Collection

The 1936-37 Cord models 810 and 812 are the embodiment of both cutting edge engineering and revolutionary 
design earning them the designation of “Full Classics™ by the Classic Car Club of America.

Despite the accolades, the Auburn Automobile Company ceased building Cords at the end of the 1937 model 
year. The company’s demise can be attributed to the economic effects of the Great Depression and the fact that 
the UAW organized the company in 1936.

Cord was a car well ahead of its time. Front wheel drive, retractable headlamps, Bendix “Finger Tip Gear 
Control,” unit body construction and a supercharged Lycoming V-8 engine all made the Cord a revolutionary 
automobile.

The Cord was above all a daringly different automobile. This uniqueness appealed especially to those who 
wanted to set themselves apart from the crowd. Celebrities adopted the Cord as another symbol of their special 
status to flaunt before an admiring public. Cords were the favorite car of Actors Tom Mix and Johnnie 
Weissmuller, ice skater Sonja Henie, Amelia Earhart, and boxer Max Schmeling. In addition, Cord automobiles 
were featured in many movies. Cords were cost effective, too; Rolls-Royces, Duesenburgs, and some Cadillacs 
and Packards sold for several times the $3,000.00 base price of  any Cord.

The Cord model 812 was equipped with a 289 cu. in. supercharged Lycoming V-8 engine that would produce 
117hp at 3500 rpm. This model could reach speeds of 107-108 mph. Production records are incomplete however 
it has been estimated that Cord produced 2972 model 810 & 812 automobiles of which 610 or 21% of production 
were convertible phaetons.