Production is going to go next level I found out so many cool things in the last few days that I never knew.. I honestly can’t wait.. To make the next video it’s an engine episode I haven’t figured out which one I’m doing yet it might not come out until Thursday it depends I’m leaning toward a small block Chevy but there’s so much information on that engine family.. but it’s easily researchable. If you know what I mean
Yes, Justin (or Jay, not sure which) has a definite passion for these cars which is why I subscribed to his channel a long time ago ! He's just such a darned likeable kid with a great passion!!
Just call me J Lol Back story my dad came from a family of 5 boys the 5 boys had 13 grandchildren and they was 5 J names (including great uncle John) my brothers name is Jordan, there was also Jason Jeremy so I was never the right J name ( I don’t get upset by it or anything people still call me Jason lol it’s whatever figured J is one letter easier to remember but I’m easy going so whatever you’d like =) Thank you so much I’ve always liked/ attracted to the different stuff glad you dig this channel I always look for your comments as well as others who watch a lot and have been with the channel from the early days =)
Great episode! Two things to note- the Duesenberg engine was build by Lycoming and not by Duesenberg. And the second fun fact- by 1907, Franklin was the single largest consumer of aluminum in the world- as their cars were both aluminum engined and bodied. Yes, early Franklins were bodied from the doors to fenders in aluminum. That ceased due to the Great War, but this post war Franklin is such a beaut! Thanks, Jay, for posting this!
Glad you did this episode thank you so much I should have said Lycoming made the engine for auburn cord and duesenberg thank you so much for sharing that information as well as Franklin being the largest producer of aluminum Great information
Thank you,I never knew how advanced Franklin engines seemed to be, aluminum pistons,air cooled seemed to be fairly durable, really leaned alot about these engines and Franklins.Please keep these coming.Any one of those cars would be nice for me.
What a fantastic looking car. The LeBaron influence is apparent especially around the windows. They remind me of the beautiful square-cut window openings in the gigantic 1941/42 Packard LeBaron limousines, which are for my money, the greatest prewar limousines. First round goes to the Packard, Although the Cadillac is awfully nice looking. Second round goes to the Pierce, because it’s hard to argue against that mighty twelve. It outlived the Pierce-Arrow company by decades.
Thanks Jay! Another great episode The pinstriping is unbelievable! Imagine doing that for every Franklin the rolled off the line back in the day Whoever owns this unit has done a fantastic job of restoring the car, the panels and paint took my breath away!
Back in the 70s, not far from Syracuse, I worked in a sheetmetal shop with an old timer who could fabricate a Franklin fender from scratch with hammers, a leather sand bag and a dished out log. He said he worked on Franklins when they were in production and the bodies were made pretty much by hand. He made a pattern by laying paper on the other, hopefully undamaged, fender, tracing it out the flipping it over. Guy had a million tricks and was just warming up to me enough to share but the summer was over and I was back to school.
Nice car! First time I ever saw a Franklin was in high school in 1965. An auto shop student drove a 1929 Franklin 4dr. to school. Since it had wood spoke wheels, our teacher used to jokenly say to the owner "the car would fall apart if the termites would quit holding hands"😂
Interesting nugget about the Duesenberg supercharged 8. It was the most powerful American production passenger car engine made until Chrysler introduced the Hemi in the 50's. A period of around 20 years in a time when there were a lot of automotive advancements.
Totally thank you so much for sharing that information the Duesenberg non-supercharged Lycoming in line 8 wasn’t a slouch either at 265 hp.. to put it in perspective the Cadillac V 16 only made 150 hp..
Yes…unless you consider the Duesenberg SSJ, of which two were built. Purportedly producing 400+ hp, these were produced for Clark Gable and Gary Cooper, friends of EL Cord. Cord had a mansion out in Beverly Hills, known as Cordhaven.
The Chrysler 331 HEMI made 180 horsepower in it's first three years, then 235 for 54, 250 for 55. Not until the 1956 354 HEMI, in the 300, did it make more than the supercharged Duesy.
I am a (much disliked) Baby-boomer, one of my first bosses in the 1970's often spoke of his family's Franklin V-12 from the 30's. He and his dad were Engineers, so was I. He said that an air cooled Franklin was one of those technically interesting vehicles, like a Tesla is today or a Wankel engined car in the 1970's. He spoke very fondly of it. He said it was powerful for its day and very reliable. Thanks for posting this, first time I've seen one. I was driving an air cooled beetle at the time, which gave us something in common.
Hey I’m a millennial don’t let your generation get you down.. I think boomers are cool definitely better than my generation.. my generation want everything for nothing I was born to late and believe if you want something in this life you have to work for it Thank you so much for sharing that car with us I wonder if it survives
@@What.its.like. I'm quite sure the old Franklin is long gone. The fellow I mentioned in the comments was a teenager in the 1930's, he eventually served in WWII. We lived in the northeast, cars rusted. I'm guessing the car was melted for scrap during the war. I remember talking to him about my Beetle, how clever I thought the design was. He told me Franklin was making air cooled cars in the USA long before Volkswagen, which is very consistent with your video history of the brand.
When looking at these cars, sometimes I forget a lot of the body parts were pounded out by hand . . Using Rawhide mallets, and wooden bucks. These were the days that craftmen were truly talented. Today they just stamp out parts on a press.
A true lost art I’m just amazed at how big those fenders are and they look like they are single piece I could be wrong but if they are single piece they are absolutely huge
@@What.its.like. They are a single piece fenders. The bodies are multi piece of course. There were craftsman that carved the bucks from hard wood. They used wax, and rawhide mallets to bend the metal. A lot of the English cars were made like that. Wooden bucks, and English wheels. The English cars were aluminum, ACs, Jags, and Morgan's. All pounded out, and rolled, by hand!
