Few marques have developed the legendary reputation of the Pierce-Arrow. Once the leading fine car maker, Pierce-Arrow’s reputation was built with the exquisitely engineered and massive six-cylinder engines of the teens. Starting with the Great Arrow and continuing with the Models 36, 48, and ending with the thundering Model 66 – a massive machine with an 847-cid T-head engine and a 147-inch wheelbase – it is easy to see why these early Pierce-Arrows were very impressive. Based in Buffalo, New York, the Pierce-Arrow was a recognized status symbol and examples were owned by many captains of industry, movie stars and royalty. President William Howard Taft ordered two Pierce-Arrow autos for use at official state occasions, from then onwards, Pierce-Arrow would be synonymous with the ultimate in motoring luxury.

By the late 1920s though, Pierce-Arrow was in trouble. The manufacturer had been at the top for so long that a stifling conservatism had permeated the company’s operations, as well as its products. In the meantime other marques continued to develop and enhance their products, stealing market share from Pierce-Arrow until the company was awash in red ink.

As a result, the very existence of the lovely coupe offered here can be credited to a remarkable accountant, Mr. Albert R. Erskine. Having ascended to the Presidency of Studebaker, he focused on assembling an automotive empire. He needed a car to compete in the fine car marketplace, and there was no better name than Pierce-Arrow. Erskine saw the value in the name, and quickly negotiated a stock swap deal that gave him control of Pierce-Arrow in 1928.

He immediately introduced an eight-cylinder engine, along with new bodies and a host of new features. Better cars with lower prices combined to give Pierce its best year ever in 1929, with 9,700 cars delivered. No one suspected that disaster lay just around the corner. Sales in the fine car market continued to decline, even as Pierce-Arrow and the others introduced a vast array of new products. For 1933, talented designer Phil Wright was instructed by Roy Faulkner, Pierce-Arrow’s new sales manager, to come up with something new and dramatic. Introduced at the 1933 Auto Shows in New York and Chicago, the Silver Arrow was a sensation. Unfortunately, at $10,000 each, the prototype Silver Arrows found few takers, and just five were built. The success of the Silver Arrow did result in updated styling across the line, producing a dramatic, if short lived, turnaround in sales for Pierce-Arrow.

The attractive coupe we have the pleasure of offering is a restored eight-cylinder coupe that is one of only 875 Pierce-Arrow motor cars sold in 1935. It is reported that it was purchased at auction in September 1993 having belonged previously to one John Eric Smith, who bought it from Rod Morris Classic Cars in 1991. In 2006 the Pierce-Arrow underwent extensive restoration at the Jim Stokes Workshops.

The Model 845 Coupe is driven by a 385-cid, 140-hp straight eight-cylinder engine that is matched to a three-speed manual transmission. The car is nicely presented in crème with similarly toned cloth interior and accented with complementary red pinstripes, rumbleseat interior and wire wheels. Beautifully styled bumpers and grille immediately attract your attention, as does the dual sidemount spares, rumbleseat, wire wheels and skirted fenders. Additional features include color-matching steel sidemount covers with mirrors, rear-mounted luggage rack, “helmeted archer” hood ornament, golf club stowage with separate door and an elegant interior with tasteful trim elements.

With only a handful of survivors known, this Pierce-Arrow coupe offers the astute collector an opportunity to add not only one of the most impressive looking, but also one of the rarest examples of this famous Buffalo-built classic car to their collection.