1909 Peerless Found in New York barn

An article from Old Car Weekly.  December 2007.   Jeff, where is this car now?

This 1909 Peerless was found recently in a New York barn. At one time, Peerless was known as one of the “Three P’s:” Packard, Pierce and Peerless. The three were considered key players in the auto industry, because they met the criterion of wealthier buyers of the day.

As a preservation class candidate, nothing seems to draw more attention or generate more excitement than a legitimate barn find in original condition. With concours like Pebble Beach and Amelia Island inviting preservation-class cars to their events, the public awareness of these incredible time-warp finds is growing by leaps and bounds. Preservation cars are sought after by many major collectors who, in some cases, have staffs that roam the world looking for these marvelous cars and they car becoming more and more difficult to find.

Because so many Peerless cars were sold for scrap, very few survived. That makes the 1909 Peerless recently pulled from a barn even more significant. Even more, the example survived untouched and completely original for many decades.

In what could arguably be one of the biggest individual finds in the last couple of decades, a 1909 Peerless Model 19 30-hp seven-passenger touring Roi des Belges (chassis no. 4171, engine number 2308 and body number 3297) was found in a barn in New York. The car was purchased new in Maine in 1909 and driven for several years before being stored, in completely original form, by a New York resident. This example is on the highly desirable 122-inch wheelbase and is powered by a 30-hp four-cylinder engine and features a non-synchronized manual transmission. The car was put away some time in the late 1930s, where it would stay the next several decades.

The Peerless reunion in 1991 was the very first time this car was seen since the 1950s. As further testament to the scarcity of the early Peerless cars, the last known AACA judging of an early Peerless was in the 1950s. These cars are almost never seen in public. The very few that do exist are parts of private collections and not available to the public for viewing.

The Peerless then made an appearance at the Newport Beach Concours d’Elegance, where the owner was inundated with offers to buy the car. The owner finally and reluctantly agreed to sell the car for a substantial amount of money under the condition that the car not be restored. The new owner gladly made the decision to keep the car original, because of its significance, and he has remained faithful to that commitment.

While research was being done on the history, it was found to be an authentic Roi des Belges “King of Belgium” body, which was only found on very high-end cars of the day, such as Rolls-Royce and the like.

The car is original down to the leather on the seats and the oiling cans that accompany the car. It is one of the most remarkable, original and complete unrestored brass-era cars in existence.

During World War II, the owner held onto this car at some risk, as there was substantial government and societal pressure to contribute all unneeded scrap metal to the war effort. It is likely that the owner of this Peerless would have been under heavy pressure to scrap the car if anyone at all knew about its whereabouts of his car.

Since its last public appearance nearly 20 years ago in California, the 1909 Peerless Model 30 has been carefully maintained in a private Texas collection exactly as it was found. The car is likely the last Peerless barn find that will ever be discovered and without question, the most original and faithful to new.

After much thought and reflection by the owner, the car will most likely, for the last time in many of our lifetimes, be available for purchase soon. As automobile enthusiasts, this is a remarkable opportunity to acquire one of the most incredible original automobiles in existence.

The Peerless will be offered alongside a concours-restored 1912 Peerless Model 36 six-cylinder, 48-hp seven-passenger touring car. This high-horsepower Peerless is the only known 1912 on the long 137-inch wheelbase and retains its original engine, chassis and coachwork.

These cars will be sold as part of the Hilton Head Sports and Classic Car Auction presented by The Worldwide Group Nov. 3 as part of the Hilton Head Concours and Motoring Festival.