@@robertwatkins364 Older Ferrari's were hand-made and unique, thus replacement body parts didn't exist. If you crashed a fender, you sent the whole car back to Ferrari to fit a new one. There are experts who can tell you which man made which part by studying their work.
Both the Auburn and the Franklin are works of art. Wow would it be cool to have a daily driver like one of these. Love the perfect shaping around the rear side windows, and the subtle chrome trim and pin stripes. The body proportioning and balance is outstanding. It would be most interesting to see how the Franklin performs with the aluminum engine and body etc, with the air cooled engine. Would be great if you could buy a car like this today, but with the improvements that could be achieved with what we know today.
One more thing which I leaned a two cycle Detroit Diesel had to have a blower since it has no intake valves .They had intake openings in the cylinder liners but in could not get enough air to run right,so the blower helped the engine recieve enough air for it to breath and run right and it had exhaust valves.So if you have ever heard a two cycle diesel run they have a roar all thier own.
Just another thing,a four cycle diesel will run with out a blower,but a two cycle with intake holes in the cylinder liners have to a blower to supply air to the engine.
I didn't really remember that Franklin made automobiles, but some Piper Cub J-3's had Franklin engines. Franklin engines were used in Tucker automobiles. Preston Tucker even brought the company.
You mention the one of a kind Peerless V-16 which is at the Frederick C. Crawford Auto Aviation museum in Cleveland and I remember also seeing (not hearing, it was that quiet) running across the viewing field at Stan Hyuet in the annual old car show I think it was during the 1980s. I would have missed it if I would not have looked up in time. It was an awesome sight.
Great choices =) I wish I would’ve asked the gentleman what everything did some of it was labeled but I couldn’t read the tag on the one label I usually can find dashboard Maps but I couldn’t find one on this car Which was a total bummer
My late grandfather ran a taxi service, in Newport, RI, using Franklin's. On the way from Newport to San Diego 1933 for my pregnant mother to join my Navy father, the family journeyed west in one of the Franklin cabs. My grandmother fell asleep in the rear seat. With the divider closed she almost succumbed to the faulty exhaust which filled the rear cabin. No hyper chamber for her. The exhaust fixed they continued west with the windows down. Narragansett Bay
Beautiful, very high quality cars. Gilmore has a great collection. Was in Tucson a month ago, drove out to the Franklin museum there - closed for the 'summer' (bummer). 'Production' Tuckers used a Franklin 6 designed for Bell helicopter. The 12 was built in Syracuse, designed by LeBaron - Dietrich, maybe (?) He did a lot for Franklin but not certain about the 12. Interesting transitional design- has hoodline extended to the cowl, full fender frontal aspect and the beavertail, but not yet valanced fenders (bareset hint here, Graham was just introducing them in 32; everyone copied and they would be the norm in 33). WYR: 1) Sorry Franklin, the Packard, 2) Sorry Franklin, the Pierce Arrow. Great though it is.
Yes it did seem strange that the Franklin didn't have a hood ornament but the hood ornaments were usually a part of the radiator cap so that might explain it I think. Then I think, 'if it didn't have a radiator then why did it have a grill the shape of a radiator?' Huh? Neat car! Thanks!
I've seen exactly one Franklin in my life. A local nob passed away leaving an air-cooled Franklin of unknown year that looked similar to this and a couple other cars behind in a dark warehouse. The rest were sold before I showed up and I didn't take the closer look I wanted to because I was there to try buying an 80ci flathead Harley chopper. Not only was the Franklin gone the next day but the Harley got sold out from under me even though I had a deal and the cash we'd agreed on. Two losses in one day- not fun at all. WYR I like the Packard which looks a little more 'sporty' and then the Franklin with it's understated classy look and air-cooled engine.
For WYR, it's the Packard, then the Pierce Arrow. Yet another beauty that did not survive the Great Depression. I really found myself liking the grille. And the interior. Nice, understated car.
HH Franklin’s mansion was a block away from where I live now. It was demolished to make room for office buildings! His chief designer/engineer lived down the block; his house was demolished also. There are bits and pieces of the original Franklin manufacturing facility/factory still standing, but you can’t recognize them. There is an old hardware store that sits right in the middle of what was the original factory; these folks know “everything Franklin “ with a large map/diagram of what/where the factory was in relation to where the store is now. Franklin paid top wages to workers for that time and workers came from as far away as Auburn NY, some 35 miles, by train, to work at the Franklin plant. The cars were way ahead of their time but built with the utmost skill and dedication, which is why there are so many (?) left in running condition today…….and “yes” I had the opportunity to ride in a Franklin because of the generosity of a collector/owner at one of the shows I mentioned!
33 Packard 33 Pierce Arrow Hey, where's the radiator? Oh wait. Really beautiful body lines on that Franklin. A very roomy interior and I really love the dash just beautiful and a really nice grill too. Since the Franklin was air cooled I was wondering how they did the heaters and defrosters in them? Or did they not have them?
Not my favorite era, but…..I like this car. Being air cooled is really impressive. Great overview of the history. Oh, btw……don’t you dare stop the toodaloo sign off…..it’s fantastic!
Glad you dig this one I wish we could’ve gotten inside I wish we could’ve done so much more and it breaks my heart that I didn’t know all of the button switches and knobs generally I’m able to find a map.. in an owners manual that tells everything but I could not find one on this car.. I won’t stop doing that that’s our thing.. I don’t care if a few people don’t like it most people do and it will feel empty without it =)
8:06 Those cowel vents (if that's what they are) are sure interesting. They're directly into the hood, which I assume moves, rather than being in a stationary piece in front of the windshield.
