1936 Cord 810/812: The Beautiful Baby Duesenberg That Never Caught On - Jay Leno's Garage

1936 Cord 810/812: The Beautiful Baby Duesenberg That Never Caught On. Marking its 75th anniversary this year, the classic Cord 810/812 flopped in the 1930s because of an early reputation for unreliability. Nevertheless, it's one of the most beautiful sedans in Jay Leno's garage.
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1936 Cord 810/812: The Beautiful Baby Duesenberg That Never Caught On - Jay Leno's Garage
• 1936 Cord 810/812: The...
Jay Leno's Garage
/ jaylenosgarage

[@josephg922]

My Uncle Arthur did a good job on that car. It took him 20 years to make it that nice. My Aunt Helen actually told me when he bought it there was a squirrels nest where the engine would be. When I saw it restored before it was going to Jay Leno I ended up loving cars and getting into them. I am an Automotive major in College now and hope to restore a car so beautifully like my Uncle did.

[@darliegoddess]

He was an amazing guy and Jay just showed everybody how amazing he was. That has to feel great.

[@akiamimasen8608]

Joseph Hi, the job with that car was great. The only one thing what is don't fit into that car are the balck tires. If I was on the Jay position who is got this classic piece of art car then I will use and install the Tires with the Big White Stripes.

[@rickeyryan303]

thos are how the tires where back in the day... No white walls..

[@VanillaGorilla502]

That's awesome

[@seanfyodorovich5230]

Your uncle sounds like an amazing guy.

[@aaronmcconnell7358]

What I love about Jay's collection, is that when he gets a car with a story of a loving owner jay will put a tribute up on his wall so other there will know it was a labor of love and Jay respects that.

[@mousearebec]

You know the way you present this car....... you are certainly the proper "steward" of such a machine, with the history and all. So the family must be quite pleased with you being the present owner.

[@junglist1soldier]

Cars with these classic body styles, need whitewalls! Just an opinion but yeah, Blackwalls are ugly on classics. A set of Coker's would be perfect.

[@gmb858]

I agree... maybe this Leno guy ought to consider a job in public speaking... advertising maybe ;-p ... seriously that is about as complete and thorough a presentation as one can imagine. What shines through is Jay's unabashed love for the car.

[@richardmorgan1588]

From the first time I laid eyes on a Cord decades ago it has been my favorite car! This one is the finest example I’ve ever seen!

[@deborahchesser7375]

SurfinUSA he loves them all too, that’s what makes it so cool. Anything with an engine he likes. Just like me honestly.

[@MrTruth111]

@@gmb858 lol, yes, I can see him do a talkshow, he would be very successfull

[@charliesmaltino2369]

Art Pirre was my co-worker. We always talked about the Cord. Everything done on this car was PERFECT. He told me all the times he repainted to get it perfect, getting original parts and fabricating parts himself. He was a true craftsman and a perfectionist. Jay as far as burn-outs, I always asked him to do at least (1) when I seen him at car shows, answer always NO

[@rpp9961]

thumb up for NO burn UP.!!

[@craighalbert2248]

That sounds like Art was the Pirre's neighbor growing up still remember '55 Bel Aire and '39 Silver Streak that his son and I found sitting in a garage in Perth Amboy. Art was no nonsense he had more talent than a dozen men could hope to achieve.

[@DarkAvatar1313]

Burn outs are for dragsters (and their wanna be's) not for a refined car like this...

[@timharper3390]

Beautiful comment Charlie. So I’ll just pretend you “saw” him at car shows instead, to keep the intended eloquence intact.

[@edwardferguson.lasvegasnev1612]

Craig Halbert a

[@JoeHarkinsHimself]

In 1947 I was maybe 14 and just beginning to feel the two passions, one for girls and the other for cars. There was a small, very old gas station, maybe from the 1920s, one hand-cranked pump, visible gas fuel filter on the side, big glass bulb on top, small shack, on the northeast corner of the corner of Summit and Academy in Jersey City, NJ. Every time I passed, there was a yellow Cord parked there. I would park my bike about ten feet away thinking how much damage it could do if it fell over while too close to the car. I would walk around inspecting it and thinking what a rare and beautiful thing it was. This was around the same time that Elizabeth Taylor, herself just a teen, was becoming a star. Even after all these years, a photo of one brings a rush of warm memory for the other.

