1911 Pierce-Arrow Model 48 Touring

Cast-Aluminum Body Joined by Rivets!
Pierce Arrow began manufacturing automobiles in Buffalo, New York in 1901. Prior to building automobiles, the parent company, Heintz, Pierce, and Munson, was engaged in the manufacturing of bird cages, ice-boxes, bicycles, and other household goods.

The first Pierce-Arrow automobile was a single-cylinder vehicle that developed three horsepower and a top speed of twenty miles per hour. In 1904 Pierce-Arrow built its first four-cylinder car called the Great Arrow and in 1907 introduced its first six-cylinder model. By 1911, Pierce-Arrow was building only six-cylinder models ranging from 36 to 66 horsepower.

This 1911 Model 48 touring car was Pierce-Arrow's best-selling model and features a cast-aluminum body that is held together by rivets. The fenders are stamped aluminum. The six-cylinder engine produces 48 horsepower and is mounted on a 134.5-inch chassis. It was one of seven body styles produced on the Model 48 chassis and sold for $5,000 new.

The famous Pierce-Arrow six-cylinder models were offered in 36, 48, and 60 HP versions in 1910. With about 1,000 cars sold at $5,000, the Model 48 was the best-selling of the line with a 525 cubic-inch inline 6-cylinder engine producing 48 horsepower. The cylinders were cast-in-pairs and secured to an aluminum crankcase. Pierce-Arrow bodies were made from 1/8-inch thick aluminum panels with stamped aluminum fenders. The Model 48 rode on a 134.5-inch wheelbase and featured two extra folding seats, an electric Klaxon horn, a speedometer, a robe rail, and a full set of tools as standard equipment.