Auburn Cars
Pictures of Auburn Cars from car shows, car museums and classic car auctions across the U.S.
Auburn Cars - 1933 Auburn Roadster
Auburn Cars Pictures
 1932 Auburn 12-160A Sedan |
 1933 Auburn 12-165 Salon Brougham |
 1933 Auburn 8-105 Salon Eight Sedan | 1933 Auburn 8-105 Salon Eight Sedan 1933 Auburn 8-105 Salon Eight Sedan Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum (A-C-D) in Auburn, Indiana. by Douglas |
 1930 Auburn 6-85 Cabriolet | 1930 Auburn 6-85 Cabriolet 1930 Auburn 6-85 Cabriolet Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum (A-C-D) in Auburn, Indiana. by Douglas |
 1933 Auburn 12-165 Salon Brougham | 1933 Auburn 12-165 Salon Brougham 1933 Auburn 12-165 Salon Brougham Owned by the Parfet Collection in Hickory Corners, Michigan. Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Date: March 14, 2010 Location: Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, Amelia Island, Florida by Douglas |
 1934 Auburn V12 Salon Phaeton | 1934 Auburn V12 Salon Phaeton 1934 Auburn V12 Salon Phaeton Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan. by Douglas |
 1928 Auburn 8-88 Sport Sedan | 1928 Auburn 8-88 Sport Sedan 1928 Auburn 8-88 Sport Sedan Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum (A-C-D) in Auburn, Indiana. by Douglas |
 1922 Auburn Beauty-SIX Sport | 1922 Auburn Beauty-SIX Sport 1922 Auburn Beauty-SIX Sport Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum (A-C-D) in Auburn, Indiana. by Douglas |
 1935 Auburn 851SC Speedster | 1935 Auburn 851SC Speedster 418,000.00 USD 1935 Auburn 851SC Speedster RM Auctions Automobiles of Amelia Island Collector Car Auction Amelia Island, Florida March 13, 2009 AUCTION RESULTS: Lot 132 - Sold at a price of $418,000 150 bhp, 280 cu. in. inline side valve eight-cylinder engine with Schwitzer-Cummins supercharger, Columbia two-speed rear end, four wheel semi-elliptic leaf spring, solid front axle and live rear axle suspension, and four-wheel hydraulic brakes. Wheelbase: 127" Errett Lobban Cord knew humdrum cars would not cut it; if a car was to sell, it would need to have sizzle. When he stepped in to save the Auburn Motor Car Company in 1924, production and sales had fallen to a critical level, and the company teetered on the verge of bankruptcy. Cord took a number of unsold Auburns being stored at the manufacturing facility, gave them stylish paint schemes and extra nickel plating and proceeded to watch sales recover. This was the sizzle Auburn desperately needed. On later model Auburns, engine horsepower was boosted, which had the effect of creating excitement among Auburn dealers. In terms of sales, Auburn was soon taking on long-established marques like Packard, Peerless and Stutz. Unfortunately, the depression hit Auburn sales right where it hurt most — in the balance sheet. It is ironic that the company produced what many consider to be its ultimate masterpiece in 1935, just as the end was drawing near: the 851SC Speedster. As such, it is a testimonial to the fighting spirit of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company and to the legendary talent of one of greatest designers of the time. Auburn had invested heavily in the largely new Al Leamy designed 1934 models. Although they sold better than the 1933s had, they were not the salvation the company needed. Worse still, Harold Ames, E.L. Cord's right hand man, hated the look of the cars. As a result, Ames' boss, Manning, decided he was just the man to solve the problem and sent him to Auburn, putting him in charge of the company. Clearly, a new look was desperately needed. With little money available, a completely new car was out of the question. Once again, Ames called upon Gordon Buehrig to pull the figurative rabbit out of the hat. And once again, he delivered. Buehrig redesigned the front end of the cars with a new grill and hood line. Auburn's signature new feature for 1935 was supercharging on the top-of-the-line models, so Buehrig incorporated the external exhaust which the American public had come to identify with supercharged engines, largely because of the mighty Model SJ Duesenberg. Although the new 851 (and the next year's 852) models were certainly flashy enough, the "new" was more than skin deep. The chassis was mostly carried over, although some updates were made. The car was fitted with a Lycoming-built straight-eight engine equipped with a new supercharger designed by Kurt Beier from Schwitzer-Cummins. In addition, the trusted and durable Columbia two-speed rear axle was fitted, allowing lower gearing for quicker acceleration, combined with a higher final drive ratio for improved top speed. Still, something dramatic was needed to stimulate traffic in the showrooms. Taking a page from the company playbook, and knowing that Central Body Company still had about 50 bodies-in-white left over from the 1933/4 speedster program, Ames decided that a new speedster would be the perfect attention-getter for the new line. Once again, Ames tapped Gordon Buehrig to design the new speedster. Buehrig decided to base the new design on a Duesenberg speedster he had designed for Weymann, the "tapertail." The top, doors, windshield and cowl could be used as-is, but a new tail would have to be made, and the cowl would require modification to blend with the new 1935 front end. Finally, he added a stunning new set of pontoon fenders. The result was breathtaking, and the new car was soon seen everywhere from auto shows to newspapers to spark plug ads. To a public weary of the Depression, the new Auburn Speedster was automotive hope personified. Here was a car everyone could identify with, dream about, and wish for. It became, in many ways, the rolling icon of the Art Deco era. Oddly enough, it was not a big seller, and dealers resisted taking the speedsters. While they proved to be excellent for public relations, in a sense they did their job too well, as the customers who were drawn to the showroom bought the more practical sedans or convertibles. Auburn 851 Speedsters did not just look fast, they were fast. To prove this, famed speed-demon and race driver Ab Jenkins sat behind the wheel of an 851 Speedster and was the first American to set a 100 mph average for a 12-hour period endurance record in a completely stock 851SC speedster. As a result, each