Ransom E. Olds said his REO cars were some of the best on the streets - and that his cars were basically unbelievable powerhouses on the roads. Seems time didn't let his CARS prove themselves as WW2 war era production took over all production from aircraft to ships and REO was shuttered for good.
For some of your conflicting info.: Franklin was founded July 4, 1893 to make die-cast parts. (Mr. Franklin reportedly coined the term ‘die-casting’.) The Series 17 Twelve bodies were styled by LeBaron but made by Franklin, of steel panels over a wood structure. Franklin made 201 Twelves plus 6 prototypes. The 1933 Series 18-A Olympic was a REO Flying Cloud Model S (117” wheelbase) powered by a Franklin engine. Doman-Marks Engine Company was founded in 1933 and bought the rights to Franklin (name, patents, and goodwill) in 1937 and changed their name to Aircooled Motors Corporation after briefly spelling ‘Air Cooled’ as two words. (The name changed to Aircooled Motors, Inc. in Dec 1945.)
Well, if you can afford a Franklin, you probably can afford to have someone make you a fender! 😅 Cool car, love the cover / fan on the first cylinder, looks like a Wisconsin engine cover. 😊. Those are vacuum operated wipers? Jay, thanks for the video on the Franklin, I've seen footage of one 1912 Franklin in a parade here, they had really cool looking hoods back then that looked like a big steel drum, distinctive grills, and some nice colors for a time of toned down colors.. Nothing as fancy as a LeBaron style though! Keep on making great videos on these rare gems 💎! Many thanks.
Not sure when electric wipers came along, but a Super or Turbo charged engine has no intake vacuum, so a mechanical vacuum pump would be needed for vacuum wipers. Hope someone has a definitive answer!
The Packard and the Pierce-Arrow. You say 348 cubic inches, while the text reads 398 cubic inches, but your bore and stroke figures give 386 cubic inches.
It’s supposed to be 398 I’m dyslexic sometimes I saythe wrong numbers I usually catch it when I go over it and prove it it must’ve slipped through sorry about that They might have rounded up to make that number all of the information that I used is in the description I started putting my sources in so I can direct people to that instead of trying to find the sources years afterwards
My all-time favorite Packard is a 1934 aero coupe body by LeBaron so I know how you feel.. i’m hoping to go to Amelia Island this year I wanted to go last year and I probably could’ve went but I really want to go this year maybe there might be one there who knows..
@@What.its.like. The first few Series 17 Franklins (that's the official name of the V12) were delivered with single speed rear ends. They got such horrible gas mileage that they started putting in Columbia 2 speed rear ends as standard. My V12 Franklin in high range just purrs at 75mph. It feels like driving a locomotive.
I'd go for the Packard and the Pierce-Arrow, but they were well over $3000, yes? If the Imperial was at a similar price point, I might go for the Franklin with more cylinders, and no radiator to worry about. Cars used to boil-over ALL the time back then.
Franklin engines, while advertised by Franklin as supercharged, actually were not. The air cleaner was ducted to the shrouding for the cooling fan, so Franklin decided to call that "supercharging" due to the fact that the air inside that shrouding was at higher than atmospheric pressure. Also, the Cadillac V16 made 165 horsepower in it's first year, 185 for the rest of it's life.
Yeah thank you for that correction On the Cadillac V 16 I was going off of figure off the top of my head I knew it didn’t make less than 150.. Awesome information thank you so much for sharing that
@@What.its.like. Glycol was used with coolant back then to prevent freezing but it wasn't cheap until after WW2, nor was it as effective as modern antifreeze. Alcohol was also used as it was cheaper, but it tended to evaporate. Most older cars had accessible coolant drain valves on the block as well as the radiator, so lots of people just drained the water at night then filled it up in the morning if the temps allowed.
@@What.its.like. Leno yesterday had the only known to be left or one of 1923 McFarland Knickerbocker,,,IT was owned by fatty Arbuckle,,,who was involved in Hollywood first known underage sex scandle,,,what a car !
You pose a question of which car you would want, but the Packard Custom Dietrich Stationary coupe you picture is a 4 million dollar car so that isn't quite the same as the others.
Very true but take price out of the equation.. A two-door Franklin supercharge v12 would be a very expensive car as well.. if all the cars are the same price lol =D Sad thing is a lot of those cars ( depending on what they are some will never lose value like type 35 Bugatti ) the pre war cars keep losing money to the point in 10-15 years those cars will be affordable that’s why this channel exists to get younger people inspired about the real cars
It is a beautiful crafted auto for sure, the dashboard and interior is very nicely done. I would given the choices though, pick the I'd pick the Packard 12, although the Caddy runs a very close second. The second I'd go with the Auburn 12. 😎
I knew a guy that had 12 of them he was always fascinated with them but I haven’t seen him in years he always said that they were different after he got his first one it started a cascade affect..
I would rather... have a 33 Chevy truck over those luxury cars... LOL Though I would say the Packard is the most stylish, while the Franklin is a close second and the Cadillac is more of an elegantly traditional look. In the second list, that Auburn is quite attractive, but the Pierce has a very unique style... especially for a period where most cars looked basically the same. Once again, I have no idea what the song is... I almost had that last one though...
Hahah I honestly thought this song was super easy it’s a very popular mid 60s song.. popular artist I think they’ve been on the channel once before could be wrong though after doing 360+ episodes it gets hard to remember what artist were done and what wasn’t lol Great observations 33 Chevy Truck would be really cool to have as well =D
5:37...so...this very expensive car cost in today's dollars, what a pickup truck now costs...puts into perspective just how out of hand vehicle prices are now......
