1917 Peerless Model 56 Speedster

The Peerless Motor Company was founded in 1889 in Cleveland, Ohio to build washing machine wringers. In 1900, they began to assemble De Dion-Bouton vehicles under license. The company evolved into a manufacturer of high-quality cars that lasted for more than ten years. This durability proved to be the company's downfall as potential buyers were drawn to other makes. The company made a drastic change of direction in 1931 when it ceased automobile production and began producing Carling Black Label beer.

Barney Oldfield raced the original Green Dragon to many victories, earning Peerless a reputation for durability and speed. Several Green Dragons were used in the company's advertising. The 1917 model featured the company's first V-8, a 330 cubic inch model tax rated at 33.8 horsepower. Working horsepower was 80.

This car was believed to have been a board track racer in the 1920s. It sat in a barn for several decades and was eventually rescued in the early 1990s. Since then, it has competed in more than 15 cross-country road rallies, including The Great race, logging more than 80,000 miles.