1935 Auburn 851 Speedster

by

Model number: 7995

Review of the model:

How to give an objective and fair review of a model car that are so cool are quite difficult, but it is a hard job and some has to do it!

Yes you have already notice now I’m a big fan of the 1935 Auburn 851 Speedster from American Muscle Classic made by Ertl Collectibles in scale 1:18. In fact I have been on websites to search the real car and found you have to be set back of over $700,000 if you chose to own one of 180 produced from 1935-36! The price was $2,245. But there are two alternatives, firstly you can buy a replica Auburn for as low of $50,000, and I most say this is very tempting! Secondly the 1:18 die cast model is also a choice. The model have been around now in nearly 20 years and lately Auto World are now re-release the moulds again, so the model should not be to hard to find.

I like when a model cars parts are made to fit and no serious gabs around the doors and hood are present. Ertl have made a fine job here. The same is to be said about the mechanism to open the hood or here we most say panels to revile the big detailed Super-charged Lycoming Straight Eight, underneath. Here a lot of small details just look after the plate that shows the cars win-number etc. On the car left side, the four big chrome plated exhaust pipes give this car a potent muscle wipe, which show this is a serious power plant that drive this automotive sculpture though the aerodynamic winds of this planet.

If we go a bit back and take a look in the cars cockpit you only find seats for two persons, as this is not you ordinary vehicle you take down to the local general store for supplies. But you have a special compartment on the right side, to store your golf clubs. The instrument panel is well made and the gauges is realistic made and even a small plate shows the car have been tested to have made the top speed of 100+ mph by the company’s test driver Ab Jenkins, the pioneering top-speed racer.
The most beautiful feature of the car is the boat tail this design is so well done that the car made the title of “America most beautiful car of all time” I think the Auburn deserve this honorable title and this small model car is a real gem too. Just look at the small backlights with the small imprints of Auburn on the red glass this is amazing and a tribute to the real car.

No car without wheels! Take a look on the well made wheels and here we discover the fine spoke wheels, centered by the detailed hubcaps with Auburn logo prints. All this surrounded by realistic rubber tires with wide white wall. The model car have lots of high reflective chrome trim and to mention a few; notice the bumpers, head lights and the icing on the cake the hood ornament, a real art deco feature!

I like this model so much that it will be in the top five in my collection of nearly 200 cars! So if you can find the space to store one, hurry up buy the model as soon you can – I will guarantee you will not be disappointed.
 

I will give this model 5 out of 6 stars  ******

Below here are pictures of the model, historical description, old brochures, technical data and a little movie clip for the real car. So please enjoy!

Hoax brochure front-page

In profile

History and Technical specification:

Frank and Morris Eckhart established the Auburn Automobile Company in Auburn Indiana. The Eckhart brothers worked at their father's wagon company, the Eckhart Carriage Co., prior to their inheriting the business. Frank and Morris' true interest were with the new horseless carriages being built by other carriage companies. With the desire to build their own automobile, they established the Auburn Automobile Company in 1900.
Their initial offering was a single cylinder chain drive runabout. It was priced at $800. The car did not sell well. It was too expensive to produce and ended up being priced well above the offerings from other manufacturers. In 1903 the Eckharts reintroduced their car with many needed changes. Still a one-cylinder car, they would later offer a two and a four-cylinder model and in 1912 offered a six-cylinder model. The Auburn car company was selling cars, but it was not the success it needed to be.

The company was heading towards receivership, soon to be purchased by a group of Chicago businessmen. The group included William Wrigley of Chewing Gum and Baseball fame. Wrigley and his investors wanted to get into the new and growing automobile business. In 1919, the Chicago group purchased the Auburn Automobile Company from the Eckhart's. Their first new model was the Auburn Beauty Six. It offered many improvements and a streamlined, fender-less body that received a lot of praise. The company made progress, but continued to battle for a position in the growing automobile market.

The 1921-1922 Recession had a negative impact on the Auburn car company, as it did with many American industries. By 1924 Auburn was building only six cars a day. The cars were not selling; there were hundreds of new unsold cars sitting behind the factory. The company needed help again.

Auburn Automobile recruited Erret Lobban Cord to save the company. Mr. Cord, a young man less than thirty-years old, had already earned himself a reputation as an energetic brilliant businessman and salesman. He had started as a salesman with the Moon Automobile Company in Chicago, Illinois at the age of twenty-four. His style and determination led him to become General Manager and Director at Moon in less than five years. By 1924 Cord had made and lost several fortunes. Again, he was sitting on a pile of cash and was looking to buy a small car company. The new owners of the Auburn car company were looking to sell.

