Really Don't Like This

As dad says - each and every one was lucky to get off the assembly line and even more lucky to find an owner.

I have to say though that as far as a car company goes they were pretty progressive in their construction techniques (ex. a 34-36 Auburn Phaeton is quite impressively assembled via body and frame construction techniques and a Cord is certainly fascinating and way ahead its colleagues). Fit is pretty good as well (accepting an Auburn hood in 1935 and 1936 leaves something to be desired (or I should say you can always get one side or the other decent but generally not both sides). Also, paint quality and ... leaves something to be desired (all be it the cars lead pretty tough lives in that they did not necessarily attract conservative people and that could be a factor). Body steel is not the thickest either and Lycoming had some problems in their block casting, aluminum heads were perhaps too progressive for long term, and ...

P.S. I always hear a lot of swearing at Cords when installing headlight assemblies.

I'm sure putting things back together are going to bee a hoot. At least they will be clean threads when everything reassembles. Its amazing how these cars ere made. For the sedans only 2 doors were made. The backs were just cut to fit from the front doors. I'm sure a little more was done but for the most part only 2 dies stamped out the door skins. A little door frame work and you have a rear door.. So I have been told..

I would not give it a thought - problem with clearances and fit comes when reinstalling everything :rolleyes:

Seems every time I attempt any work removing parts from the back of my Cord I run into all kinds of clearance issues. Trying to remove the gas door lock was impossible till I removed the door. Trying to remove the door took several days of frustration reaching the the hinge screws and nuts. Seems 2 of the 3 were dufficlut but they unscrewed. But the last one was pure hell. It had a 5/16 nut behind the body panel it was fastened too. I actually had to make a combo wrech bend around the corner to hold it. Then trying to unscrew the screw with a very small short flat blade screwdriver was horrible. Thank god for Aerokroil spray.
Now I'm back there again trying to remove the trunk support for Cad plating. Mine appears to be painted grey. Then black but now looking closely at it in the sunshine it might have been plated too. I proped open the trunk after I reached down inside to trigger open the auto lock it has on it. I do not have the trunk locks. Mine was pish button opening. At the bottom of the body work is a tab abd a spring. I guess thats to cause it to pop poen when you want to get or put something in the trunk. I may or may not retain this non option. I like the smooth lines without the locks. We will see. Anyway those support bolts and nuts were horrible to reach too. Funny thing is they will not fall out of the bracket because of the spring on the support. But restoration moves on just the same. It would go much faster if I had 220 power to the shop. More shop floor space would be just as nice too.