THE RESTORATION OF THIS ONCE-NEGLECTED 1930 CORD L-29 BROUGHAM CULMINATED IN A SPECTACULAR RESULT
The notion that anyone could abandon a celebrated “Full Classic”—such as a 1930 Cord L-29 Brougham—in an aging tobacco barn once is enough to make one pause. Do it twice and it leaves today’s enthusiasts dumbfounded. How easily we forget that back in the day, a now-revered car like the revolutionary front-wheel-drive Cord was simply that: a car, basic, albeit elegant, transportation that shuffled its owner from one place to the next in style, until it was time to move on to the next vehicle. In the case of our featured 1930 Cord, the decision to move on to another car was brought about by misfortune that, in turn, created an almost unbelievable story.
As recounted in the first installment of this tale (which you can read here), the original owners of this Brougham decided to drive it from their Midwest abode to Florida in 1931; however, they got no further than Mayfield, Kentucky, where the car broke down. It was towed to J.T. Hail Cadillac, where mechanics failed to resolve its problem and the couple traded the Cord for a new Cadillac. Local resident Galen Hargrove spotted the L-29 in the dealership’s back lot, negotiated its purchase and—to the astonishment of the staff—drove away in the car after working on it for just 90 minutes.
Lore has it that Galen was quite a character and drove the car extensively, going so far as to race it from one town to the next to win bar bets. He was also a mechanical wizard who, after placing the Cord in his tobacco barn circa 1939, was called to active duty as an airplane mechanic during World War II. Galen never retrieved the L-29 after his return; it sat untouched until it was purchased by fellow Mayfield resident Howard Brandon in 1975. Howard, in turn, stored it in his tobacco barn until 2007.
“Howard was getting older and none of his kids wanted the cars he had stored all over the farm. So, he liquidated the entire collection during a three-day sale in August 2007,” Shawn Coady says. Shawn purchased the L-29 sight-unseen based on the auctioneer’s description—a description laced with some creative liberty. Over the next 10 years, Shawn executed a plan to collect broken and missing parts, as well as create an extensive spreadsheet that outlined the fit and finish of every part found on a 1930 Cord L-29.
“About 25 years ago, I attended the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance dinner with my parents and I was seated with Eric and Vivian LaVine, founders of LaVine Restorations in Nappanee, Indiana. I talked to them all evening, and I knew they were the right people to restore a Full Classic if I happened upon one. Entrusting this Cord with them was a no-brainer, and once I felt I had everything I needed for the car, I delivered it to the family-run business in January 2016,” Shawn says.
The restoration of the rare Brougham—one of 10 believed to have survived—was managed by Jason Stoller, who took us through the extensive process, as you can see below. At any given time, there were as many as five employees, many of whom were under the age of 40, working on the project, which was completed in 2017.
“When the Cord was finished, we took it to Pebble Beach where it placed third in class. It then went to the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival in Auburn, Indiana, where it won Best in Class, Best L-29, and Best of Show. Its last show this past fall was at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace in London, England, where it took Best in Class. This year I’m going to start to drive and enjoy it more while taking it to some other shows here and there. I knew it was in good hands with the LaVines, not only visually but mechanically. You’ve heard the tales about how these were fantastic driving cars, and I can tell you they are. It’s just a lovely ride; there’s no other way to put it,” Shawn says.
Pro Tips
- Keep your digital reference photos organized. Renaming images to corresponding parts, and in separate folders, will help you find them months, or even years later, during reassembly.
- Investing in and using a quality respirator prior to starting disassembly may dramatically reduce or prevent a respiratory infection.
- Don’t throw away original upholstery as soon as it’s removed. It can be used as a valuable pattern, even if the colors are faded or water damaged.
- A simple plumbing torch can be a useful tool. Administering brief, repeated heat and cooling cycles can break the chemical bond of rust between two parts.
- Work in small steps. Taking the time to test-fit wood and/ or metal several times—and making small adjustments rather than one large one—may prevent you from having to start a costly task all over again.
- Parts can be heavy and accidents happen. Invest in steel-toe footwear.