Cord Colors

Per, again, Jack Richards:

Paint codes for Cords 810 and 812 do not exist; you cannot decode the VIN number like you can with a modern car. What the factory did use was a series of numbers to identify paint colors and interior upholstery.

Take, for instance, Peter Morgan's 812 Supercharged Beverly. It was originally painted "Clay Rust" and used #7133 Tan paint on the window garnish moldings (for a closed car) and upholstery in #757-D Tan Laidlaw (again, closed car).

As with so many cars of the Cord's era, the only way to find out what colors were used on it originally is to see what original paint and/or upholstery is left, or to talk to the Historian and see if he has anything on file.

Thanks Chris. And from what I've seen the cars are not coded for a particular color?

This is a basic guide, my interpretation of engineering notes from Joe Knapp's Engineering Changes notebook, as supplied by Jack Richards when I had a similar question a while back.

Does anyone have color photos of a Ganges Green or Cool Orchard Green Cord? I'm interested in seeing those colors in the metal.

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1936 810 Colors, As of 12/19/35:
SEDANS AND PHAETONS: Cadet Grey, Palm Beach Tan, Ganges Green, Black, or Rich Maroon
CABRIOLET: Not listed (production not yet started?)

1937 812 Colors, As of 10/16/36
SEDANS / BERLINE: Geneva Blue
BEVERLY: Cadet Grey, Palm Beach Tan, Ganges Green, Black, Rich Maroon, Thrush Brown Light/Thrush Brown Dark (two-tone)
CABRIOLETS / PHAETONS (SUPERCHARGED): Ivory, Cigarette Creme

1937 812 Colors, As of 1/11/37
STANDARD, ALL MODELS: Geneva Blue, Palm Beach Tan, Cool Orchard Green, Black, Thrush Brown Light/Thrush Brown Dark (two-tone)
OPTIONAL, ALL MODELS: Clay Rust, Cadet Grey, Rich Maroon
ADDITIONAL STANDARD COLORS, OPEN MODELS ONLY: Ivory, Cigarette Creme
Westchester paint combinations same as Beverly (cryptic, eh?)

I have collected several Cord books, original brochures, etc but cannot find any info on original paint colors for Cords. Could they be ordered in any color the customer wanted, like a hand built car, or were there set choices?