1927 Franklin Five Passenger Touring

1927 Other Makes Franklin 11B 5 Passenger Touring 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.

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.

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• Price: $39,900
• VIN: 170032-1
• Cylinders: 6
• Title: Clear
• Exterior Color: Green

• Carfax:
• Engine: 32HP
• Transmission: 3-Speed
• Mileage: 56,339
• Interior Color: Black

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