Cord (automobile)

Cord was a brand of American luxury automobile manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company of Connersville, Indiana, from 1929 to 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937.

Auburn was wholly owned by the Cord Corporation, founded and run by E. L. Cord as a holding company for his many transportation interests (which included the Lycoming engines, Stinson aircraft, and Checker Motors). Cord was noted for its innovative technology and streamlined designs.

Innovations

Cord innovations include front-wheel drive on the L-29 and hidden headlamps on the 810 and 812.

Though DeSoto used them in 1942, hidden headlamps did not reappear as a luxury feature until the 1960s, beginning with the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette. It was followed two years later by another General Motors product, the Buick Riviera, whose GM stylists later stated they were trying to capture the "feel" of the Cord's design.

"Servo" shifting was accomplished through a Bendix electro-vacuum pre-selector mechanism (a type of electromechanical shifting).

Cord L-29

This was the first American front-wheel drive car to be offered to the public,[1] beating the Ruxton automobile by several months, in 1929.[2] The brainchild of former Miller engineer Cornelius Van Ranst, its drive system borrowed from the Indianapolis 500-dominating racers, using the same de Dion layout and inboard brakes.[2] Built in Auburn, Indiana, the Cord was the first American front-wheel-drive car to use constant-velocity joints, utilising double Hooke's joints rather than Rzeppa constant-velocity-joints adopted by Ruxton and other manufacturers.[3][4] While commonly used today in all front-wheel-drive vehicles, their first use was on the 1929 Cord. The lack of rear drivetrain components and straight frame (without rear kick-up to clear up the rear axle) allowed it to be much lower in height than competing cars whose average height was about six feet or almost two metres. 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 gas gauge, oil level gauge, and ammeter on the right of the steering wheel.[1]

It was powered by a Lycoming 4934 cc 125 hp L-head inline 8 from the Auburn 120,[1][2] with the crankshaft pushed out through the front of the block and the flywheel mounted there, driving a three-speed transmission. Gearing in both transmission and front axle was inadequate, and the 4700 lb car was underpowered, limited to a trifle over 80 mph, inadequate even at the time, and readily exceeded by the less expensive Auburn.[2] Still, the styling was lovely, and despite the 137.5 in wheelbase and steering demanding fully four turns lock-to-lock, handling was reportedly superb.[2] Wheelbase was 137.5" and the height of the sedan was 61".[5][1] The 1930 Chrysler Imperial

The L-29 was priced around US$3,000 ($0 in dollars ), putting it in the upper tier of America's most expensive luxury automobiles alongside Cadillac, Marmon, Lincoln, Packard, Franklin, and Stutz, and below only Duesenburg. It could not, however, overcome the deepening effects of the Great Depression, and by 1932, it was discontinued, with just 4,400 sold.[2]

Post-bankruptcy

Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg (1938-1960)

In 1938, the assets of the ailing Auburn Automobile Company were purchased by Detroit entrepreneur Dallas E. Winslow, who renamed the company to the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Company (ACD Co.) and began operating as a parts supplier for Auburn cars. ACD Co. also offered service and restoration work at the former Auburn factory, using the skills and expertise of former employees.[7] Following the Second World War, Winslow sold rights to the Duesenberg brand but retained Auburn and Cord.[8]

Glenn Pray replicas (1960-1966)

In 1960, the rights to the Auburn-Cord name were purchased from Winslow by school shop teacher Glenn Pray, with financial backing from Chevrolet dealer Wayne McKinley.[9] Feeling he could make money selling spare parts to fellow enthusiasts (many of whom he knew personally), Pray firstly used the newly formed company to sell such parts, before moving on to replica automobile production.[10]

In 1964, Pray's company began manufacturing the Cord 8/10, so named because it was an 8/10 scale replica of the original Cord 810. Designed with the assistance of Gordon Buehrig, the car was based on the drivetrain of a rear-engine Chevrolet Corvair, albeit rotated around, allowing the new Cord to be front-wheel-drive. The body was constructed from a plastic known as Royalite, through a partnership with U.S Rubber who were looking for a way to promote their new composite material.[10]

With investors taking an active role in managing the company, the 8/10 was put into production before Pray believed it was ready. Pray refused to comply with investors' demand for an account of parts used in the manufacture of the 8/10, and was ousted from the company in January of 1966.[9] The company built 97 cars before going bankrupt in July 1966. Pray later produced Auburn replicas in a similar fashion.[10]

Cancelled revival

Following Pray's death in 2011, the rights to the Cord brand name were auctioned by the Pray family in 2014 and purchased by American entrepreneur Craig Corbell, who planned to revive the company using the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act of 2015.[11] Corbell intended to begin production with the Cord Model III, a luxury reverse-trike featuring a 180-horsepower V4 motorcycle engine from Motus Motorcycles, before moving on to a more conventional four-wheeled replica resembling the Cord 810/812 models, albeit incorporating modern design and technology. Corbell later cancelled the project however, and the rights to the Cord name were offered for auction again in 2019.[12]

type	Automobile company
foundation	December 28, 1929
defunct	December 23, 1937
fate	Bankruptcy
founder	Errett Lobban Cord
location	Auburn, Indiana, United States
industry	Manufacturing
products	Luxury Automobile

Innovations

Cord L-29

Cord Model 810/812

Demise

Hupmobile/Graham

Post-bankruptcy

Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg (1938-1960)

Glenn Pray replicas (1960-1966)

Cancelled revival

In popular culture

See also

Sources

External links

References