An Afternoon With the Cord 8/10

My friend Mike called me the other day and said - You want to go pick up a Cord with me? Unfortunately, I am rarely able to step away from work on a weekday... Well, the Cord is here and so I stopped by his place earlier today to give him a hand inspecting the car and performing a few maintenance items to get it back in shape before the transport shows up to take it to it's new owner.

Classic shape in a smaller package than the 1930's version.

Ever seen a Cord 8/10? I have seen examples of the 1930's Cord 810 before but I have to admit that I was not even aware of the existence of the 8/10 until a few days ago. A scaled down version of the original design, it retains the characteristic front end of the 1930's car but on a much smaller body. Most interesting of all, it is not only front-wheel drive but this mid-60's series is powered by a Corvair engine. You can learn about these unusual cars at the Cord Automobile History web site.

We took it for a short drive and discovered a couple of minor issues mostly due to lack of use. Otherwise, it looks to be in great shape and I am sure will end in a good home. It was definitively a unique opportunity to "play" with an unusual car. Thanks Mike!

Corvair power plant (four-carb unit) is turned 180 degrees and sits behind the front axle.

Four carburator setup - originally rated around 140 Hp.

Torsion bar front suspension.
Oil drain now pointing to the front requires lifting the rear of the car if using ramps.

Unusual exhaust routing.

Interior needs some cleaning and minor restoration.

Love that classic steering wheel.

The emblem on the front is in great shape.

And so is the rear emblem

I think there is a bit of English styling to that rear-end...

Here is an original 1930's Cord 810 I saw at the 2010 Kirkland Concours d'Elegance for comparison.