1936 Pierce-Arrow Twelve Country Club Roadster

Pierce-Arrow was the most successful early exponent of the six-cylinder car in America. The company pioneered in power braking, and was associated with some remarkable early experiments in light alloy construction, streamlined bodywork, and power steering. Pierce-Arrow installed the first hydraulic tappets. And, of course, on the aesthetic side, there was the famous Pierce-Arrow fender treatment, which was patented before the First World War. Designed by Herbert Douley, the distinctive headlamp-in-fender design endured for the remainder of Pierce-Arrow's existence.

The all-new 1936 Pierce-Arrows were billed as the 'world's fastest car' due to the welded and riveted frame. They featured many improvements over previous models and set new standards for how a car should look and drive. The V12 engine was available in three different wheelbases, but fewer than 80 of this particular model were built out of total production of 843 cars in 1936.

This V-12 Country Club Roadster, one of three built that year, is the last open-topped V12 ever built by the company according to the Pierce-Arrow Society factory records. Sold new in the Washington DC area, it was fitted with a fire truck engine and modern transmission in a field in northern Virginia in the late 1950s. After an exhaustive search, its current owner discovered the original engine and mechanicals. The restored car made its first-ever Concours appearance at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.