The 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton Convertible continues to build momentum after winning a Best in Class award at the 2024 Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance
The JBS Collection’s 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton Convertible, originally owned by American aviator Amelia Earhart, was named Best in Class in the CCCA Full Classics category at the 2024 Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance and Motoring Festival, Nov. 3, in South Carolina.
The iconic Cord—purchased by The JBS Collection’s owner Jack Boyd Smith Jr. in 2018 and restored by Nappanee, Indiana’s LaVine Restorations, Inc.—was, at one point in its illustrious history, disassembled and parted throughout the country. Previous owner Ray Foster reunited the vehicle’s original frame with its original engine before Smith Jr. purchased the automobile and worked painstakingly with restoration partners Eric, Vivian, and Travis LaVine to bring Earhart’s beloved Cord back to its original specifications and former glory.
Since The JBS Collection debuted the Cord at the 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the vehicle—inducted into the National Historic Vehicle Register in 2023 and displayed under glass on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.—has earned enough honors and distinctions to establish its place among the more storied and historically-significant automobiles in the classic car world. Earlier in 2024 the Cord was a First Place category winner at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace and received the Superstars-Best of Collection Award at ModaMiami in Florida.
After being honored at Hilton Head—an event that transforms the fairways of the Port Royal Golf Club into a serene display of timeless, rolling masterpieces—the incomparable Cord next heads to Dearborn, Michigan for an extended, six-month installation at The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.
“It has been a fantastic year for The JBS Collection overall and a remarkable year, individually, for this Cord,” said Smith Jr. “The Hilton Head Concours was our last show of the season, and to tie things off with a Best in Class award at this spectacular and prestigious event is truly fitting for this vehicle. Before Hilton Head, the Cord spent time on display on the grand rotunda at the Royal Automobile Club in London, and that was also a great honor for us this year. Now, like a superstar on tour, this rolling piece of history travels to Dearborn, Michigan for a six-month installation at The Henry Ford Museum. Owning this Cord has been a pure joy, and the joy—for me—is that I get to share it with the world.”
The annual Hilton Head Island Concours, a tradition-rich Lowcountry celebration of automotive engineering and artistry, welcomes nearly 200 distinguished vehicles and 75 esteemed judges from across North America and awards participants against a backdrop of mesmerizing coastal charm and Southern hospitality.
Best of Show at the 2024 Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance was awarded to a 1911 Oldsmobile Limited Touring Car, and the Concours de Sport honor was given to a 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France. The Paul Doerring Founders Award went to a 1965 Shelby Mustang GT 350, and a 1929 Ford Model A Roadster—entered into the event’s Barn Finds category—was honored with the People’s Choice Award.
The event also celebrated Packard’s 125th anniversary, featured the honored marques Rolls-Royce and Bentley, and presented an array of special awards. The RPM Foundation Restorer’s Award was presented to LaVine Restorations in recognition of its craft and artistry in vehicle restoration and preservation.
The 1937 Cord, designed by American automotive designer Gordon M. Buehrig,
is to be the focus of an upcoming episode—scheduled for 2025 release—of The JBS Collection’s new series, The Journey. The Journey, produced by The JBS Collection in association with LaVine Restorations and Eyedart Creative Studio, is a popular series in which Smith Jr. and Travis LaVine discuss their shared passion for restoring and preserving classic, rare, and antique automobiles.
The inaugural episode of the series, which premiered Oct. 9, reveals the remarkable history and transformation of The JBS Collection’s 12-cylinder 1934 Packard 1108 Custom Convertible Dietrich Sedan—commissioned by infamous California heiress-turned-explorer Louise Arner Boyd. In the upcoming episode featuring the Cord, Smith Jr. and Travis LaVine share restoration highlights and discuss the unlikely story of how Earhart’s beloved vehicle was, somewhat miraculously, found and able to be recreated and preserved by The JBS Collection and LaVine into its current, immaculate condition.
“My main purpose as a collector, before awards or recognition or anything else, is to find automobiles like the Cord and bring them back to life so that people can enjoy them and appreciate what they represent,” said Smith Jr. “Classic vehicles like our Cord represent the highest levels of craftsmanship, engineering, artistry, and overall excellence. And in some cases, automobiles like the Cord also represent important and fascinating histories that should not be forgotten or lost. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished this year and I’m excited for all that lies ahead for this incredible automobile, and for our entire collection.”