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L-29 Trunk hinges

  • Dick Greene
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15 Jun 2004 02:19 #1819 by Dick Greene
Replied by Dick Greene on topic L-29 Trunks
Hi Ken: The L-29 Cord came with a variety of trunks. The most popular and cheapest was the metal Potter trunk, which I think you are describing. I have three originals, one has Excelsior hardware, one has no name on the face (I have never taken it off to look at the reverse) and the hardware brand of the third excapes my memory -- the trunk is in VA at our farm, and I am in NJ at the moment. I'll look it up for you later on this month. Dick Tetter's excellent repro trunks had NOS hardware, if I recall correctly.

The other two "authorized" trunks were by other manufacturers. One was lacquered wood and the other had a "long grain" top material covering, like town cars of the era. They were more expensive and rarely seen. both came with fitted luggage. I'll get those names for you, also.

You probably have an original Potter trunk with the proper fittings. Don't forget the era of manufacture: the Great Depression. Whoever had the cheapest price that week got the order. Hardware vendors were disappearing from business like snow in April. Even E L Cord, with all him financial backing, went cheap on purchases from bankruptcies, overruns and the like.

The mounting of the Potter is by bolt and nut through the bottom. I can't recall ever seeing and "original" photo of one with straps -- you are right, it would scratch the paint in just aride around the barnyard.

The slot holes in the trunk rack are for leather straps, which were fitted to the other two types.

Now, to make it all the more interesting, albeit confusing, dealers often interjected products from non-authorized vendors because the profits were higher by a dollar or two. the odd size of the L-29 kept this to a minimum, but there were off-brand trunks available to fit the L-29.

You have a good find in an original Potter. Good for you, you ferrit!

Dick Greene

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  • K Clark
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07 Feb 2004 17:00 #1296 by K Clark
L-29 Trunk hinges was created by K Clark
I just purchased an original trunk for my L-29 Cabriolet. The trunk is in very good unrestored condition, with all the correct hardware, but the hinges are of a different style to the ones that I have seen on other original trunks, plus the excellent products that Dick made several years ago. These hinges are a farely plain in design, but it is very obvious that this trunk has never had any work done to it. There is only one coat of paint, with all the panels inside in place, with the correct rivets and holders.and Potter decals on the top lid. The plywood bottom is badly dry rotted but in good enough shape that it still has the mounting holes.
That was another Question; It looks a though these trunks were straped down, while the holes in the rack were to recieve four pins from the bottom of the trunk to keep the trunk in place. With the slots in the side of the rack to take the straps. These straps would wrap up over the top of the trunk and buckle down. maybe with a pad between the strap and the trunk to limit the amount of ware on the paint.
Ken Clark

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