The Cord 810 was introduced in late 1935 for the 1936 model year and returned for 1937 as the 812 before the Auburn Automobile Company ceased manufacture of the Cord marque. Gordon Buehrig-penned styling includes a “coffin-nose” front profile with a louvered wraparound grille, a rear-hinged hood, hideaway headlights raised via dash-mounted hand cranks, concealed door hinges, and a split windshield. Six body styles were offered in 1937, each of which was available as a supercharged variant distinguished…
The Cord 810 was introduced in late 1935 for the 1936 model year and returned for 1937 as the 812 before the Auburn Automobile Company ceased manufacture of the Cord marque. Gordon Buehrig-penned styling includes a “coffin-nose” front profile with a louvered wraparound grille, a rear-hinged hood, hideaway headlights raised via dash-mounted hand cranks, concealed door hinges, and a split windshield. Six body styles were offered in 1937, each of which was available as a supercharged variant distinguished visually by external exhaust pipes on each side of the hood.
This example’s two-door convertible phaeton coachwork is finished in Cigarette Cream and was repainted during the refurbishment by Capaldi Enterprises, which also included re-plating of the brightwork by Qual Krom in Erie, Pennsylvania. The tan convertible top is said to have been fabricated during the project by ACD Club interior specialist Rick Hulett and features red piping and an oval rear window.
Red-painted steel wheels wear chromed covers and are mounted with 8.50-16 Firestone whitewall tires, as is a matching spare secured in the trunk compartment. Stopping is handled by four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, while suspension incorporates a trailing-arm independent front setup with a transverse leaf spring and a solid rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs.
The cabin is said to have been re-trimmed during the refurbishment by Rick Hulett using long-grain red leather over the front and rear bench seats as well as over the door panels and rear side panels. Additional interior features include burgundy carpeting, roll-up side windows, retractable rear quarter windows, dual lockable gloveboxes, and a dash-mounted rearview mirror.
The cream-color three-spoke steering wheel features a bright horn ring and shares its column with a Bendix “electric hand” gear selector at the driver’s right. A machine-turned dash fascia houses instrumentation including a 150-mph speedometer, a 5k-rpm tachometer, a clock, and gauges monitoring coolant temperature, fuel level, oil pressure, and amperage. The five-digit odometer shows 12k miles, approximately 100 of which have been added under current ownership. The seller notes that the tachometer cable requires attention.
The 288ci V8 features three main bearings, aluminum cylinder heads, and side valves angled at a near-horizontal position and is topped with a Schwitzer-Cummins centrifugal supercharger and a single Stromberg carburetor.
Power is transferred to the front wheels by a Detroit Gear four-speed manual transaxle mounted ahead of the engine. Gear changes are preselected via the column-mounted electrical switch and are set into action when the depression of the clutch pedal completes the electrical circuit that actuates vacuum cylinders on the transaxle unit.
The car is titled using its body number, C3476637, which is shown on a tag riveted above the chassis tag.
The car is shown above with former ACD Club president Ethan Turner after Turner’s purchase of the car in 1980.