Totally agree stuff is out of control now but also have to remember these cars didn’t have power brakes or anything crazy plastic and electronic fillers cost a lot
John Wilkinson, the chief engineer wanted the company to manufacture a basic/affordable Model Z a la Henry Ford's Model T. Unfortunately H.H. Franklin disagreed and the two parted ways. Who knows how much longer(1950's, possibly the 1960's)the company would've remained viable had they done so?
Thank you so much for adding that information I had no idea.. I wondered why he wasn’t in the picture for as long as he could’ve been I didn’t know if he passed away
Great guess you guys are going to flip your lid when you figure out what it is very iconic mid60s song possibly overplayed.. it’s from a band that was really popular back then but not so popular now singular artist.. honestly can’t believe nobody’s gotten it yet Great choices =)
Packard always .... Caddy has great styling 👏❤️ Pierce Arrow 🤔👏👏👏 Great episode if i remember right the Franklin i worked on had a wood frame 😱... Happy Motoring ✌️🤠🍻
Nobody got name that tune for this episode so I’m going to tell you what it was because I won’t remember forever lol
Pretty woman Roy Orbison
I love these segments,especially when they are about lesser known makers.The narrator sounds so enthusiastic,adding to the piece.
I love doing off the beaten path cars =)
This was so informative and well produced, Jay. @@What.its.like.
Production is going to go next level I found out so many cool things in the last few days that I never knew.. I honestly can’t wait..
To make the next video it’s an engine episode I haven’t figured out which one I’m doing yet it might not come out until Thursday it depends I’m leaning toward a small block Chevy but there’s so much information on that engine family.. but it’s easily researchable. If you know what I mean
Yes, Justin (or Jay, not sure which) has a definite passion for these cars which is why I subscribed to his channel a long time ago ! He's just such a darned likeable kid with a great passion!!
Just call me J
Lol
Back story my dad came from a family of 5 boys the 5 boys had 13 grandchildren and they was 5 J names (including great uncle John) my brothers name is Jordan, there was also Jason Jeremy so I was never the right J name ( I don’t get upset by it or anything people still call me Jason lol it’s whatever figured J is one letter easier to remember but I’m easy going so whatever you’d like =)
Thank you so much I’ve always liked/ attracted to the different stuff glad you dig this channel I always look for your comments as well as others who watch a lot and have been with the channel from the early days =)
Great episode! Two things to note- the Duesenberg engine was build by Lycoming and not by Duesenberg. And the second fun fact- by 1907, Franklin was the single largest consumer of aluminum in the world- as their cars were both aluminum engined and bodied. Yes, early Franklins were bodied from the doors to fenders in aluminum. That ceased due to the Great War, but this post war Franklin is such a beaut! Thanks, Jay, for posting this!
Glad you did this episode thank you so much I should have said Lycoming made the engine for auburn cord and duesenberg thank you so much for sharing that information as well as Franklin being the largest producer of aluminum Great information
Franklin’s last aluminum-skinned body was for the 1928 Series 12.
And didn’t they have a wooden frame?
@@danmyers8729Franklin’s last wooden frame and first steel frame was in 1928 (Series 12). Model 12-5 wood frame. Model 12-7 steel frame.
Good to know thank you for the information
3:35 I just _LOVE_ those labeled engine pix. Good way to learn.
I love it when I can find pictures like that
Thank you,I never knew how advanced Franklin engines seemed to be, aluminum pistons,air cooled seemed to be fairly durable, really leaned alot about these engines and Franklins.Please keep these coming.Any one of those cars would be nice for me.
Thank you so much for watching this one we love all the cars off the beaten path some more epic cars in the pipe line =)
What a fantastic looking car. The LeBaron influence is apparent especially around the windows. They remind me of the beautiful square-cut window openings in the gigantic 1941/42 Packard LeBaron limousines, which are for my money, the greatest prewar limousines.
First round goes to the Packard, Although the Cadillac is awfully nice looking. Second round goes to the Pierce, because it’s hard to argue against that mighty twelve. It outlived the Pierce-Arrow company by decades.
Great choices as well as observations thank you so much for sharing all that really appreciate it =)
Many Franklin owners used custom coach builders to "body" their cars. It's possible the body was in fact LeBaron
Was it built by Franklin or was it built by LeBaron that was the question
The body was styled by LeBaron and built by Franklin at their Syracuse plant.
Awesome thank you =)
Disregard the naysayer about the "Toodaloo"! It's your signature, and I love it! You're doing yourself proud Dude!
Hahaha it’s not going anywhere everyone’s entitled to their own opinion
Thanks Jay! Another great episode
The pinstriping is unbelievable! Imagine doing that for every Franklin the rolled off the line back in the day
Whoever owns this unit has done a fantastic job of restoring the car, the panels and paint took my breath away!
Totally agrees
Back in the 70s, not far from Syracuse, I worked in a sheetmetal shop with an old timer who could fabricate a Franklin fender from scratch with hammers, a leather sand bag and a dished out log. He said he worked on Franklins when they were in production and the bodies were made pretty much by hand. He made a pattern by laying paper on the other, hopefully undamaged, fender, tracing it out the flipping it over. Guy had a million tricks and was just warming up to me enough to share but the summer was over and I was back to school.
Great story thank you so much for sharing that with those awesome memories
In reality you would have learned more useful practical skills at the sheetmetal shop than you ever did at school !
Nice car! First time I ever saw a Franklin was in high school in 1965. An auto shop student drove a 1929 Franklin 4dr. to school. Since it had wood spoke wheels, our teacher used to jokenly say to the owner "the car would fall apart if the termites would quit holding hands"😂
Great story thank you so much for sharing that awesome memory with us I wonder if the car still exists
probably one of the most balanced V engines ever built
8 miles to the gallon on a good-day if you were lucky
Awesome information +)
@@What.its.like. OK thanks so much renovated many classics over my working life EJT
8:20 Wow, just look how PERFECT that metal door is, we can see Jay practically as well as if he were in a mirror.
