 1909 Model 48 |
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1910 Pierce-Arrow Model 48 news, pictures, and information | ||
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 |  |  | Minii-Tonneau Chassis Num: 7540 |
| Sold for $632,500 at 2008 Gooding & Company. | |||
This 1910 Pierce-Arrow Model 48 SS Demi-Tonneau is powered by a six-cylinder T-head engine that displaces 525 cubic-inches and offers 48 horsepower. There is a four-speed selective sliding gearbox and cast-aluminum coachwork. It is the only Model 48 Demi-Tonneau known to exist and is among the most desirable bass era cars.
Chassis 7540 was given a restoration from a very original car and only the front fenders needed to be replicated. It has a four-position accessory windshield, and a correct belly pan to protect the underside of the engine. An electric self-starter system has been added for greater ease of use.
In 2008, this 1910 Pierce-Arrow Model 48 SS Demi-Tonneau was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company Auction held in Pebble Beach, California. The car was estimated to sell for $600,000 - $750,000. The lot was sold for $632,500, including buyer's premium.
By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2009
 |  |  | Touring |
This 100 year-old Pierce-Arrow has been in the same family since 1950. It was sold new in Delaware to G. Winchester, later passing to Victor duPont, also from Delaware. duPont sold the car to well-known collector, Tom Marshall, who sold it to the current owner's father, William Ball in 1950. The car was used and enjoyed quite a bit from 1950 to 1970, by the current owner's father. In 1957, it was awarded the AACA 'Most Typical Glidden Car Award' after running the tour that year. The tour started in Virginia and ended at the 1957 Hershey Fall Meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The car was initially purchased by George Winchester, then sold to Victor F. DuPont, both from Wilmington, Delaware. Next, it was sold to T.C. Marshall of Yorklyn, Delaware.
The car was apart from 1970 until 2000; then the family began a nine-year long restoration process. It was shown at the 2009 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, its first time out. Since then, the car has been to the Gettysburg, PA AACA National Meet, the Radnor Hunt Councours, St. Michael's Concours and the Hagley Museum Car show. It was honored with a National AACA Award in 2010.
A win on Sunday meant strong sales on Monday. This was a motto many manufacturers believed in and thus, many automakers actively raced their cars to promote its capabilities. Pierce-Arrow did the same; to prove the cars durability and reliability, the mighty Pierce-Arrow was entered in the famed Glidden Tours. From 1905 through 1909, it won all five events and, except for one outing, earned perfect scores in all of them. The company handled all aspects of construction, including the coachwork, for their vehicles. This was highly unusual for the time, but Pierce-Arrow wanted to ensure high quality and maintain high standards on all facets of construction and assembly. They worked closely with their Buffalo, New York neighbor Aluminum Company of America to perfect casting techniques which produced cast-aluminum body panels as thin as 1/8-inch. This made them lightweight yet very strong.
Pierce-Arrow established their own Art Department, long before GM recruited Harley Earl to create their 'Art and Colour Department.' Herbert Dawley designed the bodies for the Pierce-Arrow automobiles and worked closely with the clientele to ensure proper colors, materials, and accessories were fitted to the vehicles.
Another venue the company explored for promoting their business was 'image.' They sought the business of prominent figures, including the White House where ever President from William Howard Taft through Franklin Delano Roosevelt rode in a Pierce-Arrow. Many famous movie stars of the time preferred the Pierce-Arrow, such as Mary Pickford, Tom Mix, and Gloria Swanson. This publicity generated a wealth of business for the company and its reputation continued to soar.
In 1906, Pierce-Arrow constructed an integrated factory in Buffalo that covered 1.5 million square feet on the site of the 1901 Pan-American Exposition.
In 1913, the Pierce-Arrow Company patented the design of 'headlights faired into the tops of the front fenders.' This improved the effectiveness of the headlamps and was first seen on a Model 48-B2.
The Model 48 was available in two versions, the B and D. The D versions were equipped with a Disco acetylene self-starting system.
