Not Abandoned: 1924 Pierce Arrow DeLuxe
Pierce Arrow built intercity busses as well as tour busses like this one. This old bus listed on eBay in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, is said to be one of two of these busses left. It was part of a fleet of tour busses used around Salt Lake City. It was built on the Model Z chassis and has what’s left of a Buffalo sightseeing body with glass roof panels. The BIN of $65,000 seems, well, as astronomical as the cost of restoration would be.
There’s not much left of the dash or anything else inside. The wood framing doesn’t look very well preserved either.
This is something like it might have appeared originally.
There just isn’t much left. It would be wonderful for this old bus to be preserved some way, but it doesn’t look hopeful. Perhaps a volunteer staff at a museum could complete a restoration over a few years. If there’s enough left of the drivetrain and frame, perhaps it could be restored with an open custom body for parades or sight seeing. Or perhaps there are salvageable parts. It’s nice to have this glimpse into the past, but from here it looks hopeless. Can you imagine any uses for the remains of this old bus?
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Comments
Restoration is an understatement. Complete rebuild is more like it. The Buffalo body looks like a complete goner. The hood ornament looks to be in good shape, save that.
Some info about Buffalo Body Corp http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/b/buffalo_body/buffalo_body.htm
You have to admit that this thing is awesome. I think someone added to many 0s to the price. By the way I will sell my 2002 Avalanche for $65,000, just in case you wanted to spend 10 times it value.
I have access to an unrestored original 1929 White city bus, one of four built of which two exist; one restored and one not. Very nearly the same size, but nearly complete and intact, minus only all the woven wicker rear seats. Asking price when offered privately to me was $2500.00. If I could get it onto my property without using a helicopter, I’d have done it a long time ago (dead end windy road with no turn around possibilities). It’s still sitting there. Waiting for me, I think. I love this stuff!
A couple years ago I came across a beautiful 1935(ish) P-A airport bus that the junkyard owner wanted $25K for. He was nucking futs too. No engine / trans, no interior, no glass, no roof. I did find an engine at Hershey but it was $2 or 3K then I had to get it home. Never mind.
This price on the P-A is wildly out of reality considering the damage as well as the overall condition and the engine being out in who-knows-what-condition.. Yes, it’s rare, but really…65K? $6500. asking, yes, maybe. And I mean MAYBE..
…could be a neat camper / car hauler conversion by restoring the front end and cutting off the back to make a hauling bed. Lotsa work though. And $$$$$
Yellow Stone park tour bus. 🚌
I’d be interested in that Avalanche at $65k, but only if the body is crushed and caving in under it’s own weight. ;-)
What do you want egg in your beer?
Are those two vertical bell shaped items at the front just behind the bumper bar, ‘air ride’ shock absorbers? They are not on the photo of the complete bus.
While this is only 35 miles from me, I’ll pass. Don’t even want to look at it, though actually seeing an original 1924 Pierce Arrow is tempting.
The sign says it all, it’s so rough the owner was worried that someone tasked with cleaning out the garage where it is stored, would have it hauled away for scrap!