Interesting nugget about the Duesenberg supercharged 8. It was the most powerful American production passenger car engine made until Chrysler introduced the Hemi in the 50's. A period of around 20 years in a time when there were a lot of automotive advancements.
Totally thank you so much for sharing that information the Duesenberg non-supercharged Lycoming in line 8 wasn’t a slouch either at 265 hp.. to put it in perspective the Cadillac V 16 only made 150 hp..
Yes…unless you consider the Duesenberg SSJ, of which two were built. Purportedly producing 400+ hp, these were produced for Clark Gable and Gary Cooper, friends of EL Cord. Cord had a mansion out in Beverly Hills, known as Cordhaven.
@@What.its.like. The Cadillac V16 made 165 horsepower in it's first year, 185 for the rest of it's life.
The Chrysler 331 HEMI made 180 horsepower in it's first three years, then 235 for 54, 250 for 55. Not until the 1956 354 HEMI, in the 300, did it make more than the supercharged Duesy.
Thank you for that correction I was going off the top of my head I knew it didn’t make less than that.. lol
Was watching a super old leave it to beaver, uncle charley mentioned in his younger days, he had a Franklin automobile and the ladies loved it
I am a (much disliked) Baby-boomer, one of my first bosses in the 1970's often spoke of his family's Franklin V-12 from the 30's. He and his dad were Engineers, so was I. He said that an air cooled Franklin was one of those technically interesting vehicles, like a Tesla is today or a Wankel engined car in the 1970's. He spoke very fondly of it. He said it was powerful for its day and very reliable. Thanks for posting this, first time I've seen one. I was driving an air cooled beetle at the time, which gave us something in common.
Hey I’m a millennial don’t let your generation get you down.. I think boomers are cool definitely better than my generation.. my generation want everything for nothing I was born to late and believe if you want something in this life you have to work for it
Thank you so much for sharing that car with us I wonder if it survives
@@What.its.like. I'm quite sure the old Franklin is long gone. The fellow I mentioned in the comments was a teenager in the 1930's, he eventually served in WWII. We lived in the northeast, cars rusted. I'm guessing the car was melted for scrap during the war. I remember talking to him about my Beetle, how clever I thought the design was. He told me Franklin was making air cooled cars in the USA long before Volkswagen, which is very consistent with your video history of the brand.
Wow thank you so much for following up great story, I love hearing what happened to these cars even if they recycled into toasters
A tesla isn't technically interesting
When looking at these cars, sometimes I forget a lot of the body parts were pounded out by hand . . Using Rawhide mallets, and wooden bucks. These were the days that craftmen were truly talented. Today they just stamp out parts on a press.
A true lost art I’m just amazed at how big those fenders are and they look like they are single piece I could be wrong but if they are single piece they are absolutely huge
@@What.its.like. They are a single piece fenders. The bodies are multi piece of course. There were craftsman that carved the bucks from hard wood. They used wax, and rawhide mallets to bend the metal.
A lot of the English cars were made like that. Wooden bucks, and English wheels. The English cars were aluminum, ACs, Jags, and Morgan's. All pounded out, and rolled, by hand!
@@robertwatkins364 Older Ferrari's were hand-made and unique, thus replacement body parts didn't exist. If you crashed a fender, you sent the whole car back to Ferrari to fit a new one. There are experts who can tell you which man made which part by studying their work.
@@P_RO_ I have heard that about the Rolls Royce too. They service it for life I hear.
Stately and impressive. I have been privileged to see a few Franklins in my day.
This car was awesome, and very understated for what it is
Both the Auburn and the Franklin are works of art. Wow would it be cool to have a daily driver like one of these. Love the perfect shaping around the rear side windows, and the subtle chrome trim and pin stripes. The body proportioning and balance is outstanding. It would be most interesting to see how the Franklin performs with the aluminum engine and body etc, with the air cooled engine. Would be great if you could buy a car like this today, but with the improvements that could be achieved with what we know today.
Totally agree =)
One more thing which I leaned a two cycle Detroit Diesel had to have a blower since it has no intake valves .They had intake openings in the cylinder liners but in could not get enough air to run right,so the blower helped the engine recieve enough air for it to breath and run right and it had exhaust valves.So if you have ever heard a two cycle diesel run they have a roar all thier own.
Awesome information =)
I don't think you can get a Detroit started without the blower. It doesn't generate intake vacuum, so no way to draw air in.
@@jamesbosworth4191 Your right,diesels do not produce vacuum,,and I know better.Thanks
Just another thing,a four cycle diesel will run with out a blower,but a two cycle with intake holes in the cylinder liners have to a blower to supply air to the engine.
Beautiful 33 😍
I didn't really remember that Franklin made automobiles, but some Piper Cub J-3's had Franklin engines. Franklin engines were used in Tucker automobiles. Preston Tucker even brought the company.
Stunning
You mention the one of a kind Peerless V-16 which is at the Frederick C. Crawford Auto Aviation museum in Cleveland and I remember also seeing (not hearing, it was that quiet) running across the viewing field at Stan Hyuet in the annual old car show I think it was during the 1980s. I would have missed it if I would not have looked up in time. It was an awesome sight.
I’ll have to go there people have been telling me how awesome that place is
Neat V-12 Franklin, dash is a work of art. First choice 33 Packard 12 , second 33 Auburn 12.
Great choices =)
I wish I would’ve asked the gentleman what everything did some of it was labeled but I couldn’t read the tag on the one label I usually can find dashboard Maps but I couldn’t find one on this car Which was a total bummer
A very cool looking car! Excellent video. I like the Packard and Franklin but the Pierce-Arrow is up there too.
