As a REALLY FNG, I hope these pics work. Not taken by me or of my car, but should help. On the 36 Cord 810 I have, they just cut the axles in half and left the hub intact when the flattie/lasalle were installed.
Here's a link to one of the bonneville racers I was thinking of. It was in the January 2001 issue of Hot Rod. http://hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/80878/ You could build an all wheel drive line in a similar fashion, maybe hang the front axle with quarter eliptical springs. Use a Ford banjo style rear end in the front with the jeep knuckles adapted. Maybe go a bit further and run quick changes! A Olds Bravado or all wheel drive Chevy Astro trans & transfer case, I think they're pretty much what was used in the GMC Cyclones, could be adapted to a vintage engine. You could end up with a cool, and fun vintage looking racecar.
It's called a rzeppa joint for the CV's. Has a race and cage inside of that roundish shiny metal cover with some shooter marble-size bearings. I also think there was one inside the boot as well. These went bad often in the early examples and clacked like hell during turns - a very bad thing for a $3,000 car in 1936.
Thanks much guys. You can always count on HAMBers to have some pretty arcane knowledge and pics. And I'll definitely have to check out those recommended books. OK, so here was the full idea: Buick straight 8, 4 wheel drive, open wheel oval track type racer. With the lightweight body, 4 wheel burnouts, and oh, the exhaust note. It sends shivers up my spine. I'm crazy... ...like a fox. If you guys think of anything else that would add to this thread, please, don't hesitate to post.
One of these days, I'll get some pics of my 810 with the front end apart. But this ain't that day. I spent yesterday hangin' onto my foot and tellin' it it could quit hurting now... Maybe in a day or two, who knows. (Gout don't play)
yes, the early Tuckers had reworked Cord transmissions, while later models had Tucker Corp. designed units, and the last two models had automatic transmissions.
I got to sit in one at Woodstock's (IL) car show last spring. After spending about a half an hour talking to a guy trying to convince him NOT to paint his cool old 64 Polara, I turned around and saw this slate grey Cord. "Neato...a Cord!" The lady standing by it perked up. Maybe it was the fact a "kid" knew what a Cord was. After hearing how she and her husband restored it, she let me sit inside. Cool if you ask me. If I remember correctly, they had a semi-auto transmission. A lever on the dash ( think oceanliner!) selected the gear. No clutch. Man that dash as beautiful.
Personally, I would use the GMC Safari AWD drivetrain with an adapter for the buick 8. It's the same AWD setup that was in the Syclone/Typhoons. It's pleanty strong, and reasonably easy to come by. Plus it uses common replacment parts.
Appleseed, The Cord 810 trans is different. You select the gear on the end of a shaft coming perpendicular off of the steering column (chrome cap with shift pattern and "key-like selector"). To engage the newly selected gear, you then press the clutch. A couple of motors move the trans selector rods either up/down or left/right. My 810 has the 3 on the tree replacing the original setup.
Hi; I'd like to know more about this Cord Rod being built up in Canada??? There was no picture on your post. I'm putting together a registry of modified Auburns, Cords, Hollywood Grahams, and Hupmobile Skylarks with the ultimate goal of a book on the modified cars from the early days to the present. Thanks for any help you can give me. Jim sunroofcord@gmail.com
Kevin; Do any pictures exist of the Cords your family had???? I collect old pictures, especially of Cords and would be very interested in copies of any you have that may exist of the Cords that your family had???? I'll be glad to pay you for them. There's a fellow here in Minnesota that was buying and selling Cords when he and his partner were students at Dunwoody Institute in the '40s. Still working on getting into his memborabilia collection. He still owns five Cords, can't drive anymore. Don't know what's going to happen to the cars. Thanks. Jim sunroofcord@gmail.com
In the 60's I bought a ton of Cord parts from two sisters in Pasadena, 4 carloads of engines trans front drive stuff, part of the stuff they had was a 30 channeled model "A" roadster with a Cord front drive, the man had a hopped up cord engine in it. I got all the parts but they wouldn't sell me that roadster, It's out there somewhere. John W.
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