Vehicle Description
The highly advanced Cord 810/812 was born of the anxious economic
times when many prestigious auto makers were focusing on
entry-level lines in hopes of bolstering lagging sales of their
extravagant, high-end offerings. During the Great Depression, the
wealthiest of clients were reluctant to flaunt their status, and
even the once mighty Duesenberg felt the fallout. In order to
attract new clients, company brass decided they needed a "baby
Duesenberg" to compete with the likes of "entry level" marques such
as Cadillac's LaSalle brand, Packard's Junior Series and others.
But they hesitated and pulled the plug on the project for fear that
it would cheapen the illustrious Duesenberg name. Enter E.L Cord,
the brash, confident industrialist who had previously enjoyed the
prestige of an automobile that bore his own name and he desperately
wanted to revive his own brand. He saw great potential in the
preliminary design of the so called "baby Duesenberg" and he
determined it would be perfect for a dramatic resurgence of Cord
Automobiles. The development was revitalized, and Cord charged his
engineers to push the technical envelope. Inspiration was drawn
from the Citroen Traction Avant, and the car was constructed a
semi-monocoque chassis, front wheel drive, a pre-selector gearbox
and independent front suspension. In place of the traditional
radiator grille, Buehrig and his team of designers drew a series of
wrap around louvers flanked by rounded fenders with retractable
headlamps - the first automobile so equipped. Due to the front
wheel drive layout, the body was set low and running boards were
shunned in place of fully extended doors and a clean, minimalist
look. Eight decades later, the Cord 810/812 remains one of the most
beautiful and iconic American automobile designs. A variety of open
and closed styles were offered, from formal to sporting. The closed
car lineup started by the Westchester, followed by the Beverly,
Custom Beverly and range-topping Berline, the latter two riding on
an extended wheelbase. The most distinguishing feature between the
Westchester and Beverly was the addition of a "bustle" trunk on the
on the Beverly. It also offered more luxurious trappings inside,
with additional trim and equipment. Our featured example is a very
special Custom Berline, one of one originally built on a 135-inch
wheelbase (vs the standard 132"). Wearing chassis number 10217B,
this 1937 812 is unique among the approximately 50 Berlines
produced. It is a very correct, highly awarded example that has
been carefully restored by a marque enthusiast. It is presented in
a very elegant black color scheme, with black and chrome wheels
with polished hub caps as per original. The restoration is
excellent with lovely paint, excellent fit of the doors and panels,
and high quality plating on the bumpers and minimalist exterior
trim. Even in black, the body is straight, with clean reflections
and a deep gloss. A pair of original Cord fog lamps on the front
apron are the only adornment on the clean and elegant body, which
features the 8-louvered grille that signified the upper echelon
models. The car has been enjoyed sparingly since the restoration,
showing only light signs of use. The luxurious interior is trimmed
in lovely brown leather up front, which is piped in a subtle
contrasting deep maroon that repeats on the dash, door cards and
steering column. Cord's signature instrument panel is spectacularly
presented with its polished, engine turned alloy fascia and an
array of aircraft-inspired gauges. It is equipped, as original,
with a heater and a radio. What set the Berline apart from its
lesser brethren is the divider window to the passenger compartment.
This example features an opening divider, and a rear passenger
compartment trimmed in tan broadcloth upholstery, which is also
piped in the same deep red to complement the driver's compartment.
The upholstery quality is excellent, again showing very little use
since restoration. The additional wheelbase was added to the rear
quarters, affording plenty of room for rear occupants. To match the
rear compartment, the headlining is trimmed in the same tan
broadcloth and accented with piping to a beautiful effect. Door
panels and interior fittings are of similar high quality, with
excellent fittings and detail. Beneath the "coffin nose" hood is
the standard normally-aspirated Lycoming 289 cubic inch Lycoming V8
mated to a solenoid actuated pre-select transmission. The
fine-running engine is very nicely detailed with quality paintwork
on the ancillaries, and a tidy, clean appearance. As with the
engine, the undercarriage has an appealing, clean look of a quality
restoration and the car performs very well on the road. This
beautiful and elegant automobile is believed to have been used by
the Cord family when new, and has been in the hands of its previous
owner for over a decade. As a testament to the quality of the
restoration and attention to detail, this Cord 812 has earned a
series of prestigious accolades including an AACA National First
Prize (2000), an AACA Grand National award (2004) a highly coveted
ACD Club (Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg) Senior award and a CCCA Senior
award. It remains in beautiful order and is certain to be a welcome
sight at virtually any show, concours or road tour. This is a rare
opportunity to acquire one of the rarest and most elegant
coffin-nose Cords ever produced.
