LeBaron Club Sedan

The LeBaron custom-bodied Pierce-Arrows were introduced in Chicago at the Drake Hotel in November 1930.  LeBaron, started by  Tom Hibbard and Raymond Dietrich in New York, was one of the nation's most renowned designers of coachwork for the luxury market.  In addition to bodies for Pierce-Arrow, the company also came up with designs for Duesenberg, Packard, Franklin, Lincoln and others.  Built on a 147 inch wheelbase, this Club Sedan is a superb example of LeBaron's artistry.  The firm offered five different body styles for Pierce-Arrows and the Club Sedan would have cost well over $5,000.

1931 Pierce-Arrow Series 42 Dual-Cowl Phaeton

In 1931 Pierce-Arrow introduced its three new model lines.  These were the entry level Series 43, the mid-level 42 and the top-of-the-line 41.  This extravagant Dual-Cowl Phaeton (or Sport Tourer) was available as a factory body style for $3,625 on its 147 inch wheelbase.  However, the worsening Great Depression saw Pierce-Arrow sales plummet in the early 1930s.  

1928 Pierce-Arrow Series 36 7 Passenger Touring Car

This six cylinder-powered Pierce-Arrow is identical to the touring car that carried Herbert Hoover to his Inauguration as US President in March 1929.  It was priced at $5,875, had 100 hp and was on a 138 inch wheelbase.  The last Presidential Pierce-Arrow was a customized car delivered for Franklin Roosevelt's use in 1936.

1931 Pierce-Arrow Model 41 Limousine

This car was ordered by an eccentric millionaire, Mr. Fred Beebe, of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, who bought a matched pair, one in red, the other blue.  Mr. Beebe wanted the car to resemble his 1913 Pierce-Arrow and not have the distinctive Pierce-Arrow headlights but normal drum-type units.  The car has numerous luxury features--including two passenger-to-chauffeur telephones.  The body, by Willoughby Auto Body Works of Utica, New York, is made from cast aluminium.  This 6,000 lb car, in original condition and purchased from Mr. Beebe's family, was $9,500 new.

1932 Pierce-Arrow Series 54 Convertible Sedan

Only 30 of these fine Convertible Sedans were built in 1932.  The car featured the new for 1932 429 cu. in. V12 engine from Pierce that produced 150 hp.  The body style allows for the top to be folded and then the supports at the door can be removed for the full convertible appearance.  Although not identified as such, this car appears to feature LeBaron coachwork.

1937 Pierce-Arrow 1702 7-Passenger Sedan

After Studebaker's bankruptcy in 1933 and the relaunch of Pierce-Arrow as an independent company, it soon became obvious that the market for luxury cars had evaporated with the effects of the Great Depression. Only 165 of the 1702 7-Passenger Sedans were built as Pierce-Arrow entered its final year as a going concern.  Priced at $4,000 and powered by a V12 of 462 cu. in and 185 hp, this was the swan song for Pierce although it appears a few cars were were assembled from parts in 1938.

The 1973 film "The Sting," starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, used a beautiful 1935 Pierce-Arrow Model 1245 as the car of gangster Doyle Lonnegan (played by Robert Shaw).  The car was owned by Tony Bill, co-producer of the film.

The Pierce-Arrow factory was located at the corner of Elmwood and Great Arrow Avenues in Buffalo.  Designed by Albert Kahn and built starting in 1906, it was home to Pierce-Arrow car manufacturing until 1938 and eventually covered 1.5 million square feet on a 44 acre property which had been the site of the 1901 Pan-American Exposition.  The three-story 140,000 square foot Administration Building still exists and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  It has been subdivided and houses many small businesses and organizations.  Buffalo also is host to the Buffalo Transportation Pierce Arrow Museum, which features not only Pierce-Arrow cars but vehicles of importance in the manufacturing history of the region.

