1929 Peerless 8-125 Sedan

The Peerless Motorcar Company of Cleveland, Ohio built its first car in 1900. By 1910, the make ranked with Packard and Pierce-Arrow as one of the prestigious 'Three P's' of motordom. By the mid-1920s, though, Peerless had faded in public perception. A redesigned range for 1929 resulted in a resurgence of sales, but the Great Depression soon torpedoed the automaker's recovery efforts. Production ceased in 1932.

This seven-passenger Model 8-125 was the 'cream of the crop' among the 1929 Peerless models. Its 138-inch wheelbase was the longest ever for a production Peerless. A new inline 8-cylinder Continental engine and state-of-the-art 4-wheel hydraulic brakes were standard for this well-appointed luxury car. The Continental engine displaces 5.27 liters and produces 114 horsepower. A related engine was used to power a DuPont as it competed at Indianapolis. A similar engine could also be found in Jordans, Graham-Paiges, and Elcars. Very few 8-125s were ultimately made and only three are known to exist today.

Believed to have been first delivered through the Lord's dealership in Los Angeles, this Peerless was for a time the property of 20th Century Fox Studios, where it was featured in several gangster movies. By 1959, it belonged to the Movie Car Company, whose Hollywood client Desilou Productions often used it for the 'Untouchables' television series. It was usually seen careening around a corner, full of bad guys with machine guns blazing.

The current owner acquired the car from Mr. Dexter Dotson, who at one time owned the world's largest collection of Peerless automobiles. A comprehensive restoration was completed in early 2016.