1937 Cord 812 Cabriolet Coupe

Erret Leban Cord began building his empire in the mid 1920s when he became president and primary stockholder of Auburn. In 1929 Cord introduced a car bearing his name, the front-wheel-drive Cord L-29. There were unfortunately many technological problems with the L-29 that kept it from becoming the great car for which people had hoped. However, the L-29’s purpose was well served, as it laid the groundwork for the famed Cord 810 and 812 models.

Like the L-29, the 810 and 812 models had front-wheel-drive and a 125-inch wheelbase. In order to solve the weight distribution problem, a Lycoming V-8 engine was used, rather than the straight eight of the L-29. The Lycoming V-8 produced 125 horsepower and had a top speed of 90 mph.

Models 810 and 812 were most famous, however, for their incredible design. The brainchild of Gordon Buehrig, the new Cords were a complete departure from anything that came before it. In fact the 810 and 812 Cords have...