1930 Cord L-29

This 1930 Cord was owned by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Wright purchased a Cord L-29 Phaeton in 1929. He had the car painted a rusty orange color, known as “Cherokee Red.” Wright wrote, “I became a Cord owner because I believe the principle of front-drive to be logical and scientific, therefore inevitable for all cars. But the proportion and lines of the Cord, too, come nearer [to] expressing the beauty of both science and logic than any car I have ever seen.” The bright orange exterior color on this L-29 is striking but is not authentic to vehicles owned by Frank Lloyd Wright. During its restoration, the exterior paint was color-matched to the orange on the windshield’s Taliesin Spring Green badge. The correct ‘Cherokee Red’ can be seen on Wright’s 1952 Crosley that is also here at the museum. The wheelbase measures 137.5 inches, and the car weighs 4,300 pounds. When new, the Front Drive Cord L-29 Cabriolet cost $3,295.