The Cord 810

When it debuted in 1935, the Cord 810 did at least part of what it was supposed to. Built with technical innovations unavailable on any other car of its time, the 810 turned heads and caught the attention of the entire automotive world.

The 810 was unlike any car that came before. Originally conceived as a "baby" Duesenberg, the 810 was billed as the flagship of the automotive line (Auburns and Cords) built by Auburn
Automotive Company (AAC). Made with a distinctive design flair that set it apart from anything else on the road, the 810 is easily one of the most beautiful American cars ever built.

The 810's styling was centered around a huge, coffin-nosed hood with an integrated wraparound grill assembly of horizontal louvers resembling Venetian blinds. The flaired front fenders were massive, and incorporated the automotive industry's first disappearing headlights, which opened and retracted through a cranking mechanism and cables.

The body of the 810 featured unitized all-steel construction, center-hinged doors with concealed hinges, a sharply-angled (45 degrees), split-pane windshield, an elegant, sloped rear end and a roomy interior.

Mechanically, the Cord 810 offered an innovative powertrain with front-wheel-drive and a Lycoming V-8 rated at 125 horsepower (but actually slightly less powerful) under the hood. Cord claimed the car had a top speed of 95 mph, although that has not been documented.

But for all its innovations and its outstanding design, the Cord 810 was maybe a little too far ahead of its time in more ways than one. The model was plagued by production problems from the word go, and didn't make it into full production until 1936, several months after it was to have shipped. The 810 had persistent troubles with its transmission and drivetrain, and received numerous complaints from car owners, who had become unwitting test drivers when the car was put into production before all the bugs were worked out.

Other problems mounted...paint jobs were sloppy, and the company admitted later it used leftover Auburn paints on some cars, giving them an uneven finish. Many cars leaked badly whenever it rained. The front-wheel-drive powertrain also had problems with wearing in the joints that caused an annoying noise.

To their credit, engineers and workers at Auburn worked frantically to correct the car's problems, but the company was in the midst of hard times financially and proved to be on its way to oblivion. The 810 sold about 1,100 units in 1936, then became the improved 1937 Cord 812, but prices went up as well, and the company actually lost money on each car. Ironically, the revolutionary 810 - Auburn's hope for revitalizing a struggling company - may have sealed AAC's fate.

The Cord 810 had its successes...Many of the innovations featured on the 810 were later perfected and have become commonplace on today's cars. the 810 even experienced success in racing, taking first place in the 24-hour Stevens Trophy Challenge at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

And today, the Cord 810 is a success among collectors, if only for its unique styling, and the place in automotive history it's given for its innovative design.

We give you a close-up look at the story behind the Cord 810, and take one of the vintage cars back out onto the road, on Episode 976102 of My Classic Car Video Magazine.