ACD meet Auburn this past week

[trimacar]

I've owned my '37 Cord phaeton 812 for about 26 years, and been a member of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg club for about that long. I'd never been to the ACD Festival in Auburn, and decided this was the year to go, the 75th anniversary of the introduction, in 1936, of the Cord 810.

What a wonderful experience. The Festival is not just the ACD meet, but the town also has other events, cruise-ins, car show with other makes, a fly-in at the airport, a lot going on.

Thursday afternoon, drove my Cord down to park on 9th Street, in front of the Auburn Hotel. This is a club tradition, and many of the club member stay in the somewhat run-down, but oh-so-full of character, Auburn Hotel. After visiting and then touring hotel, decided to drive around a bit. Pulled out, and right in front of hotel, car quit running.

What a great place for a Cord to break down!! Immediately had help pushing car back in parking space, and lots of Cord experts discussing problem. I ended up taking mechanical fuel pump apart, and the diaphragm, although intact, was somewhat distorted. Ethanol, perhaps, in this stuff now called gasolene?

I'm not a fan of electric fuel pumps, having had two antique cars with engine fires, and the electric pumps in both cases feeding fire though I thought they were turned off. However, this was a case that I needed one, so off to the local parts store, a major chain. Young man behind the counter, asked him for an electric pump, 6 volt but 12 volt would do. "For what vehicle" he asks. Doesn't matter, I need a generic pump. "Oh, I can't help you unless I know exactly what car, so I can enter in computer." Ok, I say, forget the electric, I need a mechanical fuel pump for a 1937 Cord 812, Lycoming engine, 289, top mounted pump. Oh, and it's a standard, not supercharged. "Huh??"

An older employee comes by, and asks what I'm looking for. He understands, and comes up with a low pressure, 12 volt, pump.

So, I take a fuel filter off the Cord, conveniently located under the car behind the driver door, and install the pump (with a built in filter). Then, take 12 volt battery out of trailer, put it on rear floor board, and run wires to pump. Car runs like a champ.

Saturday is the show in the park, hundreds of ACD cars in attendance. The cars in the background in attached pictures are but a fraction of the cars on display. Most are shiny and new, mine looks like a car you'd find on a used car lot in the early 1950's. That said, many people are appreciative of the condition, and the car gets a lot of attention. The fellow parking cars even put me at the end of one row, "so the public coming in can see before and after." I'll tell you, there were very few "befores" and lots and lots of "afters" there!

At 1 pm, the show breaks up and the cars parade through town, with a very appreciative Auburn populace smiling, waving, and clapping. Then, at the courthouse square where we'll park the cars, we drive in front of a grandstand where they announce car and owner.

What a great event, and kudos to the ACD club members who made it happen. As mentioned, there's a lot going on that's not related to club activities, and I highly recommend everyone try to make this Festival.

[alsancle]

Dave, I love the patina on your car. My first trip to Auburn was around 1973 when I was 9 and I've been back 1/2 a dozen times since. Always a great time and definitely up there with Hershey as a must go to event.

[trimacar]

Thanks for the compliment on the patina, it has a lot of that, and every time a paint chip falls off I lose another point!

After going, I would agree, it's a must go to event, a lot going on and more beautiful cars than you'll see in one place, and the ACD museum is fabulous.....

[old car fan]

Dave,my brother and i tried several times,walking past your car to meet you ,sorry we missed you .Your car was better than in the few pictures I've seen,loved it.We have been attending for years,great event,and even better people.

[trimacar]

Sorry I missed you! I'd stay at the car a while, then go walk, it wasn't until lunchtime and I went around to the pavilion, that I found where all the Auburns were!! What a show....and I agree, the people are great.....one high dollar car guy, sat at supper Friday night with, and couldn't quite get whether he was a good "car guy" or not, then the next day on the field, he calls out to me and starts talking, was super nice....overall probably the best car event I've been to other than Hershey.....

[LINC400]

The ACD Festival was one of the first out of state car events I attended, and I have been back several times since then. Just got back from it last night in fact. I was curious to see how it has changed since RM has taken over.

We were only there for one day, but it seems pretty much the same as usual. One disappointing thing was that the Duesenberg building was always filled with the very high end auction cars, and wasn't always open. So you had to keep checking, then run in there when it was. I thought we got lucky that is was open the first time we walked by. Turns out it is no longer filled with spectacular cars, but just vendors selling artwork.

We aways take the shuttle bus from the auction park to the ACD museum. They said the buses were running every half hour. It left on time, but drove right past the museum and dropped us near the town square, complaining that this parade was messing up his usual stops. Well, if there was no festival, and parade, there would be no shuttle bus. So how was this messing up his stops? Then he could only provide vague answers on how we were supposed to get the bus back. I went to where I thought there was a stop in previous years, and sure enough, there was a big sign there for shuttle bus. We waited there for over an hour along with a woman who walked over from another stop because no one was showing up there either. We saw a bus coming from the wrong direction and ran over to it. It was the historic tour, but he called the shuttle driver and told him to come back because he apparently just kept blowing off several stops.

