Cord 812 Phaeton 1937 - World Of Classic Cars -

Cord 812 Phaeton 1937

The 810 was E.L. Cord’s second attempt at a front-wheel drive automobile. Its engine was a V-8, also by Lycoming, but a four-speed electrically-shifted pre-selector transmission was used. The body, designed by Gordon Buehrig, was a thing of beauty. Its blunt, louvered hood gave rise to the nickname “coffin nose,” always a term of endearment, and such features as a “step-down” floor, unitary construction, hidden door hinges, and a total lack of running boards were all previously unheard-of.
The car’s reception at the November 1935 New York Auto Show was enthusiastic, with onlookers reportedly standing on the roofs of other cars just to catch a glimpse, and the orders poured in. Alas, production start-up for the advanced and complex design was slow, and by the time supply caught up with demand, some customers had changed their minds.

Cord 812 Phaeton 1937

Four body styles were offered: two sedans and two open cars. The phaeton offered a back seat for two, and it was one of the first four-passenger convertibles to feature a fully disappearing top and rear quarter windows. The result was a car that had a very sleek, clean appearance when opened to the wind and sun.
Cords for 1937 were designated 812, although there were few changes aside from an optional supercharger. The 812 was the final car to remain in production in the E.L. Cord empire. Cord sold his interests that August, and new management immediately halted the lines. The tooling for Buehrig’s beautiful bodies was later used by Hupp and Graham, as an ultimately futile attempt to continue in the car business. The 810/812 has remained a legend, in part thanks to display at many of the world’s leading museums as an object of automotive art.

Cord 812 Phaeton 1937

The phaeton presented here was originally powered by engine FB 1645, replaced by its present engine, FB 1450, many years ago. It was previously owned for some 40 years by enthusiast Ellsworth Smith, originally of New Jersey and later of California, and in his care, it was displayed many times at West Coast events of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club, earning numerous mentions in the club’s newsletter. More recently, it has been refinished in ivory with a red leather interior and converted to the appearance of a supercharged model, with the addition of side exhaust. A wonderful combination of freshly restored beauty and drivable patina with wonderful performance and a surprisingly modern driving feel.