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The 'Coffin Nose' car, as it was called, is one of 64 cabriolets built with the supercharged motor and is painted in the corporate advertised color of 'Rich Maroon.' These cars were originally conceived as a baby Duesenberg, and their avant-garde style was built in four different body designs. Produced to bolster the ailing Auburn Motor Company of Indiana, production of the Cord only totaled 2,907 units in two years, 1936 and 1937. The advertised - and underrated - horsepower was 170 horsepower but with the Cummins-Schwitizer-Cummins supercharger atop the Lycoming engine, it consistently produced twenty-five more horsepower. When driven by Ab Jenkins in tests for the Cord Co., he repeatedly drove these cars at the 107 miles per hour mark on distances between 5 to 200 miles per test.
The body, by master artist Gordon Buehrig, was the last vehicle conceived and designed by one person. Hereafter, groups and committees of employees would collectively design new vehicles for their respective automobile nameplates. The metal stamping facility, Central Manufacturing Co., which pressed the exquisite forms of these cars, also stamped kitchen cabinets for Montgomery Ward when automobile orders were slow. Although loved and driven by people such as Tom Mix, Tyrone Power, Amelia Earhart and Ida Lupino, the front-wheel drive concept coupled with an electric shift transmission and higher than anticipated production costs were equal factors in contributing to the demise of Mr. Errett Lobban Cord's automobile empire.
This Cord Cabriolet was purchased from Mark Blaisdell of New York in 1995 by Tom Dudley of Howell, Michigan. I was given a restoration, preserving the 1937 distinctive features such as the notched wheel housings, dashboard defroster plates, and tubular cowl braces. Other distinctive features include the locking glove box, small oval rear window, and the woven wire hood screens.
The engine and its stub frame are not original to the car. It has a replacement factory-supercharged engine and transmission, and a replacement stub frame.
The restored car was finished in Rich Maroon and made its debut at the ACD Club's National Reunion in 2007. There it was awarded the Gordon Buehrig Trophy for Best 810/812 Cord and the Harold Ames Trophy for Best of Show. Several months later, it was approved for the Club's Category One Certification.
A short time later, it came into the care of its current owner. Since then, it has won Best in Class at the Amelia Island Concours in both 2009 and 2015 and at the Ault Park Concours in 2014, as well as the President's Choice Award at the 2015 Lake Mirror Classic.
The body, by master artist Gordon Buehrig, was the last vehicle conceived and designed by one person. Hereafter, groups and committees of employees would collectively design new vehicles for their respective automobile nameplates. The metal stamping facility, Central Manufacturing Co., which pressed the exquisite forms of these cars, also stamped kitchen cabinets for Montgomery Ward when automobile orders were slow. Although loved and driven by people such as Tom Mix, Tyrone Power, Amelia Earhart and Ida Lupino, the front-wheel drive concept coupled with an electric shift transmission and higher than anticipated production costs were equal factors in contributing to the demise of Mr. Errett Lobban Cord's automobile empire.
This Cord Cabriolet was purchased from Mark Blaisdell of New York in 1995 by Tom Dudley of Howell, Michigan. I was given a restoration, preserving the 1937 distinctive features such as the notched wheel housings, dashboard defroster plates, and tubular cowl braces. Other distinctive features include the locking glove box, small oval rear window, and the woven wire hood screens.
The engine and its stub frame are not original to the car. It has a replacement factory-supercharged engine and transmission, and a replacement stub frame.
The restored car was finished in Rich Maroon and made its debut at the ACD Club's National Reunion in 2007. There it was awarded the Gordon Buehrig Trophy for Best 810/812 Cord and the Harold Ames Trophy for Best of Show. Several months later, it was approved for the Club's Category One Certification.
A short time later, it came into the care of its current owner. Since then, it has won Best in Class at the Amelia Island Concours in both 2009 and 2015 and at the Ault Park Concours in 2014, as well as the President's Choice Award at the 2015 Lake Mirror Classic.
