1935 Auburn 851/852

This 1935 Auburn 851 Phaeton was purchased by its current owner in 2006 and subsequently underwent a refurbishment 12 years ago. Finished in gray with burgundy accents, the car is powered by a 280ci Lycoming straight-eight mated to a three-speed manual transmission and a dual-ratio rear axle. Additional features include four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, 16” wire wheels, dual side-mount spares, a Startix automatic restarting system, a tan convertible top, and tan leather interior upholstery. This 851 Phaeton is now offered by the seller on behalf of the current owner with a clean Ohio title in the owner’s name. The 851 series was introduced in mid-1934 for the 1935 model year and carried over much of Al Leamy’s design from the previous year while featuring front-end styling that was heavily revised by Gordon Buehrig. Sold alongside the six-cylinder 653 series, the 851 was offered with power from either a naturally aspirated or supercharged eight-cylinder engine. Bodywork was produced by Central Manufacturing Company and was available in various combinations of two- or four-door layouts in open or closed configurations. This example’s Phaeton coachwork was repainted during its refurbishment 12 years ago and is finished in gray with burgundy accents along its shoulder lines, lower body lines, and rear fender arches. Features include four doors hinged at the B-pillars, a raked grille embedded in a body-color shell, a centrally hinged louvered hood, an integrated trunk, a flying-lady hood ornament, and a tan convertible top that can be lowered for a pillarless configuration. A crack is present in the rear passenger-side window and is viewable in the photo gallery below, which also includes two photos from the refurbishment. Burgundy-painted wire wheels wear bright hubcaps and are wrapped in 6.50-16 Lester wide-whitewall tires, while matching side-mount spares are housed under body-color covers with gold “Auburn” script. Stopping is handled by hydraulic drum brakes at each corner, and the brake fluid is said to have been flushed two months ago. The cabin is trimmed in tan leather over front and rear bench seats as well as over the door panels, while color-matched carpeting covers the floors. Features include roll-up windows, a robe rail on the rear of the front bench, and a floor-mounted shifter. The three-spoke steering wheel hosts a switch for rear-end ratio selection and sits ahead of a body-color dash accented by striped panels, the right of which serves as a glovebox door. Instrumentation includes a 120-mph speedometer, a 5k-rpm tachometer, and a combination gauge monitoring coolant temperature, oil pressure, fuel level, and amperage. The five-digit odometer shows 350 miles, with total mileage unknown. The naturally aspirated 280ci Lycoming inline-eight features an aluminum cylinder head, side valves, and a single downdraft carburetor for a factory-rated output of 115 horsepower. A Bendix starting system provides automatic restarting in the event of an engine stall. The engine is said to have been overhauled during the refurbishment 500 miles ago, and service two months ago included a coolant system flush. Power is sent to the wheels via a three-speed manual transmission and a Columbia dual-ratio rear axle, the latter of which allows the driver to select from two different gear ratios via a switch on the steering wheel hub. Solid-axle suspension incorporates semi-elliptical leaf springs and lever-arm hydraulic shock absorbers all around.