ID this car I saw in the Badlands SD at end of Sept 2012

[rle612]

I was near the entrance of the Badlands of SD off I90 (east of Rapid City)- exit 110 on a side dirt road that leads to the prairie dog town. This pickup truck came buy and I turned around and took a few photos thinking my car guy friend would be able to ID it. No luck - and he brought the photo to Hershey show and still no ID . He thinks it is a Stutz!
So, if you can ID that would be great.
What the H was he doing on this dirty road with this car on a trailor? When the driver came back, he was going so fast and the dust was all over that I didn't get a return shot - sorry no front end phot (grill, etc.).
It appears to have lights on the fenders and also two sets of back lights (One may be a triple light by the license plate?)
Any help would just ease my mind. I am not a car guys .
A number of my friends are.

Richard

[Dave@Moon]

That hood ornament sure looks like the 1939 and earlier Packard Cormorant.

[rle612]

That hood ornament sure looks like the 1939 and earlier Packard Cormorant.

Thank you. I did a search of hood ornaments and didn't find it. The photos were not good but did show a bottom area pushing forward and the the rest thrusting upward. This could be the answer. I will forward to my friends.
Thanks again.

I would astill like to know what the guy was doing there on that road with such a nice old car?
Richard

[58Mustang]

I don't see a red hexagon on the hub caps.

[rle612]

I will have to check. I only got a few shots and I enlarged the one greatly. I thought I detected a hexaon or ... shape. Have to check on the red.
I don't know if you can zoom in on the forum photos. If you can, also look at the area above the license plate. At first I thought it was a Mercedes shape (I am not a car guy). Closer inspection seems to reveal a trilight taillight?

Would the red shape be smaller than the black circle?
I looked the hubs up - they are quite distinctive.
Back to the drawing bords? I will check my other photos.

Richard

[Dave Mellor NJ]

This 32 Stutz has the big fender mounted lights but that's about all

[Bleach]

I keep thinking it's about a 1930 Cadillac. It has the single piece bumper, the wheels look Cadillac as well as a Fleetwood looking body.

[jeff_a]

It looks a lot like a 1931 Peerless straight 8 Sport Coupe......but the only known one in the world is in Ontario. It is dark green with light green wire wheels, and has a single blade rear bumper.

[West Peterson]

Looks like Ontario license plate to me.

[GARY F]

maybe he was hired to deliver it & got lost

[Sweepspear]

I keep thinking it's about a 1930 Cadillac. It has the single piece bumper, the wheels look Cadillac as well as a Fleetwood looking body.

First thought that popped into my head was Cadillac.

[Dave@Moon]

Whatever it is, I'd be surprised if that hood ornament turns out to be anything but a Packard cormorant. This is a blow-up of what is visible (seen from the rear of course).

[jeff_a]

To my chagrin, Dave I think it is a Peerless Master Eight with a cormorant hood ornament, after West reported that the license plate looks like it may be from Ontario. The car is a stunning HPOF-type car photographed on page 12 of the July/August Antique Automobile. Please look at the threads on the Peerless Forum by "Spud" titled "31 Peerless Sport Coupe": 8/9/10 [updated 12/14/12]; 8/14/10 [8/18/10]; and 8/17/10.

When I looked at the second thread, I saw what clearly looks like a cormorant. What it's doing on a Peerless, I don't know.

I could be wrong in ID-ing this car; it could be a Packard, Cadillac or Stutz, I suppose. But I recognize the specific car from these photos.

----Jeff

[West Peterson]

Jeff has correctly identified it as a 1931 Peerless. It was shown at the Stowe, Vermont AACA national meet.

[Woodfiddler]

Gorgeous car - great job Jeff - nice work, as always West.
Chuck

[rle612]

Thanks alot guys. I was ready to give up on it.
I will pass this along and look at the thread.
Great. It sure looks like it.
I think Gary was likely correct - the car may have been in trasport and the guy got lost.

Do I close the thread now?

Richard

[Bleach]

Thanks alot guys. I was ready to give up on it.
I will pass this along and look at the thread.
Great. It sure looks like it.
I think Gary was likely correct - the car may have been in trasport and the guy got lost.

Do I close the thread now?

Richard

No. We need to know what he was doing so far off course.

[Bleach]

Whatever it is, I'd be surprised if that hood ornament turns out to be anything but a Packard cormorant. This is a blow-up of what is visible (seen from the rear of course).

Here's a better photo from Spud's thread. He is the owner of the cormorant as the well as the car that is attached to it.

[jeff_a]

rle612,

Don't feel bad that nobody could identify the car. Not too many people have ever seen a Thirties Peerless. Three-fourths of all Peerless production, time-wise, was before the Classic Era, but this Master Eight (or Model B) Coupe is a fairly rare Full Classic Peerless. Maybe more will turn up somewhere.

I was relayed a message September 18th (from my friend Bryan in Iowa) that Spud was on a tour and trying to get a hold of me, so maybe there was a tour out in the Black Hills. On September 27th, I was driving across western South Dakota on I-90 and am sorry I didn't see the car(I did see a Peerless in Murdo, SD).

[rle612]

Well, I feel great that I was able to see such a rare car and get a photo.
My wide shot shows the desert in the background. Good for a calendar.

By the way, what does it mean when you say it is a HPOF- type car?

Thanks again. Richard

[jeff_a]

Richard,

A lot of people have started to realize that when you find one of those 1-in-a-1000 antique cars that simply are in great original condition, maybe it's best to preserve that condition rather than take it down to bare metal & repaint it, etc. I don't know if you've read those 3 posts on the Peerless Forum or not, but the owner says that's the original upholstery, paint and everything....except someone once redid the pinstripes and replated the front and rear bumpers.

HPOF is a class you can enter your car in at an AACA judged car show and stands for Historic Preservation, Original Finish.

I'm glad you appreciate the car! There were actually quite a few Model B Peerlesses like
this built*, but my registry of cars shows only 9 survivors known at the very most, so there's a lot of room for someone to find one nobody knows about. ----Jeff

P.S.: I am working on some articles for the AACA magazine and hope to include that car. If your long shot turns out maybe West could use it??




* Serial numbers suggest 1,214, counting spare engines, for 1930, 1931 and 1932(all body styles).

[rle612]

Thanks for the info. It is an interesting story that evolved when I rented the car to go to the Badlands.

I have the files I talked about if someone would like to use. Let me know. I can send my emal if it does not show.
Enjoy,
Richard

[Dave Mellor NJ]

HPOF stands for Historical Preservation of Original Features. Your car is judged and the winners get a badge just like regular judging.

[BJM]

rle612,

I was relayed a message September 18th (from my friend Bryan in Iowa) that Spud was on a tour and trying to get a hold of me, so maybe there was a tour out in the Black Hills. Sept. 27th I was driving across western South Dakota on I-90 and am sorry I didn't see the car(I did see a Peerless in Murdo, SD).

Jeff is correct. I received an email from the owner and could not assist. I believe the question had to do with production totals and decoding the VIN. He was indeed on a tour in the west and emailed for this assist. I suspect therefore, that this is one and the same car.

Truly, a needle in the haystack sighting. I did not recognize it. Jeff Brown is the present Peerless expert.

[jeff_a]

If anyone saw these posts about the mystery car in the Badlands and thought they'd like to pick up one of these Master Eight Peerlesses, there's one for sale here on the Buy/Sell Forum: "For Sale 1931 Peerless Master 8". It's a 1931 Sedan and the thread was last updated on 11/7/12. And yes, there's a cormorant on it!