The Pierce-Arrow Model 48 was powered by a 515 cubic-inch, T-head, inline six-cylinder, side-valve engine that produced 48.6 calculated ALAM horsepower. Its cylinders were cast in three pairs and featured two vertical plugs per cylinder. Half of the plugs connected to a coil while the other six were connected to a magnet. A switch gave the driver the ability to select either or both. The engine did not have a hand crank; there was an air-starting device which used compressed air stored in a tank to operate a small piston engine geared to the flywheel. Once the engine was started, the driver would reverse the valve, and the air-engine became a pump which recharged the tank.
During the production lifespan of the Model 48B, a total of 825 examples were created, and each carried a price tag that ranged from $4,850 - $6,300 depending on body-style and coachwork. There were more examples of the Model 48B produced than their lower-priced companion car, the Model 38C, by 209 units.
The Model 48 rested on a platform that had a wheelbase that measured nearly 12 feet. Braking was mechanical system that took some force to operate. Wooden artillery style wheels were at all four corners and wooden running boards were on either side of the car. The instrumentation inside was rather bare. The two more important gauges were the mile-o-meter and the drum-action Warner speedometer.
The most popular body-style for the Model 48 was the Tourer which had a canvas top and had seating for around 7 individuals.
The Model 48 was a very stately and impressive car that had an awe-inspiring presence and a powerplant capable of carry the load. These were mechanical masterpieces and truly exception examples of the quality and caliber the Pierce-Arrow Company was capable of producing.
By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2008
For more information and related vehicles, click herePierce-Arrow established their own Art Department, long before GM recruited Harley Earl to create their 'Art and Colour Department.' Herbert Dawley designed the bodies for the Pierce-Arrow automobiles and worked closely with the clientele to ensure proper colors, materials, and accessories were fitted to the vehicles.
Another venue the company explored for promoting their business was 'image.' They sought the business of prominent figures, including the White House where ever President from William Howard Taft through Franklin Delano Roosevelt rode in a Pierce-Arrow. Many famous movie stars of the time preferred the Pierce-Arrow, such as Mary Pickford, Tom Mix, and Gloria Swanson. This publicity generated a wealth of business for the company and its reputation continued to soar.
In 1906, Pierce-Arrow constructed an integrated factory in Buffalo that covered 1.5 million square feet on the site of the 1901 Pan-American Exposition.
In 1913, the Pierce-Arrow Company patented the design of 'headlights faired into the tops of the front fenders.' This improved the effectiveness of the headlamps and was first seen on a Model 48-B2.
The Model 48 was available in two versions, the B and D. The D versions were equipped with a Disco acetylene self-starting system.
The Pierce-Arrow Model 48 was powered by a 515 cubic-inch, T-head, inline six-cylinder, side-valve engine that produced 48.6 calculated ALAM horsepower. Its cylinders were cast in three pairs and featured two vertical plugs per cylinder. Half of the plugs connected to a coil while the other six were connected to a magnet. A switch gave the driver the ability to select either or both. The engine did not have a hand crank; there was an air-starting device which used compressed air stored in a tank to operate a small piston engine geared to the flywheel. Once the engine was started, the driver would reverse the valve, and the air-engine became a pump which recharged the tank.
During the production lifespan of the Model 48B, a total of 825 examples were created, and each carried a price tag that ranged from $4,850 - $6,300 depending on body-style and coachwork. There were more examples of the Model 48B produced than their lower-priced companion car, the Model 38C, by 209 units.
The Model 48 rested on a platform that had a wheelbase that measured nearly 12 feet. Braking was mechanical system that took some force to operate. Wooden artillery style wheels were at all four corners and wooden running boards were on either side of the car. The instrumentation inside was rather bare. The two more important gauges were the mile-o-meter and the drum-action Warner speedometer.
The most popular body-style for the Model 48 was the Tourer which had a canvas top and had seating for around 7 individuals.
The Model 48 was a very stately and impressive car that had an awe-inspiring presence and a powerplant capable of carry the load. These were mechanical masterpieces and truly exception examples of the quality and caliber the Pierce-Arrow Company was capable of producing.
By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2008
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 1910
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| 1909 Model 48 |
