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1937 Cord 812

E.L. Cord was a gifted salesman who worked his way up through the automobile business, eventually gaining control of the Auburn and Duesenberg automobile companies, Lycoming, Stinson Aircraft and American Airways, along with Checker and Yellow cab companies in a portfolio of 156 companies. He acquired Auburn manufacturing in 1924 which formed the basis for his industrial empire and worked quickly to resuscitate the ailing company by creating a performance image that stimulated sales of the mundane but profitable sedans.

1937 Cord 812 photo
SC Phaeton
Chassis #: 32462H
Engine #: FC3249
View info and history
Auction entries : 3
In 1929, E.L. Cord introduced the front-wheel-drive Auburn-derived automobile bearing his namesake, the Cord Front Drive - most commonly known as the L29. Its mechanical prowess was backed by its distinctive and sporting appearance, complemented by its affordable price. Shortly after its introduction, the stock market crashed, crippling industries and greatly diminishing the luxury car segment. Many companies did not survive, and those that did often moved down market. Those that chose to remain at the top-tier doubled down by offering larger and more stately creations powered by engines that continued to grow in size and power. The L-29 model had been intended as a gap-filling model priced between the Auburn and Duesenberg lines of the Cord Corporation, but its demise in 1931 left a void. E.L. Cord's response was to build a Duesenberg alternative designed by Gordon Buehrig. It was given distinctive styling, positioned in the medium-priced market, and featured front-wheel-drive with a low-slung frame. It was called the 810 and was intended to restore Cord's automotive manufacturing operations to full health. It made its debut in November of 1935 at the New York Auto Show where its low-profile unibody style, retractable headlights, and unadorned coffin-nose profile created an instant sensation.

Gordon Buehrig was one of the premier designers of cars during the Classic Era, and at the age of 25, he became chief body designer for Duesenberg. His work was applied to the Model J, and also did work for Packard, General Motors, and Stutz. In his later years, Buehrig taught at the Art Center College of Design and he even created a limited production car in 1979. Among the pinnacles of his creations was the Cord 810/812, with its clean, uninterrupted lines, delicate curves, and elegant proportions.

The hidden headlights gave the 810/812 a clean and uncluttered front end, and the door hinges and the fuel filler door were elegantly concealed, enhancing the streamlined appearance. The headlamps opened by means of hand-cranks on either side of the airplane-style engine-turned aluminum dash. The bumper design used three spears connecting two large extensions flanked by large uprights in both the front and rear. Buehrig endowed the 812 with restrained elegance rather than conforming to traditional styling philosophies of large radiators, nickel-plated headlamps, or unnecessary embellishments. It was simple, clean, unique, and with unbroken lateral lines that were only interrupted by the menacing dual exhaust pipes that exited the sides of the hood toward the rear of the car.

1937 Cord 812 photo
Custom Berline
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Complimenting its innovative design was an advanced mechanical system with technology that would not appear on other production cars for several decades. The front-wheel-drive system had been pioneered on the Miller race cars, but Cord's use of the concept pushed the technology and application even further. This configuration allowed Cord to build the 812 very low to the ground, eliminating the need for running boards, and greatly improving handling and performance due to its low center of gravity. While most cars used a straight axle, the Cord 812 received an independent front suspension setup.

Both the L-29 and Cord 810 used front-wheel-drive, but the 810 used a more compact Lycoming 288.6 CID V-8 engine and 4-speed, pre-selector electric gearbox, modeled on the French Cotal. It was set further back in the chassis, improving balance, and delivered 125 horsepower in standard guise or 170 bhp when supercharged. Braking was provided by four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. At the time, a sixteen-cylinder Cadillac (twice the number of cylinders as the Cord) produced just 15 more horsepower. While the Cadillac tipped the scales at approximately 6,000 pounds, the comparable Cord weighed around 3,700 pounds, giving the Cord a much better power-to-weight ratio.

Cord re-designated the 810 as the 812 for 1937 when custom sedans on a longer wheelbase joined the range. Supercharging was made available on the 1937 812 model, and these are distinguished from the normally aspirated 812s by the chrome-plated external exhaust pipes protruding from the hood. Priced competitively in the USD 2,000 - 3,000 range, the 810/812 should have been a tremendous success, but this was not the case. Perhaps too innovative and its design too unique? By this point in history, the Cord Corporation was in deep financial trouble, prompting Mr. Cord to sell in August of 1937, bringing an end to Cord, Auburn, and Duesenberg. By the time production ceased, fewer than 3,000 examples of the 810/812s had been produced.

1937 Cord 812 photo
Convertible Coupe
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The Cord 810 and 812 are among the most significant automobiles in the annals of design, the pinnacle of period engineering, and a leader in creative thought and exploration.


by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2006
It was the spring of 1933 and former Auburn Automobile Company president Errett Lobban Cord became Chairman of the Board of the Cord Corporation, a holding company. By this time, Cord has sold nearly all of his Auburn stock. Meanwhile in Detroit, General Motors Art and Color Division, headed by Harley Earl, ran a contest among its stylists. One of the four competing teams is headed by young Gordon Miller Buehrig, formerly chief stylist for Duesenberg, Inc. His entry places last. In September 1937, E.L. Cord sold his interests in the Cord Corporation to a group of financiers headed by Victor Emmanuel. They began selling off unprofitable subsidiaries and changing the product 'mix' of others. They ordered the Auburn Automobile Company to cease its unprofitable automobile production and placed the company in receivership. Since the other car Auburn was still building was the Cord

1937 Cord 812 photo
SC Phaeton
Chassis #: 32462H
Engine #: FC3249
View info and history
Auction entries : 3
The public embraced the Cord in numbers unanticipated even by Auburn! The company simply couldn't produce a reliable car fast enough, and the original customer base evaporated. The Cord was the sensation of the auto shows in November 1935. Over 7000 requests for information were received. Salespeople took deposits for hundreds of cars at the shows. The Cord engine was the only V-8 Lycoming ever built.

It was a very modern power plant, with an almost 'square' bore and stroke and nearly-horizontal valves operated by roller-equipped rocker arms. Even the earliest engines were designed to accommodate the centrifugal supercharger that was offered as an option on 1937 models. Supercharging not only raised the horsepower to 170 but also the price to an extra $2000.

Source - SDAM

Related Reading : Cord 810/812 History

The Cord was part of the Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg trinity. Thus their similarities in vehicle design. These three firms also owned the Lycoming engine manufacturing company. This company supplied the 289 cubic-inch V8 engine that gave this vehicle life. The engine was rated at 125 horsepower, with the supercharger, the horsepower increased to 170 bhp. The 125hp engine was capable of 90 miles-per-hour....
Continue Reading >>

1937 Cord 812 Vehicle Profiles

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Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

$152-$2,500
1937 812
$3,600-$12,075
1937 Cord 812 Price Range: $2,500 - $3,600

Compare: Lower | Higher | Similar

Other 1937 Cord Models
$2,000 - $2,200

812

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
125.00 in., 132.00 in., 135.00 in.
8 cyl., 288.60 CID., 125.00hp
8 cyl., 288.60 CID., 170.00hp
8 cyl., 269.00 CID., 185.00hp
$2,500 - $3,600

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