Vehicle Description
Extremely Rare Car 1923 PEERLESS 66 PHEATON TOURING CAR Estimated
value between $80,000 - $110,000. The 1923 Peerless is extremely
hard to find, especially in this condition. This car is in great
running condition. The interior is in great condition. The engine
is period correct 332 90hp with period correct 3 speed manual
trans. Most of these cars are found in museums. A great car for a
collection. Trying to find this Touring car in the United States is
next to impossible. Established in Cleveland in 1900 at 43 Lisbon
Street, Peerless Motors began producing De Dion-Bouton "machines"
under license from the French Company. Engineer Louis P. Mooers
designed the first Peerless models, as well as several proprietary
engines. The first Peerless-branded vehicles appeared in 1902, with
a front-mounted engine driving the rear wheels through a shaft.
This later became the standard vehicle propulsion layout for
automobiles. In 1904, Mooers designed the Green Dragon racecar and
enlisted Barney Oldfield to drive it. The Green Dragon brought
notability and success to Peerless, as Oldfield used it to set a
number of early world automobile speed records. 1905 Peerless
advertisement In 1905, the 35-horsepower Green Dragon competed in
the world's first 24-hour endurance race in Columbus, Ohio. Piloted
by Earnest Bollinger, Aurther Feasel, and briefly by Barney
Oldfield, the Peerless led the race for the first hour before
crashing into a fence, later finishing in 3rd place. From 1905 to
1907, Peerless experienced a rapid expansion in size and production
volume. As the Peerless namesake grew in fame, the company began
producing increasingly higher-priced models with a focus on luxury.
In 1911, Peerless was one of the first car companies to introduce
electric lighting on their vehicles, with electric starters added
in 1913. In 1915, the firm introduced its first V8 engine,
intending to compete with the Cadillac V8 introduced a year
earlier. This model became Peerless' staple production vehicle
until 1925, when engines produced by other manufacturers were first
used in Peerless models.
