WHICH IS RAREST - 1931 Cadillac Lasalle, 1928 Chrysler, 1927 Peerless

[31 LaSalle]

I have a small collection of American cars three

 

Cadillac Lassalle 345A town sedan 1931

Chrysler series 72 convertible coupe 1928

peerless I think its a 6/60 1927

which is the rarest

 

[3macboys]

Why does this feel like Good, Better and Best from the Antiques Roadshow?

[Xander Wildeisen]

I would guess the Peerless.

[TAKerry]

Question or quiz?  Me, being a person that knows very little about pre war cars, would answer as follows:

Chrysler is a household name, may have been a bit less expensive than a Cadillac so maybe more were sold?

Cadillac also a household name but may be a bit more expensive than the Chrysler, so maybe less sold?

Peerless? I have heard of the brand, but dont know a lot about them, def. not a household name.

Chrysler is a roadster, more desirable over the years so perhaps a better survival rate than the Cadillac sedan. 

 

If I had that 3 car collection I would be extremely happy and proud. 

[28 Chrysler]

Just LaSalle, Cadillac and LaSelle were different models like Chrysler and DeSoto.

The Peerless may have had the lowest survival rate.

[hddennis]

Just out of curiosity, to my eye that Chrysler doesn't appear to have a production body. If it's the only one with a custom body, possibly one-off, that would be my choice. Can anyone shed light on that question?

 

Howard Dennis

[F&J]

1 hour ago, hddennis said:

Just out of curiosity, to my eye that Chrysler doesn't appear to have a production body. If it's the only one with a custom body, possibly one-off, that would be my choice. Can anyone shed light on that question?

 

Howard Dennis

My post won't be well received ...

 

This car was discussed here in the past.  Consensus, as well as common sense when comparing to a stock one, it that it was altered by a former owner to make it look far less boxy.  The stock model is very outdated even for 1928 year designs, IMO. Some much higher priced cars went to shorter windshields and slightly leaned windshield posts starting in that 1928-30 era.

 

The lower body is not any different than a stock 72 conv , so it's not a 'custom bodied" car when it was new. 

 

Somebody went a bit too much on raking the windshield posts back, even more raked than 1932 Era cars.  You can see the lack of ''flow" at the base of the posts where they should blend into the cowl, it just does not look right from a designers standpoint, IMO 

 

They did several major mods; they changed the shape of the rear top bow to make the back of the top raked forward like 1932 Era cars, and they even chopped the top quite a bit in height.   When you chop a convertible, the folding top irons take a lot of work to still have the top fold down correctly.  Also, the folding landau bars were eliminated, as chopping those is tricky to have them fold correctly with a chopped top mechanism, and I assume they wanted a newer sleeker look without them.

 

I don't think it was a terrible idea to make it look less outdated.  It's now another unique tiny piece of automotive history and more importantly, "individualizing" a car to the owners taste.....It's the same basic thinking that drove the custom body builders of long ago. 

 

 

[Mark Gregush]

That Chrysler is also right-hand drive. 

[JV Puleo]

The original poster is in the UK so a RHD Chrysler just suggests it was sold new there. I suspect there were a lot more options in Britain to have the car updated...something that was commonplace with expensive cars like the RR but there were certainly smaller coach builders accessible to the original owner, or even a dealer who wanted to update the car in order to sell it.

[jeff_a]

Nice collection. American autos in the UK! The angle of the Peerless photo doesn't let us see what body style it is(Sedan, Coupe, Victoria, etc.). It looks like a 1929 Model 6-61, judging by the horizontal louvers on the bonnet. It could also be the 1930 continuation model, the 6-61A. When did you acquire the Peerless and from whom? I try to keep records of all the surviving Peerlesses worldwide on a list called KPAIE. 370 371

known at present, out of about 108,000 built from 1900 to 1931.