Awesome choices =) production is going to go up a lot I figured out how to take the videos to the next level.. =)
Glad you dig this one
@@What.its.like. Cool. Can't wait.
My late grandfather ran a taxi service, in Newport, RI, using Franklin's. On the way from Newport to San Diego 1933 for my pregnant mother to join my Navy father, the family journeyed west in one of the Franklin cabs. My grandmother fell asleep in the rear seat. With the divider closed she almost succumbed to the faulty exhaust which filled the rear cabin. No hyper chamber for her. The exhaust fixed they continued west with the windows down. Narragansett Bay
Thank you so much for sharing those memories with us
That’s crazy
There is a Franklin owner’s convention every Summer in Cazenovia, ny. Very fascinating!
Awesome =)
Beautiful, very high quality cars. Gilmore has a great collection. Was in Tucson a month ago, drove out to the Franklin museum there - closed for the 'summer' (bummer). 'Production' Tuckers used a Franklin 6 designed for Bell helicopter. The 12 was built in Syracuse, designed by LeBaron - Dietrich, maybe (?) He did a lot for Franklin but not certain about the 12. Interesting transitional design- has hoodline extended to the cowl, full fender frontal aspect and the beavertail, but not yet valanced fenders (bareset hint here, Graham was just introducing them in 32; everyone copied and they would be the norm in 33). WYR: 1) Sorry Franklin, the Packard, 2) Sorry Franklin, the Pierce Arrow. Great though it is.
Gilmore is awesome =) love that place thank you so much for the information great choices
Yes it did seem strange that the Franklin didn't have a hood ornament but the hood ornaments were usually a part of the radiator cap so that might explain it I think. Then I think, 'if it didn't have a radiator then why did it have a grill the shape of a radiator?' Huh? Neat car! Thanks!
They made their cars more conventional because they thought the old design was turning off potential customers.
Very likely.@@seed_drill7135
We had a Franklin in Brazil that served the president Getulio Vargas,unfortunately it broke down on a parade.It sits on a collection today.
That’s crazy
I wonder where you go to get a Franklin fixed
I've seen exactly one Franklin in my life. A local nob passed away leaving an air-cooled Franklin of unknown year that looked similar to this and a couple other cars behind in a dark warehouse. The rest were sold before I showed up and I didn't take the closer look I wanted to because I was there to try buying an 80ci flathead Harley chopper. Not only was the Franklin gone the next day but the Harley got sold out from under me even though I had a deal and the cash we'd agreed on. Two losses in one day- not fun at all. WYR I like the Packard which looks a little more 'sporty' and then the Franklin with it's understated classy look and air-cooled engine.
For WYR, it's the Packard, then the Pierce Arrow.
Yet another beauty that did not survive the Great Depression. I really found myself liking the grille. And the interior. Nice, understated car.
Great choices this car was awesome I really liked the fender and the beaver tail rear =)
There is a Franklin car museum in Tucson, AZ
HH Franklin’s mansion was a block away from where I live now. It was demolished to make room for office buildings! His chief designer/engineer lived down the block; his house was demolished also. There are bits and pieces of the original Franklin manufacturing facility/factory still standing, but you can’t recognize them. There is an old hardware store that sits right in the middle of what was the original factory; these folks know “everything Franklin “ with a large map/diagram of what/where the factory was in relation to where the store is now. Franklin paid top wages to workers for that time and workers came from as far away as Auburn NY, some 35 miles, by train, to work at the Franklin plant. The cars were way ahead of their time but built with the utmost skill and dedication, which is why there are so many (?) left in running condition today…….and “yes” I had the opportunity to ride in a Franklin because of the generosity of a collector/owner at one of the shows I mentioned!
Thank you so much for ring that insight =)
Packard, then Franklin. Such a unique car. Can you imagine working the engine with those spare tires in the way? Beautiful lines and loved the dash.
Awesome choices, might have to move side mounts
Just remove them when working on the engine.
33 Packard
33 Pierce Arrow
Hey, where's the radiator? Oh wait. Really beautiful body lines on that Franklin. A very roomy interior and I really love the dash just beautiful and a really nice grill too. Since the Franklin was air cooled I was wondering how they did the heaters and defrosters in them? Or did they not have them?
Awesome choices
Now that you mention it I’m not sure how they heated the cabin
What a car Americans love a great car
=)
Electric
Light
Orchestra
Living Thing 🤞🤷
Great guess it’s not ELO or that song think mid 60s it’s really popular song not the Beatles or beach boys either
@@What.its.like. 🤷 Jackie Wilson
Higher and Higher is close but I think he had bongos in the mix ?? 🤔 in the 60s 😂👍✌️
Another great guess not that one either male artist
The Packard in the first 3,the Pierce Arrow in the second, definitely!
Awesome choices that Packard looks stellar I miss my opportunity to review one at Hershey I should’ve totally asked
Not my favorite era, but…..I like this car. Being air cooled is really impressive. Great overview of the history.
Oh, btw……don’t you dare stop the toodaloo sign off…..it’s fantastic!
Glad you dig this one I wish we could’ve gotten inside I wish we could’ve done so much more and it breaks my heart that I didn’t know all of the button switches and knobs generally I’m able to find a map.. in an owners manual that tells everything but I could not find one on this car..
I won’t stop doing that that’s our thing.. I don’t care if a few people don’t like it most people do and it will feel empty without it =)
One the first choice of cars, I would have to choose the Packard. On the second choice I would choose the Pierce Arrow. Thank You!
Sweet choices =)
Pierce Arrow for me but I would take any of them. I was lucky enough to visit the Auburn Cord Duesenberg museum in Auburn, Indiana in the early '90's.
