Who said the days of the real barn find are gone? Stored since 1968, this stunning 1932 Pierce-Arrow V12 Custom LeBaron Body Coupe has come a long way since 2016 when it emerged from a North Carolina garage. Check out the YouTube video for more details on this fascinating story. Tires, wheels, and hubcaps have been redone but otherwise it’s (wisely) only been cleaned and polished. Amazing!
The pride of Buffalo, New York, Pierce-Arrows were known for luxury, innovation, endurance and speed. This one can be yours when it goes up for auction in September, 2017 presented by www.worldwideauctioneers.com.
Some assembly required! This picture shows the new-for-’32 twelve cylinder motor as it was found in 2016, but the motor is currently torn apart, so the new owner had better know what they’re doing.
This vintage photo shows the original LeBaron body. Note the “all business” blackwall tires in the age of white-walls. Make no mistake, folks, this was a purposeful muscle-car in the ’30s, and looks just as handsome today. Finding any depression-era car in this condition would be uncanny, but dusting off this beautiful two-door from the pinnacle of one of America’s finest marques is almost unthinkable. Considering its unique story and condition, what will it take to buy this rare car? Should it be valued higher than a perfectly restored example?
Stunning!
I have read so much about them, and never seen anything other than pictures.
I would love to hear that engine run. Beautiful car.
That’s just it, you can’t tell it’s running except for the air suction into the carb.
It should be valued very highly for its originality — whether higher than a perfect restoration I don’t know — and with a discount for the you-assemble-it engine. An amazing and beautiful find.
THAT is an awesome car. And yes, an early muscle car, for sure.
This is a legacy car…….would be the centerpiece of even the most extensive collection. This old girl deserves the highest quality restoration……
So beautiful, in amazing condition! Hope it winds up preserved in a museum collection where it can be seen, or in the hands of a collector who will preserve and show it. To have it bought and locked away from the public would be a travesty.This jewel must be shared, an incredible time capsule and an example of the American auto builders art.
I agree Dave. Another beautiful automobile from the Art Deco Era. Stunning!
Does anyone know what the horsepower of that V12 would put out and torque??
175 hp!
350 ft pounds torque
A fantastic engine – 461.7 cubic inches
This car has the “smaller” version of the V12 which is 150HP. Same block and visually identical to larger 175HP engine.
150 or 175 hp, either is a lot of power for this era.
Looks like a Wayne Carini moment – six figure find
If anyone is going to San Francisco, there is an auto collection on Van Ness nearly at the top of the hill. It is owned by the Acadamy of art. It is in an old auto dealership building up the street from the Packard Building (that now houses the Mercedes Dealer) There are large showroom windows you can peer through from the sidewalk…..there are dozens of this vintage and quality cars parked next to each other……lots of Marmons, Duesenburgs, Pierce Arrows even a Minervia …………the best of the best. The building is a short walk from the house of Prime Rib……an excellent place for a great meal…….
The same guy has a smaller display in a showroom on the southeast corner of O’Farrell & Van Ness Avenue. They are available for tours for car clubs by prior arrangements. Van Ness Avenue was the automobile showroom row for decades, now just a few dealers are left. There are no American car dealerships left in San Francisco.
Right across the street on the same side is a 6 story building that was just for Cadillac from the 20’s to the 60’s. You can look up and see the Cadillac crest over the doorway. It is now a 16-Plex theater.
When I was in high school I volunteered at a hospital. One of the doctors had one of these. Not sure the year. Along with a 300sl and Auburn boat tail. All three were original, drivers, and taken weekly to work.
His father had purchased the cars, along with others classics in the 50’s and 60’s in LA and Newport Beach. At that time these were dirt cheap he said.
The Pierce was huge. I never drove it but had a chance to sit in the driver’s seat. Could not see the back of the car parked ahead with the mile long hood. Even parked you could turn the steering wheel with two fingers.
As DRV wrote, very quiet when running, though on the road there was quite a lot of gear and road noise.
Would love to see this refreshed instead of restored. There is something special about an old man or lady driving a well worn old classic
True classic there. Hope whoever gets it, puts it back together and back on the road for a little spectator admiring.
I wonder where in North Carolina it was found? I hope it wasn’t near us. :)
Absolutely Magnificent……..what a stunning example of the genius of American Auto Design in the 30’s….Wow.
This was definitely at the top of the automotive world in its time. It would be one of the highlights of my life if I were to get the privilege of putting that engine back together, and see it come to life again.
Not to dredge up an old argument, but there are probably 6 places in the country that are competent with these engines. They should not be confused with a flathead ford.
A very neat engine. I gave one in my 1937 Seagrave Fire Engine.
Cosgrove
I don’t think that a rebuild would be that tough……you wouldn’t want to take it to a production shop……but, these are not really hi tech. You would need to take your time and pay attention otherwise, it isn’t like building a 275 California special engine. There is lots of information about this stuff these days. The city shop rebuilt the one in an old Seagraves fire truck here in my town. Looks and runs great……now, if I could only convince them to sell it to me…….
Stunning and a true barn find.
it definitely needs a chevy 350 crate motor, flame paint job and a chopped roof. JUST KIDDING! What a neat find, I would love to hear it run.