Edited June 13, 2022 by jeff_a (see edit history)

[31 LaSalle]

1 hour ago, jeff_a said:

Nice collection. American autos in the UK! The angle of the Peerless photo doesn't let us see what body style it is(Sedan, Coupe, Victoria, etc.). It looks like a 1929 Model 6-61, judging by the horizontal louvers on the bonnet. It could also be the 1930 continuation model, the 6-61A. When did you acquire the Peerless and from whom? I try to keep records of all the surviving Peerlesses worldwide on a list called KPAIE. 370 known at present out of about 108,000 built 1900-1931.

HI jeff 

the peerless is a 1929 sedan not sure of the model. was told it was a 6/60 it has the continental engine 

I'm led to believe this was peerless cheaper model on the market it is rare in uk probably not in usa

not sure of values it has been in the uk over 40 years

[31 LaSalle]

9 hours ago, F&J said:

My post won't be well received ...

 

This car was discussed here in the past.  Consensus, as well as common sense when comparing to a stock one, it that it was altered by a former owner to make it look far less boxy.  The stock model is very outdated even for 1928 year designs, IMO. Some much higher priced cars went to shorter windshields and slightly leaned windshield posts starting in that 1928-30 era.

 

The lower body is not any different than a stock 72 conv , so it's not a 'custom bodied" car when it was new. 

 

Somebody went a bit too much on raking the windshield posts back, even more raked than 1932 Era cars.  You can see the lack of ''flow" at the base of the posts where they should blend into the cowl, it just does not look right from a designers standpoint, IMO 

 

They did several major mods; they changed the shape of the rear top bow to make the back of the top raked forward like 1932 Era cars, and they even chopped the top quite a bit in height.   When you chop a convertible, the folding top irons take a lot of work to still have the top fold down correctly.  Also, the folding landau bars were eliminated, as chopping those is tricky to have them fold correctly with a chopped top mechanism, and I assume they wanted a newer sleeker look without them.

 

I don't think it was a terrible idea to make it look less outdated.  It's now another unique tiny piece of automotive history and more importantly, "individualizing" a car to the owners taste.....It's the same basic thinking that drove the custom body builders of long ago. 

 

 

HI F & J

don't worry your views are more than welcome I'm trying to research this cars history

waiting for build sheet from Chrysler records. as regards landau irons the previous owner sent them for chrome and the company lost them

if as you suspect a previous owner altered the rake of the windscreen

they would also have had to alter doors. chrome window surround.  and glass

I don't think the roof Hight has been altered ( I could be wrong) 

I also think the roof bows are original. the car has been in the uk for at least 30 years under the same ownership

undergoing restoration ( costing more than its final value ) I enclose a picture of wood body restoration taken twenty years ago

also picture taken pre restoration 30 years ago note same window rake  

all the woodwork including raked window posts were badly rotten probably took 30 years to rot like that

so if it has been altered it must have been well over60 years ago

once again any information good or bad is more than welcome ( knowledge is king )

thank you 

John

any information good or bad is more than welcome ( knowledge is the key to success )

thanks JOHN

[viv w]

Hi John,

 Do you have a lot more photo's of the wooden body structure that you could post, whilst it is not the same as my series 62 roadster, there will be similarities in the basic structure and it would be useful for reference not only for me, but other owners as well. Thanks

regards

Viv

 

[31 LaSalle]

2 hours ago, viv w said:

Hi John,

 Do you have a lot more photo's of the wooden body structure that you could post, whilst it is not the same as my series 62 roadster, there will be similarities in the basic structure and it would be useful for reference not only for me, but other owners as well. Thanks

regards

Viv

 

viv  happy to oblige 

 

[60FlatTop]

First choice would probably depend on your peer group.

[TAKerry]

I know its part of the process and would be cost prohibitive just as art, but I would love to have one of the wood frames by itself to look at. Beautiful and talented work.

[31 LaSalle]

45 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

I know its part of the process and would be cost prohibitive just as art, but I would love to have one of the wood frames by itself to look at. Beautiful and talented work.

absolutely  and when its finished you cant see it