1931 Pierce-Arrow Model 43 Phaeton

1930 Pierce-Arrow Open Touring Car – ** RHD

Rare Pre-War Luxury Motor Car

** Price Reduced

A rare opportunity to acquire an exceptionally imposing and beautifully presented 1930 Pierce-Arrow Open Touring Car from one of America's most prestigious luxury motor manufacturers.

Finished in rich deep burgundy with contrasting black wings, this substantial right-hand-drive Pierce-Arrow has enormous presence. The long bonnet, twin side-mounted spare wheels, wire wheels, wide whitewall tyres, full running boards and spacious open touring body combine to create a truly magnificent pre-war motor car.

The car is very, very tidy overall and presents exceptionally well for a vehicle approaching a century old. The paintwork has a deep attractive shine, the contrasting black wings suit the car beautifully, the brightwork presents well, and the overall appearance is that of a cherished and highly presentable collector vehicle.

Identification & Bodywork

The car carries its “BODY BY PIERCE” plaque together with the numbered identification plate:

1501340

The open four-door touring body offers generous accommodation for both front and rear passengers. The full folding black hood is finished with contrasting burgundy piping and incorporates a large rear window.

Notable features include right-hand drive, twin side-mounted spare wheels, full-length running boards, wire wheels with wide whitewall tyres, bar-mounted main headlamps and a substantial external rear luggage trunk.

The rear boot box / luggage trunk is mounted together with the rear luggage rack and finished to complement the burgundy coachwork. It is both practical and wonderfully evocative of long-distance touring in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Engine & Mechanical Specification

The car is understood to be powered by the large-capacity Pierce-Arrow straight-eight petrol engine associated with this period of production.

The specification is understood to be approximately:

Engine: Pierce-Arrow inline eight-cylinder petrol engine

Capacity: approximately 366 cubic inches / 6. 0 litres

Power output: approximately 125 bhp

Transmission: 3-speed manual

Drive: Rear-wheel drive

Steering: Right-hand drive

Construction: Heavy-duty separate chassis

Braking: Four-wheel braking system

Pierce-Arrow's large straight-eight engines were designed around smoothness, flexibility and effortless torque, rather than outright sporting performance. These cars were built to move substantial luxury coachwork over long distances with exceptional refinement.

The Pierce-Arrow Story

The Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company of Buffalo, New York, became one of the most respected luxury automobile manufacturers in American history.

Pierce-Arrow stood at the very top of the American motor industry alongside Packard and Peerless — the celebrated “Three Ps” of American prestige motoring.

These were expensive, beautifully engineered cars associated with wealthy industrialists, dignitaries and heads of state. The marque became renowned for substantial construction, quietness, refinement and exceptional attention to detail.

By 1930, ownership of a Pierce-Arrow was a serious statement of status. These were never ordinary production cars and today represent a fascinating chapter in the golden age of American luxury motoring.

A Particularly Interesting Example

This car has several fascinating individual features, including its right-hand-drive layout and unusual bar-mounted headlamps, rather than the integrated fender-mounted lamps most commonly associated with Pierce-Arrow.

The car is also known to have spent part of its life in South Africa before later coming to the United Kingdom, adding an interesting international chapter to its long history without defining the car solely by that connection.

As with many significant pre-war motor cars, further research into its early history and precise specification may reveal more. We prefer to present the car accurately as it stands rather than make unsupported claims regarding exact production numbers or rarity.

Condition

The overall condition of this Pierce-Arrow is very impressive.

It presents as a genuinely well-cared-for collector vehicle with very tidy burgundy paintwork, smart contrasting black wings, good overall brightwork, an attractive period interior, presentable folding hood and impressive wire wheels with wide whitewall tyres.

This is not a rough project car or an incomplete restoration. It is a highly presentable, substantial and visually impressive pre-war motor car that would sit comfortably within a serious private collection.

Naturally, with a vehicle of this age, we strongly recommend personal inspection and welcome prospective buyers to view the car in detail.

Our View

For the collector looking beyond the usual British and European pre-war marques, this Pierce-Arrow offers something genuinely special.

The combination of open touring coachwork, right-hand drive, large-capacity straight-eight power, twin side-mounted spare wheels, external rear luggage trunk and very tidy overall presentation makes it an outstanding collector vehicle.

We believe it represents a compelling long-term investment-grade classic. Surviving pre-war prestige cars of this scale and quality are increasingly difficult to source, particularly open-bodied examples with such extraordinary visual presence.

This is a car to own, preserve, enjoy and continue researching — a magnificent survivor from an era when the finest motor cars were built with little regard for cost.

Available exclusively from Man Cave Cars & Classics.

Viewing is welcomed by appointment. We can also assist with national UK transport and international shipping.