1931 Pierce-Arrow Model 43 Roadster

Having built its first car in 1901, the George N. Pierce Company became the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company in 1908. Over the three decades that followed, the Buffalo, New York automaker would produce some of America's finest luxury cars. The last Pierce-Arrows were 1938 models.

In every respect, the Pierce-Arrow was a quality product, from its chassis of exceptional reliability and durability to bodies that utilized cast-aluminum panels. Most Pierce-Arrow bodies were built in-house, where they were crafted to the highest coach-building standards.

When Studebaker purchased Pierce Arrow in 1928 for $5.7 million, it became the fourth-largest automobile manufacturer in the United States. Noted designer Ray Dietrich joined the company and redesigned the entire model line. He also added coach-built custom models to the factory-bodied lineup. A 1930 coach-built parade car was sold to the Shah of Persia, which set a record for the most expensive car in the world at the time with a price of $30,000.

Pierce Arrow introduced an all-new model line in 1929. The six-cylinder engine was replaced with a straight eight. This 366 cubic-inch engine generated 125 horsepower and, according to Pierce-Arrow, provided a top speed of 85 miles per hour. Other improvements over the six-cylinder were L-Head valves instead of a T-head and a Stromberg UU-2 carburetor.

Struggling to stay both solvent and competitive in the deepening economic storms of the Great Depression, Pierce-Arrow shuffled its model line mid-model year. The marque's first 1931s, announced on July 1, 1930, had been essentially carry-over models, virtually identical to the 1930 offerings. In January 1931, Pierce-Arrow replaced its first series 1931s with three new lines. From lowest to the highest price, they were designated series 43, 42, and 41 series.

Listing for $2,895, this 134-inch wheelbase Model 43 roadster was the lowest-priced second-series 1931 Pierce-Arrow offering. Like other Model 43 styles, it continued to reflect only minor styling changes from the 1930 cars. However, the more expensive mid-1931 Model 42 and top-line Model 41 Pierce-Arrows introduced new body styling, so they had a somewhat different appearance.

The relatively short wheelbase of the roadster contributes to its long-hood/short-deck proportions, making it especially sporty in appearance. The car is powered by a 125 horsepower model-specific version of the company's powerful yet whisper-quiet L-head eight-cylinder inline engine.

It was not unusual for Pierce-Arrows to be owned by high-profile individuals. So it was with this car: the original owner was Wilbert Lee 'Pappy' O'Daniel, a Texas songwriter and bandleader who helped popularize Western swing. He later became a populist politician and was elected Governor of Texas in 1938. In 1941, he won a seat in the United States Senate, an election victory that made him the only candidate to ever defeat Lyndon Johnson at the ballot box. The 2001 film, 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' is reportedly loosely based on his life.