Cord beat the front-wheel-drive Ruxton to market by months, adapting inboard brakes straight off Indianapolis 500 racers.
Lead trim: L-29 4,934 cc Lycoming L-head straight-eight (125 hp)
Cord L-29L-29 · 1929–1932
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Cord L-29 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactCord beat the front-wheel-drive Ruxton to market by months, adapting inboard brakes straight off Indianapolis 500 racers.
The Cord L-29, built by the Auburn Automobile Company in Auburn, Indiana from 1929 to 1932 (Cord was E. L. Cord's brand, the holding company also owning Lycoming, Stinson and Checker Motors), was the first American front-wheel-drive car offered to the public, beating the Ruxton by several months: the brainchild of former Miller engineer Cornelius Van Ranst, its drive borrowed the de Dion layout and inboard brakes from Indianapolis 500 racers and it was the first American front-drive car to use constant-velocity-type joints (double Hooke's joints), which let the straight frame and low floor make it much lower than rivals. It had full instrumentation and was powered by a Lycoming 4,934 cc (301 cu in) 125 hp L-head inline eight from the Auburn 120 (crankshaft out through the front of the block with the flywheel there) driving a three-speed transmission; gearing was inadequate and the 4,700 lb car was underpowered, limited to a trifle over 80 mph and outpaced by the cheaper Auburn, but handling was reportedly superb despite a 137.5 in wheelbase and four turns lock-to-lock. Priced around US$3,000, below only Duesenberg; the 1930 Chrysler Imperial and Chrysler Eight copied several styling elements.
Collectors Spotted in the Cord L-29 Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Cord L-29 yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L-29 4,934 cc Lycoming L-head straight-eight (125 hp) | 1929–1932 | 4.9 L Inline-8 | 125 hp | — | — | FWD | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
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Photographs
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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