Photo: RM Sotheby's
No matter how you feel about them, there’s no denying the fact cars of the pre-war era have an appeal to them that few – if none – of modern day vehicles have. The ideas, the materials, and ultimately the incredible technology that went into making them nearly a century ago could easily be the envy of several modern-day carmakers.
Take the Cord 810/812, for instance. A product of Auburn’s Cord division, this machine was the epitome of luxury at a time of recession, and even if it didn’t last long on the production lines – it was manufactured for just two years, 1936 and 1937 – it sure left a mark on the auto industry.
Finding one today is not easy, but it is not impossible either. You can usually find them at auctions, selling for prices that go well beyond the $100k mark. None of the Cords we’ve seen so far however come close the shining beauty of the red one we have here.
Designed by legendary Gordon Buehrig, who insisted on giving the car its distinctive wraparound grille that became known as a “coffin nose,” this particular 812 is thought to be one of the early production cars, and because it was restored nearly two decades ago, it looks brand new.
Originally fitted with a normally-aspirated V8 engine, the car now hides under its sculpted hood the supercharged variant that cranks out 170 hp (as opposed to the stock 125 hp). And proof to that are the chrome exhaust pipes on each side of the hood, the element that used to set the two apart back in 1937.
During the restoration work, aside for fitting the more potent engine, the owner also had to rebuild the carburetor and water pump. Other than that, it looks just as brilliant as it did when it rolled off the assembly lines all those years ago.
The Cord 812 we have here will sell next month in Palm Beach, courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.
Finding one today is not easy, but it is not impossible either. You can usually find them at auctions, selling for prices that go well beyond the $100k mark. None of the Cords we’ve seen so far however come close the shining beauty of the red one we have here.
Designed by legendary Gordon Buehrig, who insisted on giving the car its distinctive wraparound grille that became known as a “coffin nose,” this particular 812 is thought to be one of the early production cars, and because it was restored nearly two decades ago, it looks brand new.
Originally fitted with a normally-aspirated V8 engine, the car now hides under its sculpted hood the supercharged variant that cranks out 170 hp (as opposed to the stock 125 hp). And proof to that are the chrome exhaust pipes on each side of the hood, the element that used to set the two apart back in 1937.
During the restoration work, aside for fitting the more potent engine, the owner also had to rebuild the carburetor and water pump. Other than that, it looks just as brilliant as it did when it rolled off the assembly lines all those years ago.
The Cord 812 we have here will sell next month in Palm Beach, courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.
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