1931 Cord L-29 La Grande Boattail Speedster

1931 Cord L-29 La Grande Boattail Speedster

Cord was the brand name of an American luxury automobile company from Indiana, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 to 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937.

The Cord Corporation was founded and run by E. L. Cord as a holding company for his many transportation interests, including Auburn. Cord was noted for its innovative technology and streamlined designs.

This was the first American front-wheel drive car to be offered to the public, beating the Ruxton automobile by several months, in 1929. The brainchild of former Miller engineer Carl Van Ranst, its drive system borrowed from the Indianapolis 500-dominating racers, using the same de Dion layout and inboard brakes. Built in Auburn, Indiana, the Cord was the first front-wheel-drive car to use constant-velocity joints. While commonly used today in all front-wheel-drive vehicles, their first use was on the 1929 Cord. The lack of rear drivetrain components allowed it to be much lower than competing cars. Both stock cars and special bodies built on the Cord chassis by American and European coachbuilders won prizes in contests worldwide. The L-29 came with full instrumentation, including a temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge, and speedometer on the left with a gas gauge, oil level gauge, and Ammeter on the right of the steering wheel.

It was powered by Auburn's 4,934 cc (301 cu in) 125 hp (93 kW) L-head Lycoming inline 8 from the Auburn 120, with the crankshaft pushed out through the front of the block and the flywheel mounted there, driving a three-speed transmission. Gearing in both transmission and front axle was inadequate, and the 4,700 lb (2,100 kg) car was underpowered, limited to a trifle over 80 mph (130 km/h), inadequate even at the time, and readily exceeded by the less expensive Auburn. Still, the styling was lovely, and despite the 137.5 in (3,490 mm) wheelbase and steering demanding fully four turns lock-to-lock, handling was reportedly superb. Priced around US$3,000, it was competitive with Cadillac, Marmon, Lincoln, Packard, Franklin, and Stutz; the 1930 Chrysler copied several styling elements. It could not outrun the Great Depression, and by 1932, it was discontinued, with just 4,400 sold. Wheelbase was 137.5" and the height of the sedan was 61".

In 1930, Auburn Automobile Company president Roy Faulkner ordered Cord's in-house LaGrande coachbuilders to create an L-29 Speedster show car based on concept sketches provided by stylist Phillip O. Wright. The boat-tail speedster was sleek and modern, with aircraft inspired 'pontoon' fenders and a steeply raked Vee windshield. The LaGrande Speedster made its show debut at the 1931 New York Salon, followed by an appearance at the Paris Auto Show and then a French Concours d'Elegance. Near the close of 1931, it was sent to Toronto for a photo-shoot. It is believed to have returned to Europe a short time later. Unfortunately, that is where the history ends. It is believed to have been scrapped during World War II.

In the mid-1990s, Arnold A. Addison was commissioned to restore a cord L-29 convertible Sedan. The result of the work netted him a spare L-29 frame and other authentic components. A correct 298 cubic-inch Cord L-29 engine and front-drive three-speed transmission was also obtained.

After extensive research, work began on re-creating the legendary 1931 Cord L-29 LaGrande Speedster. The car was finished in Cashmere Cream and Royal Cranberry colors. In 2004, after nine years and 20,000 man-hours of research and labor, the new LaGrande Speedster was completed.

The car features a convertible top, a cigar rack built into the driver's door, and a bar set including two decanters which fits into the passenger door. As per the original, a (reproduction) Duesenberg-type altimeter supplements the standard L-29 instrumentation.