Cowl Patch???

Gary, the short answer is that your car was built as a 1937 Model 812. Please refer to the CORD ENGINEERING CHANGES 810 & 812, (still available through the ACD Museum bookstpre or from Joh Bill in archives ), where at Page 23 the numbers of cars to be converted are given."First model 812 off line will be 1526. Your car is also referenced at page 29 of the notes as being manufactured between 1-8 and 1-16-1937 with an "old transmission with 43-10 axle ratio". Hope this helps understand another confusion and puzzle about our Cords.

The short answer to your "Cowl Patch" question is that when the deletion of the right cowl fill for water and oil began in late May of 1936 the holes left in the firewall were filled with a metal patch welded flush with the firewall surface and painted with the cowl. Late production Models 812 did not require patching as the stamping die for the firewall was modified to eliminate the two holes. My late production 812 is such an example. I cannot say if your "patches" are factory or not but maybe.

My car is from all my information a correct 1937 Cord beverly sedan. Original outside color is kadet gery. The bustle trunk tells me it is a beverly. The interior is cloth. It had seat covers on it. What I found removing them is a deep blue brod clothe tuck n roll in faboulous condition. So the interior material, color and exterior color fit the 1937 beverly seadn beverly. Serial number is as already known on this forum 1748S. Now it was mentioned I "could have" a renumbered 1936 car. Seems about 1600 cars were made in 36. Then about 1100 were sold. So a few were leftover and renumbered as 1937 cars. My car has a smooth steering wheel. I realize money could get you colors not usually offered and same with interiors.
How can I determine if my car is a factory 1937 or a renumbered car. These are a few pics of the cowl fillers parch I suspect these were a factory job but no idea what I may be looking at. Can someone help explain how and why my car might be a 36 renumbered or a true 37 car. What distinguishes a renumbered car.