One of the very earliest twelve-cylinder Pierce-Arrows produced, this car was a unique custom creation by LeBaron on the grand 147-inch-wheelbase Model 51 chassis, ordinarily intended for sedans and limousines. The design chosen was a two-passenger coupe with a rumble seat, featuring a distinctive low windshield and padded, leather-covered roofline, decorated with landau bars. The result has truly impressive proportions, especially with the V-12’s vast front end, and undoubtedly caused quite a stir when exhibited at the 1932 New York Auto Show, as was depicted in numerous period drawings and advertisements.

The car’s further history is known back to 1964, when Lacy Winstead of Roxboro, North Carolina, acquired it. Mr. Winstead drove the car for four years while attending college, then, in 1968, drove it into a wooden barn, where it remained until 2016. There it remained, hidden away and forgotten to all but a handful of Pierce-Arrow Society members, until its discovery and acquisition by a well-known collector that year.

A FUTURE CONCOURS COMPETITOR

The Pierce shows considerable age to all components, including heavy moth damage to the cloth interior, but remains largely solid and intact except for some minor trim and hardware components. Much of the Brewster Green finish is still intact, as is the distinctive leather roof covering. The engine and transmission have been disassembled and then reassembled in the car, but it is not in running condition and would require a further mechanical rebuild. By its serial number the engine is the original unit installed in the car in 1932, and by chassis number the car is only the fourth Model 51 produced; it is believed to be the second-earliest surviving example. Prospective bidders are warmly advised and encouraged to inspect the car and its accompanying parts to their satisfaction.

It is clear that this very, very special twelve-cylinder Pierce would be a largely straightforward restoration project for a new owner, and even more certain that it would be warmly welcomed to a great roster of AACA, CCCA, and national concours events upon its completion. Here is one of the final opportunities to acquire a barn-find, one-off Full Classic, just as the ancestors of today’s collectors did in the grand early days of the 1940s and 1950s, and follow in their footsteps of resurrection. It awaits future appreciation and awards on the world’s most prestigious show fields.