1929 Cord L-29 Coupe by Hayes

1929 Cord L-29 Coupe by Hayes

One of the most extraordinary one-off L-29 Cords is this Hayes Coupe, which was a collaboration between Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky and the Hayes Body Company. At the 1929 Monte Carlo Concours, it won the Grand Prix award. A few days later, at the Beaulieu Concours, the Cord won the coveted Grand Prix d'Honneur. It then toured the United States to great acclaim.

The ultimate representation of a 'one-off-custom-bodied' automobile is this stunning coupe designed for the Hayes Body Corporation of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its main purpose was to promote the Hayes potential for contract body building and to attract the attention of Cord and the world's automakers.

Upon its completion, this car was sent to Europe and entered in a number of prestigious French concours d'Elegances. Concours rules of the time stated that the car must be driven to the show, and Hayes' first challenge was to get the car from Michigan to Paris for the 1930 Concours.

In 1991, after 50 years of ownership, Brook Stevens sold his masterpiece to Blackhawk Museum. The Hayes Coupe was sold again only a few months later to the current owner. Under current ownership the car was sent to the 1993 ACD National Meet where it was certified as a Category 1 Original Car, and awarded First in Class.

This perfection - combined with the lovely proportions, long hood, extremely low profile, lack of running boards, unique window shape and the luxurious materials in the cockpit - presents a singular automobile that owes nothing to previous designs from any manufacturer or coachbuilder. Put quite simply, the stylistic features of the Hayes Coupe was way ahead of their time.

Descriptions & pictures by conceptcarz & supercars & ruotevecchie & coachbuild