FOR SALE: 1931 Pierce-Arrow Land Speed Record Car

In 1931, a unique land speed race car based on Pierce-Arrow mechanicals was built, likely in Indianapolis. Though not officially documented, many believe that Preston Tucker — later famous for the Tucker 48 — had a hand in its creation. The car was radically ahead of its time, using a groundbreaking plastic skin formed over a mesh frame, making it one of the first vehicles to experiment with plastic bodywork. It was powered by a modified Pierce-Arrow straight-eight engine, featured a custom four-carburetor intake, and included rare aircraft-style gauges, such as a 300 mph speedometer and an altimeter.

The car briefly ran on the sands of Ormond and Daytona Beach during the early 1930s, chasing land speed records in an era when innovation often outran documentation. Later, it was said to have been displayed at events like the Chicago Pan-American or World’s Fair exhibitions. Eventually, it disappeared from public view, stored away in the basement of the Orange City Hotel in Florida, where it remained largely forgotten until the 1980s.

In the early 2010s, the car resurfaced in a backyard in Clearwater, Florida. It was rediscovered by Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz on an episode of American Pickers titled “Pandora’s Box.” The car’s condition had deteriorated significantly, with much of its original plastic body missing, but its unique structure and history remained evident. In 2012, it was shown at the Festival of Speed in St. Petersburg, Florida, where it jwon the "American Racing Spirit" award.

Since then, the car has been in private hands, offered for sale a few times over the years. As of 2024, it remains an incredible — though challenging — restoration project, waiting for someone to return it to its historic glory. Few pieces of American automotive innovation from the early 20th century survive in any form, making this Pierce-Arrow an irreplaceable piece of racing history.

From the Facebook listing, the owner states: "This is a one off 1931 Pierce Arrow Land Speed race car that was on Ormond Beach back in 1931 and then was kept in the basement of the Orange City Hotel until the 1980's. Please go look at the car's Facebook page and read about the car before you ask any questions. I believe the car was made in Indianapolis Indiana by Preston Tucker, but I cannot confirm that. It is the first car to be built with a plastic body. It has a 300mph speedometer, an altimeter and other aircraft gauges. It is missing the three carburetors, aluminum bomb-bay opening hood and radiator. The body was made by covering the frame with a mesh and then applying the plastic over the mesh and blocking it out. Several areas of the original plastic outer skin still exist so the process can be duplicated. It had been covered in aluminum foil to show the state of the art aerodynamics from 1931. It has the modified Pierce Arrow Straight Eight engine that turns over but has been pickled. This car was also featured in 2012 on American Pickers "Pandora's Box" episode. Serious inquiries only please. This would an automatic invitation "as-is" to many car shows and even more so once restored. Amazing pieces of automotive history don't come up for sale often. Car was shown at the 2012 Festival of Speed in St. Pete Florida where it won the "American Racing Spirit" award. Bill of sale car I've owned since 2013."