Vehicle Description
This 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton is a sensationally restored "Coffin
Nose" Cord with an extremely rare bustleback trunk. Perhaps the
most recognizable Cord automobiles produced were the 810 and 812
models, which were known for their "Coffin Nose" design. Founded in
1929, the Cord Corporation was essentially a namesake holding
company for Errett Lobban "E.L." Cord's automotive-related holdings
including his shares in famed car manufacturers, Auburn Automobile
Co. and Dusenberg, Inc., along with his holdings in the Lycoming
Mfg. Co. among others. Cord's debut automobile, the L-29, was
extremely innovative as it was the first front wheel drive American
automobile to market, beating out the Ruxton. However, as one could
expect, 1929 was an unfortunate time to debut a luxury automobile
due to immense economic downturn caused by the Great Depression. By
the end of 1931, Cord ceased production of the L-29 and sold off
its remaining 157 L-29s in 1932. Then, in 1936, Cord brought back
its innovative front wheel drive design and placed it in the
modernized Gordon Buehrig-styled "Coffin Nose" 810 body, a car that
at its inception was supposed to be a "Baby Dusenberg." Buehrig, of
course, was known by then for his design work on the Dusenberg
Model J and the Auburn 851 Boattail Speedster. In addition to their
iconic Buehrig style, the Cord 810/812 automobiles were
revolutionary cars known for 3 major leaps forward in automobile
design, front wheel drive, semi-automatic transmissions, and "roll
up headlights." With front wheel drive, the 810 and 812s could have
a lower ride height, which eliminated the need for running boards
and, as touted in Cord's advertising materials, "the Cord always
'goes where it is pointed.'" The second innovation, the
semi-automatic transmission, utilized a pre-selector shifter which
made the driver's compartment roomier and was a precursor to the
truly automatic transmissions that rose in popularity in the 50s
and dominate in automobiles today. The final innovation was the
addition of the roll-up hidden headlights which made the Cords more
aerodynamic and again were a precursor for automobile designs in
the future. Despite all of the innovative ideas incorporated into
the 1936 Cord 810 and the 1937 Cord 812, financial troubles caused
the company to shut down automobile production in 1937 and it sadly
ceased production on August 7, 1937. This particular 1937 Cord 812
Phaeton comes to us from the hands of a prominent collector and
like all Cord automobiles is a Classic Car Club of America (CCCA)
"True Classic." Under the "Coffin Nose" shaped hood on this '37
Cord is a 288.64 Cubic Inch Lycoming V8 engine paired with a single
2 barrel carburetor that pushed out 125 horsepower when new. Unlike
virtually all of the cars in the day, power is sent from the 289
Lycoming V8 to the front wheels (as opposed to the rear wheels)
which makes these Cords true engineering marvels for the late 30s.
The Lycoming V8 engine is mated to a 4 speed semi-automatic
(manual) transmission that is shifted using a dash-mounted electric
"pre-selector" shifter which gives the car the feel of almost a
semi-automatic transmission. The chrome and brightwork around the
exterior of this '37 Cord 812 is in fantastic, show-worthy
condition. Riding on a set of wide whitewall radial tires paired
with full wheelcovers, this 1937 Cord Phaeton has a truly classic
look and a wonderful ride. This 812 Convertible Phaeton Sedan is
also outfitted with the extremely rare bustleback trunk that
further elevates the prestige of this car. The beige cloth
convertible top is manually operated and is in superb condition.
This Coffin Nose Cord has been refinished in a beautiful Rich
Maroon that completes the exterior look of the car. The interior on
this 1937 Cord is absolutely stunning! The front split-bench seats
and the rear bench have been reupholsted in beautiful black leather
accented with red piping. The door panels, carpeting and steering
wheel are all in fantastic condition and appear to be in their
stock configuration. The stock dash is adorned in beautiful
woodgrain and engine-turned trim and is equipped with a 120 MPH
speedometer, 5,000 RPM tachometer, oil pressure gauge, amp gauge,
temperature gauge, and fuel gauge, along with a clock and AM radio.
Whether you're purchasing your first true classic or you're adding
to your existing collection, this 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton would make
an excellent choice. Give us a call today!
*288.64 Cu. In. Lycoming V8
*Single 2 Barrel Carburetor
*4 Speed Semi-Automatic Transmission
*Wide Whitewall Radial Tires w/ Full Wheelcovers
*Front Wheel Drive
*Very Rare Bustleback Trunk
*1 of 2,992 "Coffin Nose" Cords Produced
*Rich Maroon Exterior
*Black Leather Bench Seat Interior
*Beige Cloth Convertible Top
*Stock Instrumentation
*Odometer Reads: 34,517 Miles
If an inaccurate automobile price is inadvertently listed on this
Website, Seller reserves the right to NOT honor the erroneous
price.
For more information and a current list of vehicles, call
763-428-7337.
