Cord L29 ex South Africa

The 1930 Cord sport phaeton with dual cowl was designed by Franklin Hershey of Murphy Coach Builders, Pasadena, CA. Seven were ordered by E L Cord, himself. Each was slightly different from the other, but only on close examination. If fact, one of the two suvivors is 3/8th inch longer on the left than on the right.

The famous example in South Africa is now back "home" in the USA. Dr. and Mrs. Frank Hayward of Johannesburg and Brits, SA, sold the car last year to Dick and Carol Greene, of Mahwah, NJ, USA (that' me!). the Greenes and the Haywards have been very close friends for almost 40 years. Many of the parts on the SA Cord were provided by me over the years.

What is astounding is the accuracy Hayward achieved in the restoration form 12,500 miles away. This is the only known L-29 in South Africa.

The car has been dirven about 30,000 miles since the last restoration, and still runs very well. A bad shimmy in the left front end kept it in the "slow lane" on the Eastern Spring Meet Tour this past Memorial Day Weekend. Damage to the wheel is suspected, a result of its container ride across and up the Atlantic Ocean.

It joins the other known dual cowl in our garage, and 11 other L-29s. The first (a cabriolet) was purchased back in 1956 before I could drive (legally, that is).

Dick Greene

Wayne,

Angelo is correct. The dual cowl sport phaeton that you referred to is now in the possession of Dick Greene. I was fortunate to see the car at the recently held Eastern Spring ACD meet that was held over the Memorial Day weekend. It is truly a spectacular car and Dick says he is going to pretty much leave it as is a drive the car. Good for him!

CORDially,

Al Hatch

I believe the L-29 phaetons you are referring to are now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Greene, and I believe they are from NJ. The Greenes owned one of the Murphy-bodied Cord L-29 phaetons and purchased the other known Murphy L-29 phaeton from Frank and Judy Hayward of South Africa, who restored the car. Mr. Greene wrote a nice article about both cars, which we published in the March 25, 2004, issue of Old Cars Weekly. I hope this answers your question.

To my knowledge, it is a sport phaeton and still in South Africa? There is a twin in New Jersey (U.S.A.) that was restored in 1997. Reportedly, the one in S.A. was brought there by a movie company from California and just left abandoned when they moved back to the states. The New Jersey car was featured on the Auburn Annual ACD show in Aug/Sept 1997.

Stan

Hi

Does anyone know where the Cord L29 that spent many years in South Africa is now? I am told it poss went to Pennsylvania a few years ago. Are there perhaps any photographs of the car on the web??

Regards

Wayne M. Kennerley