1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow
edited by David Barth, 26 December 2008.
Courtesy "The Auto Collections" showroom at the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino in Las, Vegas, Nevada, USA. Photos were
taken 18 November 2008.
The information presented below is from "Imperial Palace Auto Collection" by Ralph Engelstad, owner of the hotel/casino
and the automobiles until his death in 2002.
Chassis number: 2575018
This beautiful example is only one of three that survive today and the only one available for sale. This car was part
of the Harrah's Auto Collection from the 1960s to 1987. It was restored in their restoration facility. Many collectors
consider this Silver Arrow to be one of the top ten automobiles of all time.
The car was not for sale at the time these photos were taken, 18 November 2008.
In the early 1930's, streamlining was coming into vogue with streamlined trains and automobiles. In 1928 Glenn Curtiss,
of Curtiss aviation fame, began doing wind tunnel tests with cars. In 1932, former General Motors stylist, Phil Wright,
approached Pierce Arrow with a futuristic design. At the time, Pierce Arrow was in dire financial condition. Four years
earlier it had been forced to merge with studebaker, but that hadn't helped Pierce Arrow's situation. By 1932,
production had dropped to 2,692 cars.
In October 1932 they accepted Wright's design, to be called "Silver Arrow." They built only five cars in a very short
time. The chassis were shipped from the Pierce Arrow factory in Buffalo, New York, to Studebaker in South Bend, Indiana
where a team of a dozen Studebaker craftsmen had a three-month deadline to build Wright's body design on the five chassis.
The team worked around the clock and finished on time.
Unique features included the vee-shaped rear window and spare tires concealed in panels in the fenders, behind the front
wheels.
The Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow had the following characteristics:
- Engine configuration: L-head V-12
- Bore: 3.5 inches
- Stroke: 4.0 inches
- Displacement: 462 cubic inches (7.6 liters)
- Power: 175 hp at 3,400 rpm
- Weight: 5,729 lbs
- Top speed: 115 mph
- Transmission: three-speed manual with a free-wheeling device
This particular Silver Arrow was shipped to Buffalo after completion at the Studebaker factory in South Bend on February
11, 1933. It has been untouched since that time, except for paint. The first Silver Arrow was sent to the New York
Auto Show. Although it was a sensation, it failed to save Pierce Arrow.
The following photos were taken on 5 November 2007. At this time the car was for sale for $2,500,000.
The following photos were taken on 30 July 2006. At this time the car was for sale for $1,450,000.
