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WHERE IS THE JEAN HARLOW L-29?

  • ETHAN ALLEN TURNER
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06 Jun 2009 21:21 #13700 by ETHAN ALLEN TURNER
Replied by ETHAN ALLEN TURNER on topic Jeans Family
I am curious why the search has to end as it always has, up a dead alley. Is there any one who has a connection to her family or the studio that she was contracted to. Let us keep digging.

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  • AceCollins
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06 Jun 2009 19:37 #13698 by AceCollins
Replied by AceCollins on topic WHERE IS THE JEAN HARLOW L-29?
No, I have her with a Packard V12 that she owned, a Studebaker, a 37 Dodge, a couple of Caddys and the Auburn Boattail at the Airshow, but not Imperial.

1934 Auburn 652Y Four-Door Sedan
1936 Cord 810 Westchester

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  • russv
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06 Jun 2009 19:35 #13696 by russv
Replied by russv on topic WHERE IS THE JEAN HARLOW L-29?
Ace
Do you have any pictures of Harlow with a 1937 Chrysler Imperial by chance?
Russ

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  • AceCollins
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06 Jun 2009 14:36 #13693 by AceCollins
Replied by AceCollins on topic WHERE IS THE JEAN HARLOW L-29?
And, as Harlow never left the country and was always working during that time, the real problem with the France theory.

1934 Auburn 652Y Four-Door Sedan
1936 Cord 810 Westchester

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  • Chris Summers
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06 Jun 2009 06:13 #13689 by Chris Summers
Replied by Chris Summers on topic WHERE IS THE JEAN HARLOW L-29?
The plot thickens.

I was digging (literally) through my stock of old ACD newsletters tonight, and found an article on the speedster written when the ACD Museum got its replica. (I lovingly refer to that car as the Condiment Cord...mustard yellow and ketchup red.)

The article, in newsletter No. 10, 1995, is written by Jim Brockman, and includes a lot of interesting information, including on who supposedly took the car to Europe. This article hypothesizes, among things, that Jean Harlow and Paul Bern took the car to France; that Harlow displayed the car at a concours d'elegance near Paris in June 1931, where she was listed as "Mrs. Bern." It also suggests that Harlow was used by the Auburn Automobile Company for publicity. Photos of the car with a blonde-haired woman at the wheel were supposedly supplied to an earlier newsletter by Ray Wolff. His photo collection is at the ACD Automobile Museum now, am I right?

The article is rife with errors and unfounded "facts," which in Mr. Brockman's defense have largely been proven as such AFTER he wrote the article. Still, it makes for interesting reading and theories.

I would put the entire article here, but it's much too much typing for this late at night. Those of you with No. 10, 1995, look it up and give it a read.

Chris Summers
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So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

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  • AceCollins
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17 Dec 2008 00:56 #12264 by AceCollins
Replied by AceCollins on topic WHERE IS THE JEAN HARLOW L-29?
I have gone through everything concerning Harlow's car ownership, and she loved to drives. But as Josh note, a 1934 Packard V-12 and a Caddy V-12 where probably her finest automobiles. In my collection of photos of Harlow with cars there are Studebakers, Packards, Caddys and a Dodge (she did print ads for them), but the only ACD car is a Auburn Speedster she posed in at the National Air Races. I would love to know what happened to that Auburn as well.

1934 Auburn 652Y Four-Door Sedan
1936 Cord 810 Westchester

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  • mikespeed35
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17 Oct 2008 02:16 #11593 by mikespeed35
Replied by mikespeed35 on topic WHERE IS THE JEAN HARLOW L-29?
Nile Reed made a couple L-29 Speedsters also. One sold at Kruse Auburn sometime in the mid to late 90's for $85,000.
CORDially Mike

Mike Huffman

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  • ETHAN ALLEN TURNER
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16 Oct 2008 15:02 #11589 by ETHAN ALLEN TURNER
Replied by ETHAN ALLEN TURNER on topic HOPING
I do agree that the L-29 in question is to dame gorgeous to have ever been destroyed, anyone in there right mind whether a car person or not would questions it's demize. I for one keep hoping that it's reappearance will give a sigh of relief to anybody who has had a whimsical notion about finding it. I know that Dick Greene who owns a few L's would admitt that he has had serious thoughts over this L-29 speedster, admitt it Dick !

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  • Chris Summers
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16 Oct 2008 13:27 #11588 by Chris Summers
Replied by Chris Summers on topic WHERE IS THE JEAN HARLOW L-29?
I agree with Josh. It's a nice story but not much else.

Don't ask where, but sometime in the past I remember seeing a copy of Bern's will; an L-29 touring car was mentioned but no serial numbers.

I always hold hope that a car exists, unless there is absolute proof of its destruction. Since no one has offered up a photo of the Speedster being turned into a pile of scrap, I'll always be hoping that it turns up in a barn somewhere, probably in Europe.

The other full-scale replica of the car was built for Arnie Addison and is now in the O'Quinn Collection in Houston. It is probably the largest two-passenger automobile I have ever seen.

Chris Summers
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  • mikespeed35
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16 Oct 2008 03:06 #11584 by mikespeed35
Replied by mikespeed35 on topic WHERE IS THE JEAN HARLOW L-29?
Hi Ethan, The L-29 number should have seven numbers. Probably 2929XXX. CORDially Mike

Mike Huffman

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  • ETHAN ALLEN TURNER
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15 Oct 2008 04:47 #11572 by ETHAN ALLEN TURNER
Replied by ETHAN ALLEN TURNER on topic numbers can help !
Hello Josh,
As the mystery continues to unfold, and I am sure anybody who has owned an L-29 love's the look and personally I enjoyed my ownership of 29922 I believe was the serial #. A 1932 Cabriolet and a wonderful driver for the times. I would love to know if you have serial numbers from the will that may help determine a touring car or cab. Hey Josh, with the internet who knows "lightning could strike".

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  • Josh Malks
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15 Oct 2008 00:50 #11568 by Josh Malks
Replied by Josh Malks on topic WHERE IS THE JEAN HARLOW L-29?
Hi Ethan. I agree the car is lost. I'm afraid that I don't agree that it was Harlow's. I have never seen any evidence, documentation or photographs that connect Harlow with this car. She drove a Packard.

When Paul Bern's will was probated a "Cord touring car" was one of his assets. That term meant something then, and I don't think anyone would have confused the speedster with one.

I hope you get some response on this. Talk about the ultimate barn find!

Josh B. Malks
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  • ETHAN ALLEN TURNER
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14 Oct 2008 00:17 #11563 by ETHAN ALLEN TURNER
WHERE IS THE JEAN HARLOW L-29? was created by ETHAN ALLEN TURNER
Ask any one who saw this car in print, Jean Harlow and husband Paul Bern owned this boatail speedster when new. It dissappeared a long time ago and everybody has been looking for it forever. So the next best thing to do was make one, ACD Muesum has a fine example recreated by Fay Culberth another in Ca. that I saw @ Palo Alto I don't recall his name,the paint color a purple shade. There are many photos that have surfaced thru the years of the original with different headlites. My obsession with it's where-abouts continues to exist, along with everone else's. Please enter this disscusion, it would be nice see what comes out of this?


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