Continue to Part 12 of the Gilmore Car Museum visit here

Concours d'Elegance of America, Plymouth, Michigan, July 30, 2017: Part One

The Concours d'Elegance of America has seen some forty editions and for many years was known as "the Meadow Brook concours" for its venue at Meadow Brook Hall at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.  Meadow Brook Hall, a massive Tudor Revival mansion, was once the home of Matilda Dodge Wilson and is located an a 1400 acre estate purchased by her first husband, auto magnate John F. Dodge.  The Concours d'Elegance of America was held there from 1979 until 2010, when it moved to its present location at the Inn at St. John's in Plymouth, Michigan.

It is clearly a well-run event.  We found a parking space at a local high school and were quickly taken to the Inn at St. John's by shuttle bus.  There was already a line-up of people entering and we took a moment to look at some automobilia for sale, including some excellent vintage gas pumps, before making our way through the entrance.

Perfect for the well-decorated garage!

The grounds of the inn are quite extensive as the event must be included among the first rank of concours shows in the United States, along with Amelia Island in Florida each April and Pebble Beach in California in August.  On display on this fine hot July day were 269 cars exhibited in 33 different classes.  But to get to the show cars we first had to pass a number of stands for organizations such as the Society of Automotive Engineers and commercial operators, such as Auctions America and high-perfomrance replica manufacturers Superformance.

1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe

Auctions America's offering of a fine 1929 Duesenberg J Convertible Coupe, with the only known original Fleetwood body on a J, the car was to come up for auction at the company's Auburn Fall sale in September 2017.  It subsequently sold there for $990,000.  The company is a subsidiary of RM Sotheby's.  The first owner of the car had it for 30 years and is believed to have put on more mileage on a Duesenberg (200,000 by 1940) than any other original owner, maintaining it fastidiously.  The body is the second one on the car, replacing a Fleetwood roadster body, and is believed to have come from a 1931 V8 Cadillac.

  

Superformance had a strong presence, with its Cobra and Ford GT40 replicas

1931 Plymouth PA Sport Model Roadster

 At the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) stand we found this charming Plymouth, the first Plymouth car to be an all-new design rather than a warmed-over Maxwell.  It was a competitor to the Ford Model A and would be considered the superior car, with four-wheel hydraulic brakes, a more powerful engine, an advanced lubrication system, and a chassis that allowed the car to be five inches lower than its rival.  With 106,000 being sold that year, Plymouth established itself in third place behind Ford and Chevrolet in sales.  We spoke at some length with Mr. Don Wood, the owner of the car, and a member of the Plymouth Owners Club.  Plymouth as a brand lasted until 2001, with more than 28 million cars produced.

1936 Auburn 852 Boattail Speedster replica

Ferrari 250 GT Lusso

One of the most beautifully-proportioned cars ever, the Ferrari  Lusso was built in 1963 and 1964, with a body designed by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti.  Never intended for competition but as a larger and more luxurious Grand Tourer with its Colombo-designed V12, 351 examples were produced.  This silver one was on offer from a dealer at the show.

1967 Ferrari 330 GTS

The same dealership was also offering this nice 330 GTS, one of only 99 made.  The 330 series, available both as a coupe and a convertible, was considered more highly refined than previous Ferraris.

1963 Corvette Grand Sport replica by Superformance

Ken Lingenfelter, whom we met last year when visiting his amazing car collection, was present at the show with an outstanding example of a Superformance replica, a 1963 Corvette Grand Sport, which was powered by a Lingenfelter-modified LS7 engine putting out nearly 600 hp.  A similar engine would run around $32,000 so this is nothing like a kit car of yore.  The car uses a modern Tremec 6-speed transmission and looks glorious.  Superformance has licensed the name from General Motors so this Grand Sport is allowed to claim to be a Corvette.

The first of the judged cars appeared as we came to the "CB" area.  A group of no less than 16 Shelby AC Cobras were on display.  Considering that only 998 cars were built between 1961 and 1968, this was an excellent representation.

1964 Shelby AC Cobra, finished to replicate CSX 2154, one of the Cobra 289s raced at LeMans in 1963

1965 Shelby AC Cobra 427 CSX 3133.  This car was raced until 1967, when it was put into storage for three decades with 800 miles on the odometer.  Although in good condition, the car was restored in a 6,000 man-hour project.