Awesome choices definitely want to go there one day
I'd take the Franklin. It's beautiful and extremely rare
Sweet choice =)
8:06 Those cowel vents (if that's what they are) are sure interesting. They're directly into the hood, which I assume moves, rather than being in a stationary piece in front of the windshield.
Hard to believe a modern car could do much damage to those fenders.
Ransom E. Olds said his REO cars were some of the best on the streets - and that his cars were basically unbelievable powerhouses on the roads. Seems time didn't let his CARS prove themselves as WW2 war era production took over all production from aircraft to ships and REO was shuttered for good.
Awesome insight and information =)
For some of your conflicting info.: Franklin was founded July 4, 1893 to make die-cast parts. (Mr. Franklin reportedly coined the term ‘die-casting’.) The Series 17 Twelve bodies were styled by LeBaron but made by Franklin, of steel panels over a wood structure. Franklin made 201 Twelves plus 6 prototypes. The 1933 Series 18-A Olympic was a REO Flying Cloud Model S (117” wheelbase) powered by a Franklin engine. Doman-Marks Engine Company was founded in 1933 and bought the rights to Franklin (name, patents, and goodwill) in 1937 and changed their name to Aircooled Motors Corporation after briefly spelling ‘Air Cooled’ as two words. (The name changed to Aircooled Motors, Inc. in Dec 1945.)
Thank you so much for sharing all that information and insight greatly appreciate it
@@What.its.like.You’re welcome. Apologies for multiple replies. It was a modern technology and/or operator error issue. 🤣
It’s all good I thought it was a RUclips glitch to be 100% honest.. which happens =)
Franklins had great styling in addition of their expert engineering. WYR #1 YES! #2 Pierce Arrow
Haha YES great choices
Franklins are vastly underrated and franklin under appreciated
Well, if you can afford a Franklin, you probably can afford to have someone make you a fender! 😅 Cool car, love the cover / fan on the first cylinder, looks like a Wisconsin engine cover. 😊. Those are vacuum operated wipers? Jay, thanks for the video on the Franklin, I've seen footage of one 1912 Franklin in a parade here, they had really cool looking hoods back then that looked like a big steel drum, distinctive grills, and some nice colors for a time of toned down colors.. Nothing as fancy as a LeBaron style though! Keep on making great videos on these rare gems 💎! Many thanks.
Very true
Glad you dig this episode =)
Not sure when electric wipers came along, but a Super or Turbo charged engine has no intake vacuum, so a mechanical vacuum pump would be needed for vacuum wipers. Hope someone has a definitive answer!
Pierce Arrow 12! Hands down!
Sweet choices =)
WYR: All of them. Never know what mood I'll be in.
NTT: Marvin Berry and the Starbrights? I can't tell.
Great guess not that song or band can’t go wrong with any of them =)
@@What.its.like.True. Maybe it's Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf.
Impossible choice but if forced I would choose one of the Franklins because of the unique air-cooled engine and their unobtainium status.
Great choice franklins are totally cool vastly underrated
wyr: 1. Packard, of course 2. Pierce Arrow!
Great choices =)
Not sure, and can't cite a source, but I recall reading somewhere that Charles Lindbergh drove a Franklin because he liked the air cooled engine.
I’ve heard the same as well as Amelia Earhart
1. Packard, 2. Franklin. Love the air cooled engine, though, ultimately, all car engines are air cooled. ;-)
Great choices very true but this doesn’t cool water it’s directly air cooled think VW
The Packard and the Pierce-Arrow. You say 348 cubic inches, while the text reads 398 cubic inches, but your bore and stroke figures give 386 cubic inches.
It’s supposed to be 398 I’m dyslexic sometimes I saythe wrong numbers I usually catch it when I go over it and prove it it must’ve slipped through sorry about that
They might have rounded up to make that number all of the information that I used is in the description I started putting my sources in so I can direct people to that instead of trying to find the sources years afterwards
Franklin looks more attractive than other options although Pierce Arrow comes really close next.
The car is absolutely incredible. It's super understated for what it is.
my all time dream car is a 33 Packard 12 dritech, shame i will never be able to afford one
My all-time favorite Packard is a 1934 aero coupe body by LeBaron so I know how you feel.. i’m hoping to go to Amelia Island this year I wanted to go last year and I probably could’ve went but I really want to go this year maybe there might be one there who knows..
WYR1: I'll take the Packard
WYR2: Pierce
Sweet
Was hoping for the under the hood section. Was the owner not willing to open it?
There was so many people around the car it rained an hour before I didn’t ask..
9:57 That switch isn't ride control. It switches between 3.5:1 and 4.5:1 on the two speed differential.
Awesome thank you for that correction
@@What.its.like. The first few Series 17 Franklins (that's the official name of the V12) were delivered with single speed rear ends. They got such horrible gas mileage that they started putting in Columbia 2 speed rear ends as standard. My V12 Franklin in high range just purrs at 75mph. It feels like driving a locomotive.
I'd go for the Packard and the Pierce-Arrow, but they were well over $3000, yes? If the Imperial was at a similar price point, I might go for the Franklin with more cylinders, and no radiator to worry about. Cars used to boil-over ALL the time back then.
Awesome choices =)
nice job!
Glad you dig this episode =)
Franklin engines, while advertised by Franklin as supercharged, actually were not. The air cleaner was ducted to the shrouding for the cooling fan, so Franklin decided to call that "supercharging" due to the fact that the air inside that shrouding was at higher than atmospheric pressure. Also, the Cadillac V16 made 165 horsepower in it's first year, 185 for the rest of it's life.
Yeah thank you for that correction On the Cadillac V 16 I was going off of figure off the top of my head I knew it didn’t make less than 150..
Awesome information thank you so much for sharing that
Early in the 20th century, air cooling was a real benefit as antifreeze did not yet exist.
