1937 Cord 812
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Cord: A Brief HistorySuper-salesman Erret Lobban 'E.L.' Cord saved the Auburn Automobile Company in the mid-1920s by taking their drab sedans, repainting them in spiffy colors and aggressively promoting them throughout the country. Having saved Auburn, he then bought the company in 1928 and proceeded to build a steady flow of very good-lòòking Auburns, including the stunning boattail speedster. In 1929, Cord announced a car carrying his own name: a front-wheel-drive luxury automobile wîth extremely low lines and ravishing good looks. To complete his whirlwind year of automotive activity, he also produced the mighty Model J Duesenberg, completing plans for his very own automotive empire.L-29 Cord production ceased after two years, but E.L. had another car in the works - a 'Baby Duesenberg,' also a front-driver, but wîth V-8 power from his Lycoming Engine Company and priced in the upper-medium band. Called the Cord 810, this car was created to help Auburn Automobile out of the deep financial hole that dismal sales during the worst years of the Depression had caused. A totally clean-sheet design by the hugely talented Gordon Buchrig, it debuted at the 1935 New York Auto Show and was the hands-down hit of that event wîth its 'coffin nose' front styling, retractable headlamps, lack of running boards, and sleek, integrated shape. Cord salesman couldn't write orders fast enough. However, teething troubles wîth the cars themselves, along wîth assembly line glitches plus a financial pinch, made for a slow delivery of Cords, and the first cars didn't get into owners' garages until mid-1936. With Auburns and Duesenbergs halted after 1936, the Cord was continued into 1937. But on August 7, 1937, the last Cord rolled off the assembly line and the glory days of Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg came to an abrupt end. In its two years of existence less than 3,000 Cord 810s and 812s had been built.  The Cord 812There's a popular misconception among collectors that all Cords wîth an 812 designation indicate supercharged cars, but the 812 merely distinguishes the 1937 model-year cars from the 1936 run. The 810 and 812 Cords are identical to each other in all specifications and other respects. Even if Cord had wanted to fiddle wîth Buehrig's superb design, the money wasn't in the till to mess it up wîth face-lifts or big mechanical changes. In both years, only four body styles were offered: the Phaeton, Beverly and Westchester sedans and the Sportsman convertible. This Car Finished in the popular Cord shade called 'Cigarette Cream,' the interior has been authentically reupholstered in dark burgundy leather. A beige canvas top complements the exterior and interior colors.  The timeless design of the Cord 810/812 continues to fascinate even 70 years after its public introduction. All Cords are Full Classics as recognized by the Classic Car Club of America and are eligible for all of the activities that the club offers for its members and their cars.Source - Gooding & Company |
| Auction Sales Information |
| Event | Group | |
| Gooding & Company Auction: Palm Beach | 1936-1955 |
