1936 Cord 810 Sedanca de Ville

In those early days, car companies came and went. Only the strong survived. And so it was that when the Auburn Motor Company found itself in dire straits in 1924, a young Erret (EL) Lobban Cord was brought in to fix the beleaguered company. Cord, a former race car driver, mechanic and car salesman, was also an astute businessman. By 1928 he controlled Auburn and a year later created the Cord Corporation as a holding company for what eventually was over 150 companies. Holdings included Duesenberg, Lycoming engines, Checker Cab, as well as aircraft manufacturers, airlines, and shipbuilders. Talented and confident, he positioned Cord between auburn and Duesenberg. The Cord 810 was initially envisioned as a 'baby' Duesenberg but was rebranded Cord at the last minute. It debuted at the 1935 New York Auto Show and was a hit. The body was the handiwork of rising star and Duesenberg alum Gordon Buehrig who'd been wooed back to the fold from Harley Earl's prestigious GM design stable.

The 810 featured a semi-automatic four-speed transmission that extended in front of the engine, eliminating the need for a transmission tunnel and making for spacious, five-passenger seating. It was also front-wheel-drive with an independent front suspension. Weighing in at just over two tons, it had 125 horsepower from a high-compression (6.5:1) 289 CID Lycoming-designed V-8.

This car features a Derham-designed three-position disappearing top and a one-piece windshield. It was commissioned by Dr. John Dorrance, founder of Campbell's Soup, for his daughter as a wedding present.

This 1936 Cord 810 Sedanca de Ville is fitted with coachwork by Derham of Rosemont, PA. It was built for Mrs. Charlotte Durrance Wright, heiress to the Cambell Soup fortune. The Cord was a wedding present from her father. This Sedanca de Ville features a three-position, three-piece top and is also fitted with a one-piece windshield. The Cord has such outstanding features as hidden headlights, the absence of a running board, and a radio with an antenna under the car.

The car is powered by a 288.6 cubic-inch Lycoming V8 engine developing 125 horsepower. It rides on a 125-inch wheelbase. It has a Bendix pre-selector transmission coupled with front-wheel drive.