Automodello 1930 Cord

Automodello announces the development of the 1930 Cord L-29 Brooks Stevens Speedster, in 1:24th scale, a stunning resin replica priced at $299.95 and "Limited" up to 499 units worldwide.

The name Brooks Stevens is indelible with car design. Schooled in architecture in the Thirties, Stevens returned to his native Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to establish an industrial design firm.  Stevens clients included automakers, such as the Willys, Jeep, and Studebaker's. Then, of course, there was the Excalibur, Stevens mid-Sixties revival of Twenties classics themes.

Brooks Stevens first car design wasn't for a client; it was for himself. The result was the Cord "speedster. It was a particular favorite of the designer, who still had it at the time of his death in 1995.

Stevens customized the Cord by lowering the cowl, slightly narrowing the body.  According to my research the overall shape of the cabriolet deck was retained, but the rumble seat was removed and the deck smoothed over, then capped with a trailing fin. A raked, v'd windshield replaced the upright one-piece unit used on standard L-29s. The front fenders were skirted and the usual side-mount spares discarded, their fender wells filled in. Standard hood louvers were replaced by Dusenberg-like mesh screens that aided engine cooling when Stevens entered the car in hill-climbs, Schoenthaler said. The exterior was capped by a Stevens-designed radiator cap, narrow Wood-lite headlights, a rear bumper designed to protect the fin, and a sweeping two-tone paint scheme.

Inside, the engine-turned dash was copied from the much-admired "Duesey." The seat back was hinged so that when folded, there was access to the luggage compartment under the enclosed deck. Limousine Body, the Cord-owned coach-building shop, performed the modifications.

Stevens retained the stock 299-cubic-inch Lycoming straight-eight engine and three-speed transmission, the latter with its dash-mounted shift lever and distinctive "backward" shift pattern. However, he had a twin-carburetor intake manifold and a special exhaust manifold made, and racier final-drive gearing was installed. (A factory rebuilt engine was installed prior to the car's competition years.) In later years, Stevens took his cherished Cord to shows and vintage-car touring events.

Reviewing the Automodello Model you can't help being impressed with its crisp sharp lines, deep scribe lines and attention to detail which is evident throughout this resin model. I found its fit and finish to be outstanding, albeit delicate; most parts are photo-etched, which means you must be careful when handling this model as these parts are easily damaged. However, that said photo-etched parts are going to give you the most realism when duplicating the actual automobile. Don't view my comments regarding the photo-etched parts as a negative; that is not how I intended my perception to be received rather as a caution when handling this and other Automodello models, I personally prefer photo-etched to the unsightliness plastic. Viewing this model the scribe lines are so eloquently done that you would assume the doors and hood are functional, but again they are not. The fuel filler cap, headlights, taillights are simply done to perfection adding to the drama that makes this model so unique.

Viewing the interior of the Automodello Cord will have you realizing the amount of detail that went into design and creation of the Automodello replica, the minute detail is phenomenal, one of the best instrument clusters to cross my desk in years. Seats, door panels and steering wheel are very well replicated along with door handles and switches. Overall the interior is very well replicated and one I would give an A for execution; it's that good.

Bottom line I believe this is one of the best models Automodello has released to date, if you are a collector of the early classics then this one should go to the top of your must-have list, no questions asked.