1929 Cord L-29 Cabriolet

E.L. Cord was an extraordinary entrepreneur, an industrialist with many strings to his bow. In 1929, having acquired the Auburn Automobile Company, Mr. Cord decided he would launch an automobile named for himself: the Cord L-29. In keeping with his entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. Cord took a standard straight-8 Lycoming engine and reversed it so the front end was harnessed to the front wheels, thus creating a front-wheel-drive automobile. This revolutionary design allowed for unique body styling, creating a racy, sleek silhouette.

In 1929 there was two front-wheel drive American production cars announced. Errett Loban Cord was the first to market with his L-29 Cord; production began in June of that year. Archie Andrews followed with his short-lived Ruxton automobile. Referred to as Cord Front Drive in company literature, the car was never named and adopted the prototype's I.D. number, L-29, as its model designation. Four factory body styles were offered: sedan, Brougham, cabriolet, and phaeton (convertible sedan). Closed cars were priced at $3,095, while convertibles started at $3,295. Cord built 5,010 units, including approximately 1,200 cabriolets between the 1929 introduction and the close of production on December 31, 1931.

This 1929 Cord L-29 Cabriolet was built in September 1929; it was 15th in the Cabriolet production line and is the earliest surviving L-29 Cord Cabriolet, out of only 300 remaining. Remarkably, this cabriolet has traveled just 3,881 miles since new. Evidence of this was a total rust-free body upon disassembly and the car's original wood panels were also all intact. The factory colors of Black and Orange, along with six accessory Woodlight lights, make for a very rakish look, while still maintaining the elegance of the era.