Vehicle Description
Taken from previous seller's description -
This lovely 1933 Pierce Arrow Model 836 rumble seat coupe is one of
just four known to exist and has a documented ownership history
back to Day One. The 836 denotes an eight-cylinder engine and a
136-inch wheelbase, and it was technically Pierce's "entry level"
car, but in the early 1930s luxury car market, there was really no
such thing as "entry level." It's interesting to note that an
identical car was ordered new by Ginger Rogers, so it's high style
indeed, and like most Pierce Arrows with their fender-mounted
headlights, it's recognizable at a glance. You can see design
touches from the groundbreaking Silver Arrow show car throughout,
and parking this car next to almost anything comparable from the
era, it looks very long, low, and sleek.
This particular car was originally owned by Dr. Grant P. Pennoyer
of New York City, who seems to have kept it until at least the late
1940s. In fact, we have a wonderful hand-written letter to the
second owner describing the car's idiosyncrasies ("Engine runs best
with only hood rear ventilator open"), and you can tell that his
love for the car was sincere. We also have maintenance logs for the
car throughout the 1940s and 1950s, showing that it changed hands
twice in that period and was driven to Cleveland, Ohio on June 10
and 11, 1952 where it was photographed at a closed gas station in
Shaker Heights Ohio by a high school student who was an avid
classic car fan (of course, they weren't known as "Classics" at the
time). Shortly thereafter, it was apparently placed in storage,
with the log book noting it was "on blocks." In 1963, it was sold
to John P. Schlifer for the not insubstantial sum of $1075, and Mr.
Schlifer kept the car for a remarkable 30 years, always intending
to embark on a restoration and disassembling the car in his barn.
In 1992, Mr. Schlifer's son approached a local gentleman who was
known to tinker with old cars, mostly Model A Fords, and asked if
he would be interested in his deceased father's old car in the
barn. That fellow purchased the disassembled Pierce for the fairly
princely sum of $20,000, noting that it seemed almost entirely
complete, and, most remarkably, there wasn't a speck of rust on the
body or chassis. Shortly thereafter, he sent it to noted restorers
Jack Heimovics and Nancy Pound and their shop, Shade Tree
Motorcars, performed an extensive frame-up restoration on the
Pierce (photos and receipts for the restoration are included with
the car). In 1995, it was completed and debuted to win several
awards, including a CCCA National First Prize. It has also been
invited to several prestigious concours events, including the
Glenmoor Gathering and the Concours at Stan Hywet Hall.
The owner was not interested in shows and trophies, so the car
became a favorite tour vehicle, and he estimates that it has been
driven perhaps 10 or 15,000 miles since the restoration was
completed in 1995. It remains in near show-quality condition with
only minor demerits for age and use, but nothing that requires
attention or immediate repair. Mr. Heimovics dug through the cars
layers of paint and upholstery (samples of which are neatly
included in a little booklet showing the various materials used
originally and in subsequent re-trims) and determined that the car
was originally burgundy, so that's how the car was refinished. You
will note that the fenders are a slightly different color, which is
intentional, and while the bodywork is traditional solid paint, the
fenders have a splash of period-correct fine metallic to provide
contrast. In photos it seems minor, but in the sunlight, the effect
is quite striking. Finish quality is excellent, which can be
attributed to the excellent base stock as well as Heimovics' work,
and aside from some inevitable signs of age, it looks great under
any conditions.
At the same time, all the chrome was re-plated to show standards
and still sparkles with no notable blemishes. The Pierce is
remarkably restrained in its use of brightwork, but the effect is
still imposing, particularly with the black insert in the grille
shell. All the original details are nicely refinished, from the
separate marker lights atop the horns to the wonderfully over-built
rumble seat steps to the familiar three-element taillight, whose
three markers are fully operational (even the back-up light works).
When it was originally finished the lights were incorrectly
ordered, but a Pierce Arrow expert corrected that particular flaw a
few years ago. The black padded roof is an unusual feature, but
there's at least one other 836 rumble seat coupe with a similar
padded roof in a lighter material, so it's quite correct and the
original samples indicate that black long-grain leatherette was the
correct material. To finish, it was treated to a bright yellow
pinstripe to highlight the body moldings and the owner's initials
on the doors. Interestingly, the original owner's initials (GPP)
were visible on the doors when it was discovered in the barn, so
these were reproduced using a similar style and font. The only item
worth noting is that the headlight lenses are acrylic because
originals, of course, are practically unobtainium. They look the
same and you don't have to worry about a stray pebble doing
thousands of dollars' worth of damage, so it's a reasonable
choice.
The interior was originally an olive green or brown Bedford cord
with leather trim, but when it was restored, they knew they would
be using the car regularly, so simple black leather was chosen for
its superior durability and wear resistance. It's expertly trimmed
with simple pleats and remains comfortable for all-day touring. The
door panels are gray wool broadcloth with correct map pockets and
glowing wood garnish moldings that are just spectacular. On the
floor you'll find plush gray carpets with custom-fitted protective
mats, and the top of the instrument panel is wrapped in matching
black leather, as original (noted in the material samples). All the
gauges were rebuilt and remain fully functional, including the
capillary-style temperature gauge. We have not tested the clock,
but it was restored at the time and probably needs nothing more
than to be wound periodically. Pierce equipped its cars with
Free-Wheeling, an invention that seems shockingly unsafe to us
today, but was touted as a fuel-economy measure when it was new. We
ignore it and leave the system off, as we advise you to do as well.
It is also equipped with a functioning Startix system that lights
the engine almost immediately, but be ready to catch it when it
fires because the hand throttle on the hub of the steering wheel is
not connected. The rumble seat is surprisingly spacious and is
trimmed in matching black leather with special fold-out leather arm
rests and yes, the vintage 1930s golf clubs are included with the
car!
Mechanically, Pierce Arrow's robust 366 cubic inch straight-8 was
more than a match for any other 8-cylinder engine on the market,
including Packard's Super 8. With nine main bearings, it's
impossibly smooth and makes a rather substantial 135 horsepower. It
was fully rebuilt at the time of restoration and as I mentioned,
probably has about 10,000 miles on it. It starts quickly and
easily, although the automatic choke has been disabled and a manual
choke added to the original Stromberg carburetor. It's a bit grumpy
when cold, but once it has warmed up to operating temperature, it
moves the big coupe with ease. Pierce Arrow was a pioneer in the
use of hydraulic valve lifters, so it ticks over quietly and
smoothly and doesn't need adjustment like mechanical lifters would.
The exhaust manifold w...for more information please contact the
seller.
