1931 Cord L-29 Phaeton Sedan

This Cord L-29 Phaeton was imported back from Uruguay and completed a 20-year restoration in the late 1990s by a previous owner. The L-29 Cord was the first American front-wheel drive car launching just months before the Ruxton automobile in 1929. The drive system was borrowed from Indianapolis 500 race cars using the same de Dion chassis layout and inboard brakes. This allowed the car to be much lower than conventional cars and enabled the spectacular design developed by Alan Leamy. The L-29 rode on a 137.5-inch wheelbase and was powered by a Lycoming 301 cubic-inch straight 8-cylinder engine producing 125 horsepower.