Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 73 ¤
1925 Pierce-Arrow Model 33 Touring Chassis no. 339902 Engine no. 339902
Sold for US$56,000 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 73¤
From the Minden Automotive Museum
1925 Pierce-Arrow Model 33 Touring
1925 Pierce-Arrow Model 33 Touring
1925 Pierce-Arrow Model 33 Touring
Chassis no. 339902
Engine no. 339902
Chassis no. 339902
Engine no. 339902
414.7ci T-Head 24-Valve Inline Six-Cylinder
Pierce Updraft Carburetor
100bhp at 2,600rpm
3-Speed Manual Transmission
Live Axles with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs
Rear Wheel Mechanical Drum Brakes
* Innovative T-head six with 4 inclined valves per cylinder
* Pierce-Arrow's signature fender-mounted headlights
* Twice restored and consistently maintained
* Imposing Touring Car body
THE PIERCE-ARROW MODEL 33
Pierce-Arrow cannot be accused of ignoring its history or chasing automotive fashion. Although it updated its models in 1920 with a revised monobloc engine and a crossflow T-head cylinder head to create the Series 31. It was nearly simultaneously that Pierce-Arrow [finally] moved the steering wheel from righthand to lefthand drive, decades behind most of its contemporaries.
1922 brought the revised Model 33. Pierce-Arrow called the Model 33 engine a Dual-Valve Six, math that results from having two intake and two exhaust valves in each cylinder, something that the engine's generous bore, four inches, made feasible and even practical. Pierce also angled the valves on both sides at a small but significant five degrees from vertical to aid flow and reduce combustion chamber volume. Dual ignition also helped promote combustion at full power but could be operated using only one of the sets of spark plugs.
Pierce-Arrows disguised their excellent engineering and performance under conservative coachwork built at this time from aluminum, some cast and some formed sheet metal. Designed by Leon Rubay and James Way, conservatism reigned in Buffalo, New York. Built on a 138-inch wheelbase, these were big, imposing automobiles with enough power to humble most contemporaries, even well into the next decade.
THE CAR OFFERED
These T-head six-cylinder Pierce-Arrows have always been appreciated for their quality, generous use of expensive materials and performance. This one has been restored twice, first in 1954-55 by Harry Jones in Stockton, California and then in the early 70's for Ted Bacon's Minden Automotive Museum by James Montgomery Santa Barbara.
It has the characteristic Bausch & Lomb fender-mounted headlights designed and patented by Herbert Dawley for Pierce-Arrow. The suspension uses Westinghouse Spring shackle dampers on the semi-elliptical leaf springs. There is a hinged windshield, dual rear-mounted spares and body color wood spoke wheels with 6.00-23 whitewall tires. The dashboard has an impressive array of bright, crisp Waltham gauges and multiple switches and there are a set of jump seats in the rear compartment.
The beige paint with black fenders, bright trim, black leather interior and black leatherette top are all is good condition and the engine compartment is clean and sharp. It looks far better than most cars restored fifty years ago and benefits from its benign use and careful storage in Minden.
With some 100 horsepower it will get down the road with alacrity and stately elegance. The powerful T-head 24-valve engine is an opportunity to remind present day onlookers that technical innovation was alive and well a hundred years ago.
Additional information
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| ¤ | No Reserve |
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