1917 Peerless Speedster "The Green Dragon"

There was a time when the three most legendary luxury automobiles sold in the United States were euphemistically called “The Three P’s”—Packard, Peerless and Pierce-Arrow. Never a car built for the masses, the all-new Peerless V8 engine was introduced in 1916 to better compete against the “upstart” Cadillac, which introduced their first V8 in 1915.

The 1917 Peerless was “tax rated” at 33.8 horsepower, with the 330 cubic inch V8 engine actually producing 80 work-horsepower. The car featured a three-speed transmission and two-speed rear axle. The car was massive, with a 125-inch wheelbase.

This particular car was believed to be a board-track racer during the 1920s. After an early racing career, it was tucked away and sat in a barn for several decades. Lifelong car enthusiast and racecar driver John Hollansworth rescued it in the early 1990s and restored it to its former board-track racing glory with the purpose of competing in the Great Race (an annual cross-country timed road rally).

Since its restoration, The Green Dragon has competed in more than 15 cross-country road rallies (including the Great Race), logging more than 80,000 miles and still counting.