[@jennifer86010]

Jay Leno is one of the few if not the only "car man" who can connect the history of cars, the world of cars, the people in the car world and the entire motoring experience to the general public. Jay is the filling in the Oreo that unites the designers, manufacturers, mechanics, builders, and experts in the car world with the public so we lay people can understand, appreciate and love cars even more than we do. Thank you Jay for being THEE automotive realm's ambassador to the world. Your contribution is far more than a collector. Your contribution makes the world of cars real and exciting to all of us !!!

[@bigredc222]

He's a regular guy that's loved cars since he was a kid, he remembers everything, motor sizes, hp, tire sizes, and every little detail of hundreds of cars and motorcycles, his knowledge is amazing.

[@bigredc222]

He's a regular guy that's loved cars since he was a kid, he remembers everything, motor sizes, hp, tire sizes, and every little detail of hundreds of cars and motorcycles, his knowledge is amazing.

[@bigredc222]

He's a regular guy that's loved cars since he was a kid, he remembers everything, motor sizes, hp, tire sizes, and every little detail of hundreds of cars and motorcycles, his knowledge is amazing.

[@huskyfaninmass1042]

He's more of the filling in the Hydrox.

[@pastywhite6669]

What an eloquent description.

[@judas2610]

A lovely car Jay but it is your sincerity at the end when you talk about the previous owner/restorer that is very touching. Long may you enjoy your cars and thanks for sharing them with us.

[@jnstonbely5215]

judas2610 Thank you for a very nice post. Great Pioneers and Thinkers like Mr Pirre and Mr Buering ( kindly excuse my spelling) ; I just gotta believe are are born not made . The started with great minds, outstanding ideas, and created great things .

[@jeremyfine1464]

I know eh! and in the same breath while talking posthumously to Arthur... he says "See ya next week". I was shocked. I hope Jay switched and was suddenly talking to us..the viewers.

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

absolutely

[@Czecore]

Every 6 months or so I come back and watch this video. This car is really special and Jay's style of commentary fits it perfectly.

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

lol same, second time watching this for me

[@w2mya]

Met Mr.E.L.Cord in Lake Tahoe,Calif. in summer of 1965 while waiting in line for dinner as was out in Sierras for mountain training.Well on week-end liberty a friend and myself elected to go down to Lake Tahoe.Well standing in line waiting we got to talking to an older gentleman right behind us.He so stated that he was there to attend an affair at HARRAH's auto museum,never knowing at this point who he was. When our turn came for a table we asked this gentleman if he would care to join us and he kindly accepted.Well after talking a bit we discovered this gentleman was none other than MR.ERITT CORD himself !!!! He picked up the check too!!!! Respectfully,Gregory L.Mitchell-West Caldwell,New Jersey

[@w2mya]

Hello iamrichrocker:Glad you liked my little memory.Although I was not familiar with the car,at that time,I later took time to research et read more about it-I wish I had one in my garage TODAY!!!Thanks for writing,I guess people do read these posts then.I hope all of my friends in Marseilles are O.K. Respectfully,Greg Mitchell,Caldwell,N.J. USA

[@w2mya]

Dear richrocker: Thank you oh so much for putting the little You Tube video over to me my good friend.It's so good to run into decent respectful people like yourself these days as there is so much nasty comments from some that don't happen to agree with any particular issue.And hiding behind their keyboards they'll curse or insult you,etc.I found it so interesting as I had never been exposed to the car before Jay Leno's garage,only having met and had dinner with Mr. Cord once before in Lake Tahoe,Calif.back in the '60's.Thanks again so much, Respectfully,Greg Mitchell,West Caldwell, N.J.

[@jamessveinsson6006]

You gotta love stories like this

[@HooyahPeacock]

Im from Reno cool story. I don't think I've ever seen a picture of what the lake looked like back than

[@HooyahPeacock]

Side note. My senior prom was at the auto museum which If im correct all the Harrah collection is... greatest night ever for car guys...our dates not so much lol

[@watchinsidecars]

Easily one of the great designs of all time.

[@Quint1836]

Absolutely, I wish car manufacturers today would drop an old body style on a new frame. With air bags, abs, power steering, modern drivetrain, everything. But have that old look

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

Indeed!

[@TV-Omega]

That's true!

[@samiam619]

@@Quint1836 Someone came close with the Cruze… Chevy? But it didn’t last long.

