Vehicle Description
Upon arriving at Auburn Automobile Company in 1924, Errett Lobban
Cord found the firm in dire straits. Years of conservative,
uninspired designs in the face of increasing competition saw sales
tank, and soon Auburn dealers were faced with a glut of unsold
inventory. Needing to reduce existing stocks, Cord devised a simple
plan to make the product line more appealing, which involved little
more than applying bright paint colors and some creative marketing.
The program saved Auburn from certain bankruptcy and Cord was
offered a senior management position. Ambitious to a fault, E.L.
Cord instead leveraged his offer and bought a controlling stake in
Auburn. Within a few short years, the marque's image was
transformed, with sports stars, business moguls and Hollywood
actors seen in stylish Auburn automobiles. E.L. Cord had carefully
positioned the brand within his fast-growing automobile empire by
offering smart performance cars at a competitive price point. For
1931, sales had continued to rebound despite economic conditions,
and Auburn introduced fresh new styling that was inspired by the
more upscale Cord L29. As a further boost to Auburn, a sporty new
Speedster joined the lineup the same year. Even as Auburn, Cord,
and Duesenberg flourished, E.L. Cord was losing interest in
building cars and looking to invest heavily in aviation and
shipbuilding. Cord spent fewer and fewer hours tending to the car
business, and the dire economy caused sales to plummet 67% between
1931 and 1932. The addition of the sophisticated V12 engine did
little to help. Again faced with reviving the struggling Auburn
line, management brought in Gordon Buehrig in 1934 to redesign the
Auburn line for 1935. He was apprehensive about the post since his
friend and fellow designer Alan Leamy was rather unfairly fired
over the failure of the 1934 range. For his redesign, Buehrig left
much of the body alone, save for straightening out the
controversial dipped beltline of the '34 model. He revised the
front end with a new radiator shell and deep, full-figured fenders.
The result was a beautiful design - neat and sophisticated in the
typical Buehrig fashion. Across the entire line, Auburn used the
proven Lycoming inline eight-cylinder engine, after the expensive
and unpopular V12 was dropped. An optional engine-driven
supercharger joined the line, developed by August Duesenberg and
Kurt Beier of Schwitzer-Cummins. Despite the best efforts of the
designers and marketing team, the new models failed to ignite
sales. The impact of the Great Depression was too much to overcome,
and allegations of E.L. Cord engaging in stock manipulations
spelled the end for Auburn, which closed its doors after the 1936
model year. This 1936 Auburn 852 Cabriolet is a marvelous example
of the top-of-the-line, final-year Salon model, presented in
beautiful colors and subject of a recent mechanical and cosmetic
freshening. For the 1935 model year, Auburn re-introduced the
Standard, Custom, and Salon to designate the respective trim lines.
This car is a desirable Salon model, identified by its dual
side-mount spare wheels with full steel covers, Crosley radio,
folding windscreen, and the all-important dual-ratio rear axle.
This car spent many years in the hands of a private owner in
Illinois, who was an active member of the ACD Club and participated
in their shows and events as well as with the CCCA, to which this
car is welcomed as a Full Classic. The car was treated to a
high-quality, CCCA Senior Premier Award-winning restoration some
years ago, appearing on the lawn of the prestigious Pebble Beach
Concours d'Elegance in 2001. It is recently freshened for continued
enjoyment on the road or show field. It presents in exceptional
condition, finished in a beautiful shade of bright red accented
with subtle, dark red feature lines and straw-colored stripes. The
body is outstanding, with straight and properly-aligned panels.
Plating on the bumpers, grille, and trim is excellent, appearing
clean and finely maintained since the initial restoration. Optional
wire wheels with Firestone wide-whitewalls round out the sporty
looks. In its day, the Cabriolet was considerably more popular than
the two-seat Speedster, as it offered superior practicality with
similar performance. The additional rumble seat allows space for up
to four passengers, while the roll-up windows and generous roof
make for a roomy cabin up front. This car's tan leather upholstery
provides a pleasing contrast to the paint color and is in great
condition, showing some light creasing and character from
occasional use on the front seat. Door panels, rumble seat
upholstery, and the brown carpeting are all in similarly fine
order. Original instruments are set in the ornate patterned-alloy
dash, and this car features the factory Crosley radio set in the
center of the fascia. Finished in tan Haartz cloth, the top is in
excellent condition and includes a matching boot. Under the hood
sits the original Lycoming inline eight, which displaces 279 cubic
inches. The engine is recently and comprehensively rebuilt. Both
the block and head were found to be in very sound condition, aside
from normal wear. It was rebuilt with new rod/main bearings, ground
and polished crankshaft, new rings, resurfaced head, all new
gaskets, and new ancillaries including water pump and new tune
parts. Before installation, it was professionally painted and
detailed in the correct Lycoming green with satin-black accessories
and proper decals and hardware. Naturally, it runs strong, sending
power through the original 3-speed manual gearbox and functional
two-speed rear axle. The Auburn 852 is a marvelous touring car,
with power aplenty and the added benefit of overdrive for relaxed
cruising. Stylish, rare, and with robust performance, it is no
surprise that the 852 Salon Cabriolet has become the enthusiast's
choice for an affordable alternative to exclusive Speedster. The
Cabriolet offers virtually the same road manners and marvelous
open-air driving experience in a cabin that is comfortable and
practical for touring and regular use. With its beautiful
presentation that encourages enjoyment, this is a truly outstanding
example that is ready for ACD Club events, CCCA Touring, and casual
show.