1920 Peerless Model 56 Roadster

The Peerless Motor Car Company was established in Cleveland, Ohio in 1889, at the time they were known as the Peerless Wringer & Mfg. Company. In 1892 it became known as the Peerless Mfg Company, originally a washing-machine wringers producer. In 1895 the company moved to new facilities and began soon began making bicycles. By the turn of the century, they were making automotive parts, at which time they were renamed the Peerless Motor Car Company.

Their craft was in the luxury car segment, hand-building elegant and stately machines that rivaled all others that traversed the roadway. They were one of the 'Three P's', sharing that title with Packard and Pierce, which were the dominant players that catered to the wealthy in society.

Peerless ran advertising that touted their product as having 'Silence and Comfort, all that the name implies.'

In the post-war recession of the 1920s, Peerless, like many other prominent nameplates of the time, was forced to cater to a wider audience to stimulate sales. They lowered their prices and attempted to promote medium-sized cars. As the 1920s came to a close and followed by the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Peerless company was forced to close its doors forever. The company went out of business in 1931.

The Peerless V8
Peerless introduced its V8 engine in 1916. It displaced 331.8 cubic inches and had side valves built by Herschell-Spillman. This would be the only engine option offered by Peerless until the lower-priced Model 6-70 was introduced in 1925.

This Car
This Model 56 Cloverleaf Roadster was given a restoration in the early 2000s. It has aluminum coachwork that is finished in light blue with black fenders. The four-door 'Cloverleaf' configuration has a close-coupled four-seat cockpit and a small luggage compartment. The interior is upholstered in black leather and there is a black canvas top. The brightwork is all genuine nickel.

The Herschell-Spillman V8 is a third-generation design and features a Ball and Ball carburetor, which is believed to be the first progressive four-barrel type in the industry. Also, there is a Kellogg water-cooled four-cylinder tire pump.

In 2009, it was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars of Hershey sale presented by RM Auctions where it was estimated to sell for $50,000 - $60,000 and offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the lot had been sold for the sum of $28,600, including the buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2009