1929 Cord L-29 - $295,000 - St. Louis, MO - This remarkable Cord Front Drive L-29 has had only four owners from new and its history is exhaustively documented. It was purchased new by Henry McVickar a personal friend and perhaps business colleague of E.L. Cord as a rolling chassis. As recounted by his son Harry Henry McVickar was a car enthusiast who owned several very high end coachbuilt automobiles typically several at any given time. The dIeteren Freres Town Car body that it still displays was transferred from Mr. McVickars own 1927 Minerva and the skill and sensitivity of the craftsman who made the installation likely a member of the coach building Brunn family from Buffalo New York is evident not only in the quality of the workmanship but how well the Town Car coachwork from the much larger and taller Minerva is integrated with the low chassis of the Front Drive Cord. The coachwork was adapted and fitted to this chassis by December 21 1929 and is attested to by the original registration. This is less than two months after the bare chassis was shipped from Indiana to New York in October 1929. The coach was converted from the right drive Minerva chassis to the left drive Cord with minimal alteration but wonderful artistry by the Brunn craftsmen. There is evidence in the original front seat leather where a patch was applied to cover the place where the speaking tube was moved from the right to the left of the car. The car remained with the McVickar family until 1940 when it was sold to Patrick Boyle. It remained unused in the Ridgewood NJ garage of Boyle until 1976 when it was acquired by noted collector Edwin C. Ted Jameson remaining in his care until his death in the early 2000s when the immediately prior owner only its fourth custodian bought it still in essentially completely original and well preserved condition. Under his stewardship the car has undergone an extensive mechanical servicing to make it one of the best driving L-29s extant. It has also had some very careful repairs to its cowl by LaVine Restorations and the roof was reworked by Sharps Upholstery but otherwise it remains exactly as-delivered. The car still retains many features rarely seen today as this is one of the very few Cords never to have received the Cord factory recommended upgrades. It retains the smaller spoke wheels un vented front brake covers four blade fan and underhood battery location just as it did when it was delivered in 1929. The car is a fabulous time capsule that is way too good to even consider restoring. The finishes you see here are the same ones that have been on the car since day one. The historical information included with the car is extensive and starts with the original 1929 registration and includes correspondence with the McVickar family correspondence with dIeteren Freres confirming that the body #3537 is the body originally fitted to McVickars Minerva as well as a wealth of other items including original Cord service bulletins issued by ACD and the ACD Certification. This is a remarkable automobile combining Cords advanced front wheel drive chassis with high quality European coachwork and a short list of owners who have carefully preserved it. It is an excellent candidate for Preservation Class exhibition at the most prestigious concours as well as a stunning participant in the annual Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival in Auburn Indiana. It will be the only one of its kind no matter where it appears.
1929 Cord L-29 - $295,000 - St. Louis, MO - This remarkable Cord Front Drive L-29 has had only four owners from new and its history is exhaustively documented. It was purchased new by Henry McVickar a personal friend and perhaps business colleague of E.L. Cord as a rolling chassis. As recounted by his son Harry Henry McVickar was a car enthusiast who owned several very high end coachbuilt automobiles typically several at any given time. The dIeteren Freres Town Car body that it still displays was transferred from Mr. McVickars own 1927 Minerva and the skill and sensitivity of the craftsman who made the installation likely a member of the coach building Brunn family from Buffalo New York is evident not only in the quality of the workmanship but how well the Town Car coachwork from the much larger and taller Minerva is integrated with the low chassis of the Front Drive Cord. The coachwork was adapted and fitted to this chassis by December 21 1929 and is attested to by the original registration. This is less than two months after the bare chassis was shipped from Indiana to New York in October 1929. The coach was converted from the right drive Minerva chassis to the left drive Cord with minimal alteration but wonderful artistry by the Brunn craftsmen. There is evidence in the original front seat leather where a patch was applied to cover the place where the speaking tube was moved from the right to the left of the car. The car remained with the McVickar family until 1940 when it was sold to Patrick Boyle. It remained unused in the Ridgewood NJ garage of Boyle until 1976 when it was acquired by noted collector Edwin C. Ted Jameson remaining in his care until his death in the early 2000s when the immediately prior owner only its fourth custodian bought it still in essentially completely original and well preserved condition. Under his stewardship the car has undergone an extensive mechanical servicing to make it one of the best driving L-29s extant. It has also had some very careful repairs to its cowl by LaVine Restorations and the roof was reworked by Sharps Upholstery but otherwise it remains exactly as-delivered. The car still retains many features rarely seen today as this is one of the very few Cords never to have received the Cord factory recommended upgrades. It retains the smaller spoke wheels un vented front brake covers four blade fan and underhood battery location just as it did when it was delivered in 1929. The car is a fabulous time capsule that is way too good to even consider restoring. The finishes you see here are the same ones that have been on the car since day one. The historical information included with the car is extensive and starts with the original 1929 registration and includes correspondence with the McVickar family correspondence with dIeteren Freres confirming that the body #3537 is the body originally fitted to McVickars Minerva as well as a wealth of other items including original Cord service bulletins issued by ACD and the ACD Certification. This is a remarkable automobile combining Cords advanced front wheel drive chassis with high quality European coachwork and a short list of owners who have carefully preserved it. It is an excellent candidate for Preservation Class exhibition at the most prestigious concours as well as a stunning participant in the annual Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival in Auburn Indiana. It will be the only one of its kind no matter where it appears.