flathead v8s but not Ford

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Went to the open day at the Southwards Car Museum just a click away frm Trev/52Mercs place. Took a couple of pics of 2 non Ford flathead v8s.

Can any anyone guess what make of car they belong to?

GB

[34Phae]

The first one is a 36 or 37 Cord and the second one looks like a Cadillac

[40cpe]

Is the first one a Cord?

[Brian]

Graeme, Must've been a good turnout at Southwards. Wasn't too many at the Harrisville Speedway. The first one is definitely Cord, that second one is something English- is it Wolsley? There was one on trademe a while back, I never knew of such an animal.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

You've all done well on the first one here's the full pic. Keep guessing on the second one.

Brian, was a big turnout at Southwards well worth the 10 bucks entry I went as a passenger in a mates 37 Buick.



GB

[52merc]

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I wentto americarna just got back lost a mustang rag top went through the rear of a stationary van!! what a mess lucky no one seriously hurt some loverly cars 600 of them on way home my o/d solenoid died on me !! trev

[1932tub]

Simca

[swoopNZ]

English Standard ?

[Old Col]

...beat me by that much ....Standard Motor Co. of England ,V8

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by 52merc

I wentto americarna just got back lost a mustang rag top went through the rear of a stationary van!! what a mess lucky no one seriously hurt some loverly cars 600 of them on way home my o/d solenoid died on me !! trev

Trev that Mustang belongs to the brother and brother in law of a couple I run with. I came home from New Plymouth on Wednesday after being up there from Monday so saw a lot of the cars arriving..

GB

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Congratulations to Swoop and Old Col.

British Standard.

GB

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by 1932tub

Simca

There was one of those there too but I couldn't get an engine shot.

GB

[Mart]

I just spent half an hour looking for the second one, I found it and came back and then I realised it had been answered already.

From Wikipedia:

At the top of the range was the Standard Flying V-Eight, with a 20 RAC hp side valve 90 degree V8 engine and a top speed of more than 80 mph (130 km/h). 250 Flying V-Eights were made from 1936 to 1937

Only 250 made, eh? That's a pretty rare car. The search was interesting though, so thanks for sending me down that path.

Mart.

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

Originally Posted by Graeme / New Zealand

You've all done well on the first one here's the full pic. Keep guessing on the second one.

Brian, was a big turnout at Southwards well worth the 10 bucks entry I went as a passenger in a mates 37 Buick.



GB

I just pick up my 37 flathead parts at my balancers and he had a crank on his bench I didn't reconise, It was a Cord. It was kind of a pretty crank, almost looked like a sbc but the counter weight were bolted onto the crank. I bet that was quite an engine. I remember seeing a couple of them yr's ago with the exh pipes coming out the side of the hood. I believe they were front wheel drive. Walt

[HCO41]

Hi Walt,
I had a '36 Cord Westchester, which was the original design by Gordon Bureg(?).
I didn't get into the engine myself, but the flathead was unique in many ways, the most significant was the use of rocker arms in the valley to actuate the valves. Like yourself, it took a specialist to rebuild these engines right. The cord was front drive and used a Bendix vacuum/mechanical device to shift the four speed transmission. The transmission was directly behind the front bumper and could be accessed by removing a cover in that area. The side pipes were used on the supercharged cars, most of which were produced in '37. However the exhaust manifolds could be put on a non-supercharged car along with the hood side panels off a supercharged car. Ironically neither came with duel exhaust to the rear, although many later owners added them. 100mph was no problem with a properly tuned car but they required constant maintenance. I still have some parts for them, including a transmission that needs repair.
Howard

[RandyZ]

On that second one, the manufacturer sure was cheap with the head bolts. I wonder if it ever held the head gaskets in for more than couple of hundred miles? Change the head gaskets and check the oil every tank full?

[Mart]

I just went on another google adventure. Something in my mind was telling me the engine bought in and was something like a Continental. Well I was right that they bought the engine in rather than making it themselves, but it is a Lycoming engine.

Mart.

[HCO41]

Mart, In a way the Cord engine wasn't out sourced. The reason, Lycoming was part of E.L. Cord's auto empire, so it was natural to use Lycoming as an engine source for both the Cord and Auburn automobiles. (Before Mr. Cord took over Lycoming, the earlier Auburn engine's were out sourced to Lycoming). I think they also sourced the Duesenburg "J" engine from Lycoming. Lycoming was also the source of the straight eight used in the L29 Cord built from 1929-32, a front wheel drive classic of the era. Of course Lycoming also supplied aircraft engines, including the engines used in the Stinson tri-motor.
The story of E.L. Cord's life is very interesting. He saved the Auburn Automobile Co. with some smart marketing techniques gained from his experience as a Salesman. When the Duesnburg brothers got in trouble he absorbed the Duesenburg name into his company and had the brothers "build the ultimate luxury performance car" which was designated the "J" Duesenburg. In the late '20s he wanted a car with his name on it and the Cord L29 was introduced. The Cord marque was gone in years '33-35. In '35 the coffin nosed 810 was shown at the N.Y. auto show as a new 1936 model. After 1937 it was all over, another victom of the depression years.
Howard

[itsa52]

Kind of funny how things come up.. Here we are talking about Cords and another post of a closed junk yard auction coming up.. Low and behold there is one.. May have to go to the auction just to see it.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Well seeing that Cord made my day. I didn't realise there was a convertible down here at the "ass end of the world". To boot it is blown with the outside pipes . I saw a cream 810 one years ago with out those glamorous pipes and the blower. I just need to see an 851/852 Auburn Speedster ( seen a cabriolet) and a J/SJ Duesenberg to complete the party. There is one J here at the museum in Wanaka.

My father said he saw a red 851/852 Auburn Speedster being unloaded off a boat in Wellington when he was a kid in the 30's. It was imported by the son of Sutherland who was founder of what was to become the Self Help supermarket chain here in NZ. By all accounts dad said Sutherland junior was "a bit of a playboy".

Mart we got lots of Standard Flying 8 /10's here but that v8 Standard is certainly a rareity, thanks for the info from Wikipedia...I'll hop over there and have a look myself.

GB