My colleague Diego recently loaned me a book from his personal library: “Inside the Duesenberg SSJ: The Special Speedsters” signed by author Angelo Van Bogart. That inspired me to add a book to my collection, one which will come as no surprise to you if you’ve read some of my Pick of the Day pieces. After a few clicks on eBay and about a week of waiting, I am now the proud owner of “Cord 810/812: The Timeless Classic.”

There’s a lot of information online about the 1936 Cord 810 and 1937 Cord 812, but I wanted something tangible to make the reading experience more traditional and physically engaging. I also wanted a book from a reputable source. Considering that the author, the late Josh B. Malks, was the national president of the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club and the technical editor of its newsletter, I have the utmost confidence in what he wrote. Published in 1995, his 272-page book on the 810 and 812 models is broken into 20 chapters that cover the genesis of the models, Gordon Buehrig’s design, the technical aspects like the Lycoming V-8 and the Schwitzer-Cummins supercharger, and various other items. There’s even a chapter devoted to the Cord-derived Hupp and Graham models. The various appendices break down the serial/engine/body numbers, exterior/interior color combinations, specifications, and more. Plus, there are plenty of black-and-white and color photos to illustrate this all-too-short part of American automotive history.

It’ll be a bit until I can finish reading “Cord 810/812: The Timeless Classic” but, once I do, I’ll be sure to tell you all about it. Have you read it? If so, share your thoughts in the Comments section below.