[@drschieferstein1194]

Thank you Mr. Leno! What an incredible job showcasing your 1937 Cord. I am the proud owner of two 1937 812 Cords. Both are Beverly models - one non-supercharged and one that is supercharged. With my black non-supercharged one, I was lucky enough to win Third Place Primary for its division in 2002 at the 47th annual ACD Reunion. It became a “Certified Cord,” verifying the matching numbers at that festival. The supercharged Custom Beverly, according to Gordon Buehrig, is one of six manufactured as such. My Dad bought it in 1965 when I was nine. We got the opportunity to meet Mr. Buehrig when he was once in the DFW Texas area. Dad learned a lot about his car from Mr. Buehrig that day. I bought the car from Dad when he retired in 1996. Dad searched for fifteen years for this car of his dreams and I learn a lot from my Dad on the weekends tinkering/restoring the old girl. Unfortunately, Dad’s finances ran dry before the car could be finished completely. Neither are currently running cars at this time, however, if you are ever in the Dallas Texas area, I’d be proud to show them to you.

[@johnbettano6026]

My #1 all time favorite ride. Had the chance to ride in one . Not drive as a passenger. That was it I was hooked an older gentleman picked me up in this as I was hitchhiking to pax river naval air station in 72 I was in uniform . So he stopped ended up taking me all the there from DC. Very nice man. WW2 Navy vet. God speed sir.

[@craigbirchfield417]

Jay, you're a class act just like the magnificent 1936 Cord. I love the way you honored the late Arthur Pirre who spent so much time on this perfect restoration of one of the most beautiful cars ever built. Thank you for taking the time to do this series sharing the cars in your great collection.

[@Blogengezer]

Seeing that Cord reminded of the Tom Mix story.

[@MrBrucetho]

When I was in high school, I hung out at a local garage in New Haven, CT. The mechanic specialized in Cord repairs so there was always 1-2 in the lot. He had developed a repair that improved the reliability of the transmission.

[@charlessanson3046]

What a nice tribute to the restorer. Thank you Jay. By the way, my wife is from Oblong , Illinois . One of your first funny headline bits on Johnny Carson Show. Remember? "Oblong girl marries Normal Boy"

[@local38on-tv]

That’s really neat

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

lol

[@mr.maxnorway4665]

This is just the most beautiful car I can imagine....and I totally agree with the Pirre-brothers; cars like this belongs to Mr. Leno...!! I`d rather give precious "items" away to someone who really knows how and r able to take good care of them- and no ones better than Mr. Leno- and he even takes his time and effort to show all this to "ME"...??! Cant thank U enough for sharing this!! But I`l try....thank U, sir!! Thank U so very very much!! I think I was just about to go into a deep depression- when I found this show/vids...and this is a life-saver for me....only thing which beats this is having a campingchair in his Garage and just move it around every day- and just let all this beauty sink in.... Kind a hoping this Garage turns into a Museum at one time....(I wouldnt...) c;`) /again: Thx ever so much for sharing and very brgds...!! c;`)

[@javin70]

Beautiful comment brother

[@winkyboy97]

This is better than top gear for so many reasons. None of that comedy garbage that dominates each top gear episode. So much information and so many cars.

[@bryede]

And ironically, this is a show made by a comedian.

[@allenhanford]

Never liked Top Gear. I wouldn't have thought to compare the two shows.

[@Ladco77]

And the show is just about the love and appreciation of the automobiles. Jay's the kind of guy I'd just love to hang out and talk cars with over a beer or three.

[@WillBravoNotEvil]

mike evans The comedy here is organic, meaning it's part of who Jay is, where with the other guys it's more of a "produced product". It would be absurd to question Jay's sincerity about loving cars (IMHO). And we're not discussing the Late Night Wars, about which I would have a much more nuanced take. 😉

[@agfagaevart]

top gear is about old guys smashing up old cars. this is about a old guy who LOVES his old cars.

[@ADPTraining]

Amazing, so many great shows here at JLG. It'll take me months to watch them all. For now one glass of wine and one show at a time. I get a few rude comments in my own channel. Don't be discouraged by that crap - It's envy. Keep it up.

[@Quint1836]

Amen Brother

[@ibdursty]

When I was young 10-11 years old, (1980 or so), my grandfather who I was very close to always used to tell me about this car. I guess my grandfather was about the same age I was when he remember seeing this "CAR" as he liked to tell me. Apparently somebody owned one of these in his area growing up in Mississippi. It must have really had an impact on him as 45 years later he would tell me about the stories about the CORD and how amazing it looked and sounded compared to anything else at the time. He wasn't car guy by any means but I can tell from watching the video what the experience must have been like. Jay just a great care taker of these pieces of history. Really would be awesome just hangout at Jay's garage and listen to stories about these great cars.

[@jakespeed63]

Saw my first Cord, in early 70’s, at Cleveland’s Crawford Auto Aviation Museum. Albeit a Convertible Model, been smitten by them, ever since. God bless Jay Leno, and what he’s done for the old car hobby.