Speedster built carried a dash plaque attesting to its over-100 mph capability, bearing Ab Jenkins' signature. Priced at $2,245 when new, estimates peg Auburn's loss per speedster at about $300 for every car built. As a consequence, very few speedsters were built, making them highly prized today. The example offered here was first restored by renowned speedster expert Glenn Pray in the late 1960s. In May 1996, the car was acquired by enthusiast Jerry Vincentini, who carried out a second professional quality restoration beginning shortly after he purchased the car. During his ownership, the car was inspected by the ACD Club and awarded a Level One Certification. Jerry kept the car for nearly ten years before selling the car to John O'Quinn for his growing collection in May 2005. On first examination, it is immediately clear that the car has benefited from a comprehensive professional restoration. Finished in dark maroon with dark tan pinstriping and matching leather interior, the restoration was completed in the late 1990s. It should be noted that while the VIN tag affixed to the firewall is a reproduction, the original survives and accompanies the sale. Upon completion of the restoration, the car embarked on its show career in 2000, when it earned a National First Place award in AACA judging. Today, the condition of this speedster remains very good. A handful of very minor paint defects are evident as a result of ten years of patina since restoration, and a minor fuel leak at one point has stained the paint on the supercharger. All told, the car remains in show worthy condition. Any Auburn 851 Speedster is a joy to behold and a pleasure to drive. This particular example is one of the nicest examples RM has had the pleasure to offer recently. Given the strong values seen recently for speedsters and this example's high quality, bidders are encouraged to consider carefully the exceptional value this car represents. by Douglas |
 1934 Auburn V12 Salon Speedster | 1934 Auburn V12 Salon Speedster 1934 Auburn V12 Salon Speedster Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan. by Douglas |
 1904 Auburn Automobile | 1904 Auburn Automobile 1904 Auburn Automobile Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum (A-C-D) in Auburn, Indiana. by Douglas |
 1934 Auburn 652Y Phaeton | 1934 Auburn 652Y Phaeton 1934 Auburn 652Y Phaeton Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum (A-C-D) in Auburn, Indiana. by Douglas |
Auburn Cars
The Auburn Automobile Company built their first production cars in 1903, They were powered by a single-cylinder engine in a runabout body style with tiller steering. A two-cylinder model was added in 1905 and in 1910, the company began to produce a 4-cylinder car. The 6-cylinder engine debuted in 1912.
The Auburn cars were well made and reliable but rather ordinary in appearance, offering nothing that could not be found in many other makes. Competition was tough and the company was foundering.
With deepening financial woes in 1924, the Auburn owners hire a rising star in the car industry, E.L. Cord, to help revive the company. The young car salesman with a deep belief in capitalism is soon named General Manager and then Vice President of Auburn. Cord brought in J.M. Crawford who redesigned the 1925 models. The 1925 Auburns were handsom and well built. By 1926 Errett Lobban Cord is the major stock holder in the company.
The Auburn Model 8-88 series was introduced in 1925 as the first line of Auburns developed under the direction of E.L. Cord. Mr. Cord was not satisfied with a mere up-to-date-design, he wanted to establish Auburn as a marque of distinction.
The introduction of the hood and body molding, a reasonably priced eight-cylinder line, and multi-colored paint schemes set Auburn apart from other automobiles. In 1926, the average increase in sales for autromobile manufacturers was one percent; Auburn had in the same year an increase of fifty-two percent.
In the late 1920's, under Cord?s leadership, the company turned itself around by adding eight-cylinder models, expanding the dealer network, and retaining its low retail prices.
In 1927, Auburn purchased the Lycoming engine company. By the 1930 model year the Auburn engine offerings included a 70-horsepower inline six, a 100-horsepower inline eight and a 125-horsepower inline eight.
For 1929 the Auburn was offered on three different chassis models - the 6-85, 8-95, and 8-125. The first number indicating the number of cylinders in the inline engine and the second number indicating the horsepower.
1929 is the final year for the Boattail Speedster.
Approximately 21,000 Auburn automobiles were made in 1929.
In 1930 the Auburn automobiles were available on the same three different chassis models for 1929 - the 6-85, 8-95, and 8-125. The first number indicating the number of cylinders in the inline engine and the second number indicating the horsepower.
Body styles available were a sedan, sport sedan, cabriolet, and a phaeton sedan. The phaeton was only offered on the eight-cylinder chassis.
In 1930, the Auburn Automobile Company opened its new Art Deco showroom in Auburn, Indiana. This fabulous facilty now houses the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum.
Auburn introduced a new top-of-the-line Salon series for 1933 in an attempt to boost lagging sales. The Salon featured more chrome, fancier bumpers, upgraded interior and a V-shaped windshield. The eight-cylinder Salon Sedan in the configuration was offered only for one year, with a total of only 293 being built.
Despite the failing economy and declining sales caused by the Depression, luxury automakers such as Cadillac, Packard, and Marmon began introducing larger, more powerful engines. Not to be outdone, Auburn unveiled its new V-12 Lycoming engine in 1932, which became the least expensive twelve-cylinder engine ever marketed. Still, by 1934, Auburn sales had plummeted and a less expensive six-cylinder line was added.
The smooth and quiet Lycoming V-12 engine was very advanced for its day and became well-known for its use in aircraft. The engine design was so well-made they were produced into the mid-1960s for use in American La France fire trucks.
Annual Production
| Year | Production |
| 1929 | 21,000(a) |
| 1930 | 11,755 |
| 1931 | 28,103 |
| 1933 | 6,000 |