1966 Shelby AC Cobra 289 CSX 2367

1966 Shelby AC Cobra 427 S/C (foreground); 1966 Shelby AC Cobra 427 CSX 3159 "King Cobra," the only Cobra set up by Motion Performance of Baldwin, New York, for drag racing and was dominant in its class for years

1965 Shelby AC Cobra 427

1967 Shelby 427 Cobra, CSX 3256,  non-competition version, with a wide body

1964 Shelby Cobra, CSX 2367

The next area we came to featured Super Cars (Class SC) and there were some amazing things to behold.  There were 18 cars on display, with most of them being current models of exotic cars from Ferrari, Lamborghini and others, along with a few older models, such as a 2005 Ford GT.  These appeal to younger people but they really are impressive in terms of technology and style.

2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss Roadster

 The wildest car in this group was clearly this SLR, which was one of an edition of 75 produced for Mercedes-Benz in partnership with McLaren Cars.  It was inspired by the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR driven by Stirling Moss to win the Mille Miglia competition that year in record-breaking time.  The car has no windshield or roof, which must make the top speed of 220 mph kind of uncomfortable.  The car is powered by a 650 hp supercharged V8 and is considered the ultimate statement of the Mercedes-McLaren SLR line of cars.

2017 Ferrari 488 GTB

2017 Ford GT

2005 Ford GT and 2017 Ford GT

Left to right: Ferrari California T; Ferrari 488 Spider; Ferrari FF; Corvette Z06

2016 Corvette ConceptZ Z06 by Nowicki Autosport/Design, with a 2008 Alfa-Romeo 8C to the left

There were two Corvettes in the Super Car section and neither looked out of place amongst the high-dollar vehicles.  Nowicki Autosport in Birmingham, Michigan, is a design and consulting firm headed by a former racing driver and specializes in carbon fibre parts for late model Corvettes.  The car at the show has appeared on magazine covers and the SEMA show in Los Vegas.

2016 Corvette Z06

The next area was dedicated to "Modern Collectibles" from 1980 to 1990.  Although these were not really so interesting it might be that concours organizers are trying to encourage this class.  We have seen auction companies with some success marketing so-called "Youngtimers."

Left to right: 1982 Rolls-Royce Camargue 1989 Porsche 911; 1987 Ferrari 328 GTS; 1983 Lamborghini Countach 5000S; 1985 Audi Quattro; 1991 Nissan Skyline R32  GT-R

1986 Lotus Turbo Esprit HCI

215 HCI fuel-injected variants of the Lotus Turbo Esprit were built for the US market, using Bosch injectors in order to meet more stringent American emission standards.  The Lotus, designed by Giorgetto Guiguiaro, is perhaps the finest example of the wedge style body that appeared in the mid-1970s.  It was restyled in 1987 for a more rounded appearance.  The Esprit was manufactured from 1976 to 2004 but is only now attracting more serious attention from collectors.

At this point as we walked the grounds we came to the marquee of RM Sotheby's/Auctions America, where several marvelous cars were on display that were coming up for auction at various venues.  Over the coming months, these four cars would sell for a total of US$7 million.

1933 Duesenberg SJ, with long wheelbase sweep panel phaeton body by LaGrande

1941 Packard Custom Super Eight One Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin

This car, which appeared at the previous day's Cars & Coffee event, was one of only 35 Darrins built by Packard in 1941 and has a detailed ownership record from 1951.  In the popular 1970s television program "Banacek" it was one of the cars used by the title character, chosen to demonstrate the suave personality (and wealth) of the detective.

1964 Shelby AC Cobra 289 CSX 2344

Known as the "Lindauer Cobra," after its long-term owner, this car was in climate-controlled storage from 1974 until 2010 and is considered one of the most original Cobras in existence, having only 15,500 original miles on it.

1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow

This spectacular Pierce-Arrow is one of five concept cars built (three known to survive) as a great example of Art Moderne.  Introduced at the New York Auto Show in 1933, where it was a sensation, the Silver Arrow nevertheless did not particularly appeal to Pierce-Arrow's conservative clientele.  Five production cars were built but lacked many of the unique features of the concept versions.  This particular car was the very first Silver Arrow built and has been an award winner for decades.

Continue to Part Two here.