I saw one!!! Driving on the road too! The most beautiful car ever? Yes, fact. The first car with front-wheel drive, hideaway headlights, and a foldback top. The car had a supercharged V8. The owner also had a 1934 Auburn. I only got a couple pics in the garage, he didn't have time to take them out since they were getting ready for a wedding. But here are my pics: http://webby.dkmhosting.com/photos/cord
I have always thought this was among the very small handful of "best looking American mid to late 1930's cars". (out of so many uglies of the time). Maybe only the special-bodied Packards or the Auburn Speedster could touch it. Question - isn't the 810 non-supercharged and the 812 the supercharged version? and, second question - weren't there two versions of the convertible; one having more of a roadster form (like in your picture) and the other havin more of a 4-seat convertible look? I love these cars in spite of the FWD and some of the mechanical issues.
He definitely said 810 and supercharged. I was researching the car online as soon as I got home - it says there were about 150 810s made total, and 57 of these were supercharged. I'm not sure about the 2 different versions
Cord 810/812's are indeed beautiful. Now please correct me if I'm wrong, but the supercharged ones are the cars that have exhaust manifolds sprawling on the sides, right?
You are right about the exhausts I think. I am not an expert on cords but I don't think there is an 812....just 810 aspirated and blown. If you like them, you owe yourself a visit to the auburn cord duesenberg museum in Auburn Indiana. I have visited it several times and never am disappointed. It has several clay models of the white cord shown above. With slightly different designs iiirc. There are many duesenbergs, Auburns and cords there. Also a good collection of other cars including a mb gullwing and a fairly exotic model of Ferrari which escapes me at the moment. The building is a delectible deco period design which is restored as well and in excellent condition. Being an Architect I particularly appreciated the section of design offices upstairs which feature period drafting equipment....and of course the building. The last time I was there there was one of those fantastic GM aurorama busses out back in need of restoration (like the one which sold for 3 or 4 mil). Worth a trip.... The big fall auction never disappoints either. I have been a regular attender for about 25 years. When I first started going they still held it at the high school grounds north of town. I remember seeing a gull wing mb in the parking lot about 25 years ago that someone just drove to the auction! Tom W
Cord Coupes are beautiful cars! It's the only one I remember from the my first classic car show as a kid. Here's a hand built replica (almost as good) http://www.guildclassiccars.com/1936_Cord.htm Image Unavailable, Please Login
I love Cord's. It's one of the 8 American cars I have on my list of 120+ dream cars (Auburn boat tail is on it also). There was a black Cord roadster at Amelia island this year. It probably ranks as one of the top 5 most beautiful cars I've ever laid eyes on. Us Americans get it right every once in a while when it comes to cars.
......1936- 810....1937-812. The Sportsman was the roadster, the phaeton had a rear seat. CORDially Jerry
Correct, and hence my (wrong) assumption about the 812 blown cars. The supercharger was an option for the 1937 812 cars and was introduced after the 810 model run ended. Legend has it that about 150 unsold 810 cars were "rebadged" as 812. Also correct (or at least in agreement with my book I found last night) on the Sportsman/Phaeton body styles. For the record, I think the Phaeton was maybe a little better looking, at least with the top up. I have heard it both ways on the external exhaust pipes - many sources say they were only for the supercharged models, but who knows what transpired with such an improvisational assembly operation as this company had. Kind of the same contraversy that exists over the Duesenberg J and SJ pipes. What a great design from such a great designer, and all on a shoestring! James
actually the sedan version [beverly ??] in the flesh , going down the road is like watching a 1930's outerspace movie.it's sooo cool.
The pipes were supposed to go with the supercharger I think, but probably there are some unblown cars with them too. After cord went under the body dies were sold to Graham and a few cars were built by them with rear wheel drive and a different nose. They weren't as nice looking as the cords though....but they looked pretty good too. I saw one of these street rodded a few years back in a magazine. It looked pretty cool with modern wheels and a low stance. I also saw one of the graham cars down in Anderson In when I went to look at a 53 studie a guy had for sale. It was very rough but still looked pretty cool. This guy was an undertaker and had about 20 cars.....I was perusing them all and finally said....,"So are you married?" he said ....." I used to be, but she said it was either her or a bunch of the cars.....I do miss her sometimes". No joke. Tom W Tom W
...were also used by Huppmobile and tagged as Skylarks. After that eye-sore, they were sold to Norman DeVaux in Grand Rapids. From there is anyones guess, but the presses went to Japan just in time for use to gear up for a Dec. surprise party they were planning. CORDially J.B
