If any car could be described as the epitome of art deco style, it would have to be the Cord Phaeton. This 1937 example is soon to be offered by Auctions America, at Fort Lauderdale on March 16-18.
The company's pottred history of the marque says:
Gordon Buehrig’s clean and unadorned coffin-nosed, retractable headlight design would create a standard by which cars are still judged today.
It created an instant sensation at its November 1935 introduction at the New York Auto Show, so much so that Cord could not meet demand.
One of the most attractive – and desirable – variants of the 810/812 series was the Phaeton, a unique four-passenger convertible – one of the first production examples of this body style.
Until Cord’s Phaeton, two door four passenger convertibles were called convertible victorias. Their blind quarter convertible tops were elegant, but made for poor visibility for rear seat passengers.
Cord’s innovative Phaeton provided a stylish quarter window, making the car much more pleasant for those seated in the rear.
Powered by a 125 bhp, 288.6 cu. in. L-head V-8 engine, four-speed pre-selector transmission, trailing arm independent front suspension, solid rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.
This trend-setting model used the proven formula of styling, performance and a reasonable price.
The car being offered is painted correct Cigarette Cream with dark burgundy upholstery—a superb color combination.
The car presents well and as a Classic Car Club of America Full Classic, this car is eligible for all Club activities. Historians cite 810 and 812 Cord production at slightly more than 2900 cars over an 18-month period. Of these, 612 were Convertible Phaetons.