1933 Pierce Arrow – Silver Arrow

The 1933 Pierce Silver Arrow engine is smaller in displacement than the 1910 Model 66, but it is no less impressive. In my opinion, it is one of the most amazing cars in history. Like many other masterpieces, this car was produced in the 30s of the 20th century, during the Great Depression. And if you’ve played the computer game Mafia, you may remember this car from Morello.

At the Chicago exhibition “century of progress” Pierce Arrow – Silver Arrow became the main exhibit. At the time, the looks of this car seemed incredible and futuristic. The design of the Silver Arrow was incredibly bold. But unfortunately for the company, wealthy Americans were in no hurry to buy this Pierce Arrow. Yes, – these were the years of the Great Depression, which ruined amazing brands like Marmon, Franklin and Peerless. But wealthy Americans were eager to buy the even more expensive $15,000 Duesenberg Model SJ. Very wealthy people had the money, but it seems they just didn’t want to buy a Silver Arrow.

The price and value of the 1933 Pierce Arrow – Silver Arrow.

In 1933, a brand new Pierce Arrow – Silver Arrow could be purchased for $10,000. By comparison, a brand new eight-cylinder Ford could be bought for $500, and a luxurious Cadillac V16 in the maximum configuration sold for $7,500.

So the Pierce Arrow although not the most expensive car of its time, it was a very expensive car. Only 5 of these cars were produced, 3 of which have survived to this day. All 5 cars were assembled by 30 mashers during 3 months.

Exterior, photos and dimensions of 1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow.

Inspecting the photo of Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow it is impossible not to notice the emblem – a statuette in the form of an archer. I want to draw your attention to the emblem under the radiator grille, and also to the logo in the additional headlights – on the front bumper.

I think it may surprise many people, but the body of the Silver Arrow is made of aluminum. Largely due to this, the curb weight of a large car, with a wheelbase of 3530mm, is 2314kg. The designer of this Pierce Arrow was Phil Wright.

One of the main features of the 1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow are the spare tire niches. They are located on the sides of the engine compartment, and the doors of the niches are lined with leather. The spare tire is secured in the recess with special straps.

Caps of the spoked wheels are decorated with the symbol 12 and the image of an arrow. I think it is clear to everyone that we are talking about 12 cylinders. A similar logo can be seen above the rear, left lamp, – in the area of the gas tank plug.
This car has very small rear windows. And you can see from the photo that there are no side mirrors. Perhaps the manufacturer wanted to emphasize the aerodynamics of Silver Arrow.
The front doors are opened against the movement, and the rear doors are opened in the direction of movement.

I would like to draw your attention to the stampings on the front fenders coming from the front headlights.

Interior and Equipment.

Notice how tight and high the sofa cushion is here. The cushion is not solid, but is divided into driver and passenger parts, which can be longitudinally adjusted relative to each other. There is a fire extinguisher in the legs of the front passenger, and the instruments are in the central part of the front panel. The speedometer is programmed to 130 miles, and the clock is adorned with Pierce lettering. The door trim provides pockets for belongings. A lot of wood is used in the interior trim of the Pierce Arrow. An illumination plafond is provided on the roof trim.

Duplicate gauges are installed in the back of the front sofa. The Silver Arrow seems to have been designed as a fast car, where the owner could keep an eye on the speed while sitting on the rear sofa.

Engine and specifications of the 1933 Pierce Arrow – Silver Arrow.

With a cylinder bore of 85.7mm and a piston stroke of 101.6mm, the V12 engine has a displacement of 7.5 liters with an 80 degree block camber. The compression ratio is 6.0:1 and the engine is fed by two Stromberg carburetors. The transmission is a 3 speed, manual. The power output of the Pierce Arrow engine is 175 horsepower, which was a very substantial output for the 30s. Maximum torque – 237N.M. The engine block is cast iron.

Both axles have drum brakes with vacuum booster. The hood has two flaps and opens in an alligator pattern, which was normal for the time.

This is a fast, very beautiful and rare car. It may be the company’s greatest car, but it was also the last for Pierce Arrow. I am sorry that this, stunning car did not have the demand that both the Duesenberg and the more affordable, but expensive, Cadillac V16 had. There are only 3 of these cars left, so it’s hard to find them even at the best, car shows.