2017 RM Auctions : Amelia Island
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $300,000-USD $350,000
Sale Price :
USD $302,500
1937 Cord 812 Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Cord 812
(Data based on Model Year 1937 sales)
1937 Cord 812 Phaeton Chassis#: 1494h Sold for USD$121,000 2024 Mecum : Glendale | |
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Cabriolet Chassis#: 1507 Sold for USD$151,200 2024 RM Sothebys : ModaMiami | |
1937 Cord 812 Custom Beverly Chassis#: 310242 S Sold for USD$74,250 2023 RM Sothebys : Hershey | |
1937 Cord 812 SC 'Sportsman' Cabriolet Sold for USD$395,500 2023 Worldwide Auctioneers : The Auburn Auction | |
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged 'Sportsman' Cabriolet Chassis#: 812 31655 F Sold for USD$168,000 2023 Broad Arrow : Monterey Jet Center | |
1937 CORD 812 WESTCHESTER SEDAN Chassis#: FB1855 Sold for USD$28,600 2023 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach | |
1937 CORD WESTCHESTER Chassis#: 1743A Sold for USD$82,500 2023 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach | |
1937 CORD 812 S/C CABRIOLET 'SPORTSMAN' Chassis#: 31950 F Sold for USD$412,000 2023 Gooding & Company : Amelia Island Auction | |
1937 Cord 812 Phaeton Chassis#: 8121930 Sold for USD$98,000 2022 Worldwide Auctioneers : The Auburn Auction | |
1937 Cord 812 SC Phaeton Chassis#: 31613H Sold for USD$257,600 2022 Worldwide Auctioneers : The Auburn Auction | |
1937 CORD 812 S/C CABRIOLET 'SPORTSMAN' Chassis#: 31867F Sold for USD$467,000 2022 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
1937 Cord 812 Phaeton Sold for USD$80,300 2022 Mecum Indy | |
1937 Cord 812 'Sportsman' Convertible Coupe Chassis#: FB1459 Sold for USD$192,950 2022 Worldwide Auctioneers : The Enthusiast Auction | |
1937 CORD 812 SUPERCHARGED PHAETON Chassis#: 81231415H Sold for USD$201,600 2022 Bonhams : Scottsdale Arizona | |
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Cabriolet Chassis#: 31940F Sold for USD$184,800 2022 RM Sothebys : Arizona | |
1937 CORD 812 WESTCHESTER SEDAN CUSTOM Chassis#: 82893 Sold for USD$275,000 2022 Gooding & Company : Scottsdale Geared Online | |
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Phaeton Chassis#: 32370H Sold for USD$170,500 2021 RM Auctions : Auburn Fall | |
1937 Cord 812 SC Phaeton Chassis#: FC2682 Sold for USD$154,000 2021 Worldwide Auctioneers : The 14th Annual Auburn Auction | |
1937 Cord 812 Westchester Sedan Chassis#: FB1427 Sold for USD$71,500 2021 Mecum : Monterey | |
1937 Cord 812 Armored Beverly Sedan Chassis#: 10182S Sold for USD$63,250 2021 Mecum : Monterey |
Cord 812s That Failed To Sell At Auction
1937 Cord 812's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Sportsman Convertible Coupe | 32317f | 2023 Mecum : 2023 Monterey | $140,000 | $250,000 | $325,000 |
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Sportsman Convertible Coupe | 32317f | 2023 Mecum : Indy | $200,000 | $200,000 | $300,000 |
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Sportsman Convertible Coupe | 32317F | 2023 Mecum : Kissimmee | $250,000 | ||
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Sportsman Convertible Coupe | 32317F | 2022 Mecum : Monterey | $240,000 | ||
1937 Cord 812 SC Phaeton | 31613H | 2022 Worldwide Auctioneers : Scottsdale Arizona | |||
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Sportsman Convertible Coupe | 32317F | 2022 Mecum : Kissimmee | |||
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Phaeton | 812 31918 H | 2021 RM Sothebys : Hershey | $170,000 | $190,000 | |
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Sportsman Convertible Coupe | 32317F | 2021 Mecum : Monterey | $250,000 | $275,000 | $325,000 |
1937 Cord 812 Phaeton | 1155H | 2020 RM Sothebys : Palm Beach Online | $140,000 | $150,000 | |
1937 Cord 812 Phaeton | 633 | 2020 Bonhams : Scottsdale Arizona | $160,000 | $200,000 | |
