1936 Cord 810

The Cord 810 is one of the few automobiles on permanent display in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It made its debut in November of 1935 and was the work of a team headed by Duesenberg designer Gordon Buehrig. The 810 styling was devoid of running boards, had streamlined wings, 'step-down' floor, hidden door hinges, unitary construction, and a louvered 'coffin nose without the traditional upright radiator. It made its debut at the November 1935 New York Auto Show.

Errett Lobban Cord introduced the L29 in 1929 as a fill-gap model priced between the lower-priced Auburn and the top-of-the-line Duesenberg. Produced until 1931, it had front-wheel drive and a Lycoming straight-eight engine. Its front-drive layout allowed for a low-slung frame and offered unique creativity for coachbuilders to work their craft.

Between 1929 and 1932, Cord produced approximately 4,993 vehicles (the L-29). Four years later, the Cord automobile returned as the 810 (812 the following and final year).

The Cord 810, in a similar fashion to its predecessor, had front-wheel drive but a more compact Lycoming V8 engine mated to a four-speed operated by pressing a European-style pre-selector switch on the steering column. Improved balance was achieved by placing the engine further back in the chassis. In standard trim, the 288 cubic-inch L-head V8 engine offered 125 horsepower. With the help of a supercharger, that figure rose to 170 bhp. Four-wheel hydraulic brakes provided stopping power for the 125-inch wheelbase vehicle, and the suspension relied on an independent front setup while the rear used semi-elliptic leaf springs.

The Cord 810 was available as a Sportsman, Phaeton, and two sedan models - the Westchester and the up-market Beverly. The two sedans were differentiated by their interiors - the Beverly had pleated cloth while the Westchester had flat broadcloth seats. The early examples of the production Beverlys had a unique 'armchair' interior arrangement, with fixed armrests in the front and back. Custom sedans on a longer wheelbase joined the four-model 812 range for 1937.

The Beverly sedan was priced at $2,095, the Westchester Sedan at $1,995, and the Sportsman at $2,145. The addition of the supercharger added approximately forty percent to the base price.

The Cord 810/812 was competitively priced in the $2,000 - $3,000 range. Unfortunately, production delays and the Depression sent them into deep financial trouble; when its proprietor sold up in August 1937, it marked the end for Cord, Auburn, and Duesenberg.

Cord produced approximately 1,764 vehicles in 1936 and 1,066 in 1937. The combined L-29 and 810/812 Cord production was approximately 7,823 units.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2019