Description
1934 Pierce-Arrow Model 840A Long-Wheelbase Sedan
6. 3-Litre Straight Eight – 144-Inch Chassis – Rare Pre-War American Luxury
Man Cave Cars & Classics are delighted to offer this imposing 1934 Pierce-Arrow Model 840A, finished in a distinguished combination of deep blue coachwork with black wings, black detailing and wide whitewall tyres.
Built in Buffalo, New York, Pierce-Arrow stood alongside Packard and Peerless as one of America’s most prestigious motor manufacturers. Its cars were produced for wealthy private clients, senior business figures and institutions that demanded exceptional engineering, comfort and quality. By 1934, the effects of the Great Depression had reduced total Pierce-Arrow production to only 1, 740 vehicles across the entire range, making surviving examples particularly scarce today.
Verified identity
The original Pierce-Arrow manufacturer’s plate has been photographed and the factory serial number is clearly recorded as:
Factory serial/ chassis number: 2580211
The Pierce-Arrow Society’s official serial-number identification tables place serial numbers beginning 2580001 within the 1934 Model 840A eight-cylinder range, built on the longer 144-inch wheelbase. This provides firm confirmation that the car is a genuine 1934 Model 840A long-wheelbase chassis—not the shorter 139-inch version previously assumed.
The engine stamping has also been located and photographed:
Engine number: 305661
This number is stamped into the correct machined area of the engine block. Its sequence is consistent with other documented 1934 Model 840A engines, including known examples carrying engine numbers in the 305000 range. It should presently be described as a correct-period 1934 Pierce-Arrow engine; confirmation that it is the car’s original factory-fitted unit would require a historical roster entry, build record or earlier documentation linking both numbers.
Engine and mechanical specification
The Model 840A is powered by Pierce-Arrow’s impressive:
385 cu in / 6. 3-litre L-head straight-eight
Approximately 140 bhp
Nine-main-bearing crankshaft
Hydraulic valve lifters
Stromberg downdraught carburettor
Three-speed manual transmission
Rear-wheel drive
Solid front axle and live rear axle
Semi-elliptic leaf springs
Four-wheel drum brakes
Six-volt electrical system
The long-wheelbase Model 840A was engineered as a refined, effortless luxury car rather than a sporting machine. Its large straight-eight was renowned for smooth power delivery and impressive flexibility, while the nine-main-bearing construction reflected Pierce-Arrow’s famously uncompromising engineering standards.
Period-correct equipment
Inspection of the car and engine bay shows several notable components and accessories:
Correct Pierce-Arrow straight-eight engine
Stromberg carburettor
Ross steering gear
Six-volt Startix automatic starting system
Dual side-mounted spare wheels
Sidemount mirrors
Wide whitewall tyres
Full-width running boards
Rear luggage rack
Pierce-Arrow wheel covers
Auxiliary driving lamps
Twin horns
Pierce-Arrow archer bonnet mascot
Distinctive Pierce-Arrow headlights incorporated into the front wings
The faired-in headlamps are one of Pierce-Arrow’s most recognisable features. The company introduced this arrangement in 1914 and continued using it through its final year of automobile production in 1938.
Body and presentation
The car carries a substantial six-light, four-door enclosed body on the 144-inch chassis. Its long bonnet, high roofline, generous rear compartment and formal proportions suggest that it was intended for comfortable long-distance travel and potentially chauffeur-driven use.
Until the body-number plate, interior seating arrangement and any division fittings are fully documented, we are describing it simply and accurately as a long-wheelbase sedan rather than making an unsupported claim that it is a particular limousine or named body style.
The exterior presents as a good-quality older restoration. The deep blue bodywork works extremely well with the black wings and waistline detailing, giving the car considerable presence without appearing over-restored. The paint has a strong shine and the major panels appear straight, although normal age-related marks should be expected on an older restoration.
Chrome and brightwork remain extensive and presentable, including the imposing radiator shell, bumpers, lamps, wheel covers and exterior fittings. The car sits correctly and retains the grand proportions for which the later Pierce-Arrows are so admired.
The importance of the 1934 model year
The 1934 range introduced softer, more rounded bodywork and cleaner styling influenced by Pierce-Arrow’s dramatic Silver Arrow designs. Ten body styles were offered on the eight-cylinder 840A chassis, with both 139-inch and 144-inch wheelbases available.
The 840A sat between the later, lower-priced 836A and the twelve-cylinder Pierce-Arrow models. It offered much of the prestige and engineering quality of the flagship cars while retaining the proven straight-eight engine. The combination of very limited production, elegant styling and Pierce-Arrow’s closure in 1938 gives these cars considerable historical and collector significance.
Research and provenance position
We have checked the publicly accessible Pierce-Arrow Society identification material and searched the serial and engine numbers across available online auction, registry and historical sources.
The results confirm:
1934 Pierce-Arrow Model 840A
Eight-cylinder model
144-inch long-wheelbase chassis
Factory serial number 2580211
Correct-period engine number 305661
No publicly searchable ownership record or previous auction entry has yet been located for serial number 2580211. The Pierce-Arrow Society advises that its annual vehicle roster contains member-reported chassis and engine information, but historical roster records are not comprehensively searchable through the public website. Therefore, previous American ownership, original dealer, first owner and factory body number remain unverified at this stage.
We will not invent provenance where documentary evidence does not exist. Any further history supplied with the vehicle, or subsequently confirmed by the Pierce-Arrow Society, will be added to its permanent file.
Summary
This is a striking and extremely rare example of one of America’s finest pre-war luxury automobiles. Its original manufacturer’s plate confirms it as the desirable long-wheelbase 1934 Model 840A, while the photographed engine number is entirely consistent with 1934 production.
It is not being presented as a freshly completed concours restoration. Instead, it is an impressive, highly complete and very usable older-restored car with substantial presence, strong period detail and an increasingly difficult-to-find specification.
Key details
Year: 1934
Manufacturer: Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company
Model: 840A
Body: Long-wheelbase four-door sedan
Factory serial number: 2580211
Engine number: 305661
Engine: 385 cu in / 6. 3-litre straight-eight
Power: Approximately 140 bhp
Transmission: Three-speed manual
Wheelbase: 144 inches
Drive: Rear-wheel drive
Colour: Deep blue and black
Steering: Left-hand drive
Electrical system: Six volt
Condition: Very presentable older restoration
A substantial photographic record, identification photographs and walk-around video are available. Worldwide delivery can be arranged, and serious inspections are warmly welcomed.
