1927 Peerless Boat Tail For Sale at RM/Auctions America Auction

[rusty12]

I keep looking at this 1927 Peerless V-8 boat tail that is being offered at the RM/Auctions America Auction (they keep changing their names, not sure who they are now).

 

https://www.rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/AS18/Auburn-Spring/lots/r0113-1927-peerless-boattail-speedster/660860

 

The car looks like it might be a coupe that has had the top cut off. The area where the door meets the rear quarter panel just looks strange, as does the top. It just doesn't look right

 

I have always wanted a Peerless to add to the collection. Does anyone have any insight on this car? Any photos of another example to compare? Factory photos and/or ads? Just trying to determine what this is or isn't. Any history on this particular car? 

 

The estimated price seems very fair if it is a real car.

 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Thanks.

[jeff_a]

I haven't seen the Peerless Mod. 69 Roadster in person, but was pleased to see the photos of it at last summers Owl's Head Museum Auction. Also, seeing the link to the RM Auction  was neat. ..even better photos. Before--about all I had to go on was a picture taken at the "Hodgson's Frozen Custard Knucklebusters Car Show" held in Maine about 2001(rec'd 2nd Place). I can't tell you if it came out of Cleveland as a Roadster or Roadster Coupe, but I lean toward it being a Roadster. The late Ralph Cartonio owned it for years and restored it. He told me it has 1 of 3 bodies built like it by Hume Body Corp. of Boston. He said once he rebuilt it from a basket case; and he was a gifted body & paint man. This one has 2-tone fenders, which I've never heard of on any other Peerless except a '27 6-90 that was in NM for a long time(pics findable on a web search of "1927 Peerless") and was restored by him, but I have to admit it looks good. I think I have a photo of what he started with, and it didn't have a coupe top.

 

This Boat Tail could conceivably be a 1926, 1927, or 1928...the only 3 years for this design. Peerless records seem to have gone AWOL 60 years ago, so there aren't any master lists of order date/issued ser.#s/1st owner/body supplier, etc. Here on the Peerless Forum there is a thread with 1916-1932 ser. # data which tells us that the engine ser.# is less than one hundred #s from the end of 8-69 production -- at least on paper. The bullet lights instead of drum, plus cowl band & forward placement of cowl lights suggest it's a late 1928.

 

Peerless, like Packard and Duesenberg, had a plethora of body suppliers: 47 known to me.

 

I own the KPAIE spreadsheet of all remaining cars, and there may be no other Peerless V-8 boattail roadsters, but there's a Dave Noran  who has a 1928 8-69 Coupe or Roadster. I met him at Hershey in 2013 but my notes of the discussion are unclear which body style......I did write down that he's from the Philadelphia area and "it's 1 of 362 8-69s built for 1928"......last year for the V-8.

Edited May 17, 2019 by jeff_a (see edit history)

[motoringicons]

Here is a period photo from "The Old Motor" website.

http://theoldmotor.com/?p=82479

 

I agree, Rusty, the cowl does not seem to agree with the doors and the doors don't agree with the rear quarter panels. Might be correct or, might not, but it looks weird.

 

Take a good look at the auction photos, the restoration quality does not look very good. Look at the engine bay, dash board, plating, and overall fit and finish. Looks like someone did a "hurry up" job to make the car look flashy.

 

Like any other purchase, do your homework and inspect the car in person. At the very least, have someone who knows what they are looking at inspect this car. 

[jeff_a]

Rusty12.

    Have you seen the discussion of the Peerless Boat Tail on the "Peerless For Sale Department" thread? Please see posts #171, 175, 176, 178 & 184. Contacting Anthony Cartonio, son of the long-time owner and restorer, may be helpful as well.

[jeff_a]

On 5/3/2018 at 9:36 PM, Dave Fields said:

Motometer and a temp gauge. Someone got carried away.

 

Well, some Peerlesses have a plain cap, some sport motometers, some have a Peerless Eagle, and a couple have Cormorant radiator ornaments. The correct one for 1927 & 1928 is the eagle, like the one on the oldmotor link 4 posts back. You need to give the seller some points for the early Packard motometer with the biplane on it. Last time I heard, they were worth a few dollars.

Edited May 9, 2018 by jeff_a (see edit history)

[50 Ford]

A friend of mine Bryan Fairfield purchased this Peerless at the Auburn auction. The car needs the carb rebuilt and a wheel bearing. 

Any help finding parts is appreciated. 

[jeff_a]

50 Ford,

   Congratulations on your friend Bryan Fairfield getting the Peerless Boat Tail Roadster at the Auburn Auction. Quite a car! He'll never "see himself coming down the road" in another one, 'cause the car's unique. Bryan could leave a note on the New Peerless Owner Department thread, if he wants to tell us about the new 8-69 or where he lives.

 

Edited August 16, 2018 by jeff_a (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

On 4/25/2018 at 5:23 PM, motoringicons said:

Take a good look at the auction photos, the restoration quality does not look very good.

 

I saw this car in 2010 when the owner offered it 

for sale.  It was the worst amateur restoration I had

ever seen.  I have commented in some more detail

in the topic "Peerless for Sale Department."

 

I'm not surprised that it brought in the low $20,000 range

before the buyer's commission. 

[B Jake Moran]

A bargain at that price.   This was a field car.  The market decided the price.