Does anyone know this Model 36?

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Does anyone know this car?

http://www.black-plate.com/1925piercearrow.html

It’s in Los Angeles. The dealer who has it says he can’t send photographs. (???) The dealer seems to be mostly into modern cars and obviously knows little about early stuff, not to mention Pierces.

I’d appreciate any history on the car if someone can offer.

Thanks — Scott

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I don’t know the car, but the car shown on their website is a Series 80, not a 36 (or “30” as they claim). There are lots of clues, but the big give-away is the crowned fenders…Series 33 & 36 fenders are smooth. Also, the 33/36 radiator shell has more of an angle at the top.

Paul

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Ah, hah ! I figured as much.

It might be why the dealer didn’t want to send photographs. I wrote back reiterating my desire for photos, especially of the engine since “some people cannot correctly identify what they have””. Apparently this is such a case.

Thank you for the lesson.

–Scott”

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Scott,

I can’t tell what body style of that car really is from the photo, but…

There was a Series 80 Coupe here in Dallas several years ago that was dontated to some kind of “charity” that was trying to sell the car. They had paid an appraiser to give them an appraisal for the car. Apparently, they just sent him photos…he never actually looked at the car. Anyway the appraisal stated that the car was a Series 33 (36?). They couldn’t be convinced that their car really wasn’t a dual-valve car, even though the engine & serial numbers started with 80xxxx, it was a 130 inch wheel base (33/36 are 138 inch), and it was CLEARLY a single valve, single ignition engine!

Buyer beware…

Paul

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I requested the VID/engine number from “Pete at Blackplate” and he responded with 802405/803377. While there is no entry under this VID, it appears that this is car 803405/803377 which has a long ownership history beginning with Harrah. I responded back to get confirmation on VID with no response yet. This is a 1925 Series 80 deluxe sedan according to the vehicle register entry under VID 803405.

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“Pete at Blackplate”” did respond to confirm that VID is 803405.”

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I knew that car (identical to, and with serial and engine numbers very close to those of my 1924-production 1925 80 5-p sedan) and I inspected it closely 10 yrs ago, when it was owned by Jim Callahan of Oakland, CA. He acquired it from Wayne Sheldon, then of Livermore, CA, a nickel-age collector. When I saw the car a few times 1996-98 including the P-A display at the 1996 Silverado Concours, it was a 15K-mile original car from Harrah’s. Although the fenders had been repainted, it was otherwise ALL original, right down to the very decrepit fan belt. Callahan sold it to a Japanese gent in the Los Angeles area, who reportedly had it “restored.” THAT CAR SHOULD **NEVER** HAVE BEEN RESTORED.

It was on eBay two or three times a couple of years ago but did not sell during those auctions. When I inquired about the reserve after a no-sale, I was told $125K, which was probably 400% of what it might have been worth. I have not seen it in its restored state other than in eBay pix, in which the nylon in the upholstery was gleaming! So I suspect the rest of the “restoration” may have been to a similarly low standard.

I urge that if anyone is interested, he or she should personally inspect the car or have a very trusted and Pierce-competent agent do so.

George

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