Peerless truck/parts

Hi, looking for any mechanical parts for a Peerless truck, these trucks were made upto about 1919, 4 cylinder engines cast in pairs and they were chaindrive, any parts or information on parts would be appreciated, the truck size I'm looking for is the 4 ton model TC, thousands of these were made and exported for ww1, maybe some survivors [frames/engines/rads/transaxle] etc still to be found in the states?? if you can help please contact me,

thanks mike.

Maybe with the thousands of readers here, someone will spot one of these trucks in an oilfield museum or out in Uncle Henry's barn. Many Peerless Trucks were sent to England, France, and Belgium during World War I. Even more Peerless Trucks than Liberty Trucks. I would guess that more FWD and Ford trucks made it overseas than Peerless Trucks did, but Peerless had a reputation of being a very robust vehicle.

blastermike,

Good luck finding one of these trucks! The one that turned up in South Africa was used to haul bricks until the 1950s or 1960s.

----Jeff

I read that on one day alone in 1919, the U.S. Army Transport Corps sold over a hundred Peerless trucks to civilians in the Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Houston areas. Maybe somebody's Great-Grandpa bought one and they know where it is in some old truck collection.

These Army surplus trucks went for anywhere between $50 and $1,100 apiece.

Jeff, thanks for that bit of information, seems there were some numbers of these trucks still in the states, and chances are there may be some survivours or parts at least, still searching,

I have had one lead so far on a large peerless rolling truck frame bought by a guy in Kansas, just waiting to get some pictures of the frame and details to I/D the model it is, does sound like a 4 or 5 ton size vehicle at 22 ft long, anyway just wanting to bump this thread, thanks mike.

You may want to check with Ron Carey @ J&L Supply, Calgery, Alberta, Canada T2G4B9

Mike, go to the UK military vehicle fourm, there is a family in England with a Peerless truck with many extra parts. Read their thread on the Thorny and Dennis. They have pictures posted of their Peerless project. Great bunch of guys. You will spend hours reading the thread.

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?13514-WW1-Thornycroft-restoration

hi, thanks for the tips guys, I will send an email to ron carey, and also I have been talking to the uk guys on that site, they do have a bunch of chassis's, but only enough mechanicals to build two trucks, which is what they intend to do next, I was hoping to find something hopefully reasonably complete even if in rough unrestored condition, but really it seems any parts be it chassis or mechanicals are worth looking at because of the rarity of the Peerless truck, thanks mike.

Hi oldIHtruck, have tried several times emailing ron carey in alberta but with no response, maybe sending a letter would get a reply, just wanted to let you know, I have tried to follow up all leads, still waiting on some pictures of the chassis in Kansas area, hope something comes of this lead, thanks again for your help with my search, cheers mike.

A- OK mike.

All the best,

-Marty

Hi Mike,

I met Ron Carey when the late David Baird and I were running the Peerless Booth at the Bakersfield Swap Meet a year ago in California. He gave me a card for his living history complex near Calgary, Heritage Park Historical Village. You could try an email to the General Inquiry email address for HPHV: www.info@heritagepark.ca . I guarantee they know who Ron is. The reason I mention Heritage Park is that the card has a pic of the interior of the place and 4 or 5 pre-1939 trucks are prominently in view...1 looks like a 1926 Mack chain-drive water truck.

By the way, Ron used to have a significant Peerless car, a 1912 Mod. "48-Six", so he knows what he's talking about. If he ever saw a Peerless truck, he'd remember it.

If you had time --- you may find it profitable to swing over to the that place and the Reynolds-Alberta Museum(Canada's largest transportation museum) 30 km S. of Edmonton on your trip.

Hi Jeff, thanks for the xtra information, being a peerless car owner he may of come across truck stuff possibly?, i'll try an email as you suggested, jeff that 1915 peerless truck that sold in England was bought by sir peter Jackson here in nz, he also bought a few other veteran trucks and cars, thought you may want to know, cheers mike.

Howdy Mike,

Thanks for the update on the Brass Era Peerless truck. I had heard it had gone to Ireland. Also, didn't know that Mr. Jackson had been knighted. Now maybe there's one Peerless in New Zealand, eh? Did you know there are 4 in Australia?

I'm starting to think that I wouldn't have fared well bidding against Sir Peter Jackson if I had gone to the auction last spring to get the 1915.

----Jeff

Jeff and Mike,

If the Peerless truck has gone to Peter Jackson in NZ it's certainly gone to a good home. Many of the WW1 airplanes in his collection are on public display at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre which was one of the stops during the NZ South Pacific Packard Clubs National Rally last year.

And Jeff,

You wouldn't have fared at all well bidding against one of Jackson's minions at an auction. The story goes that when an item is "wanted" his bidder just stands there with his hand up until all other bidders drop out!

Album of Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre photos - https://picasaweb.google.com/107657757915608915830/OmakaAviationHeritageCentre02#

interesting.

thank you.