JSB Collection's Earhart Cord Honored at Hilton Head

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, body, and 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.

“The Hilton Head Concours was our last show of the season, and to tie things off with a Best in Class award at that spectacular event was truly fitting for this vehicle,” said Smith Jr. “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. Now, like a superstar on tour, this rolling piece of history is in 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.”

Best of Show at the 2024 Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance was awarded to a 1911 Oldsmobile Limited Touring Car. The event also celebrated Packard’s 125th anniversary, featured the honored marques Rolls-Royce and Bentley, and presented the RPM Foundation Restorer’s Award to LaVine Restorations in recognition of its craft and artistry in vehicle restoration and preservation.

Smith Jr. debuted the restored Cord at the 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and since then 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 distinction 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, in England, and received the Superstars-Best of Collection Award at ModaMiami in Florida.

Designed by American automotive designer Gordon M. Buehrig, the 1937 Cord is also to be the focus of an upcoming episode—scheduled for 2025 release—of The JBS Collection’s new series, The Journey. Produced by The JBS Collection, in association with LaVine Restorations and Eyedart Creative Studio, The Journey is a popular, in-depth series in which Smith Jr. and Travis LaVine discuss their shared passion for restoring and preserving classic, rare, and antique automobiles.

“As a collector, my goal is to find automobiles like the Cord and bring them back to life so people can enjoy them and appreciate what they represent,” said Smith Jr. “Vehicles like our Cord represent the highest levels of craftsmanship, engineering, artistry, and overall excellence, and the Cord also happens to represent an important and fascinating history that should not be forgotten. I’m excited for all that lies ahead for this incredible automobile, and for our entire collection.”