1937 Cord 812 Convertible: Unusual Technology, Striking Style

December 16, 2020 Think THF, Archive Insight

Although it wasn’t the most expensive car of its day, the 1937 Cord was pricey. But its Depression-era buyers were well-off and didn’t mind a stylish car that attracted attention. The Cord’s swooping fenders, sweeping horizontal radiator grille, and hidden headlights were unlike anything else on American highways. And although it wasn’t the first, the Cord was the only front-wheel-drive production car available in America for the next three decades.


This 1937 Cord catalog shows the sedan version of the car. THF83512


The company’s definition of luxury included not only the Cord’s styling but also its comfort, its ease of driving and parking, and the advantages of front-wheel drive. THF83513


Customers who wanted even more luxurious touches could buy accessories from the dealer. The Cord Approved Accessories catalog for 1937 included some items now considered basics, such as a heater, a windshield defroster, and a compass. Image (THF86243) taken from copy of catalog.


This post was adapted from an exhibit label in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.

Additional Readings:

• 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible: Is This the Car for You?
  
• Noyes Piano Box Buggy, about 1910: A Ride of Your Own
  
• Douglas Auto Theatre Sign, circa 1955
  
• 2016 General Motors First-Generation Self-Driving Test Vehicle

20th century, 1930s, luxury cars, Henry Ford Museum, Driving America, convertibles, cars