1929 Franklin Model 137 Sport Touring

Automobile designer John Wilkinson was a pioneer in the automobile industry during the early dawn of the vehicle revolution. He was a proponent of air-cooling methods and lightweight designs. He preferred tubular axles and flexible, full-elliptic springs, as well as aluminum-clad bodies and laminated ash frames to help reduce weight. New York Industrialist Herbert Henry Franklin agreed with Wilkinson and put his ideas on wheels in 1902. The name of the vehicle was called the 'Franklin' and it's appearance was unlike anything else on the roadways of the time.

From 1910 through the mid-1920s, most of the Franklins were bodied by the Walker Body Company of Amesbury, Massachusetts. In 1926, Raymond Dietrich was hired as a consultant for many of the Franklin designs.

By 1925, Franklin had hired J. Frank de Causse, of Kellner and Locomobile frame, as a designer. The result was the Series 11, introduced in March of 1925. It was a modern design that had a conventional-looking radiator, which served little purpose other than aesthetics. Since the cars were air-cooled, a radiator was not required. Further development of the Series 11 led to custom-bodied cars created by renowned coachbuilders such as Locke and Willoughby.

The Series 13, introduced near the close of the 1920s, sat on a steel chassis that was suspended by the traditional full-elliptic springs. There were four-wheel hydraulic brakes that had been introduced to the Franklin line-up in 1928. Customers could choose from three wheelbase sizes and a larger 274 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine with overhead valves and an available sixty horsepower.

This 1929 Franklin Model 137 Dual Cowl Sport Touring was designed by Dietrich and constructed by the Walker Body Company. It has a wheelbase that measures 132 inches and is powered by the 60-horsepower air-cooled six. There is a three-speed manual gearbox with a solid front axle and a live rear axle. Four-wheel hydraulic brakes keep the car in the driver's control. It has recently been treated to a complete restoration and finished in deep red with fine beige pinstriping. There are tan leather interior seats with a matching canvas top. The engine has driven around 150 miles since the completion of the restoration. In 2008 it was brought to the Automobiles of Amelia auction run by RM Auctions. This car was estimated to sell for $120,000 - $140,000. Bidding reached $85,000 but was not enough to settle the vehicle's reserve.

By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2008