Originally Auburn Automobile offered to let E.L. Cord run their Company. Mr. Cord countered their offer. He ask for little or no salary, 20% of the profits along with total decision making powers and the guarantee to be able to purchase the company once he returned it to profitable status. The Chicago Investors reluctantly agreed to Cords offer.
Cord immediately started making changes. He began by selling off the 600-700 unsold Auburn cars. The cars were plain and not very exciting. He had the cars repainted bright two tone color combinations and plated many of the trim parts in nickel. Once all of the cars were reworked, he had them all moved to the town square. He then invited dealers to view the cars along with offering them huge discounts. Within months Cord had sold off the entire old stock and associated parts. Under Cords management Auburn Automobile was now offering exciting powerful cars that were more inline with Cords personal taste and style.

By mid 1926 the Company was profitable. Cord, now thirty two-years old, purchased the company. Under his new leadership young exciting designers like Alen Leamy and Gordon Buehrig were being employed. That same year, Cord partnered with the Duesenberg Company. The Duesenberg brothers were building racing cars and winning races at that time. Duesenberg was to be used as the platform for Cord's new line of performance oriented luxury cars and his new front wheel drive L-29 Cord (the industry's first front wheel drive automobile).

Auburn, Cords and Duesenbergs (ACD) came to be known for their advance engineering, performance and beautiful styling. The Rich and Famous owned these cars around the world. They were a symbol for success. Despite all of their attributes E.L. Cords automobiles were just too expensive and could not overcome the Great Depression. It would have a devastating affect on Mr. Cord's car companies. The Depression and the fact that Cord had started neglecting his car business, caused profits to start falling by 1932. At that time, Cord was one of the richest men in the world. The ACD Cars are what he is best known for, but Cord owned a transportation empire. He owned airlines, ship lines, ship building companies, aircraft companies, foundries and communication companies. He would later make more fortunes in real estate, mining and oil refining.

The Auburn Automobile Company would continue to bleed red ink. Auburn production stopped after the 1936 models and Cords were built into 1937. On August 7th 1937, the Auburn Automobile Company closed its doors. A Great era of building Classic Cars had come to an end.

In 1938 the Company was sold to a financier by the name of Dallas Winslow. Mr. Winslow purchased the rights to the names, Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg along with all of the remaining parts and the beautiful Art Deco Administration building. (The administration building, on South Wayne Street in Auburn, Indiana, is now the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum). The company was renamed the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company, from this building Dallas Winslow offered parts replacement and service for ACD cars and later restoration services for the now orphaned cars. The company continued to operate in this manner until a schoolteacher and Cord Restorer by the name of Glenn Pray bought the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company from Mr. Winslow in 1960. Glenn Pray moved everything to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Glenn Pray later went on to build Second Generation Auburns and Cords out of his Factory in Broken Arrow from 1966 through 1981.

Despite the gorgeous design, like all cars, the Speedster had its issues. The front bumpers on the 1934–36 versions have a tendency to fall off. Oil and water leaks were prevalent. The car had a wood frame, and the seams were simply covered with mouldings, which invited the wood to rot. It also had a habit of catching fire, so suffice it to say that a limited number of Speedsters survived.

1935 / 1936 Auburn
Speedster Specifications

 
Manufacturer: Auburn Automobile Company

Country of Origin: United States of America - Auburn, Indiana

Years of Production: 1935 (851) and 1936 (852)

Production: 180 Units Estimated

Designer: Gordon Buehrig

Engine and Drive Line

Engine: Lycoming Straight Eight

Displacement: 280 Cubic Inch

Horsepower: 150 BHP @ 4400 RPM

Torque: 230 Ft lbs @ 2750 RPM

Aspiration: Stromberg Carburetor with Schweitzer-Cummins Supercharger

Compression Ratio: 6.5:1

Drive: Rear Wheel Drive

Transmission: 3 Speed Dual Ratio Manual

Performance

Top Speed: Advertised 100+ MPH

0 – 60 MPH: 15.0 Seconds

Dimensions

Weight: 3752 pounds

Wheelbase: 127 inches

Track Front / Rear

Front 57 inches / Rear 62 inches

Length: 194.4 inches

Width: 71.5 inches
                                                                                                                           

Old brochures of the car

Video of the real car from You Tube

1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster

History of Auburn Cord Duesenberg Documentary

If you have any question or comment your are free to contact me at: aeronautic@stofanet.dk

Dealers are welcome to get their models reviewed too.

Aeronautic Jan. 2022

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