Cord Automobile

Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg (1938-1960)

In 1938, the assets of the ailing Auburn Automobile Company were purchased by Detroit entrepreneur Dallas E. Winslow, who renamed the company to the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Company (ACD Co.) and began operating as a parts supplier for Auburn cars. ACD Co. also offered service and restoration work at the former Auburn factory, using the skills and expertise of former employees. Following the Second World War, Winslow sold rights to the Duesenberg brand but retained Auburn and Cord.

Glenn Pray replicas (1960-1966)

In 1960, the rights to the Auburn-Cord name were purchased from Winslow by school shop teacher Glenn Pray, with financial backing from Chevrolet dealer Wayne McKinley. Feeling he could make money selling spare parts to fellow enthusiasts (many of whom he knew personally), Pray firstly used the newly formed company to sell such parts, before moving on to replica automobile production.

In 1964, Pray's company began manufacturing the Cord 8/10, so named because it was an 8/10 scale replica of the original Cord 810. Designed with the assistance of Gordon Buehrig, the car was based on the drivetrain of a rear-engine Chevrolet Corvair, albeit rotated around, allowing the new Cord to be front-wheel-drive. The body was constructed from a plastic known as Royalite, through a partnership with U.S Rubber who were looking for a way to promote their new composite material.

With investors taking an active role in managing the company, the 8/10 was put into production before Pray believed it was ready. Pray refused to comply with investors' demand for an account of parts used in the manufacture of the 8/10, and was ousted from the company in January of 1966. The company built 97 cars before going bankrupt in July 1966. Pray later produced Auburn replicas in a similar fashion.