Peerless may be a forgotten brand today, but back in the early 1900s it was a well-known luxury automobile manufacturer. The large factory cranked out wonderful machines that competed with the likes of Cadillac and Stutz. They even fielded a monster of a race car called the Green Dragon! As the Great Depression started, Peerless tried to weather out the storm by focusing on super high end cars. They figured they could sell to the few wealthy people not affected by the downturn. Their last car was a beautiful V16-powered behemoth, but it wasn’t enough to keep the business afloat. Well, at least they went out in style!
This particular model may not be as flashy as the V16 prototype, but it shared the same Peerless pedigree with the cars that came before and after it. The cushy back seat, generous leg room, and flower vases are just a few clues that this wasn’t your standard runabout. Cars were pretty basic when this thing was built so luxury features like this were a big deal. Peerless had been focusing on V8 power until they introduced their new six-cylinder Model in 1924.
According to Brian, the seller, this Peerless was restored sometime in the 80s. The restorer did not complete the job before the owner passed away. Brian purchased the car earlier this year as part of a package deal with another car. They have since cleaned it up and sealed the fuel tank. The vacuum tank and ignition switch were also rebuilt. The interior and exterior present well, the engine runs strong, and the wheel cylinders are the only only things that need attention.
The Peerless brand may not have the recognition it used to, but people in the know will know that you have something special when you roll up in this impressive machine. Rebuilt those wheel cylinders, keep up on the maintenance, and you will be able to keep the Peerless flame alive for future generations. They don’t make them like they used too and it is going to take a special sort of person care for this one. Thanks Brain for choosing to auction it here on Barn Finds!
Location: Apex, North Carolina
Mileage: 36,989
Title Status: Clean
VIN: 301515
Bid On This Auction
Robert bid $10,005.00 2017-09-01 14:58:26
Charles bid $9,450.00 2017-08-31 07:25:46- Robert bid $8,700.00 2017-08-30 16:14:46
- Charles bid $8,500.00 2017-08-30 11:23:22
Bill bid $5,700.00 2017-08-28 08:25:59- Robert bid $5,500.00 2017-08-26 18:05:58
- Charles bid $5,000.00 2017-08-26 14:49:10
John bid $1,000.00 2017-08-25 22:34:11
Simply beautiful. Love the bud vases ! All it needs are lace curtains in the rear for a very elegant ride. I can picture my wife in a period correct dress, opulent hat and of course ladies always wore gloves, seated comfortably touching up her lipstick.
It has the shades with tassels.
Wonderful. I love the shades as well as the tassels. From that pic Brian, looks like the the bud vases are mounted too high. They should be mounted so when with stem and bud, from top of bud to bottom of vase, should be centered from top of glass to bottom of glass at the (belt line). I would even consider vine/floral glass etching on replacement glass (keeping the original glass in safe storage).
Whats up with that headliner dome light ?! GASP !! Wow, I just had a slight anurisim.
They didn’t go out of business, they just stopped making cars and started brewing beer. They even used the same factory and employees, just added some new equipment. Studebaker did the same thing, they just stopped making cars and the money making parts of the company carried on under the same corporation and management.
That would be Carling’s Black Label Beer in the old Peerless Motor Car Company facility. As a youth, we played ball on the old site. I grew up in the neighborhood along Train Ave. where the breweries were. Carling’s, P.O.C., Blatz and Schlitz were all working breweries when I was a youngin’ growing up on Cleveland’s near west/south side.
LTV, J&L Steel, and Republic Steel were pumping smog into the air and worker’s lungs while the salt mines under Lake Erie still contribute to the early demise of anything metal. The Stockyards at 65th St. meant a stench in the summer that was stifling. Not to mention the coal truck dumping into the basement and Mom continually cleaning the furniture, rugs and curtains as well as the wallpaper and painted walls. The Cuyahoga River caught fire not once, but three times. Garrett Morgan invented the gas mask here as well as the first traffic signal. Cleveland would be the first American city to be totally illuminated by electric light. Euclid Ave. was Millionaire’s Row with mansions owned by Rockefeller, Case and the like. Lakeview Cemetery rests many revered persons such as
Pres. J.A.Garfield. We are the home of the Cleveland Clinic which is now world wide as well as MetroHealth which is the nations foremost trauma and burn center. Yes, I am proud to be from Cleveland.
Peerless did in fact “go out of business”. They would in fact re-brand under a new name for the brewery business under the Carling name, retaining all of the employees. My Great Uncle Bill worked for them as an accountant during the transition.
Yeah…but the 1934 bottles of Carling Red Cap ale said: ¨Wholly owned by the Peerless Corporation¨.
I didn’t know that Peerless made a 16 available to the public. I thought only Mormon and Cadillac had made production 16s.
It was a prototype and they only built one. It’s awesome though!
It was not made available to the general public as it was not a production vehicle. There was one prototype.
Bob,
Four prototypes built: 3 V-16s, 1 V-12. All driven out to Pasadena with temporary bodies to receive aluminum ones at Walter M. Murphy coachworks. One survived….no one knows what happened to the others or their level of completeness. Don´t hold your breath waiting for one to show up!
I’m surprised a Peerless was written up without mentioning the Three P’s–the other two being Packard and Pierce-Arrow. That puts the brand in perspective at least as well as Cadillac and Stutz. Very nice car.
Good point.
Why, with all the work already completed to bring it back, were the wheel cylinders not just rebuilt/replaced? Such a simple item to repair/rebuild compared to the extensive “heavy lifting” already done. Then the “needs to be done” list would have been blank, thus less thought process required to punch in a bid.
Just a curiosity. NOT a judgement!
You are correct, anyone can do wheel cylinders. I completed things that got it running. Not everyone wants to do wireing and fuel system. If it doesn’t sell I will do the wheel cylinders but right now I need the space. If you buy it and come see my collection you will understand.
Thanks for your input.
Brian