1931 Cord L-29 Prototype Speedster

This 1931 Cord is an authentic recreation of the car that made its debut at the 1931 Paris Automobile Show. Paul Berns, the husband of screen actress Jean Harlow, purchased the original car off the Paris show floor. It was designed by 23-year-old Philip Wright. Construction of the original was credited to LaGrande, a fictitious coachbuilder of Union City Body Company, a Cord subsidiary.

The L-29 Speedster was displayed at auto shows in both Europe and the United States in 1931 in hopes of stimulating slumping Cord sales. It won first prize in the 'Concours d'Elegance en Automobile' in Paris, France, in June 1931.

This replica was built using an original Cord chassis and running gear. Much attention was paid to creating an exact replica, and the result is stunning. The replica was the creation of Dr. Fay Culbreth, who commissioned Stan Gilliland of Kansas, to build the vehicle in 1994. The coachwork was constructed by Mark Kennison. Guided by archival photographs from the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, the coachwork was reconstructed and the car assembled on an original L-29 chassis. The car has an unusual amenity for a car built during prohibition. A panel on the passenger's door opens to reveal a hide-away cocktail bar.

The fate of the original Phil Wright speedster is not known.

This front-drive replica is powered by a 298 cubic-inch Lycoming eight-cylinder engine offering 125 horsepower. It rides on a wheelbase that measures 138 inches.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2016