September 19, 1932 – Driving 12 cylinders for 24 hours straight
When Pierce-Arrow entered the cylinder wars of the late 1920s and early '30s with a V-12, they had trouble pumping any more horsepower out of it than their straight 8. Notable race car driver and engineer Ab Jenkins got a call from the automaker, hoping he could help. With his assistance, the team added 45 more HP to the engine. Then Jenkins got a wild idea.
Jenkins pitched the idea of driving a car with the new engine for 24 hours straight to promote the reliability and power of the Pierce-Arrow 12-cylinder. Jenkins promised he'd cover more than 2,400 miles, averaging more than 100 miles per hour, all while never leaving the driver's seat. The folks at the luxury automaker were skeptical, to say the least. This included Jenkins friend and Pierce-Arrow sales manager Roy Faulkner. I...