[@Kamadev888]

i enjoy listening to Jay's stories about cars

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

me too

[@rickj1983]

Love these awesome car reviews by Jay Leno. I get to see and hear about fine automotive works that would otherwise have faded away. Simply fascinating.

[@Crusader1815]

I love this car... I've loved the 810/812 since I first saw one... It's more than a beautiful car. If ever a car could be art, this is the one. Just can't stop looking at it.

[@billiondollardan]

EVERYONE should go to the Auburn Cord Deusenberg museum in Auburn, Indiana. You get to see these cars and in a room upstairs there is an original buck used to shape the fenders on the Cord. It's the nicest car museum I have ever been to

[@mrupert22]

billiondollardan I grew up there. It wasn’t until moving away that I realized how rare it is to see an Auburn, Cord, or Duesenberg up close. I was fortunate to be around those cars many times.

[@JonBlondell]

Really special. Thank you for being so respectful, I'm sure his family is pleased you have custody.

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

agreed!

[@Jasongy827]

That's a pure beauty! Jay, you really capture the essence, sophisticated, small, and gorgeous. I think this car was meant for cruising and a night out. I can be wrong. Thank you for sharing.

[@OfficialRainsynth]

That car was way ahead of it's era. Pop-up headlights, front wheel drive, nicely streamlined bodywork. It's just beautiful.

[@mikeyoung9810]

I'm 63, first time I've heard of the car. Love it. Beautiful looking, beautifully restored. Unique.

[@joanmagnusmagnusson5896]

Love that look and style of the Cord! :) The manufacturers of cars don´t make cars with style anymore.

[@mikeb3172]

It's actually a bad business plan to make a car that people will just keep and never buy one after that... biggest shame in the world... should really just make the technology underneath and leaving styling to another company. Big tech manufacturers are actually verging on doing this today with electric chassis/different body.. but can't expect good styling from apple/google.

[@petermainwald6413]

Truly beautiful and ahead of its time.. The dash is amazing.. never get tired of looking at it. The thirties were a beautiful time for art

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

Love the art deco of the dash

Can't imagine how it must have been beautiful when these were cruising on roads back in those days...

[@dzonikg]

This is aeroplane for euro cars from 50s to 70s

[@dereksmith5019]

I love re-watrching these older videos , things i forget about and re-learn , and Zings that i missed the first time .

[@martinking4363]

I love this car ! ................. I've only ever seen one in person, (and being in country Australia, that's probably the best I can hope for). The finger shift pre-select trans', the aircraft styled dash, the pipes out of the coffin nose bonnet and those pop up headlights; quite frankly it looks like an Art Deco Batman Fantasy work of art to me! I have a list of cars I would like to own if I ever won Lotto, and I have limited myself to a total of 10. This car is definately in that 10! Thank you for sharing Jay!!

[@benbrooks4227]

h ,

[@douglaskane5824]

JAY IS A NATIONAL TREASURE

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

He must be protected! :)

[@Ladco77]

"The Duesenberg Room." How wonderful to be in a situation where you can have a room dedicated to your Duesenbergs. Thank you, Jay, for sharing your love and your collection with us. So few people ever get the chance to see beautiful automobiles like this, let alone own them. That's what I love about your collection - they're not all sitting in a warehouse collecting dust. They're maintained, driven, shared, and appreciated.

[@Lockemeister]

Thank you Jay. I remember seeing the Cord in Tad Burness' Auto Album book that I bought in 3rd or 4th grade in the 1960's. I had never seen one in person and your video was so very comprehensive in showing us this great automobile. That was a great tribute you did for Mr. Pirre. What an automotive old school genius.

[@brianmonroe861]

I am glad to have seen this video. That is a very beautiful car. I love all cars of that style. I know that I may never be able to own one but I can certainly dream. I drive $1000 beaters until they take a dump. Poor choices during my teens and early twenties prevent me from owning something nice.

[@jnstonbely5215]

Thanks to YOU, Jay for keeping all of this alive through your great love of cars

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

Yes!

[@Ladco77]

I love that you see yourself as a caretaker of automotive history with a long term vision that someone else will continue to preserve and enjoy them after you. That and the fact that you DRIVE your cars. So few people ever get to see some of these even at a show, but to be able to just see one going down the road where it belongs is a special treat.

