Vehicle Description
The Auburn Automobile Company got its start in 1900, building
sensible cars of good quality, though never set the world alight
with style and flash. By the mid-1920s, Auburn was struggling with
weak sales thanks to conservative marketing and a humdrum product
offering. In 1924, that all changed when the company enlisted the
help of entrepreneur and salesman E.L. Cord to help bail them out
of trouble. Cord was brought on as general manager and paid a
modest salary with the option of buying control of the firm if he
could save them. Auburn faced a glut of unsold inventory that the
public viewed as dull. E.L. Cord came up with the simple plan to
repaint the unsold cars in bright colors to give the illusion of a
fresh new lineup. To the surprise of many, his plan saved the
company. Having taken over control of Auburn, E.L. Cord wasted
little time in transforming them into a style and value leader in
the luxury car market. He soon moved on to realize a dream of
building a car worthy of bearing his name. Cord wanted an
automobile capable of competing with the likes of Packard and
Cadillac, and it was the perfect opportunity to build a car that
would fit neatly between the value-leading Auburn, and the
spectacularly exotic and expensive Duesenberg. In typical E.L. Cord
fashion, he eschewed tradition in favor of a car that was as
innovative as it was beautiful. The sleek and low slung L-29
debuted in 1929, featuring revolutionary front wheel drive and a De
Dion front axle, designed with input from the engineers responsible
for the Miller front-drive Indy Car. The gorgeous Cord L-29
featured flowing front fenders, and a narrow, body-color radiator
shell. The low slung appearance was possible thanks to the
front-drive layout, which in turn allowed the body to mount over
the chassis as opposed to on top. It shared the 301 cubic-inch
Lycoming straight eight with Auburn, albeit turned 180-degrees in
the chassis, driving through a three-speed transmission at the
front. Thanks to the low center of gravity, handling was very
impressive. The factory offered the L-29 in four styles:
Convertible Sedan, 5-Passenger Brougham, Sedan, and 2/4-Passenger
Coupe/Roadster. Coachbuilders over the world over scrambled for a
chance to put their mark on the beautiful new Cord, eager to take
advantage of the low ride height and gracefully sweeping fenders.
Only 5,014 L-29s were built between 1929 and 1932, as the Great
Depression took hold and effectively killed the replacement L-30
before it even left the drawing board. Despite its brief existence,
the Cord L-29 stands as one of the most beautiful American
automobile designs of all time. This stunning 1930 Cord L-29 wears
sporty and stylish 2/4 passenger cabriolet coachwork, presented in
an arresting two-tone blue livery. At just 58 inches tall, the
Cabriolet stood a full 12 inches lower than its nearest competitor
and was by far the most sporting body style in the Cord catalog.
This example was meticulously restored in the 1990s and has since
been refreshed and maintained in near-concours condition. This
chassis was originally equipped with 5-passenger Brougham coachwork
and is believed to have received this Cabriolet body at the time of
its restoration. The presentation is truly exquisite, with its
vivid blue main body accented with dark blue feature lines.
Accessories include rare Woodlite headlamps, chrome wire wheels
with dual side-mount spares, dual taillights, and a trunk rack. It
comes to us from a significant collection of Classic Era
automobiles and has been shown at several important events, most
recently featuring at the Hilton Head Concours d'Elegance, and the
2017 Elegance at Hershey, where it received the coveted People's
Choice trophy. One look and it is easy to see why this Cord
continues to impress on the concours field. While the restoration
has mellowed slightly, the quality of the paint remains exquisite.
Fit and alignment of the body are excellent, and the chrome plating
and brightwork are impeccable, from the gorgeous wire wheels to the
intricately detailed door handles. Complementing the dramatic color
scheme is a two-place cockpit trimmed in navy blue leather, with
subtle light blue piping. The driver's seat shows only minimal
signs of use, while the matching blue leather rumble seat and door
panels present in excellent condition. The distinctive dash
features restored original instruments and control knobs in a
proper textured-finish fascia. Even the screw heads are clocked in
perfect alignment with one another, a testament to the level of
detail given the restoration. A taut and attractive navy blue
canvas roof rounds out the fabulous presentation. Underhood
detailing is to a similar standard, showing only light signs of use
on the factory-correct finishes. The engine is painted in correct
Lycoming green, with black porcelain intake manifold and beautiful
chrome hardware. In the interest of drivability, a later style
carburetor and electric fuel pump have been added. The engine and
undercarriage appear very tidy and clean, looking to have some
light wear on the finishes from driving, but overall still
extremely well-presented. Few cars of the Classic Era compete with
the Cord L-29's breathtaking style. This exquisite example is a
proven concours winner, benefitting from years of care in an
extensive collection of important pre-war automobiles. With its
slightly matured but fastidiously maintained restoration, this L-29
Coupe/Roadster a beautiful car for that is still capable of
impressing on the show field, while also being certain to impress
on driving events with the CCCA or Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club.