American Pickers Land Speed Record Car Unearthed

As promised... The American Pickers Mike and Frank found this car in the episode Pandora's Box. It was in a backyard in Clearwater Florida along with the Nomad Body I had posted earlier. It had to be saved! It is all 1929 Pierce Arrow running grear with some amazing modifications like custom made 4 carb intake and frame mods., etc. The car is so low that with four flat tires the trans plug touches the ground. When was the last time you saw a car from the 30's with a 300mph speedometer! Anyway... let the debates begin.

The car was supposedly shown in the Chicago Panamerica or World's Fair in the later 30's. It ran a few times on the sand in ormand Beach and Daytona. Any information, pictures or photos would be greatly appreciated.

 

Here is a link where you can watch the episode. I comes in towards the end.


http://www.tubeplus.me/player/1962338/American_Pickers/season_3/episode_9/Pandora%26acute%3Bs_Box/

 

I remember that episode. Very cool car but looks like there's not much left there to work with. Best of luck.

 

As much as I love messing with old cars and modifying them, that one deserves to be restored to it's former LSR days as it's rightful place in history. Also wishing you luck with the build.

 

Actually it is quite complete. It originally had a fabric body much like the early aircraft and has many aircraft style contruction techniques used. What you see of the remaining body is some of the original fabric body.

 

As I recall the guy that owned it thought it was worth a ton of money. HRP

 

I hope I have this confused with the Joel Thorne SLR car. I think Fagole Bus co was somehow envolved.

 

Glad you rescued it. Keep us posted with your plans and progress.

 

Super cool!

Keep us posted.

Rich

 

Did I miss something,,have you bought it? HRP

 

I wondered what that was. I didn't think they had fiberglass back then. Cool project.

 

X2-?

 

If you own it good on you. Loks like a neat project. Might want to also post it on Land Speed, might get some info there. Any idea of what carbs it would have had?

 

So you're Randy?? I'm a little confused sorry, you say the Pickers found it, but if you're Randy, you already had it??

Scotty

 

Isn't that show scripted and fake?

 

bite your toung!!!! no reality TV is scripted or fake!!!!

 

Like I said on the Nomad thread.....it's amazing what people have in their back yard! So what's your plans with this one. The Nomad is up for sale. Will this also be? I would love to hear the history on the car. Some old photos would be even cooler. Something has got to be out there about it. What's the story from the guy you bought it from? How did he come about it?? Neat find.

 

He and his father bought it in 1988 and there it has sat since. It supposedly had some connection to a Kenworth Reeves, but he may just be the person he bought it from. It was supposedly also shown at the chicago World's Fair or PanAmerican show in the mid to late thirties.

 

not worth the hype...

 

Congratulations... That car has been on my mind from time to time ever since that episode ran. I'm so very, very glad to see that it's getting a good home! As for those nay-sayers who don't believe the show is real, no, I don't suppose there would be anything to keep them from maybe planting good items at a pick site, if the pick wasn't going well, after all, you wouldn't want to waste all those production costs... Right? But, I must admit, I am a little bit amazed at how so many of those "free-styling picks" end up at the worlds largest collection of rare XYZ... I wish I had that kind of luck! But, you'd have to be awfully cynical to take such a view on your own, without someone putting ideas like that in your head, right? In the end, it's a fun show, and there is no way of knowing what goes on... I think I've watched every episode, some many times over.

Kevin

 

Randy said that he had contacted the show to clear out some of his dad's stuff from that old house. They called, set up the appointment and showed up with 5 or 6 vans, equipment, etc. Frank and Mike had to drive up to the house four times because each time they would go down the block and turn around for the shot, people would follow them back to the house for an autograph. Randy also said that Mike cussed up a storm and that they had to cut a lot of it out. There was an old wooden wheel bike and several other things there that they could not come together on a price about and all that was cut out too. But there was no "planting" anything or anything like that.

I too was very curious about the car, but thought that someone else would have hunted it down before now. I was shocked when I went around the house to get the Nomad and that was sitting there.

 

If someone had the time, and all the issues I bet there is some info on this car in Popular Mechanics magazine. I'm down to about 24 issues and will see what may be there. Bob

 

Looks like a hell of a project! but really cool when completed.
you know, if you were to make the front end a little longer.... /s

 

so did you buy it or what?

 

Yes....

It was invited to the Festival of Speed in St Pete Florida already and will be displayed there on the lawn if anyone is interested in seeing it.

 

It is very cool indeed but not an LSR. I posted this over on the AACA forum as it reminded me of this "LSR" that was built in 1937 for a Jimmy Stewart movie as a prop.

 

good luck with this piece of history! Please keep us posted to your progress and best of luck

 

I thought it looked a lot like the Jimmy Stewart movie car. That film was recently on Turner Movie channel.

DW

 

saw it today. neat piece of history.

 

WHAT----your kidding me----Dani Deisel is real though