Really like how the headlamps are formed into the fenders, at least it looks as tho.

Well, rumble seat may be a descriptive term describing the quality of the ride when using that seat.

In German, a rumble seat was colloquially known as the "Schwiegermuttersitz" - the mother-in-law's-seat. On the theory that the more or less recently married automobilized gentleman would drive himself, of course, his dearest wife would sit next to him, and the Schwiegermuttersitz would have been what was left for the in-laws. Rain preferred because a deployed canopy would affford a bit more privacy and protection from monster-in-laws harpy eyes.

I saw a 1920s Bugatti which raced at Le Mans. It had self-equalizing mechanical brakes with little pulleys with a chain / cable round them to pull on the brake rods. Pull on the axle of the pulley and the same force reaches both wheels even if there was uneven brake wear, just like hydraulic brakes. A 'second-level' pulley equalized front-and-rear force. Pull on the "second level" pulley axis and there is automatic all-wheel equalization. Can't imagine why this feature wasn't on a high-end car. Maybe there were high patent licensing fees, or a not-invented-here attitude.

This car was not cast aluminum. Pierce abandoned that costly process in 1929. This car had a conventional, for the time, composite body. Steel over a hardwood framework. Though Pierce always had mechanical brakes, they were highly developed with vacuum boost. The were amongst the best, at the time. The headlights had nothing to do with the demise of Pierce Arrow. The depression was mostly to blame. By the end of production, the fender mounted headlights were industry standard. The last P/As were stunning, but financial failures

Access to the rumble seat on this model of Pierce Arrow (and most others) was via two (sometimes more) metal steps, the first on or near the bumper, and the final step on the fender itself. For obvious safety reasons, these steps were located on the curb side of the vehicle.

Still had mechanical brakes, strange for a luxury car like the Arrow. You can see the rod going forward from the clevis.

Having never rumbled in a Pierce-Arrow, I'm wondering how one properly mounts a rumble seat. I don't see a step on the rear bumper and that grid device looks like it would prevent easy clambering. I don't see an easy access point from the driver's side running board, unless you placed your left foot just in front of the rear wheel well and swung your right leg up over the rear deck carefully avoiding the windscreen and into the rumble-pit.

Those gentlemen rumbling in the rear don't appear particularly svelte (chin-to-moustache ratio = 2:1). There must be an easier way.

was made from cast aluminum, unprecedented in that day, this model today sells for $125,000.

and I firmly believe they would've lasted a lot longer if they hadn't insisted on keeping their "trademark" headlights perched on fenders like frog's eyes -- yuck. I can imagine Raymond Loewy gagging every time he saw one.

Was there an easy and graceful way to enter and exit a rumble seat? The gents in back look like they've earned a seat with the grown-ups.