At its debut, the Cord Front-Drive (L-29) was the first major American production car with front-wheel drive.

The lack of a driveshaft tunnel allowed for the bodies to be mounted low on the frame, with the result being that the Cord was no taller than a person of average height.

Sadly, the L-29 came to market just as the Great Depression’s crushing weight came down on the automobile industry, and production of the car faded away in late 1931.

The rarest body style is the Brougham, an elegant four-door sedan with blind rear quarters, of which just 13 original examples are known to remain today.

The Brougham offered here has had its ownership history traced back to James Messick of Stockton, California, from whom it passed in 1958 to Dr. Robert S.

Julian of Fullerton.

It was acquired from Dr. Julian by Ray Dunford of Portland, Oregon, in whose ownership it won many awards at the Forest Grove Concours d’Elegance during the 1970s and 1980s; it also received the Al Leamy Award for Bes...