Today’s car is a 1911 Pierce-Arrow, Model 66-A, 3 Passenger Runabout. I photographed this car in Los Alamos, CA parked on a trailer on Bell St. across the from the local landmark Bob’s Well Bread Bakery. The car is finished in Gray with dark maroon accent pin striping with a dark red leather seats. It is powered by a 66 hp 824.7 cu in, T-head inline 6-cylinder engine, with a single updraft carburetor mated 4-speed manual transmission with 2.5:1 rear axle. Slowing this beast down are rear-wheel mechanical drum brakes. The front suspension is a solid front axle with semi-elliptical leaf spring and Hartford friction-type shock absorbers. The rear suspension is a live axle with three-quarter elliptic leaf springs and Hartford friction-type shock absorbers.
In 1910 Pierce-Arrow introduced the Model 66 and it remained in production through 1918. From 1910 through 1918, there were 1250 examples of the Model 66 produced. The Model 66 received its name from its rated output of the engine which was calculated from the cylinder number and its bore. Power was from an 825 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine making it one of the largest engines offered in a passenger car. The base price was $6000,00. The published top speed of 80 MPH, it was a very fast luxury car for its day.
The 3 passenger runabout has the 3rd passenger seat where the 2 spare tires reside on a roadster model and now stores them on the drivers side of the car. This is a very unique and rare 3 Passenger Runabout is sure to get attention even at a Pierce-Arrow only event. The year 1911, it was luxurious and fast what’s not to like😎. The perfect car for Concours d’Elegance events and would be perfectly at home in a vintage car race. Thank you for riding along. Frank
