1937 Cord 812 Cabriolet S/C

1937 Cord 812 Cabriolet S/C

The Cord 810 and 812, produced in 1936 and 1937 is an iconic American automobile known for its innovative engineering, sleek design, and lasting influence on automotive history. Built by the Cord Automobile division of the Auburn Automobile Company in Auburn, Indiana, these models were the brainchild of Gordon Buehrig and represented a bold leap forward in automotive technology and aesthetics.

The Cord 810 was unveiled at the New York Auto Show in November 1935, where it stole the spotlight with its radical design and engineering. Production began in 1936, with models available as sedans (Westchester, Beverly) , phaetons, and cabriolet (colloquially known as the “Sportsman”) .
Key Features:

⦁ Front-Wheel Drive: The 810 retained Cord’s signature front-wheel-drive system, a rarity at the time, which improved handling and traction by placing the engine’s weight over the drive wheels.
⦁ Lycoming V8 Engine: Powered by a 4.7-liter (289 cu in) Lycoming V8 engine producing 125 horsepower, the 810 offered respectable performance for its era.
⦁ Preselector Transmission: The car featured a four-speed preselector manual transmission, operated via a dashboard-mounted lever. Drivers selected gears in advance, and a vacuum-electric system engaged them, reducing driver effort.
⦁ Hidden Headlights: The 810 introduced “coffin-nose” hidden headlights, which popped up when needed, a first in automotive design that enhanced its sleek look.
⦁ Streamlined Design: Buehrig’s design eliminated running boards, used a low-slung chassis, and featured a louvered grille, giving the car a futuristic, aerodynamic appearance.

The 812 model for 1937 brought improvements to the transmission, various mechanical and electrical systems for enhanced reliability. But the big news was the optional supercharger boosting output to 170 horsepower. Supercharged models, identifiable by chrome side exhaust pipes, were among the fastest American cars of the era, capable of exceeding 100 mph.

The example presented here was purchased by Alphonse P. SanClemente of Massachusetts in 1962 and remained with him and his family until now. Mr. SanClemente was a very early member of the ACD club starting in the 1950s and a frequent exhibitor at the famous ACD Reunion held in Auburn Indiana every labor day weekend.

This car is one of 64 original Supercharged Cabriolets. It can be found on page 297 of Josh Malk’s opus “Cord Complete”. In the 1950s the Cord V8 was swapped out for an Oldsmobile engine. Mr SanClemente purchased the car in 1962 in Worcester Massachusetts. He drove the car for a number of years while trying to source an original engine and drivetrain. Failing to find an engine, In 1964 he attempted to sell the car and it was periodically advertised over the next couple of years in various publications such as the ACD and CCCA newsletters. The almost 2k asking price proved to be too stiff and he lowered the price to $1750 by 1966. Around that time he discovered a completely unrestored supercharged 812 Beverly and decided to restore the car himself using the engine and drivetrain.

The restoration using the original 812SC engine and drivetrain was completed in time for the 1970 ACD Reunion in Auburn Indiana. After driving 800 miles one way he won 1st in class in the 810/812 Open division as well as the long distance driving award. Early in the winter of 1971 the car was driven from Massachusetts to Buck Hill Falls for the CCCA annual meeting. Later that summer a return trip to the ACD Reunion resulted in a second in the Senior division and another long distance award for the 1600 mile round trip.

Over the next 50 years the Cord was maintained and used mostly for local shows. Still wearing the brown lacquer paint from the late 1960s. In 1993 it was driven the CCCA’s New England Grand Classic held in Westborough Massachusetts where it was shown in the Exhibition class.

Over the last 4 years an extensive effort was made to fully sort the car again for touring. Over 30k dollars, hundreds of hours and 700 miles of driving were part of the effort. Working included but was not limited to:

⦁ Complete rebuild of the shifting system including new harness, clutch switch, diaphragms and solenoids.
⦁ New brakes including shoes, cylinders and wheel bearings.
⦁ New exhaust system from to back.
⦁ New rewound coil and tune up.
⦁ All fluids including correct SPO277 gear oil in the transmission, and disassembly and cleaning of transmission filter.

In 2005 new high efficiency aluminum cylinder heads and a new radiator were installed.

A car with a known history going back over 60 years. This Cord Cabriolet represents a unique opportunity to buy a full sorted supercharged 812 Cord Cabriolet at a very reasonable price point. The original restoration has held up wonderfully and it drives as good as it looks.