THE 810 CORD: A REMARKABLE CLASSIC
Te stunning 810 Cord was arguably the most advanced Ameri- can production car of the 1930s. Sporting a unit-body, front- wheel drive, independent front suspension, a V-8 with aluminum heads, a four-speed pre-selector Bendix gearbox, an optional centrifugal supercharger on 812s and timeless art deco styling by Duesenberg designer Gordon Buehrig, it was far ahead of its time. But the 810 bowed in the depths of the Great Depression, before its development was really completed. Early models suf- fered from gearbox problems, body shake, electrical glitches and chronic overheating.
Te country was mired in such economic doldrums that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt asked the auto industry to preview its 1936 models early, in November 1935, to jump-start sales and boost the stalled economy. Cord wasn’t quite ready. Conceived in a stunning Art Moderne building in Auburn, Indi- ana, Cord Corporation—the pride of industrialist and two-time Time magazine cover subject Errett Lobban Cord—was arguably doomed from the start.
Te Automobile Manufacturing Association (AMA) required automakers to build 100 examples of a new model in order to qualify it for display. Luckily, it didn’t specify that they had to run. Cord quickly complied, but only just: 100 new 810s were hastily assembled, nearly all of them without transmissions, and 25 were shipped to the major auto shows. A canvas “diaper” cov- ered the gaping hole where the gearbox should have been. An angular, coffin-shaped hood, set off by shapely fenders, a low roofline and a fastback trunk, made the 810 Cord’s sleek silhou-
ette impossible to miss. Four-passenger convertibles, called pha- etons, and two-seater convertible coupes rounded out the lineup. One show car had copper trim to dramatize its advanced styling. Instantly recognizable, the Cord was a visual and technical tour de force.
Crowds gaped and orders poured in, even with a base price of
$1,995 for the Beverly sedan (the price of two Oldsmobiles). Cord sent out a small bronze sculpture of the car (they’re collector’s items now) to appease impatient buyers, most of whom wouldn’t take delivery until mid-1936. Early adopters were plagued with problems, which the factory corrected as quickly as it could. De- spite the available supercharger and those stunning external ex- haust pipes, it was all over by 1937. Revered by collectors, Cords today are CCCA Full Classics, and a cottage industry has evolved to correct all the inbred faults.
We were due to hit West Virginia again before crossing into Ohio, but after 250 miles of enjoyable driving, disaster struck on a steep downhill leg near Claysville, Pennsylvania. Al was in third to let engine compres- sion slow the car, and the brakes began to fade, then stopped working completely. Skillfully applying the emergency brake, Al coasted to a stop at a service station off the highway. Both rear tires were streaked with grease. Whether it was wheel bearings, brake cylinders or worse, one thing was certain: We were hors de combat.
You can’t find much for a Cord at a NAPA store, so we decided to
just get the car to Auburn, where spare parts and a Cord mechanic might be available. With two auctions scheduled and several cars headed west for the Labor Day events, I was certain Reliable Car- riers might have a rig nearby. Sure enough, General Manager Bob Sellers turned one of his trucks around, and we loaded the Cord. With the wounded 812 en route to Auburn, we piled in the chase car and headed for Indianapolis, where the motel parking lot was filled with Cords in various states of disrepair. Many had hoods up and transmission covers removed while owners fiddled with re-
The author (left) examines the supercharged Lycoming V-8 of his borrowed Cord 812 convertible coupe. Rear bearing and brake trouble along the way necessitated rescue by transporter (center) and delivery to Jerry Muzzillo’s garage in Auburn, Indiana.
Hagerty Magazine | 800-922-4050 47
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68