storemags & fantamag - magazines for all
auctions
FEATURE CAR
Worldwide Auctions September 2–4, 2010
Auburn, Indiana
1. 1908 International Harvester Company Model D touring SOLD AT $33,000 SN 962D. Black and red over black leather. 14-hp, two-cylinder engine; two-speed manual. Sympathetically rehabilitated. Hard rubber tires on yellow wood-spoke wheels. Seriously dull brass. The top and its mechanism remain in good condition, whereas many cars of this era have long since lost their weather protection. Said to be one of perhaps 100 left in the world, this car was found in a Pennsylvania barn more than sixty years ago and was purchased by a previous owner for a reported $15. Like many other vintage rides, it would be hairy to use in today’s traffic; this is a parade car as well as a point of pride for International Harvester collectors. And, of course, the new owner will be welcome at both car and farm shows. 1
1936 Cord 810 Westchester sedan by Dave Kinney
2. 1926 Stutz Model AA sedan SOLD AT $44,000 SN AA80397. Black with red striping and black canvas hard top over red velour. 92-hp, SOHC straight eight; three-speed manual. Odometer reads 18,377 miles. Dual sidemounted spare tires with mirrors. An imposing car that had a nice older restoration, but the paint is showing its age and the brightwork is starting to dull. Fresh cloth fitted to the top. Stutz is one of the great names in early American motoring. This example is said to be the second-oldest survivor of the eight-cylinder cars. An interesting and significant vehicle—just not worth a lot in today’s market. 3. 1940 Cadillac Sixty Special Fleetwood SOLD AT $25,300 SN 6324418. Dark gray over gray broadcloth. 135-hp, 346-cubic-inch 2
SOLD AT $45,100 SN 1145A. Light gray over dark blue cloth. 125-hp, 289-cubic-inch V-8; four-speed preselector manual transmission. The restoration dates from the 1990s, but the paint and chrome still look very good. Wide whitewall tires complete the period look. This is certified as a Category 1 car by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club, meaning that the body, engine, and chassis are all original to the vehicle. THE STORY BEHIND THE SALE Cord almost died as an automobile company at the end of 1931, only to come back to life for the 1936 and ’37 model years with the introduction of the “coffin nose” Cord 810 and 812. The sedan was sold in two trim levels: the Westchester and the more opulent and expensive Beverly. Other variations were available in the two-year run. These were the final Cords, with fewer than 3000 built. Designed by Gordon Buehrig, the ’36 Cords must have looked like recently landed spaceships to a Depression-ravaged American public. With front and side grilles feeding the hidden central radiator, the 810 (1936) and 812 (1937) also had the industry’s first concealed headlights—they were individually hand cranked from the passenger compartment. The Bendix “electric hand” preselector shifter allowed the driver to place the car in an upcoming gear; the shift was made when the clutch was disengaged. Other futuristic bits included a ceiling-mounted radio speaker in the sedans, a hood that opened from the front, and a concealed gas cap—all in a front-wheel-drive unibody car that rejected the “box-on-box” look of its contemporaries. The supercharged Cords had polished-stainless-steel external exhaust pipes and could reach a whopping 110 mph, making them among the fastest cars of their time. The Cord nameplate was the last to go in the Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg empire, bringing a halt to serious automobile manufacturing in the town of Auburn, Indiana. The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum now stands in the former factory showrooms downtown, and the Labor Day weekend ACD Festival is a must-attend.
December 2010 | Automobilemag.com
109
