If we could give any manufacture an award for being innovative at all cost, it would have to go to Cord Corporation. They put innovation before profitability and created some of America’s best looking and most innovative cars. Sadly, the company built very few, but it means the ones they did are valuable. The seller of this 1936 Cord 810 Westchester claims their reserve is set very low, so this Cord could end up being a bargain. Find it here on eBay.
E.L. Cord founded his car manufacturing company with one goal, to be innovative. The Cord was the first American car to be front wheel drive, the first to feature hidden headlamps, and one of the first to offer a radio as standard equipment. All Cord 810s also came with a 4.7L V8 and the front mounted 4 speed semi-automatic transmission. The Cord wasn’t the fastest car of its era, with a top speed of 80 mph, but it was comfortable to ride in and it looked great.
This Cord is going to need a lot of work, but hopefully all the original parts are still with the car. The previous owner bought the car back in 1950 and drove it up until it was involved in a front end collision. He parked the car in his garage in ’54 and that’s where it stayed until just recently. He originally planned to restore the car, but obviously never got around to it.
In preparing the car for restoration, it was partially stripped, but hopefully that doesn’t mean pieces are missing. There are actually a few places still building parts for these cars, so just about every missing piece could be replaced. The damage to the front end could be a big problem, as the transmission sits between the front fenders. The damage to the sheet metal could be fixed by a good body shop, but it may be cheaper to buy replacements. Damage to the transmission could be a bigger issue though.
Cords are highly desirable, as only 1,800 of the original 3,000 built still exist. However, this model is the least sought after and restored examples usually sell for around $60,000, so the reserve is going to have to be set low for this one to be a bargain. Given its condition, what do you guys think is a realistic value?
If I had the money I’d be bidding on this. I love the Cord 810 and although I would prefer the ragtop, at this price it would be well worth taking a coupe. Besides, I am neer going to afford a restored Cord and just to be able to say I owned it would be worth the money. Top of the Bucket List. ;-)
Looking at the illustration of layout, it reminds me of 80’s Saabs, probably with similar handling characteristics. Beautiful car, but definitely a project for a dedicated enthusiast. Not me, that’s certain.
~ i’m also with those who prefer open Cords but this Westchester will be fabulous when finished. that will be many hours and many dollars on down the road.
Someone will enjoy and preserve this fine full classic .
I was just at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg museum a couple weeks ago in Indiana (during the Studebaker Drivers Club International Meet in South Bend). Saw some amazing automobiles, that I never even knew about. Love the flip up headlights.
Someone will buy this and either keep it original but get it driving, or fully restore it. Tough choice for someone who has the funds. Will be interesting to watch.
Well I was outbid at 6000.00 oh well——-……
Common Dave – don’t wimp-out – its only money and you only get one chance
db
I believe the Winchester is the least valued……….or do I have that wrong….hmmm
Anyway, the styling is stunning now as ever. The cost to bring this back would be for the love and not the end value.
Definitely Worth it they are Super hard to come by & i think this one Would be a relatively easy FIX upside some others I’ve seen Missing Everything.
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/1937-cord-812-westchester/1075799
Mistake number one would be wanting a car you cannot afford or afford to fix up. Isn’t that what the last guy went through ?
Mistake number two: even if it would be cheap enough where you can afford it, You don’ bid like crazy on the first day of a 10 day listing.
It’s like starting a marathon with a 100 meter sprint.
Lastly: this poor guy will be getting a lot of phone calls. It would surprise me if this car lasts the whole ten days on E-bay
The Beverly model is probably the least desirable one. The Cord was not the first FWD American car; Packard and Ruxton had experimented with fwd before Cord did, I think. And the 810/812 werenot the first Cords, either- the first Cord was the L29 model, preceding the 810/812.
What the Cord in question will bring is anyone’s guess. Whoever buys it will be upside down in it, although they are beautiful cars and worth saving. Whoever restores this one will have to wait a LONG time for appreciation to bring it up to what he’s got in it. Good luck.
Incidentally, the most valuable iteration of this car is the supercharged Sportsman, the convertible. Sexy looking and fast, too…. that would be the one to have.
Walter Christie was designing and building FWD taxicabs with transverse 4-cylinder engines for NYC back in the nineteen-oughts.
Wasn’t one of the sedans driven around by Warren Beatty in Dick Tracy? If it is the same car, it was stunning in yellow. The Jay Leno Cord video is really worth seeing, as the car is stunning and Jay has a good story about the car before he bought it. What a beautiful design that after all these years still looks stunning. Although the front is crunched, that cross member looks intact. A total tear down and restoration would require some special expertise to sort out that electric shift transmission. I was not aware that Cord built it as a unibody with subframe for the engine/transmisson.
All parts which were removed are packed in boxes. I have more photos showing the parts, if you are interested. We don’t know when frontend collision occurred.
Hello, It’s a Cord we’re talkin bout here. ANY Cord, sedan or convertible is worth saving if at all possible.
$1000 for it . It’s going to cost way more then $60.000 to fix it even if you do it your self . My kinda car , love the old stuff thats why i went to college to learn how to fixem and givem the respect they deserve .
This ones for Lens! Would be a easy restoration for his garage.
Hi,
does anybody kno, how much the car made on ebay ?