Vehicle Highlights:
•One of 195 examples were manufactured of the supremely elegant two-seat convertible coupe later called the Sportsman.
•The car carries impossible-to-find and fully functional accessories including a factory AM radio, factory heater and an original fuel pump.
•812 supercharged configurations.
One of the few automobiles deemed worthy of inclusion in the Museum of Modern Art in New York and arguably the most easily recognized American car of all time, the Cord 810 debuted in November 1935, where it received a rapturous reception at US automobile shows. Originally conceived as a baby Duesenberg, this amazing design was the work of a team headed by Gordon Buehrig, who had previously designed the famous Duesenberg Beverly style and the stupendous Duesenberg "Twenty Grand" for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair.
The 810-body style with its louvered "coffin" nose, streamlined wings, concealed gas filler under a modern flap, headlamps that opened by means of hand-cranks on either side of the airplane-style engine-turned aluminum dash and the absence of running boards would prove immensely influential. The following model year, cars all over the world suddenly had horizontal chrome strips along the hood, squared-off grilles and more shapely side treatments. None however, could aspire to the clean, simple and timeless beauty of the original.
The 810's arrival marked the end of a hiatus in Cord production, as the L-29 model had disappeared in 1931. Errett Lobban Cord had introduced the L-29 in 1929 as a gap-filling model priced between the Auburn and Duesenberg lines of the Cord Corporation. Powered by a Lycoming straight-eight, the Cord L-29 featured front wheel drive, a chassis layout then in vogue at Indianapolis. Its front-wheel-drive layout made for a low-slung frame, and the freedom this gave coachbuilders meant that the Cord was soon attracting the attention of master craftsmen on both sides of the Atlantic.
A front-wheel-drive car like the L-29, the 810 differed from its predecessor by virtue of its more compact Lycoming V-8 engine and 4-speed, pre-selector electric gearbox, modelled on the French Cotal. Set further back in the chassis, the new powertrain gave the 810-improved balance and came with 125 bhp in standard trim or 170 bhp when supercharged.
The Cord was re-designated 812 for 1937 when custom sedans on a longer wheelbase joined the range, although it is doubtful whether any independent offering ever matched Buehrig's original Beverly fastback sedan for sheer style. 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. Priced competitively in the USD 2,000 - 3,000 range, the 810/812 should have been a huge success, but this was not to be. The Cord Corporation was in deep financial trouble, and when Mr. Cord sold up in August 1937, it spelled the end not just for Cord, but for Auburn and Duesenberg as well. At the close, a little fewer than 3,000 810/812s had been made.
By far most were closed cars, called the Westchester when built as a fastback, and the Beverly when fitted with a bustleback trunk. Of the open models, the most common was the four-passenger Phaeton. Only 195 examples were manufactured of the supremely elegant two-seat convertible coupe later called the Sportsman, and according to the factory records, a mere 64 of these were supercharged.
With over 25 years in business, Black Horse Garage’s experienced and knowledgeable staff can help you find the best cars; whatever your budget. We always have a diverse and high quality inventory of vehicles available and if we don’t have just what you want – we’ll help you find it through our vast network of dealers and collectors.
Call John Buonanno at 203-330-9604 or email us at [email protected]. We look forward to finding you the car of your dreams!
