Trying to trace ownership of Cord 1509 A

Tom,

Contact Ron Irwin, the Club's Cord 810-812 Historian, to see what history he might have on your car. He traced mine back to the 1950's here in California. His address is on the back page of the Newsletter.

Hi,

I have become curious about the ownership trail of my renumbered 1937 Westchester Cord 1509 A. My father bought the Cord on August 31, 1950, from a low-end used car dealership called Pacht Auto Sales in Cleveland, OH. Mr Pacht stated at the time that the car did not belong to "the firm" but that he was selling it "for a friend," so it likely was never titled in Mr Pacht's name.

My father immediately titled it in his name (I have a copy of that title), and I got the car in 1980 as a gift from him. Therefore ownership is clearly documented from September 1, 1950 to the present day.

I seached the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles records, but their computerized records go back only to the mid-1990's. The car had a Kent College (now Kent State University) parking sticker on the windshield suggesting that the car may have lived in Ohio and been registered in Ohio. Other than that, its prior ownership(s) is a mystery.

Does anyone know of a title search service that could help me with trying to trace ownership of this Cord? Are there any factory records that would at least tell what new-car dealer got it from the Cord factory, to what dealership it was shipped, and to whom it was first sold?

I would like to think the car has a scarlet past and an exciting history that are hidden away from us, but I'd be just as happy to find that it was owned by "Marion the Librarian."

If anyone can give me search pointers or other information on this quest, I'd greatly appreciate it.

See y'all in Auburn!

--Tom