[@redlin302]

I remember this car as a kid going to car shows in New Jersey. I do think it was the first cord I ever saw and was very exciting to see as a young boy when car shows and cruise nights were taking off back east. I remember my father explaining the front wheel drive. I'm happy to see it has gone to a good home. Thanks for keeping all these classics Scott Osborn

[@trainroomgary]

Hi Jay from the Motor City, I enjoy all your videos. Even the foreign cars. I am a retired shop teacher from a class A High School. Taught shop for 35 years. Now retired. Go to the Greenfield Village in Dearborn to look and dream about all the classic cars. Cheers from Michigan.

[@russelldobbins8893]

I enjoy all your comments - even the foreign ones!

[@Karmy.]

I love going to the car shows at Greenfield Village

[@roycewilliams3086]

The Cord is a great car. I had no idea how innovative that they were, though until watching this. Innovation and complexity in vehicles is difficult to sell. We see the history of the auto industry, and innovation doesn't sell because the cars are more complicated, and that takes more maintenance and money to fix for the average buyer. One of my favorite somewhat more modern cars that never really quite caught on is the T-Bird Super Coupes of 1989-1995. Incredible cars in terms of ride, handling, mixed with incredible power and acceleration. The Turbo T-Bird and the Super Coupes got the axe because as the years went on, the cars' complex nature meant that there was more to maintain and more that could break down and many were driven very hard and very poorly maintained. I had to fix the factory JBL sound system with the subwoofer and it was a nightmare of complex wiring and amps and such. I can only imagine what happened to Cords when the supercharger systems broke down, or when a mechanic had to repair a front wheel drive car/ system at that particular point in time. Same thing with the earliest fuel injection systems on the Corvettes. There has to be enough industry support and knowledge for engine/ car designs to be able to be profitable in terms of knowledgeable mechanics and parts availability, and if there's not, repairing the cars becomes that much more expensive. It's a no-win situation, because if particular cars become too difficult to maintain, the reputation gets out that the cars aren't worth owning, and that further stalls any aftermarket parts systems and/ or mechanical knowledge.

[@d.e.b.b5788]

You don't give enough credit to the mechanics of the day back then. Just because most vehicles were simpler to work on, doesn't mean that there weren't any master mechanics out there. Just like today's nerds who can build a top notch computer with all the bells and whistles, back then the techy types were into cars. Also unlike today, where mechanics 'specialize' in certain makes, back then an expert mechanic could and would work on anything that rolled into his garage. It stayed that way for a long time back then, even amateur mechanics like me could work on anything. I rebuilt the engine in my '66 mustang, the four cylinder in a Vega that I got for free, a VW bug, as well as my Honda 750 and a Yamaha 11. A good mechanic can work on anything.

[@RobbieSongwriter]

Always been a fan of Dusenbergs, but never seen a classic Cord before. Thanks for sharing this amazing car. My dad told me so many stories about the Cord their neighbor had, back in Kansas. That and the boat tail Aubern were his favorite old cars. An Aubern pulled up along side me on Los Feliz a few years back, and I immediately understood his admiration. Keep up the great work.

[@CathyC454]

I love hearing about whatever car Jay is showing in each episode. His love of cars, and incredible knowledge of all of them, makes this show a pleasure to watch, no matter what the car is. I think Jay could convince me that a go-cart was the best car in the world.

[@brentfrancis9187]

Excellent presentation Jay! My grandfather worked for Lycoming back in the day.

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

Cool!

[@centurygarage]

Thank you Jay for the show and tell. I visited the ACD Museum in 1987 and if I recall correctly, a similar Cord was on display in Burgandy color. The car was in a roped off area so close inspection was not possible. Your working demo is even greater!

[@aviatorix8805]

I had not previously been able to appreciate the beauty of Cords. Thank you everyone at Jay's Garage for showcasing this wonderful machine in all its glory and sharing it with enthusiasts across the globe.

[@paultrigger3798]

I've been watching a lot of Jay's videos recently. The ones where it's just him and his cars are the best. He's so genuine and his enthusiasm is contagious.

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

agreed!

[@Hot80s]

my dad's ( born in '29 ) doctor owned one & drove it in the winter here in montreal long ago

[@TTOS69]

He blew my mind when he opened the door with the mirror and said nothing about it!

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

LOL noticed that too

[@granthornin3836]

Never liked Leno much on late night but seeing him on these shows makes me see what a seriously smart, caring, and cool dude he is. World is a better place because he's in it.

[@mattwilliams9506]

Growing up, I had a friend who’s dad owned a ACD resto shop. Getting to see the beautiful cars go from bare-bones to beauties like this was a real treat. Even better was being old enough to work on them myself! Preparing the hubs in a sandblaster for rechrome, sanding down a ‘37 812 Beverly that I later was chauffeured from my wedding in…interesting story about the backseat, my new bride could barely get in with her wedding dress!😂🤣 The 810 roadster models are fun as well, great little cruiser car, hope to own one someday.

