Produced from 1910 to 1918, the Model 66 Pierce Arrow was one of the greatest Nickel-era American cars. At the center of this 66 was an enormous engine that had grown to 825 cubic inches in 1913 and became the largest engine offered in a passenger car.

The model was born in 1910 when Pierce enlarged their flagship model to include a 825 in³ version of their 6-cylinder engine. This was initially made for the Model 65-Q of 1907 and was one of the largest fitted to a motorcar in the Nickel-era. It was also one of the most expensive at around $7,200 USD.

Weighing around 4000 lbs, the 1910 Model 66-QQ was built in either 133 or 140-inch wheelbases and were generally fitted with factory bodywork. Open options included the Runabout or Four, Six, and Seven-Passenger Touring bodies. Closed designs included the Brougham, Landaulette, Suburban, and Landau.

The Model 66 got its name from the rated output of the engine which was calculated from the bore and cylinder number. The actual brake horsepower is somewhere north of 125 bhp. The cylinder blocks were cast in pairs.

In 1918 Pierce made the ultimate Model 66 with a highly upgraded 825 cubic-inch engine. This included a new cylinder head with four valves per cylinder which increased overall horsepower. Additional upgrades included fitting of four-wheel brakes.

In 1918 Pierce only produced four cars with the ‘Dual Valve’ engine and of these only one is known to survive. Owned by the Nethercutt Collection, it is our feature car which was displayed at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as part of the Pierce Arrow showcase.