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Auburn 851 trim levels?

  • Curt Schulze
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04 May 2019 20:38 #37146 by Curt Schulze
Replied by Curt Schulze on topic Re: Auburn 851 trim levels?
John, I won't disagree with you. I had a 654 Brougham with one wiper and NO accessories what so ever. It had a hood ornament. The thing is, it is difficult to believe that factory lineman drilled the holes to mount the bird for 99.9% of the cars. If you look closely at the top of a cowl you can see it was stamped prior to being formed.

The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
Be of Good Cheer
Curt

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  • johnmereness
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04 May 2019 19:02 - 04 May 2019 19:20 #37144 by johnmereness
Replied by johnmereness on topic Re: Auburn 851 trim levels?
Curt, the 852 Phaeton that came from Detroit/Canada did not have an ornament or any sort of alternative mounting plate for the ornament via my conclusion given no holes in shell ever (or if they were there and filled you could not see that via either side of shell while in bare metal) - A couple years ago I added an ornament that I built up from ebay purchases over time. It also never had running board moldings as far as I could see (also no holes), no radio (and no holes in cowl for it), and no heater, as well as the base model horn on the passengers side frame rail up by the generator. That being said, it did have the built on trunk and also dual sidemounts with the metal covers.

To the fellow reviving the post - Curt and I have discussed and I will need to check the serial numbers - it could just be a car lucky to get out the door at the plant (it is a true 852 verse a renumbered - rebadged 851). Nevertheless, it would be the only car I have ever heard of this way and no factory photos exist showing a car without an ornament. Perhaps when it was being restored in the late 60's - early 70's they welded and just really nicely metal finished.

Also, did the fellow reviving the post earlier this week have a question ?

JMM
Last edit: 04 May 2019 19:20 by johnmereness.

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  • Curt Schulze
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02 May 2019 12:34 #37125 by Curt Schulze
Replied by Curt Schulze on topic Re: Auburn 851 trim levels?
The central body tag denotes the body style, the location of the spare tire(s)
and the sequence number of that particular body style. It is my opinion that all 35-36 Auburns came from the factory with a flying lady. The holes were pre stamped in the radiator shroud. to mount something there. Can anyone supply a part number for an alternative to the lady?

The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
Be of Good Cheer
Curt

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  • Curt Schulze
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12 Oct 2016 12:25 #31824 by Curt Schulze
Replied by Curt Schulze on topic Re: Auburn 851 trim levels?
Every 35-36 Auburn Standard six to the speedster had a flying lady hood ornament.
There are items on the pictured car that are not factory accessories.

The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
Be of Good Cheer
Curt

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  • Auburn Bill
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07 Oct 2016 21:08 #31821 by Auburn Bill
Replied by Auburn Bill on topic Re: Auburn 851 trim levels?
Thank you for your response. Our car has the things you pointed out, Sidemounts with metal covers, Radio. Spotlight, canister oil filter, chrome trumpet horns under the hood. Pinstriping. Driving lights. Bumper guards, Has rear seat footrests. It is a Phaeton. Am not sure how much of this came with it.

Curious it has wheel covers, yet underneath, it has wire wheels. including the sidemounts.

Bill in Atlanta

1920 Cadillac Touring Car
1935 Auburn 8-851 Phaeton
1933 Packard Victoria convertible
1947 Lincoln Continental convertible

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  • johnmereness
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07 Oct 2016 19:38 #31820 by johnmereness
Replied by johnmereness on topic Re: Auburn 851 trim levels?
851 -852 I may have this wrong as it has been a good long time since this discussion came up: Somehow the sidemounts with covers, passengers side taillight, running board moldings, the built on trunk, and the dual trumpet horns on the hood rods verses the Schwarze (may be mispelled) on the passengers side frame rail came into play. The trim levels do not appear "options" for upgrading at for say a dealer - they appear to have come on the car from the factory in the trim specific trim levels. There is some way to decode the Central Body tag as to the trim level or at least the tire equipment (ie part of the code specifies at a minimum the spare tire equipment - we think). On a sedan you also added a footrest (if you find a Phaeton with a footrest it is more likely than not something that should be questioned from restoration). And, I believein past reading something about a radiator ornament being part of the higher trim levels.

More common options included Radio, Heater, wheel disk covers, and such as exhaust cut out, license plate frames, and .... Do not recall if bumper guards are in accessory book or are a trim level thing.

The sidemount covers came with the sidemounts and if a rear mount the cover came with it too - if someone tells you the "covers were optional" they would be misinformed (try to find an original picture of a car without the covers). There appears to have been a large sized tire option (7:00 x 16) - I have no idea how they would have put a cover on a 7:00 tire, but they must have had a way (perhaps two widths on the tread covers).

Sidenote: Find an original when new Speedster photo without wheel disk covers (ie there are none - they all show covers)

JMM

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  • Auburn Bill
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04 Jul 2016 09:33 #31345 by Auburn Bill
Replied by Auburn Bill on topic Re: Auburn 851 trim levels?
Thank you, Mike

Bill in Atlanta

1920 Cadillac Touring Car
1935 Auburn 8-851 Phaeton
1933 Packard Victoria convertible
1947 Lincoln Continental convertible

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  • mikespeed35
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04 Jul 2016 03:35 #31341 by mikespeed35
Replied by mikespeed35 on topic Re: Auburn 851 trim levels?
I am no expert but I think the trim levels you speak of are for the 31 through 33 Auburns, not the 851-52's.
Cordially Mike

Mike Huffman

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  • Auburn Bill
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03 Jul 2016 13:16 #31336 by Auburn Bill
Replied by Auburn Bill on topic Re: Auburn 851 trim levels?
Seems a hallmark of the Salon trim was the dual side mounts.

Bill in Atlanta

1920 Cadillac Touring Car
1935 Auburn 8-851 Phaeton
1933 Packard Victoria convertible
1947 Lincoln Continental convertible

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  • Auburn Bill
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02 Jul 2016 15:49 #31332 by Auburn Bill
Auburn 851 trim levels? was created by Auburn Bill
The straight-eight-equipped 851--which were then broken down into Standard, Custom and Salon trim levels,

How can we tell which we have? <!-- s:?: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_question.gif" alt=":?:" title="Question" /><!-- s:?: -->

Bill in Atlanta

1920 Cadillac Touring Car
1935 Auburn 8-851 Phaeton
1933 Packard Victoria convertible
1947 Lincoln Continental convertible

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