"The Automobile is the Art"
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Great Innovation Meets The Great Gatsby –
The 1937 Cord 812S!
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“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities
Were this a typical mid-December, it would be only natural for me to reference Charles Dickens’ classic…. A Christmas Carol. As a slight twist on that theme, The Steering Column this December is a far different tale of a ghost from Christmas past. The Dickens masterpiece that best defines the adventures of Cord Corporation is a line from A Tale of Two Cities. It was most certainly “the best of times and the worst of times” for E.L. Cord and Cord Corporation which had the distinction of going into business and out of business in the month of December separated by 8 years of brilliance and battles.
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How could a company light years ahead of its time so quickly run out of time? Blame the Great Depression. The infamous stock market crash of 1929 occurred October 29th. Cord went into business exactly two months later on December 28th, 1929, with the introduction of the luxurious model L-29 that cost $3100 when the average American couldn’t scrape together the money to buy a $385 Ford Model A. The story is in the statistics. Wall Street collapsed. 9,000 U.S. banks went out of business. 9 million savings accounts were wiped out. Unemployment rocketed to 25%. 86,000 American businesses failed…. Cord wasn’t one of them! Let the record show that Cord wasn’t a failed car company at all as many automotive historians would lead you to believe. Against all odds and I do mean “all” odds, Cord is a true American success story. It just happens to be a short story.
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Pictured Above: E.L. Cord |
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Too impatient for school, Errett Lobban Cord dropped out at 15 and boldly made and lost three fortunes before the age of 21. Constantly on the move, Mr. Cord appropriately became a titan of transportation while building a portfolio of 150 companies. E.L. knew how to make money and he knew how to make beautiful cars for beautiful people.
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Pictured: Frank Lloyd Wright's Cord |
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Pictured: Amelia Earhart and her Cord |
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Adventurer Amelia Earhart, world-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, movie stars Clark Gable, Mary Pickford, Jean Harlow, the Marx Brothers, and a lengthy roster of the rich and famous lived a Great Gatsby life behind the wheel of a Cord. The man himself became famous when he landed on the cover of Time Magazine January 18th, 1932, a good 3 years ahead of his 40th birthday.
With three luxury brands - Cord, Duesenberg, and Auburn - in his stable, E.L. Cord appeared to own the future. What he didn’t own was a crystal ball. The Great Depression dragged on and dragged everything down with it until 1939, 2 years too late for Cord. In the middle of all that misfortune, ingenious designer Gordon Buehrig somehow managed to create a majestic masterpiece. Beuhrig’s 1936 and ‘37 Cords were as graceful and gorgeous as Sophia Loren in an evening gown featuring futuristic industry innovations like:
- Front Wheel Drive (37 years before the 1966 Olds Toronado)
- Hidden Headlights
- 4-speed Transmission
- Variable Speed Windshield Wipers
- Coffin-nose Wrap-around Grill
- Steering Wheel with a Horn Ring
- Windshield Defroster
- Locking Gas Cap
- Independent Front Suspension
and the list goes on…. It’s a tragedy that Cord did not. Only 2,971 total Cord 810 and 812S models were produced across those two years and just 196 812S Supercharged Phaetons. Only a handful remain in the world and I’m very proud to tell you that we have one of those exclusive jewels on display at The Automobile Gallery and Event Center courtesy of Gary Gardipee of Foster City, MI. Trust me, it will take your breath away.
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Lest you think this is where the story ends, in many respects E.L. Cord’s career was just taking off and life was soon looking up again. In fact, if you look up right now, you might just see another of E.L. Cord’s lasting legacies….an American Airlines jet! |
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From our family here at The Automobile Gallery & Event Center, we wish you and your family a blessed holiday season! |
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2024 Save-The-Dates!
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February 8, Thursday: Meet at the Malt Shop, Gallery Member's Appreciation Party
(if you are interested a membership, click here)
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March 2, Saturday: Shamrock Craft Beer Invitational
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April 4, Thursday: Rock n' Roll Juke Box, Daddy D's Production
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May 14, 15, 16, and 18: Brown County History Days, complimentary private Gallery tours and presentations
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May 18, Saturday: Festa Italiana (Italian-only car show)
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June 15, Saturday: Cars & Guitars
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September 12, Thursday: Cruisin' the Classics, Daddy D's Production
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September 28, Saturday: AUTOberfest (German-only car show)
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December 7, Saturday: Old Fashion Christmas, Daddy D's Production
*More details coming soon!*
If you have specific questions on an event, please reach out to
Inquire@theautomobilegallery.org
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Jeff Tyndall
Joel and Bridget Hensley
Keith Obermiller
Dr. Ashok Rai and family
David Loppnow
Henry Isaksen
Scott Hemauer
Bob and Jolyce Rupp
White Lace Inn, Sturgeon Bay
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Contemporary Automobile Gallery and Event Venue
"The Automobile is the Art"
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Gallery open 9:00am - 3:00pm daily, hours subject to change.
*Prepurchase Tickets and Gift Certificates Available*
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