Classic Cord brings a motza

by Bill Buys ONE of the stars of the Auburn Spring Auction was a superb 1930 Cord L-29 from the estate of Dr Bill Jackson, of Mississippi, w...

by Bill Buys

ONE of the stars of the Auburn Spring Auction was a superb 1930 Cord L-29 from the estate of Dr Bill Jackson, of Mississippi, who had a lifelong passion for collecting classic cars.

He’d acquired it from Detroit-based Barney Pollard who had owned it since 1942, then drove it for only a couple of months before parking it in his collection.

Then Dr Jackson saw the beauty, bought it and put it in his own collection in 2002.

The doctor had it comprehensively restored by Mike’s Auto Restoration in Mississippi, and during a multi-year process the body was finished in a deep black with red accents throughout and its Art Deco appearance was elevated with colour-matched red wire wheels with wide whitewall tyres and a tan convertible top. 

He added an array of desirable accessories such as dual enclosed side-mounted spares fitted with sideview mirrors, dual cowl lights, an art-deco stone grille guard, a front-mounted Pilot-Ray light, rear luggage rack and a golf club bag door for arriving at the country club in true fashion.

After its restoration was completed, the Cord was shown at various prestigious events throughout the US where it collected its AACA Senior and National award badges, as well as its Diamond Jubilee award -- all of them affixed to the front number plate. 

Bill Jackson’s dedication and eye for detail reached its pinnacle when his Cord was invited to the world-renowned Pebble Beach Tour Concours d’Elegance, the ultimate stage for automotive excellence, where it took second place. 

It sold at the auction for US$202,350 (AU$281,850).

Erret Lobban Cord’s front-wheel-drive L-29 range bearing his name was launched in 1929 and was offered in Sedan, Brougham, Phaeton, and Cabriolet form, at prices ranging from $3095 to $3295. 

The cars were supplied in chassis form to independent coachbuilders, most of the closed models built by the Central Manufacturing Company in Connersville, Indiana, and the open-top models by Kalamazoo, Michigan’s Limousine Body Company. 

Unfortunately for Cord, just as his newly launched cars were reaching dealer showrooms, the Wall Street stock market crash of October, 1929 devastated new car sales, especially in the upper section of the market. 

Despite a program of price cuts, sales never took off and the world’s first practical front-wheel-drive production car was discontinued in 1932. 

In total, 5010 L-29s were built, and only about 300 of all types exist today. 

The L-29 remains one of the most handsome, technically interesting and collectible cars of the Classic Era.

 

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