1937 CORD 812 SPORTSMAN CONVERTIBLE COUPE | 812 1256 F | 2019 Worldwide Auctioneers : The Auburn Auction | |||
1937 Cord 812 Phaeton | 2019 RM Auctions : Auburn Fall | ||||
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Phaeton | 812 31415 H | 2019 Bonhams : Quail Lodge Auction | $125,000 | $150,000 | |
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Phaeton | 812 32269 H | 2018 RM Sothebys : The Petersen Automotive Museum | $220,000 | $260,000 | |
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Phaeton | 1194 | 2018 RM Auctions : Auburn Fall | |||
1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Sportsman | 31631F | 2018 Bonhams : Scottsdale | $175,000 | $250,000 | |
1937 Cord 812 Phaeton | 2017 GAA : November | $110,000 | |||
1937 Cord 812 Beverly Sedan | 2017 Collector Car Toronto Fall Classic | $65,000 | |||
1937 Cord 812 Phaeton | 812 1155 H | 2017 Auctions America : Auburn Fall | $165,000 | $185,000 | |
1937 Cord 812 Westchester Sedan | 1471A | 2017 Mecum : Monterey | $55,000 | ||
1937 Cord 812 Beverly 4dr Sedan | 1704A | 2017 Motostalgia : Amelia Island | $65,000 | $90,000 | |
1937 Cord 812 Convertible Phaeton | FB1997 | 2017 Motostalgia : Amelia Island | $165,000 | $200,000 | |
1937 Cord 812 SC Sportsman Convertible Coupe | 8121163F | 2017 Worldwide Auctioneers : Scottsdale, AZ | $175,000 | $225,000 | |
1937 Cord 812 Sportsman | 8121163F | 2016 Mecum : Monterey | $120,000 | ||
1937 Cord 812 Phaeton | 1339H | 2016 The Finest : Aspen | $120,000 | $140,000 | |
1937 CORD 812 SUPERCHARGED SPORTSMAN | 31631F | 2015 Bonhams : The Frederiksen Auction | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | |
1937 Cord 812 Sportsman Convertible Coupe | 2015 Auctions America Auburn Fall | $140,000 | |||
1937 Cord 812 Custom Beverly Sedan | 2015 Auctions America Auburn Fall | $75,000 | |||
1937 Cord 812 Custom Roadster | 2015 Auctions America Auburn Fall | $62,500 | |||
1937 Cord Beverly Supercharged Sedan | 2015 Auctions America Auburn Fall | $40,000 |
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2023 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT DEMON 170 Chassis#:2C3CDZL98PH101037 Sold for $157,300 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach | |
1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO CUSTOM COUPE Chassis#:124379N626278 Sold for $156,200 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach | |
1973 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CUSTOM CONVERTIBLE Chassis#:1Z67J3S420688 Sold for $156,200 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach | |
1987 BUICK GNX Chassis#:1G4GJ1174HP451735 Sold for $156,200 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach | |
1967 Plymouth Hemi GTX Convertible Chassis#:rs27j77173390 Sold for $156,750 2024 Mecum : Glendale | |
1925 Locomobile Model 48 Derham Convertible Sedan Chassis#:19095 Sold for $156,800 2024 Broad Arrow Auctions : Amelia | |
2002 ROLLS-ROYCE CORNICHE 'LAST OF LINE' Chassis#:SCAZK28E62CX02040 Sold for $156,800 2024 Gooding : Amelia Island | |
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1969 Maserati Ghibli 4.9-Litre SS Coupé Chassis#:AM 115/49 *1142* Sold for $156,186 2024 Bonhams : Les Grandes Marques du Monde a Paris | |
1970 FORD BRONCO CUSTOM SUV Chassis#:U14GLH18330 Sold for $156,200 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
1970 PLYMOUTH BARRACUDA CUSTOM COUPE Chassis#:ORBH23G0B192847 Sold for $158,400 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
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1992 BMW M3 Sport Evolution Chassis#:WBSAK07040AC79303 Sold for $157,339 2023 RM Sothebys : Munich | |
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2002 BMW Z3M Coupé Chassis#:WBSCN91040LJ90393 Sold for $158,018 2023 Bonhams : The Zoute Sale |
1937 Cord 812
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