1930 Auburn 8-95 Cabriolet

Frank and Morris Eckhart of the Eckhart Carriage Company founded the Auburn Automobile Company in 1900. By 1903 they were producing their first car. Hit hard by the postwar depression, the brothers were facing insolvency by 1924. Enter Errett Loban Cord. Cord arrived in Chicago in 1919 with just $45 to his name. Hired by the Quinlan Motor Company to sell Moon automobiles, he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming general manager and ultimately purchasing an interest in the company. With $100,000 in his pocket, he was hired by Auburn as general manager, whereby he purchased a controlling interest in it, too. By 1926 he became president and bought the famous Duesenberg marque as his crowning jewel.

In 1930 Auburn was experiencing a sales slump due to the onset of the depression. The company had been recently acquired by E.L. Cord, and in an effort to move cars, he slashed the price in half. This allowed a buyer to get a stylish car with an 8-cylinder engine for a great price. Known as the 'little brother' to the Duesenberg, it sold for $1,200 brand new. This example has recently received a complete frame-off, nut-and-bolt restoration. This car was wrecked at some point in the 1950s or 1960s, but it luckily didn't end up in the junkyard.

The 8-95 refers to its 95 horsepower 8-cylinder engine.