The Season One finale of The Journey recounts the story and restoration of Jack Boyd Smith Jr.’s iconic 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton Convertible, originally owned by American aviator Amelia Earhart
Jack Boyd Smith Jr.’s multiple award-winning 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton Convertible—originally owned by famed American aviator Amelia Earhart—is the subject of the Season One finale of The JBS Collection’s popular automotive series, The Journey. In the episode, Smith Jr. and restoration partner Travis LaVine, of LaVine Restorations, Inc., share fascinating details and insights from their challenging and unlikely restoration of the iconic Cord—which was previously disassembled for parts and all but lost to history.
Designed by legendary American automotive designer Gordon M. Buehrig, and famously pictured in 1936 with Earhart and her beloved Lockheed 10E Electra airplane, the Cord was ultimately sold by Earhart’s husband, George Putnam, after the aviator’s mysterious and shocking 1937 disappearance. The vehicle would go through several owners and was disassembled and parted throughout the country, but a persistent Texas collector named Ray Foster—after decades of research—was eventually able to find the Cord’s original components and unite the car’s original frame with its original engine.
In 2018, Smith Jr.—who’d become close friends with Foster—purchased the vehicle and commissioned LaVine Restorations to apply its 50 years of expertise toward restoring the historic automobile all the way back to the exact condition it was in, including original specs, when purchased and owned by Earhart.
“The story of this Cord is so winding and remarkable—I’m just glad we’re able to retell the tale of this incredible vehicle in our season finale of The Journey,” said Smith Jr. “This car is fascinating on so many levels, beyond its many awards, and not simply because we were able to restore it back to the mint condition it was in when Ms. Earhart owned it. The story of how Ray Foster was able to piece her Cord together after so many years, and how we ended up owning it—it’s all somewhat beyond belief. Fate might be a better word. Stories like this are what inspire me as a collector, and they are what inspired me to create our series, The Journey.”
In The Journey, Smith Jr. and LaVine—whose parents Eric and Vivian LaVine founded their renowned, family-owned restoration company more than 50 years ago—discuss their shared passion for restoring and preserving classic, rare, and historic automobiles. While highlighting the preservation of automotive works of art for future generations to appreciate, The Journey delivers an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at some of the most important restoration projects Smith Jr. and LaVine have undertaken together.
Produced by The JBS Collection in association with LaVine Restorations and Eyedart Creative Studio, The Journey also offers unique, fascinating, and sometimes surprising insight into the relationship between a classic car owner and a restoration team.
Previous episodes in Season One detail the restoration of a rare 1933 Chrysler Imperial 8 Dual Cowl Phaeton featuring coachwork by LeBaron Carrossiers (Episode Five); a 1934 Packard Twelve Convertible Victoria with surprising and rare Dietrich Interior (Episode Four); an American-made 1923 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Pall Mall manufactured in the British automaker’s expansion plant in Springfield, Massachusetts (Episode Three); a 1928 Minerva AF Transformable Town Car featuring Hibbard & Darrin coachwork and powered by Charles Yale Knight’s infamous sleeve valve engine (Episode Two); and a 1934 Packard Twelve 1108 Custom Convertible Sedan by Dietrich that was once owned by female arctic explorer Louise Arner Boyd (Episode One).
“My mission has been to share our vehicles with the world, and we obviously do that at concours events and award shows all over the map,” said Smith Jr. “But I want to do more than just show the vehicles for people to look at, I want to share them. Maybe it’s because I’m still fairly new at this. Most folks build a collection over a period of thirty, forty, or even fifty years, but I’m barely twelve years in as an automotive collector. I still have this fresh enthusiasm that inspires me to want to connect with other car lovers and our many fans. I want to share our history, our stories, and our experiences in preserving these vehicles. The Journey allows me to do that, and connect with our followers on a deeper level. We hope car lovers enjoy The Journey’s Season One finale, and we have more great stories in store for Season Two.”