[@manofweed1]

Not really a fan of very old motors, but this one is drop dead gorgeous.

[@EricTheOld]

What a beautiful car, it's one of my dad's favorites. I love learning from you Jay, thanks for sharing!

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

same!

[@RJCooper2]

Hi Jay, my Dad had a Hiller 3-place, 2-blade 1960 helicopter, with a Lycoming 6-cylinder engine in the mid to late 70s. It had a very high-quality sound to it as well, when it was starting and running. It was much louder, of course. I love the headlights, preselect gearing feature, and the ability to check the oil from that beautiful dashboard.

[@flatoutt1]

jay,thanks so much for sharing and communicating in your special way your love ,knowledge ,and appreciation and obvious respect for the unique work that has created these cars .or really pieces of art . you style of communication really brings it out and opens it up for us . much appreciated . your contribution leaves us with a valuable legacy while also honouring and saluting the men that created these wonderful machines.

[@tvm7588]

What a classy guy Jay is! Really enjoy the videos and the history behind all the cars in his garage.

[@Fergusius]

That is one gorgeous, beautiful looking car :D

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

yes indeed

[@TheSpiker4sure]

Jay you have such an advantage in locating beautiful examples of these old classics. I spent 12 years looking for an 812 and when I finally bought one I had to spend that much again re-restoring it. I'm envious and at the same time grateful that you maintain these cars as they should be maintained. IE: the 812 I purchased had a Ford 6 cyl. flathead in it. ARRRGGGGGHGHH!

[@charlesgibson646]

I've watched a dozen of Jay Leno's Garage videos now. Just one fun learning experience after another. Thanks, Jay!

[@johnshredder7078]

Mr. Leno's passion for cars is contagious.

[@Gohot229]

Jay is a class act, he has panach'e. Humble enough, smart enough...... just fortunate enough to amass his museum of vehicles which ultimately will benefit history and posterity. As funkyrimpler says Custodian. But oh what fun as custodian...... just add gas......lol or electricity, and maybe a couple, some ...steam...!

[@Meinstein]

I've only seen a couple of these close up but never running. I always wondered if they ran as nice as they look. This is the closest I'll ever get to an actual ride. Thanks Jay!

[@wb5mgr]

I used to live in North Indiana and I would go visit the Auburn,Cord,Dusenburg Museum . The place is filled with beautiful automotive examples like these. Spent days in there drooling... First time I ever went there, the tour guide that was there had been a former employee at the Auburn factory back in the 30’s.

[@danam0228]

You never disappoint, Jay. As I've said before, and I'll most likely say again. You are a class act.

[@Hibernicus1968]

Coincidentally, when I bought the 1963 Studebaker Avanti I am restoring, I bought it from a classic car dealer in Queens, NY called Gullwing Motors, and they had one of these, same color as this one. I naturally walked around the car and examined it lovingly from every angle. It looked in great shape too -- in fact the only flaw I could see was one missing windshield wiper arm. It's funny, because the story of the Cord is similar to the Avanti in some respects -- both cars were built by manufacturers who were on the verge of going out of business, had no money to develop anything really new, rushed the cars into production in a very short time, revealed them at auto shows (where they were big hits) well before the cars were ready, and all the bugs weren't worked out when they started showing up in dealers' showrooms, but the cars were so unusual looking that their owners loved them and preserved them, so they have high a high survivor rate.

[@ajaxa9]

DARREN. I actually owned #12 because I went to the east coast dealer show for our dealer and immediately ordered it, Paid $4200 new.

[@geesss8675]

Jay Leno . . . what a 1st class man. Thank you for sharing such an incredible story and vehicle. I am sure Arthur was smiling down upon you as you paid homage to his treasured baby.

[@robertf6344]

What a beautiful car and story that can choke you up a little imagining the 20 years of love and sweat that went into this.

[@DavidAusman]

Thanks for that review, Mr. Leno. Loved it!

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

same!

[@Winterstick549]

That is one gorgeous car!!!

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

Yes!

[@reeblesnarfle5443]

Beautiful resto! My dad had one when I was a kid, ....he was also a mechanic then, and good thing, he was always working on it. His looked alot like yours, but I was too young to really be able to tell significant differences. You obviously have a new one, and don" t have to work on it...gorgeous.

