Introduction
The Cord Automobile company manufactured luxury cars in America during the first half of last century. The company was based in Connersville, Indiana, and produced cars from 1929 to 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937. The Cord Corporation was founded and run by E. L. Cord as a holding company for his many transportation interests, including Auburn. The Cord automobiles were noted for its innovative technology and streamlined designs.
Cord Innovations
Cord innovations included front-wheel drive on the L-29 and hidden headlamps on the 810 and 812. The “Hidden Headlamp” feature would not surface again in automotive design until the 1960s, apart from a brief run on the 1942 DeSoto model. The early Oldsmobile Toronados, whose GM stylists later stated “were trying to capture the feel of the Cord's design”, also featured hidden headlamps. An early type of automatic transmission was also a Cord innoivation. Known as "Servo-Shifting", the system employed a bendix electro-vacuum pre-selector mechanism to create a type of electromechanical automated shifting.
The Cord L-29
The Cord L-29 was launched in 1929 and holds the honour of being the first American front-wheel drive car available to purchase by the American public (rather than simply remaining a design on the drawing board). Other manufacturers were developing Front-Wheel-Drive systems, most notably the Ruxton automobile, which Cord only managed to beat to market by a matter of months. The Cord Front-Wheel-Drive system was the brainchild of former Miller engineer Carl Van Ranst. He utilized a drive system that had found success in Indianapolis 500 race cars, and he even incorporated the same de Dion layout and inboard brakes.
The L-29 was also the first front-wheel-drive car to use CV-type drive axle joints. This allowed it to sit much lower than competing cars, creating a beautiful streamlined look. Both stock cars and special bodies built on the Cord chassis by American and European coachbuilders won prizes in contests worldwide. The L-29 came with full instrumentation, including a temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge, and speedometer on the left with a fuel gauge, oil level gauge, and Ammeter on the right of the steering wheel.
It was powered by Auburn's 4,934 cc (301 cu in) 125 hp (93 kW) L-head Lycoming inline 8 from the Auburn 120, with the crankshaft pushed out through the front of the block and the flywheel mounted there, driving a three-speed transmission. The gearing in both transmission and front axle was inadequate, and the 4,700 lb (2,100 kg) car was underpowered, limited to a trifle over 80 mph (130 km/h), a speed considered inadequate even at the time, and readily exceeded by the less expensive Auburn. Still, the styling was lovely, and despite the 137.5 in (3,490 mm) wheelbase and steering demanding fully four turns lock-to-lock, handling was reportedly superb.
Priced around US$3,000, it was competitive with Cadillac, Marmon, Lincoln, Packard, Franklin, and Stutz. And, as the saying goes, copying is the sincerest form of flattery, and the L-29 was indeed copied in several styling elements by the 1930 Chrysler. Unfortunately, however, the cost of manufacture put the Cord L-29 at the high end of the luxury car market – and when the Great Depression struck sales slumped. It would limp along until 1932 when production was discontinued. During its reign, only 4,400 cars were sold. The wheelbase was 137.5" and the height of the sedan was 61".
Cord Model 810/812
The Cord Model 810/812 are probably the best-known of the company's automobiles. Styled by Gordon M. Buehrig, they featured front-wheel drive and independent front suspension; the front drive enabled the 810 to be so low, running boards were unnecessary. Powered by a 4,739 cc (289 cu in) Lycoming V8 of the same 125 horsepower (93 kilowatts) as the L-29, the 810 had a four-speed electrically-selected semi-automatic transmission, among other innovative features.
The car caused a sensation at the New York Auto Show in November 1935. Orders were taken at the show with Cord promising Christmas delivery, expecting production of 1,000 per month. Production delays pushed the expected delivery date to February 1936. This proved optimistic; the first production vehicles were not delivered until April. In all, Cord managed to sell only 1,174 of the new 810 in its first model year. The car is well known for the flat front nose with a louvered grille design. The front was so similar in look to a coffin, the car was often called "Coffin Nose".
Demise of the Cord
Early reliability problems, including slipping out of gear and vapor lock, cooled initial enthusiasm, and the dealer base shrank rapidly. Unsold left-over and in-process 1936 810s were re-numbered and sold as 1937 812s. In 1937, Auburn ceased production of the Cord. A single 1938 Cord prototype with some changes to the grille and transmission cover was built, and we believe this car still exists. The Cord empire, amid allegations of financial fraud, was sold to the Aviation Corporation, and E.L. Cord moved to Nevada where he earned millions in real estate and other enterprises. |
