1937 Cord 810

The Gordon Buehrig-designed Cord 812 used the only front-wheel-drive system for a major automobile company at the time. This concept had been pioneered on the Miller race cars, but Cord's application in a production car took it to new levels. The front-wheel drive configuration accommodated a low ground clearance allowing for the removal of running boards, and offered better handling and performance. There was an independent front suspension when most cars of the era still used a straight axle. The forward-thinking and unique design elements included hidden headlights, concealed door hinges and fuel filler door, menacing dual exhaust pipes exited the sides of the hood, devoid of jewelry or embellishments, and clean and unbroken lines. While most automobiles of the era used an intake vacuum windshield wiper system which often stopped when the driver stepped on the gas pedal, the Cord used variable-speed windshield wipers. The engine-turned dashboard housed complete instrumentation, including a tachometer and standard radio.

Gordon Buehrig was one of the premier designers of cars during the pinnacle of the Classic Era. His talents were utilized early, and at the age of 25, he was chief body designer for Duesenberg. His designs graced the Model J, arguably one of the most elegant and beautiful cars ever built. He also did work for General Motors, Packard, and Stutz. In his later years, Buehrig taught at the Art Center College of Design, and he even launched a limited-production car in 1979.

E.L. Cord was a talented salesman who quickly rose through the ranks in the automobile business. During his career, he controlled the Auburn and Duesenberg automobile companies, along with Lycoming, Stinson Aircraft and American Airways, Checker and Yellow cab companies. In total, his portfolio included 156 companies, with the basis of his industrial empire being Auburn manufacturing, which he acquired in 1924. He successfully resuscitated the ailing Auburn company by creating a performance image that helped sell mundane but profitable sedans. In 1929, he introduced the front-wheel-drive Auburn-derived automobile with his namesake, the Cord Front Drive, commonly known as the L29.

The Cord L29 had a distinctive and sporting appearance with equally impressive mechanical prowess. Shortly after its introduction, the stock market crashed, crippling the luxury automobile segment. E.L Cord's response to the declining economy was to build a 'baby Duesenberg' designed by Buehrig. It was a new medium-priced front-wheel-drive car called the 1936 Cord Model 810. This new model was intended to be the company's savior, and restore the manufacturing operations to full health. The formula incorporated style, performance, and affordability. The new model had a low profile unibody with a clean and unadorned coffin-nose styling with retractable headlights. Power was supplied by a Lycoming V8 engine.

The Cord 810 differed from its L-29 predecessor by virtue of its four-speed, pre-selector electric gearbox, and more compact Lycoming V-8 engine. The engine was positioned further back in the chassis resulting in improved balance. The normally aspirated version delivered 125 horsepower or 170 bhp when fitted with a Schwitzer-Cummins supercharger. The wheelbase measured 125 inches and body styles included the sedan priced at $1,995, the Beverly sedan at $2,095, the Sportsman at $2,145, and the Phaeton at $2,195.

The new Cord 810 was introduced in November of 1935 at the New York Auto Show. The demand quickly outpaced production, but by this point in history, the Cord Corporation was in deep financial trouble. A re-designated Model 812 was introduced for 1937 when custom sedans on a longer wheelbase joined the range. Supercharging was made available on the 1937 812 models, and these can be distinguished from the normally aspirated 812s by the chrome-plated external exhaust pipes mounted on each side of the hood and grille. It had the same 125-inch wheelbase and body styles as the 810. With a price tag of $2,000 to $3,000, the 810/812 should have been a big success for the company, but this was not to be. When Mr. Cord sold the company in August of 1937, it spelled the end not just for Cord, but for Duesenberg and Auburn as well. In total, fewer than 3,000 examples of the 810/812s were built.

Early Cord 810/812 models suffered from reliability issues, including vapor lock and slipping out of gear. 1936 Cord 810 models that were unsold were re-numbered and sold as 1937 Cord 812 models.

The 812 sedan was $2,445, the Beverly sedan at $2,545, the sportsman at $2,585, and the phaeton at $2,645. Two additional body styles on a 132-inch wheelbase were offered on the Cord 812, including the $2,960 Custom Beverly and the $3,060 Custom Berline.

The American automotive industry would not embrace another front-wheel-drive automobile until 1966, with the introduction of the Oldsmobile Toronado, followed by another General Motors vehicle, the 1967 Cadillac Eldorado. Both the Toronado and the Eldorado were built atop GM's E-body platform and also incorporated hidden headlamps.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2021