[@raylarkin5004]

I can't recall you romanticizing any other car and with such an enormous reverence. I get the true feel of your cars from your sharing them verbally. And this one is a true love story. Thank you Jay!👍⚘❤

[@phattieg]

I love the way the windshield opens up. I wish cars today had that feature. It really looks like the best way to ventilate a car, and it makes so much sense. I wonder why the idea never made it to other vehicles, especially vehicles of that era.

[@CommodoreFan64]

I think it's more a safety issue then anything else. In a crash something comes up and under that open windshield that's not a good thing, plus I think some cars back then did not even use safety glass on the windshield.

[@wormfood868]

I know that the old VW Type 2 (microbus/combi) had pop out window ventilation like that, and I think that some of the 1940's American pickups did as well. I imagine that it was mostly that split windshields went out of style and making an opening frame for a full width curved windshield wasn't really practical (or at least more trouble than it was worth).

[@guguigugu]

Commodorefan64 everything's a "safety issue" today... all this overzealous health&safety nannying is stiffling innovation.

[@CommodoreFan64]

guguigugu I agree, but also you can't have cars being rolling death traps either just because it looks cool.

[@guguigugu]

Commodorefan64 that's why i use the term "overzealous". i don't mind having some basic standards, but health&safety specialists have started to come up with more and more absolutely useless ideas, just to create more jobs for themselves by lobbying the government to write them into laws and regulations. ten people with virtually zero real world and industry experience come together, think of a bunch of regulations and enforce them on you. neither the businesses nor the customers are allowed any input or objection.

[@jaimepowell5033]

Nice car Arthur. Jay, thanks for keeping it Arthur's.

[@AudiophileTubes]

Thank you Mr. Leno for all you do to preserve the legacy of these great classic cars! And for sharing the passion with your fans and viewers!

[@johnneedy3164]

Of all the people in the world ,auto geeks Jay is the only one I've listen to who can TALK about a auto ,he is a car guy,signed mechanic ,retired 😳

[@the1realanalogman]

What a beautiful machine! Jay is the ultimate caretaker/curator! A most respectful man!

[@DMPB-fi2ir]

beautiful car and decades ahead of its time.. i had one when i was in my late teens back in the the 70's wish i had of kept it and finished restoring it. and being a tool and die maker seeing things that could have been improved and finessed a bit on the car for ruinning better or visual detail comes with the type of work

[@napa5235]

I'm pretty sure this car was already considered a classic, being rare and expensive even in the 70s/80s... How u had one when u were a teenager?

[@DMPB-fi2ir]

​@@napa5235 some of us didnt waste money we saved and bough what we wanted, i bought the car from an older gent. i worked for his company from time i was 16 until early 20's paid for it by working ....... try it some day it an amazing thing working and saving for something you want. 45 plus years ago the prices were not as high in comparison to the age of the vehicle as today, even today you can find them much less then you would expect.

[@napa5235]

@@DMPB-fi2ir i live by myself since I was 17, and I'm on College, it's hard to not "waste money" working part time with a minimum wage having Bill's to pay

[@button-jeff]

Jay, you are a national treasure. Thank you for sharing history and your garage with us. It's sincerely appreciated.

[@howitzer8946]

Good job Jay. My dad as a young man took to train up to Chicago to look at these when new. He always related how in awe he was. Thanks again.

[@josephgaviota]

Jay, another *_TERRIFIC_* video. Thank you _so_ much! Your commentary was wonderful and touching.

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

Agreed!

[@MauserKar98k]

"We [Americans] liked our cars big, dumb, and simple." Oh how little has changed..

[@McBanditHope]

Except no more big sedans :( A real fucking shame if you ask me

[@chieftp]

I think it changed 5 years ago when they quit making Lincolns. now they expect us to pay a Lincoln price for a gussied up ford taurus. cadillacs are the same size as a honda accord (except they're $15K more expensive.) we started out making small, affordable cars with the model T. but the bean counters at GM came up with the yearly model change in the 1920s. they knew if they made the cars bigger and shinier, they could make more profit. engineers took a back seat to stylists. for 50 years, their plan worked until the imports started coming in coinciding with the oil crisis of the early 70s. now our auto industry has been dwindling away for the last 40 years.

[@jeroundalhopson7071]

John Smith

[@schwanzelstock1071]

Wasn't like that back then. are you 12yo?

[@eldo59]

Yeah and no RWD. The Crown Vic and Town Car I say was the last traditional American car made.

[@christopherdean1326]

My admiration and envy of Jay Leno knows no bounds. What I like most about him, is that he is not just some rich "car guy", he knows and cares about these cars, and takes real pleasure in using them. My dream is to one day have the honour of visiting his garage, but I won't be holding my breath..........

