1929 Cord L-29

The First Front-Wheel-Drive

“The 1929 Cord L-29 owner’s manual contains the declaration that, “This car is not an experiment. In drawing the burden instead of pushing it, it simply reverts to the natural method of moving a wheeled conveyance.”” -Kurt Ernst for Hemmings 

The subject of this week’s article, the 1929 Cord L-29 in the Demers Car Collection is quite special. Despite its short life, the first model of the mid-range brand of the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg (ACD) Corporation brought significant innovation to the American car market. Keep reading to learn about Errett Lobban Cord’s vision for the car named after him, the mechanical innovations that it brought and the elegance of its style.

The Cord Corporation

E. L. Cord made his fortune in the 1920s. At some point, he was at the head of about 150 companies under the Cord Corporation umbrella. We credit him for turning around the Auburn Automobile Company and bringing the famed Duesenberg Model J to market. In the mid-1920s, he identified a market gap between the popular selling Auburns and the outrageously decadent Duesies and decided to fill it with a car named after himself. For Cord cars, E. L. envisioned elegance, style and innovation for a buyer who wanted luxury but could not afford a Duesemberg. 

A marketing genius, E. L. Cord also wanted his cars to have something special that would make them an instant seller. Front-wheel-drive was that something extra that he was looking for. Conceived in 1927, the L-29 was introduced in the summer of 1929 and produced until 1932. 

Front-Wheel-Drive

Trials to make a front-wheel-drive, an engine and transmission layout configuration in which the engine drives the front wheels, date back to the early 1900s. All attempts were fruitless until the 1920s when it became popular on the racing tracks of Indianapolis. In the USA, Harry Miller pioneered the new configuration at the 1925 Indy 500. In 1927, front-wheel traction was seen in Europe at the 24 Heures du Mans race. Combining Miller’s design, the rights to which E. L. Cord purchased in 1926 to adapt to a passenger car, with the work of another front-drive race car constructor, Cornelius W. VanRanst, Cord and his team created a front-wheel-drive for passenger cars. Introduced in the summer of 1929, the Cord L-29 is America’s first production front-wheel-drive, beating the Ruxton to market by a couple of months. 

The Cord L-29

A modified Lycoming straight-eight engine powered the L-29. Herbert Snow’s new X-frame chassis was also utilized for the first time in the Cord L-29. Cord promoted its car as the future of the automobile industry. Race car driver Leon Duray, chief engineer Fred Duesenberg and designer Alan Leamy also all worked on the L-29 prototype. 

Despite its pioneering status, the Cord L-29 was short-lived and some of its contemporaries would go as far as to characterize it as a “pathetic failure.” With total production arriving at about 5,014 cars (some report a total production as low as 4,400 units), Cord sales were slow, as 5,000 units was the target for the first year alone. Introduced only a few months before the 1929 stock market crash, some blame the Great Depression for the decision not to make an updated version. 

The Cord marque would only produce one more model, the Cord 810/812 before collapsing with the rest of the ACD Empire in 1937. However, time has proven to be good for the L-29. Today, it is admired as a classic, largely due to its innovative front-wheel-drive, but also because of its looks. Plus, front-wheel-drive was here to stay so Cord’s prediction wasn’t wrong.

Cord L-29 Styling

An interesting byproduct of adopting a front-wheel-drive was the metaphorical and literal space it allowed for innovative design. The lack of a driveshaft allowed for a lower chassis and frame. Designer Al Leamy could explore low and dashing body designs for the L-29. The car’s lower stance also allowed for better handling and performance. The European press would even qualify the L-29s almost like sports cars despite their average performance.

The requirements of a front-drive system also demanded a very long hood, a design element Leamy seamlessly integrated with the rest of the car’s body. Leamy’s design for the L-29 is quite distinctive. The design of the front fenders allows for a clear view of the front traction. Europeans also appreciated the L-29’s sensational looks; this American car managed to win prizes at European Concours d’Elegance. Its distinctive Art Deco style is equally, if not more,  appreciated today by all classic car lovers. Interestingly, some have speculated that E.L. Cord wanted a front-wheel-drive not for the mechanical innovation it represented, but for the marketing potential of the aesthetically pleasing, low-body designed cars. 

What Now?

It is undeniable that the Cord L-29 is an important car. The fruit of the labor of many impressive men, it still captivates us today. As the first American production front-wheel-drive, it set the standard for generations of cars to come. It is believed that only about 300 remain today. The L-29 in the Demers Car Collection processes all the defining features of this iconic car. A true classic, it deserved to be celebrated. Want to see it in person? Schedule a visit of the Demers Car Collection by filling out an information request form. Don’t miss next week’s blog post where we explore American car history a little further.

The Nitty Gritty

• 298-cu.in. inline eight-cylinder Lycoming engine
• 125 hp
• Max speed about 80 mph or 129 km/h
• Leaf springs and beam axle rear suspension
• Quarter-elliptic leaf springs and solid axle front suspension
• Three-speed manual transmission
• 137.5 inches wheelbase
• Mechanical drum brakes