From the early 1900s, the thriving British automotive ecosystem consisted of three primary types of ventures: companies that made one-offs often from disparate parts resulting in a handful of examples; specialist makers that mustered production in the hundreds or even slightly more; and the Majors – Jaguar, Bentley and the like. Our next car comes from the specialist group – it is a rare left-hand drive 1959 Peerless GT (cleverly advertised as a Jaguar) here on facebook Marketplace with an asking price of $6500. The car needs a complete restoration, with a warning from the seller that it may need to be rebodied. Fortunately (!), new bodies are available from England. The new owner will likely be searching for missing parts, as well. But if you either own a Peerless that needs parts, or want to tackle a major project, hitch up your trailer to pull it from its home in Denver, Colorado. Frank Barrett found us this rare Brit – thanks, Frank!
Like so many small-production makers, the Peerless was born from the dreams of two buddies who wanted to build a club racer. Jimmy Byrnes, a hotelier, and Bernie Rodgers, a race car constructor, built a mostly-Triumph based fiberglass GT, collecting John Gordon as an interested party along the way. Gordon was a Rolls-Royce vendor and racecar driver; his participation and encouragement from the Board of Directors at Standard Triumph permitted production. The name was acquired from a Jaguar dealership that had entered receivership – named Peerless Motors. Thanks to the slight glow cast by the fine reputation of said dealership and the parties involved, the company got off to a solid start after showing its prototype at the 1957 Paris Motor Show. With its Triumph TR3 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, a four-speed gearbox with Laycock overdrive, a tubular frame, de Dion rear suspension, and a lightweight fiberglass body, the new Peerless even managed to score a class win at Le Mans in 1958.
Sales surged, swamping the little company and annoying customers awaiting delivery. In the years from 1957 through 1960, the company delivered about 325 examples. By 1960, the backlog began falling off; quality control was a challenge for the small workforce working under pressure. Unfortunately, the company fell into receivership – just like its namesake – in late 1960.
This relic of the British specialist empire will require virtually every skill you can muster, but mostly, these cars are mechanically simple. The new owner will be rewarded with a spritely performer that won’t be seen ’round every corner, and if he eschews buying a new body from England in favor of patching the original, as well as digging into the rest of the project on a DIY basis, perhaps with the aid of enthusiasts, he can build something of value. Nice examples will sell for $40k.
Prompt: What jokes could be made with this Peerless car?
Barn Bot Reply: The only people who drive in these have no peers.
Thanks for trying Barn Bot!
nice. i like it
Finn Mcmissile, British intelligence. Tow Mater, average intelligence. This is the car Finn was modeled after in Pixar’s cars 2. Love it. British car for me are like pre war American. Unless it is intact and functioning. I’m out. Finding parts and reassembly can be nightmarish. If you lived and breathed certain things it is easy, if not ……..
Interesting car. It’s “successor” is the Gordon-Keeble. The Gordon Keeble was an even more impressive vehicle with V8 power. I knew a guy in Florida that had a couple Gordon-Keebles. Not sure if he still has anything do do with them. Info here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon-Keeble and here https://gordonkeeble.org.uk/
I don’t recall any being initially made left hand drive – some may have been modified to left hand drive, but I doubt many were, as rare as they are.
If nice ones go for 40 you’d be upside down if this car was free. The photo interested me and I spent 5 minutes looking at google pics of others. Wish I was 18 again and minimum wage was a buck thirty an hour and I wanted to learn fiberglass body work!
Excellent summary of an interesting story, Michelle. The Peerless name did derive in some way from the US truck company, though there was no actual involvement.
Peerless did win its class at Le Mans and there are still some examples in vintage racing. After Peerless, the car reappeared as a Warwick, and as @Phil describes above became the basis of the truly outsanding Gordon-Keeble GT, powered by SBC and styled by a very young Giorgio Giugario.
In turn, ISO ” borrowed” a Gordon-Keeble to assess for production, before launching its own ISO Rivolta ( also Giugario-penned, but steel bodied) in the early 60s.
So this project cast a shadow and the right owner with the right skill set/ some patience could bring tjis one back to life. Very few would hsve been LHD, though sales to the USA was always part of the plan.
Charming car. I had a friend who was an Air Force pilot stationed in England in the late 1950’s. He took delivery of a new Peerless from the factory and brought back to the United States. He was also an early SCCA racer and flat-towed his Lotus 7 America behind the Peerless. I have his Lotus 7A, and I wish I had his Peerless.
A friend of mine races one of these in vintage on the east coast. Mechanicals are easy as mostly Triumph running gear. Definitely a labor of love but i hope someone saves this one.
I can imagine ordering the new body from across the pond. After the cost of the body, taxes and shipping. You’d be in this thing for quite a sum. Before you turned a wrench.
My son and I have #94 waiting in the wings for a restoration. That would be after a Spitfire or two, a GT6 and a TR4. I’m hopeful to still be alive to work on it.
now c’mon. I dun tol ja B4: when sompin this nice comes up ya gotta show what it REALLY is.
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7499-1959-peerless-gt/
Just funnin ya, man (ah, er, woman). Thanks for showing a fine and rare vehicle. I DO think some hada 5 speed (may B it was some other surprise ofa
early adoption?).