[@chrisbull3838]

Stunning. I remember seeing this car in a magazine in the 1960’s and wanting to go out and buy one. I was amazed it was such an old design and hadn’t been made for decades.

[@ivorton23]

Wow this car is fantastic...that transmission is interesting...its crazy how that never caught on. Its a beautiful car....thanks for sharing it

[@hertzkot]

Respect to you Jay, respect to you Arthur, thanks guys!!!!!

[@mro2112]

This car, and several in the background here, were on loan from Jay to the Auburn-Cord-Deusenberg museum in Auburn, Indiana, when I visited a few years ago. What a treat, and a great facility in northern Indiana, where the Cord was built...

[@stephenfoxall9655]

One of your most enjoyable videos Jay: so thank you for that. I am one of your Brit fans and as yet have not seen one of these in the flesh. Thank you.

[@zuestooters3452]

if i ever found a way into this guys garage i would never leave.. I could probably sleep in each car a different night and be fine for 3 years. Jay is the fucking Man!!! I hear by give this dude my "Man Card". Take it. Im not worthy.

[@FloppydriveMaestro]

+Zues Tooters I could spend weeks in there just looking at all the vehicles and posters and old paper work. The best thing about jay is he is a super nice guy.

[@stephenbrookes7268]

+weirdstuffanimation7 Yeah he really is a classic car "angel"! He acquires and restores them, seemingly without regard to cost. He acts as custodian of heritage rather than a private collector or "investor" (evil creatures) that squirrel the cars away. Jay is a driver, and does with these cars what the constructors intended. If I were super rich I would be trying to beat him to the barn finds, but would never get into a bidding war.

[@user-ox9vu2gl5n]

Stephen Brookes why not?

[@cut--]

That must have looked like today's "supercars" back in the day.. wow !

[@BadBlonde-CarHistory]

Yes!

[@orelse8499]

Jay Leno is a big reason why I don't just give up the internet entirely. He curates these automotive histories and always takes you for a ride. A good ride.

[@selwynandrews9665]

Beautiful car, and full respect to Jay for his acknowledgement of Arthur Pirre 's amazing work.

[@Michael-fw5ef]

That is the nicest looking car I have ever seen in my life.

[@Sashazur]

You haven’t seen the Talbot Lago! He has a video for that one too.

[@randythomet2385]

That is one beautiful car.

[@karlkascha1261]

Thanks for sharing your beautiful Cord, Jay. It is my all time favorite automobile. It was a technological marvel. The styling is timeless. I had an opportunity to buy a supercharged one 35 years ago for $15,000. It was an old restoration and hadn't run in 12 years. Oh well.

[@ViperaRaddei]

First saw a Cord at the Gilmore Car Museum in Michigan - fell in love with them. Beautiful cars.

[@majordisappointment8692]

She is beautiful...thanks Mr. Leno nice.

[@craiglds]

Jay Art's name is pronounced as Perry. Art was a volunteer firefighter for close to fifty years Hopelawn Engine Co., #1 watched him fight fires many times my late grandfather was fire commissioner back in the day. I belonged to the department at 17 Art was a mentor old school is a understatement. Art was a lathe operator ay Syncro Machinery in Perth Amboy NJ for better that 30 years later he worked for Johnson and Johnson. Art had lathe in his basement spent many hours under his tutelage. i recall Art's mom lovely woman she could make a lasagna and eggplant like no one else. Each time I saw her my face was samacked with kisses they don't make them like that anymore. She was a lovely woman. She fawned over Artie as she called him there was no greater mother's love. I grew up with Donald and Raymond, Art's sons Don took after his dad Raymond is a CPA married strangely to my babysitter.

[@kdconod]

I noticed the NJ plates...did he live in Perth Amboy or Woodbridge?

[@johnq.citizen8076]

Sorry, you're wrong. His last name was Pirre, not Perry. Go look up how to pronounce Italian words.

[@craighalbert2248]

@@kdconod Art lived in Hopelawn NJ part of Woodbridge Township.

[@senorkaboom]

Next to the 1929 Cord L29, this is one of my favorites. Such a beautiful car and so many innovative features.

[@jhmerit8883]

Jay, many thanks for sharing this beautiful Cord, what a contrast to the huge bulky sedans of the day. I've always had an appreciation for the Cord as a neighbor of my Grandmother owned a Cord roadster, a fellow that owned a chain of movie theaters in northern Calif. back in the day. Each morning all of us kids would line the sidewalk to watch Mr. Peters come down his driveway and head off to work, we didn't know what this strange car was at the time but seeing one today always takes me back.