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| 1910 Pierce-Arrow Miniature Tonneau - photo credit Bob Golfen |
When a good friend shared his photos of the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours with me, one car stood out. A familiar face that I recognized from my visit to Pebble Beach back in 1991. This 1910 Pierce-Arrow Model 48 Miniature Tonneau has been treasured by collectors for over sixty years.
The known history of this car, chassis 7540, starts with Steward Cook of Monmouth County, New Jersey who acquired this car in the early 1950s. I happened to have a picture of the car while in his ownership on the 1958 Glidden Tour Revival. It’s said that sometime after Cook’s passing in 1966, the Pierce-Arrow found its way to Don Meyers. A fixture of the hobby for many years, Don’s business, The Brighton Connection, operated out of Lebanon, New Jersey and dealt in high-quality early cars.
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| 1910 Pierce-Arrow Miniature Tonneau on the 1958 Glidden Tour - from the collection of the author |
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| Don Meyer with the 1910 Pierce-Arrow at Pebble Beach in 1991 - from the collection of the author |
Pierce-Arrow produced 817 Model 48’s in 1910 and this is the only known surviving example of the Miniature-Tonneau body style. Originally priced at $4850, this body was 250 pounds lighter than the touring. The Horseless Age of August 25, 1909, reported on the new 1910 Pierce-Arrow models and said this of the Forty-Eight Horse Power: “During the season of 1910 the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company, of Buffalo, N.Y., will confine themselves to the production of six-cylinder machines… The wheelbase has been increased from 130 to 134 ½ inches by moving the front axle 4 ½ inches forward, bringing it under the radiator. This has given room for lowering the frame 2 inches, giving the front springs 2 inches less arch… The chassis for the runabout and miniature tonneau bodies have a wheelbase of 128 inches.”
The car eventually passed from Don to Frank Miller who drove it on the 2005 Modoc Tour. A friend photographed the car during the event. The car is said to have passed through the collection of Sam Mann before the current owner acquired the car at auction in 2015. Having a vintage Pierce-Arrow in the family has given me a great appreciation for these cars. They were truly some of the finest cars made in America at the time, and this example is one special Pierce-Arrow.
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| 1910 Pierce-Arrow on the 2005 Modoc Tour - photo credit Colin Feichtmeir |