If I had known this, we could have had plenty of time to walk over and see the museum again. The ACD museum is one of my favorites. Not only are the cars very nice, but I always find it much more interesting when the museum is an old dealership or factory instead of just some big generic warehouse building. A big warehouse might have nice cars and displays, but the sense of history is just not the same as an actual company related building. The ACD dealership restored to art deco splendor on the first floor is the best I can think of in that regard. It is like going back in time to 1936.

The parade is always a highlight. Although it seemed to be a little lighter than usual on Duesenbergs this year. I can't believe that most of the people we know blow it off and spend all day at the auction park because they have "seen it before". You can see ACD's in museums, but where else are you going to see them driving all over town? The first year I went, we were looking for a seat in the shade (can't really drag a chair with on the bus), and we found and sat on a low brick wall under a big shade tree in front of this old lady's house. She comes out just before the parade starts, and I thought she was going to holler at us to get off her wall. Instead she sits on her porch rocker, and pulls out a giant boombox and starts blasting Glenn Miller. Then at one point, one of the parade cars must have conked out. So after waiting a while, they finally resume the parade. The Duesenbergs had gotten antsy, and started drag racing to catch up with the rest of the parade. Very cool to see town cars and phaetons that are usually static in museums racing down the street. I don't think that parade experience will ever get matched.

Edited September 5, 2011 by LINC400 (see edit history)

[trimacar]

I never even got to the auctions, had plenty to do with just the ACD activities, and keeping my clunker running so I could get to park and be in parade! Saw more pretty cars in the park on Saturday than were probably at the auction!

Maybe next year will make it to that......

[LINC400]

If you don't go to the auction, you are missing half the show. I don't go to bid on anything, or even watch the auction. But you can see all the auction cars before and after the auction. It is like a huge car show, and nothing roped off, unlike the courthouse square. Some very rare stuff shows up. Plus the car corral, and big swapmeet.

[Marty Roth]

David,

I've known your Cord since you got it and drove it to a Louisiana Tour in (I think) New Iberia. Didn't you get it in a swap for your Pierce Silver Arrow Coupe?

I think it is great just the way it is -- just like I intend to keep my 1937 Buick Roadmaster Phaeton.

Congrats on maintaining a great car!!

PS: My first "Auburn" was 1970 when Dale and I were working in Ft Wayne, IN

[trimacar]

Yes, I wanted the Cord, had a building full of cars but no money. I had an unrestored 1934 Pierce production Silver Arrow, V-12, which I owned for a number of years. I'd taken it to a Pierce meet in Texas, and there a fellow saw it who wanted it. He called me once a month for about 2 years, asking if I'd sell it.

When the Cord became available, I called him up. Told him if he'd send the money for the Cord to the fellow who owned it (a friend of mine, so it was safe), then I'd give him the Pierce.

And dat's de truth.......

[starfireelvis]

I visited the ACD Museum, as well as the NATMUS Museum this past Sunday, for the first time, and I must say that both were very good, and the ACD being fantastic--one of the best museums of any type I've ever seen, because of its authenticity and attention to detail.

I must have taken 500 pictures between the two of them!

LOVED seeing the Cords--while my primary area of interest is with the post-war cars from the '50s-'60s, I certainly appreciate what came before that, and admire how extraordinary the Auburn Automobile Company was, given the technologies that existed at the time. And, as an Oldsmobile fan, one can find literally dozens of influences of the '36-'37 Cord 810/812 onto the first-generation Toronados of 1966-67.

Can say this with as much certainty as I can and do regarding anything "Hershey"--once you go, you'll want to come back, and I plan on making Auburn a regular experience for sure...

[trimacar]

Yes on the Toronado, there was even one at the ACD show on Saturday (along with a few "Cord cousin" cars, Skylarks and Hollywoods). It's interesting that, when GM came up with the "new" front wheel drive car in the '60's, that the decision was made to pay homage to the Cord design.

Remember, even in the 1960's, front wheel drive was a novel idea for a production car. And now....well, let's just say the driveshaft business ain't what it used to be!!!

[Marty Roth]

Just think ---

Citroen was selling the Traction Avant --- Front Wheel Drive big family sedans 11-CV and 7-CV in 1934 through the mid-1950s, and the DS-19 came out in 1955'sParis Auto Show - it looked like a Spaceship

[mike brady]

David,

I really enjoyed looking at you car downtown and speaking with you briefly. I don't understand why your car was not parked with others in the "preservation class" in the park Saturday. Hopefully, you had the chance to wander over there to inspect those cars. Your car is really to good to restore. There are only a handful of unrestored cars we can "go to school" on. Thanks for bringing it.

[trimacar]

Hi Mike- thanks for kind comments on car, and yes, I did look at all the cars in the park, including the preservation.... I didn't even know there was a preservation class, so when I drove into the park, I think the guy parking me was puzzled too, and just parked me at the end of the line of the "shiny" cars.

At this point, car is running and driving and complete, so don't see taking time and money to do a restoration, think I'll just have some fun with it.

Personally, I don't like seeing restored and unrestored cars separated.

Same with HPOF cars at an AACA show. Was talking to a friend the other day, it would be nice if you did HPOF once, then after that it would be parked with all the other cars. Side by side with unrestored/restored is always more interesting.