Pierce-Arrow Cars History

Pierce-Arrow

Perhaps the most amusing anomaly in the history of the American automobile industry can be seen in the fact that Pierce-Arrow, one of the most prestigious brands of cars that have ever roamed the American highways, has grown from a company for the production of cells for the birds.

This company was called Heintz, Pierce and Munschauer which was founded in Buffalo in 1865 and engaged in the manufacture of boxes for ice and other utensils for the household. In 1872, one of three partners bought out the shares of its partners and reorganized the company to George N Pierce Company. By 1896, among other things, product range produced by the company appeared bikes as part of the company's staff , Colonel Charles Clifton came as a financier . It Clifton was the first to realize the potential of the company in the creation of cars and first attempt in her new steam car was actually built by the summer of 1900. However, this was a failed attempt .
After returning from his trip to Europe , Clifton French Recommend engine Di Dion, who became the engine for the first petrol car company built to November of the same year . In early 1901 , engineer David Ferguson , a native of England , who worked in the company of EC Steems near Syracuse stayed in Buffalo and offered his services . Therefore, the company has received the Pierce svogo chief engineer for the next two decades. By May, the first two month of the sample vehicles designed Ferguson and De Dion engines had been fully prepared . Time remaining until the end of the year was held at the Automotive Testing and demonstrations of their sales agents Pierce bike across the country. Production motorettov , namely so-called single-cylinder model , began in late 1901 and the end of next year, a 150 such vehicles. 2- cylinder model called Arrow went into production in 1903 , and in 1904 the world saw the 4- cylinder model , which received the name of Great Arrow. In 1905 he passed the first famous race Glidden Tours and Percy Pierce, son of the founder of the brand , they won a car Great Arrow. Victory in the next four races Glidden Tours also got out of Buffalo. In 1907 she made her debut model with a 6- cylinder engine , and it was decided to rename the brand in the Pierce-Arrow. The company has been a pioneer in various areas of the automotive industry. In particular, the design of its vehicles commonly used aluminum first power brakes have appeared in Pierce-Arrow, as lifters and right-hand drive motor and steering controls. The most famous innovation from the Pierce-Arrow appeared in 1913 and it became hull lights embedded in the wings started to Pierce-Arrow and patented by Herbert M. Dawley rats . Standard drum lights remained an option until 1932 , but many buyers prefer them to become standard exclusive lights on the wings .
By January of 1915 Pierce-Arrow launched its 12000th car , this time entering cohort of the most prestigious and high-quality automobile brands of America. Large Cars 60th series , of which the model 66 was one of the most prestigious and biggest production car built in America , have found their way into the garages of the rich and the most elegant men of his time . Dvuhklapanny 6-cylinder engine was introduced to the public in October 1918 , which further strengthened the position of the brand among its demanding customers, thanks to its overall reliability and low noise of its engine . By that time, Cadillac has had its engine V8, and a Packard Twin-Six, however, Pierce-Arrow continued to be confident in the fact that 6 - is the most optimal number of cylinders, which should have a car engine .
Okonchagiya after the First World War the company was spent on pensions and the new owners of the Pierce-Arrow was the New York banking firm Seligman Company. New idea to bankers, they wanted to put into practice , has been the development of a new engine . The chief engineer of Fergusson was against the idea and was soon fired. His successor was Barney Rus , but he also left the company. In his place was appointed Charles Sheppy . In 1921, Pierce-Arrow also got a new president, who was Myron Forbes , who had previously , in 1919 , he joined the company as a financier . The 20s were marked by the introduction of the company's cars brakes on all 4 wheels and Vacuum brake booster , developed by Victor Klisratom and Caleb Bragg .
However, by this time, Pierce-Arrow held a rather precarious position in the market because of its tradition of following in the style of cars and the number of cylinders in the engine, which was only 6 . In 1928, Colonel Charles Clifton dies and Myron Forbes , feeling that the days are completely independent automakers coming to an end shall come into alliance with Studebaker. It was a good merger for both sides, and Pierce-Arrow sales almost doubled , reaching 10,000 vehicles sold in 1929. New models of cars have been developed in Buffalo shortly before the merger with Studebaker. In 1929, Myron Forbes leaves the company , and the presidency is Albert Erskine. In the race, the number of cylinders that followed in the aftermath of the collapse on Wall Street , Pierce-Arrow made ​​his engine V12, created their new chief engineer Charles Wise in November 1931. Despite the fact that at the Bonneville Salt Lake Ab Jenkins broke 14 world records at the international car with the engine Pierce-Arrow 12 , the story in Buffalo took a tragic turn . In 1933, Studebaker over looming threat of bankruptcy and Albert Erskine commits suicide. Pierce-Arrow into the possession of a group of bankers and businessmen from Buffalo and is once again becoming independent. Arthur Chanter , an employee of Studebaker, who was president of the Pierce-Arrow to death Erskine was left at his office.
1933 brought with it the appearance (first in the automotive industry ) hydraulic jacks of the engine and creating incredibly beautiful and sensational car Silver Arrow, who stunned the audience at the New York auto show .

In spite of that car sales fell Pierce-Arrow , reaching 2,152 cars in 1933, there were 500 cars less than in the previous year.
It was created 5 cars Silver Arrow, which cost the astronomical at the time $ 10,000 ( more or less decent car then you could buy for $ 500 - $ 800) . Several design features have migrated from the revolutionary Silver-Arrow to other models of 1934 model year, which also bore the name Silver-Arrow, but which nevertheless were more traditional Pierce, than revolutionary in its design Silver-Arrow.
In 1935, Arthur Chanter made ​​a report according to which, in contrast to other automakers , Pierce-Arrow produces nothing but expensive luxury cars . And in a protracted economic recession, it was fatal to the company. In 1935 , it sold only 875 luxury Pirce Arrow. This figure dropped to 787 in 1936 and to a paltry 167 in 1937.
In the spring of 1938 , on Friday the 13th of May, the company Pierce-Arrow was sold at auction.
Last Pierce-Arrow in history was built during the summer of the same year , for the now former chief engineer Charles Wise of the parts that were hidden from creditors and saved from being sold at auction.