Very good point I wonder if they just used water or what they used water mixed with something else
@@What.its.like. Glycol was used with coolant back then to prevent freezing but it wasn't cheap until after WW2, nor was it as effective as modern antifreeze. Alcohol was also used as it was cheaper, but it tended to evaporate. Most older cars had accessible coolant drain valves on the block as well as the radiator, so lots of people just drained the water at night then filled it up in the morning if the temps allowed.
Packard then the pierce
Sweet =)
@@What.its.like. Leno yesterday had the only known to be left or one of 1923 McFarland Knickerbocker,,,IT was owned by fatty Arbuckle,,,who was involved in Hollywood first known underage sex scandle,,,what a car !
I’ll have to check it out =)
You pose a question of which car you would want, but the Packard Custom Dietrich Stationary coupe you picture is a 4 million dollar car so that isn't quite the same as the others.
Very true but take price out of the equation.. A two-door Franklin supercharge v12 would be a very expensive car as well.. if all the cars are the same price lol =D
Sad thing is a lot of those cars ( depending on what they are some will never lose value like type 35 Bugatti ) the pre war cars keep losing money to the point in 10-15 years those cars will be affordable that’s why this channel exists to get younger people inspired about the real cars
It is a beautiful crafted auto for sure, the dashboard and interior is very nicely done. I would given the choices though, pick the I'd pick the Packard 12, although the Caddy runs a very close second. The second I'd go with the Auburn 12. 😎
This car was awesome
Great choices =)
Hi folks,
One might have been a spark advance or an auto gas throtle, for distance driving.
I wonder how well those air cooled engines stayed cool enough.
I knew a guy that had 12 of them he was always fascinated with them but I haven’t seen him in years he always said that they were different after he got his first one it started a cascade affect..
Going with the Packard and the Pierce-Arrow this time.
Sweet choices =)
Packards are hard to beat
$2885 had about 140 ounces of gold in it then. So, about $280,000 today. Inflation would be the metric from 1971 to today.
Now where is the Radiator Cap?
😊
I'll take the Packard
Sweet choice
I know how I feel about this car 😊i'min love baby
I would rather... have a 33 Chevy truck over those luxury cars... LOL Though I would say the Packard is the most stylish, while the Franklin is a close second and the Cadillac is more of an elegantly traditional look. In the second list, that Auburn is quite attractive, but the Pierce has a very unique style... especially for a period where most cars looked basically the same.
Once again, I have no idea what the song is... I almost had that last one though...
Hahah
I honestly thought this song was super easy it’s a very popular mid 60s song.. popular artist I think they’ve been on the channel once before could be wrong though after doing 360+ episodes it gets hard to remember what artist were done and what wasn’t lol
Great observations 33 Chevy Truck would be really cool to have as well =D
5:37...so...this very expensive car cost in today's dollars, what a pickup truck now costs...puts into perspective just how out of hand vehicle prices are now......
Totally agree stuff is out of control now but also have to remember these cars didn’t have power brakes or anything crazy plastic and electronic fillers cost a lot
John Wilkinson, the chief engineer wanted the company to manufacture a basic/affordable Model Z a la Henry Ford's Model T. Unfortunately H.H. Franklin disagreed and the two parted ways. Who knows how much longer(1950's, possibly the 1960's)the company would've remained viable had they done so?
Thank you so much for adding that information I had no idea.. I wondered why he wasn’t in the picture for as long as he could’ve been I didn’t know if he passed away
I'll take the Packard and the Pierce Arrow, thanks.
Sweet choices =)
Packard for first car pick. Franklin for the second car pick. No idea what song that is. 😸
Sweet choices =)
Packard, Packard, Packard! Any day.
Awesome choices =)
As much art as machine.
Very well said
Back in that day, gasoline was probably more or less than 5c per gallon.
33 Franklin
33 Pierce Arrow (it was in a class of its own)
song, unsure, sound a little like Creedence...
Great guess you guys are going to flip your lid when you figure out what it is very iconic mid60s song possibly overplayed.. it’s from a band that was really popular back then but not so popular now singular artist.. honestly can’t believe nobody’s gotten it yet
Great choices =)
Packard 12, Franklin 12
Sweet choices
Packard!
Sweet =)
I would wany the Packard
That Packard is drop dead gorgeous I miss my opportunity to do one it was Victoria 1934 I should’ve asked..
Something by the Rolling Stones maybe?
Great guess but not that band
! Packard .... 2 Auburn
Awesome choices two power brands
1933 Franklin
1933 Pierce Arrow
Sweet choices =)
Cadi--Franklin air-cooled 12 Rod Stewart--Maggie May ?
Great choices and great guess not that song or band I was afraid the song was easy.. very popular 60s song
So would that make the Cadillac V16 a Marmon-Caddy???
Packard Pierce Arrow
Sweet choices =)
WYR. I have to be true to my family brands of Auburn and Packard
Awesome =) choices
This was back when cars were works of art.
Totally agree =)
I will take the PACKARD V12
Sweet choices =)
The Packard is ugly, the Cadillac bland, but the Franklin is pure style. Would love to hear the sound of that air cooled engine.
You claim the Akron killed more people in that airship crash until 1950. What about the Hindenberg in 1937?
The Hindenburg only caused 35 fatalities according to Wikipedia.. but it is better known
Did Americans really hand over their gold to the Govt in '33?
Yep... a lot of people hid gold and it wasn’t until the 70s when it was lifted
Franklins had wooden frames !
Packard always ....
Caddy has great styling 👏❤️
Pierce Arrow 🤔👏👏👏
Great episode if i remember right the Franklin i worked on had a wood frame 😱...
Happy Motoring ✌️🤠🍻
Glad you dig this episode =) great choices