1927 Pierce-Arrow Model 36

Drop Top Sedan

The Pierce-Arrow Company was a prosperous and talented motorcar company during the early years of automotive production. Their cars were well-engineered and powered by powerful six-cylinder engines during the teens. The pinnacle was the Model 66 which sported a massive 847 cubic-inch engine that drove a very large, 147-inch wheelbase.

By the close of the 1920s, the Pierce-Arrow had fallen on troubled times. The product line had become old and dated; their technology had followed a similar fate. Their competition continued to create new and stunning designs matted to powerful engines and equipped with convenient options and accessories.

Soon the Pierce-Arrow Company was the object of several acquisitions and takeovers which would breathe new life into the company and allow it to weather the difficult Great Depression era.

This 1927 Pierce-Arrow Model 36 is an elegant vehicle that has been treated to a full restoration. Power was from a six-cylinder engine with dual-point ignition with two sparkplugs per cylinder. There are four valves per cylinder and dual camshafts. 1927 was one of the last years the company only offered a six-cylinder engine. By 1929, an L-head eight-cylinder unit became available.

by Dan Vaughan

Enclosed Drive Limousine
Chassis number: 361379

This Model 36 Pierce Arrow has a Seven-Passenger Limousine body. It is a low-mileage restored car that is finished in gray with black moldings and fenders. There are dual-side-mount spare tires, a small folding trunk rack, and is fitted with drum-type 'New York Lights'. 'NY Lights' were optional equipment that could be ordered to comply with regulations imposed by some states that limited the width between headlights. Since most of these lamps were sold in NY, they were given the nickname, 'New York Lights.'

The interior of the car is finished in gray cloth with embroidered outlines n the doors and baroque Grecian urns on the seat back. There are two fold-out jump seats built into the division partition along with a roll-down window with a shade matching the headliner material. The chauffeur's area is black leather.

This car has traveled just under 10,000 miles since new. It was brought to the 2008 Automobiles of Amelia presented by RM Auctions where it was estimated to sell for $50,000 - $75,000. The car was offered without reserve and sold for $52,250 including the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe
Chassis number: 361902
Engine number: 361150

This 1927 Pierce-Arrow Series 36 Coupe was offered for sale at the 2008 Automobiles of Amelia presented by RM Auctions where it was estimated to sell for $100,000 - $125,000. It was offered without reserve and sold for $121,000 including the buyer's premium.

It is finished in red with pin-striping accents. It is a well-maintained vehicle that was treated to a restoration many years ago. It has a luggage compartment ahead of the spare tire making it suitable for touring. The interior is elegant and tasteful with varnished wood window trim and a wood-grained dashboard. The upholstery is bolstered red mohair with matching carpet. The odometer reads just 42,647 miles since new.

In 2009, this Pierce-Arrow Series 36 Coupe was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $80,000 - $100,000. It failed to sell after reaching a high bid of $45,000.

In 2010, this car was offered for sale at RM Auctions Automobiles of Amelia Island' event, where it was estimated to sell for $75,000 - $100,000 and offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $49,500, inclusive of the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Judkins
Chassis number: 362026

This car is restored to its original chassis and body colors. This is the only known Pierce-Arrow Judkins coupe the current owner has ever seen. According to the Pierce-Arrow Society, this is probably the only 1927 Judkins coupe in existence today.

The car can be traced back to a junkyard in Utica, NY, in the early 1940s. The restoration was completed in June 2008.

Runabout

The majority of Pierce-Arrow chassis featured elegant closed coachwork, such as sedans and limousines. Built on a 138-inch wheelbase chassis, the Pierce-Arrow 36 was powered by huge and powerful T-head motor that developed 100 horsepower.

Pierce-Arrow ranked as one of the most expensive automobiles built in the United States.

This rare, Pierce-Arrow Runabout was restored in 1998 and received a 'freshening up' in 2011.

The Pierce-Arrow Company had a history that dates back to 1865 when it made birdcages and other household-related items such as iceboxes and bathtubs. In 1872, George N. Pierce bought out his partners and renamed the company after himself. In 1896, bicycle production was added and within a few years, in 1900, a steam car was built. A gasoline-powered car followed a few months later. The following year, the Pierce manufactured a DeDion-engine 'Motorette'. Their rise to fame was in 1904 with the introduction of the Great Arrow powered by a four-cylinder engine. It was a reliable car with plenty of appeal and power. In 1905, Pierce's son Percy drove one in the inaugural 1905 Glidden Tour to an overall victory. Pierce cars would claim the title four years in a row. By 1909, the name 'Pierce' and 'Arrow' were so linked together, that the company was renamed to 'Pierce-Arrow.'

In 1913, they revolutionized the design of their vehicles with fender-mounted headlamps. The design was attractive and smooth which allowed for a higher and wider projection of the light beams.

Pierce-Arrow relied on its six-cylinder engines for many years, even when its competition moved to larger eight- and 12-cylinder engines. They would use the six-cylinder until 1927 with many modifications and updates along the way. In 1925 they were fitted with T-heads with four valves per cylinder and twin ignition.

The Model 36 was produced from 1926 to 1928 and each example was the subject of rigorous testing. Each engine was placed in the dynamometer room and run for 15 hours at varying speeds. This test simulated 500 miles of open-road driving. At the conclusion of the test, the engine was disassembled with all its moving parts thoroughly examined for signs of wear. If none were found, it was re-assembled and tested for two hours in a cork-walled silent chamber where its power output and internal friction were closely monitored. Only after the engine had passed these tests were they permitted to power a chassis. When the chassis was assembled, further testing followed. They were subjected to chassis dynamometer tests for five hours, followed by a 35-40 mile road test. If the chassis completed this test, the body was mounted and the tire car was again tested. Under the supervision of a chief tester, further testing of the completed car was done.

The Model 36 was powered by a 414 cubic-inch T-head 24-valve twin-ignition six-cylinder engine capable of producing 100 horsepower. The engine was mated to a three-speed manual gearbox with stopping power provided by vacuum-boosted four-wheel mechanical brakes.

It is believed that 1900 examples were produced in fifteen cataloged body styles.

by Dan Vaughan