Vehicle Description
1927 Franklin Touring Car. One of the nicest if not the nicest
original Franklin touring car to exist! Complete with original side
curtains, top, upholstery and paint. Perfect candidate for the CCCA
& AACA Preservation Class. � � Franklin automobiles were produced
between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York. Unlike most early car
manufacturers that began producing cars with one and two cylinder
engines, the first Franklins were four-cylinder vehicles with
transversely mounted engines. This design would be used until 1906
when Franklin repositioned the engine in a conventional manner. By
1913, Franklin automobiles had become well known for their
six-cylinder, air- cooled, engines and wood, chassis frames. By the
early 1920s, Franklins had built a reputation for being reliable
and rugged vehicles, but sales became difficult due to their
conservative designs. In 1925, in order to combat declining sales,
Franklin hired a young, New York designer by the name of J. Frank
de Causse to head their new design department. The new Franklin
designs created by de Causse helped to boost sales through the
mid-1920s. For the 1927 model year, Franklin offered only the Model
11-B which was built on the 119" wheelbase chassis. The 11-B was
powered by an overhead valve, 32 horsepower, six-cylinder engine
with a cubic inch displacement of 274.2. Eleven body styles were
offered this year with the bulk of the production consisting of
four-door sedans. The de Causse-designed, five-passenger touring
car is considered by today's collectors to be amongst the most
desirable and one of the rarer body styles produced. Priced at
about 2,500.00, the 1927 Franklins cost almost five times as much a
new, Model T Ford. This 1927 Franklin Model 11-B, Five Passenger
Touring Car is an amazingly well-preserved original vehicle that
has not been restored but rather carefully maintained and
conserved. The odometer currently reads about 56,400 miles, which
are original. The car retains its original, firewall-mounted, data
plate, which identifies it as chassis number 170032-1. Today, this
vehicle remains in excellent original condition throughout. The
original green and black paint is still quite presentable and shows
only minimal signs of wear and aging that one would expect from
being 90 years old. The black leather interior is in
well-preserved, very good original condition and has a look that
could never be duplicated. The body, which is mainly aluminum, is
extremely solid and straight. There is no evidence of any body
repair. The four doors fit the body well with proper alignment.
Upon close inspection you can notice the hood tops and cowl top
having minor imperfections. The hood fits the body and radiator
shell properly. The fenders have never been damaged or repaired.
The nickel-plated parts remain in excellent original condition and
have a well-preserved, mellowed glow. The dashboard, wood steering
wheel, gauges and controls are still in excellent, original
condition. The folding convertible top assembly retains its
original, tan canvas material and is complete with a full set of
original, matching side curtains. This vehicle is complete with its
rear-mounted spare tire, the correct rear light, the original
Franklin Lion radiator mascot and Twin Beam headlamps. The chassis,
one of the last Franklin chassis built with a wood frame, is
completely original. Upon careful examination, it does not appear
that the body or any of the fenders have ever been removed from the
vehicle. The chassis components show no signs of wear, neglect, or
repair. The engine bay is in similar condition. The engine is
complete with its Owen-Dyneto starter and generator, Atwater Kent
distributor, and Stromberg updraft carburetor with its original
Stewart Warner vacuum tank fuel delivery system. The original wood
artillery wheels are in excellent condition and retain their
original hubcaps as well as older, replacement tires. The car
starts easily and runs well on its vacuum tank. The gas tank will
need to be serviced�before using. Click on�the video button to�see
the�car running and driving. This 1927 Franklin is a very scarce
automobile and believed to be one of less than a dozen surviving
examples of the 11-B five-passenger touring car. It is in
excellent, original condition and should be preserved and
maintained. Like all Franklins of this period, it is considered to
be a Full Classic � by the Classic Car Club of America and would be
a welcomed participant for Preservation Class showings, which are
becoming increasingly popular at leading Concours d'elegances and
shows nationwide.
