Best Handling Full Classic?

[Shawn Miller]

Having driven many cars, I was quite impressed with the handling of my 810 Cord, and feel it was almost unparalleled in this catagory in the pre war years.<P>Any other full classics that any of you have driven/owned that you would say would out handle a cord?<P>Of course the turning radius was limited, but we arent talking about parallel parking, just handling on the open road.<P>Shawn Miller<BR>Indiana Region

[Guest]

Shawn, these are fun questions to play with, as it gets one thinking about some of the cars we may have owned or driven. In my own recollection, one of the best handling cars on the open road (Oh, boy, will I ever get blasted with this one!) was a 1941 Lincoln Continenal Cabriolet. Surprising to me, considering the cart springing, ala Ford, but it was very well balanced and would go exactly where it was pointed at a surprising turn of speed. After the end of the '86 Michigan CARavan, we left Kalamazoo early in the morning to head east on I-94 to pick up our truck in Dearborn. We planted the car in the left lane at about 75 mph (oops! that's over the limit, isn't it?), well we got to Dearborn quite quickly. Other good handling cars we have had the pleasure with include, of course, our 3 Litre Bentley and a 1935 AC. The AC was slightly underpowered for big roads, but an absolute delight on secondary highways. The Bentley is just about the most exciting car we have ever driven. If you push really hard into a bend it will understeer quite severely, but driving near the limits on a twisty winding piece of road is a real thrill. Ask the fellow who was ahead of us on route 101 in Oregon with the 6.9 Mercedes sedan. With better than double the engine size and disc brakes he couldn't outrun us! We were having a great time!<BR>If you ever have the opportunity to drive a Vintage Bentley, do so. There is little else to match.<BR>Jon Lee

[1937hd45]

Jon, I've never had the the chance to drive an old Bentley, but often wonder how the 3 & 4 1/2 compair on the road.

[Guest]

The difference between the 3 litre and the 4 1/2 is quite remarkable. While the chassis weight was only about 200 lbs more the engine size is 50% bigger and the horsepower went from 85 to 110. With light coachwork the performance is sudden. The only advantage that the 3 litre has is the lighter weight of the chassis and with the exception of a few early cars (or modified examples) the 3 has a shorter wheelbase. 9'9 1/2" on the 3 litre speed model vs. 10'10 1/2" on most of the 4 1/2. Either model is a thrill to drive with the 4 1/2 being considerably faster. Then there are the 6 cylinder cars...Oh, Boy!<BR>Jon Lee

[Guest]

I vote with Shawn. I would rather doubt if ANYTHING...I say again ANYTHING, in the way of a mass produced "production" automobile, could stay with a "blown" 810 Cord. Certainly not a Dusenburg ( whose limited carb. volume prevents its marvelous engine design from delivering its potential)...certainly not 38-42 Buick Century, which was geared too low .....) Certainly not the 540K Damiler Benz...(they made a lot of noise when the blower was engaged...but they just didn't have the "beans"....!<P>Pete Hartmann<BR>Big Springs, AZ

[Guest]

I would submit for consideration the 1938 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special.

I owned one many years ago, and it was easily capable of 65mph in second gear, and the acceleration thru the gears was quite impressive. I recall the car was rock-solid at high speeds, had excellent brakes, and cornered well. I have since owned a 1939 and a 1940 Cad 60S, and neither of those cars impressed me as much as the 38. I suspect that the power-to-weight ratio was better on the 38.

I have also been fortunate enough to spend some time behind the wheel of a J Duesenberg convertible sedan, and several pre-war Rolls Phantoms. I rode in a Cord Westchester once, but don't recall being impressed with its performance, and I am surprised to hear that a Cord will outperform a Duesie.

[Guest J446]

Best? All I know is that when I drive my Duesy I step back in time with a big smile. The feeling lasts for days and days...

[Shawn Miller]

What I was talking about here is handling versus excelleration. Obviously the Cord might have a tuff time beating a duesy or marmon 16 off the line, but I found mine to provide almost modern car like maneuverability once under way. This was kind of surprising to me since my auburn produced in the same factory the same year was no where near the cord in this catagory. Also Cords have a pretty big turning radius.

No one has mentioned Packards here surprisingly. I rode in a local members 41 darren and was very impressed with it in all catagories of performance.

I was also quite shocked when I rode in the rumble seat of a '22 model A deusey at Hickory corners. I expected it to be fairly primitive, but it handled quite well. I can see why they won races back in the 20's.

I do agree that the nostalgia factor of any CCCA car lasts for days. We are lucky to own and get to drive (or even just ride in) these wonderful cars!

Shawn Miller

Indiana Region

[trimacar]

Hi- I was never that impressed with my original, unrestored 1937 Cord (standard phaeton, ok, no supercharger!)- then, while finishing the upholstery on Bill Pettit's Cord phaeton, I asked him if I could drive around the block- what a wonderful car to drive!! Light steering, great acceleration, a sweetheart. Thus, condition of car is critical; the original car is miserable compared to a new, tight restoration.

I rode and drove the late Mr. Crump's Duesenberg convertible sedan (it's a maroon 34 or so, was then in Lassiter collection, whereabouts unknown now to me). While acceleration was great, it exemplified the "trucky" adjective used by many to describe early 30's big classics.

My 31 Pierce phaeton handles great and goes down the road, but was made for a smaller man in a different time; I still love driving it, though. Driving my 38 Packard super 8 convertible coupe reminds me quite a bit of 70's/80's Lincolns; nice fluffy ride, very little roadfeel, but you know that there is a lot of car under you!

The best Classic to drive? One that you can play with all day and it ends up in your garage! Best to all and happy Classic motoring!!! David Coco

[Guest Chuck Conrad]

I think David makes a good point about what is "best." It's probably the car you have.

Although I've heard horror stories from other people about Cords, I have a '36 that drives very nicely. It has very light and precise steering. It accelerates very well and has no problem with 70 mph traffic (other than a somewhat myopic view of what is going on due to the small windows). It even stops well and is very comfortable to ride in.

I?m not suggesting that a Cord is ?best? by any means, but a good one is really a very nice car.

[Guest]

Quoting a famous antique car authority, "The Cord was the first modern cross-country car." I've been in the hobby for 40 years, and have drove or rode in most of the big classics, and the Cord is the best riding and handling one I've encountered. Now, if it would only shift. A well-known Duesie owner just told me that his supercharged Cord will outrun his Model J. As for the more budget-conscious, an 8-cylinder Auburn is hard to beat -- good power-to-weight ratio for the era, two-speed rear axle that accommodates freeway speeds, easy steering, smooth riding, and with a relatively small engine doesn't flood the entire car with heat.