Auburn 851 Car History

Auburn 851 from 1935 to 1937
Manufacturer	Auburn
Body style	Speedster Sedan Roadster Phaeton
Production	1935–1937
Designer	Gordon Buehrig (speedster)
Class	luxury car
Layout	Front engine, rear-wheel-drive
Engine	4590 cc eight-cylinder, optional supercharger
Transmission	3-speed manual

Auburn golden era, which included the most successful Auburn the 851 introduced in 1935.

The car had a side-valve, water-cooled, in-line 4590 cc eight-cylinder Lycoming engine which developed 84.5kW (115hp), or 110.3kW (150hp) when supercharged. It had an aluminium cylinder head and a cast-iron engine block. Hydraulic brakes operated on all four wheels. The rear axle was driven via a three-speed gearbox and a propeller shaft.

1935 Auburn 851 Speedster side view

The Auburn 851 Speedster of 1935 was styled by designer Gordon Buehrig, who also was responsible for the Cord Model 810. The frame chassis was underslung on semi-elliptic leaf springs. The car had a maximum speed of 160km/h (100mph).

The last Auburn model, with a 12-cylinder engine, was produced in 1937, After that, cord closed the company down.

1935 Auburn 851 2 door Sedan Brougham Body

Specifications

Suspension

• Front : Non independent with semi-elliptic leaf springs and hydraulic dampers.
• Rear : Non independent with live axle,semi-elliptic leaf springs and hydraulic dampers.

Steering and Brakes

Type : Worm and peg.

• Type : Lockheed drums front and rear; hydraulically operated

Wheel and tires

• Type : Steel welded spoke wheels with 6.50 X 15" 

Body/chassis

• Type : Steel box section X-braced chassis with steel Speedster body, 2 doors, 2 seats.

Dimensions and weight (speedster)

• Length : 4930 mm
• Width : 1800 mm
• Weight : 1700 kg

Performance

• Maximum speed : 100 mph

Engine

• Location : Front,longitudinal.
• Type : Water-cooled in-line flathead side-valve eight Cylinder with aluminium alloy cylinder head.
• Cubic capacity : 4585cc/280cu in.
• Bore x stroke : 77.78mm x 120.6mm/3.06in x 4.75in.
• Valve gear : 2 in-line valves per cylinder operated by block mounted camshaft.
• Fuel supply : Single Strombreg downdraft carburettor with Schweitzer-Cummins centrifugal supercharger.
• Ignition : Coil and distributor,mechanical.
• Maximum power : 150 bhp @ 4000 rpm

Transmission

• Layout : Clutch and gearbox in unit with engine.
• Clutch : Single dry plate
• Gearbox : Three speed manual with synchromesh on second and third Ratios in 'high' ,1st 2.86:1 ,2nd 1.68:1,3rd 1.0 :1
• Final drive : Spiral bevel with epicyclic gear dual ratio axle.
• Ratio : 3:1 and 4.5:

1935 Auburn 851 Roadster body