calcitrant shifters. Several broken Cords were already on trailers, but people helped one another and no one seemed upset. Phil and Kathie Ragains of Manhattan, Michigan, were plagued with shifter trouble, and underdash wiring was spread out in the cabin like spaghetti. “I might put her in the back seat and let her do the shifting,” Phil joked. Te next morning some 22 Cords (plus a few on trailers) lined up with an Indianapolis State Police escort. Skillfully blocking traf- fic for 140 miles, with alternating teams of motorcycle-mounted officers, the “Staties” ensured our convoy had clear sailing north into Auburn. Once there, Al and I headed for Cord Specialist Jerry Muzzillo’s garage, where his son Tony had already replaced the 812’s rear wheel bearings on both sides. But when I stepped on the brake, the right rear wheel cylinder failed. Tony said he’d get a new one overnight. To be safe, we drove to Brake Materials & Parts in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and got a new master cylinder as well. By Friday morning, the Cord was ready, just in time for us to drive to the flea market and tour the ACD Museum.


Built in 1930, the museum initially served as the administration building for the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Corporation. A remark- ably preserved art deco structure, it is filled with historic cars like


the majestic prototype 1932 E-1 Cord, a Duesenberg-like V-12 lim- ousine that was designed to replace the short-lived Cord L-29, as well as one of the first hand-assembled Cord show cars, replete with copper trim. Up a magnificent center staircase, you’ll find E.L. Cord’s office and Gordon Buehrig’s design studio, preserved the way they were. Knowing you’re ascending the same stairs that Fred Duesen- berg climbed is a thrill.


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