How much is a Cord 810 or 812 worth in 2026?
From a concours judging perspective, the Cord 810 and 812 present a fascinating authentication challenge: the cars were produced for only two model years with significant variation in coachwork styles, the engineering was so novel for American production that it required substantial post-sale service to function reliably, and the subsequent decades have produced a range of restorations from meticulous to enthusiastic. The unrestored survivor in original livery — though rarely encountered in presentable condition — is always the most historically significant car in any showing.
The Coffin Nose and Its Engineering
Gordon Buehrig's 810 body design — the horizontal hood louvers, the pontoon fenders, the retractable headlights operated by hand cranks — was selected as one of the eight most significant designs in automotive history by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The front-wheel-drive Lycoming V8 engine, the Bendix electric "finger-touch" pre-selector transmission, and the independent front suspension placed the 810 among the most technically sophisticated American cars of any era. The transmission's preselector mechanism — in which the driver selected the next gear before pressing the clutch, then released the clutch to effect the change — was innovative but required driver education and careful maintenance to operate smoothly.
| Model | Year | Engine | Power | 2026 Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 810 Westchester (sedan) | 1936 | 4.7L Lycoming V8 | 125 hp | $80,000–$140,000 |
| 810 Beverly (long-wheelbase) | 1936 | 4.7L Lycoming V8 | 125 hp | $90,000–$160,000 |
| 810 Phaeton / Cabriolet | 1936 | 4.7L Lycoming V8 | 125 hp | $130,000–$220,000 |
| 812 (all styles, normally aspirated) | 1937 | 4.7L Lycoming V8 | 125 hp | $90,000–$170,000 |
| 812 Supercharged (SC) | 1937 | 4.7L supercharged V8 | 170 hp | $150,000–$250,000 |
The Preselector Transmission
The Cord's Bendix preselector transmission is the most common source of concern for prospective buyers unfamiliar with prewar engineering. The system requires the driver to select the next gear (via a small lever on the steering column) before depressing the clutch — the gear change occurs when the clutch is released. A correctly functioning preselector is smooth and intuitive once mastered; a worn or improperly adjusted one is jerky and difficult. Pre-purchase driving evaluation by someone familiar with the system is essential. Full restoration of a worn transmission requires a specialist with specific Bendix knowledge — a small community but a committed one.
"The Cord 810 is the car that Gordon Buehrig designed before his time. Front-wheel drive, concealed headlights, unit construction — these were 1970s technologies in a 1936 automobile. The museum-quality recognition the 810 has received is deserved. Finding an original, unmolested example with complete documentation is the work of years, not months."
— Sarah Whitfield