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.

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!

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.

Disregard the naysayer about the "Toodaloo"! It's your signature, and I love it! You're doing yourself proud Dude!

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!

3:35 I just _LOVE_ those labeled engine pix. Good way to learn.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Beautiful 33 😍

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.

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.

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"😂

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.

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.

Stately and impressive. I have been privileged to see a few Franklins in my day.

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!

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.

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.

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!

Stunning

A very cool looking car! Excellent video. I like the Packard and Franklin but the Pierce-Arrow is up there too.

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.

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.

Impossible choice but if forced I would choose one of the Franklins because of the unique air-cooled engine and their unobtainium status.

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.

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

Neat V-12 Franklin, dash is a work of art. First choice 33 Packard 12 , second 33 Auburn 12.

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.

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!

Hard to believe a modern car could do much damage to those fenders.

There is a Franklin owner’s convention every Summer in Cazenovia, ny. Very fascinating!

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.

There is a Franklin car museum in Tucson, AZ

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.

probably one of the most balanced V engines ever built 8 miles to the gallon on a good-day if you were lucky

nice job!

What a car Americans love a great car

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.

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?

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.)

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.

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!

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.

1. Packard, 2. Franklin. Love the air cooled engine, though, ultimately, all car engines are air cooled. ;-)

I'd take the Franklin. It's beautiful and extremely rare

my all time dream car is a 33 Packard 12 dritech, shame i will never be able to afford one

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 wonder how well those air cooled engines stayed cool enough.

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.

The Packard in the first 3,the Pierce Arrow in the second, definitely!

Pierce Arrow 12! Hands down!

wyr: 1. Packard, of course 2. Pierce Arrow!

Hi folks, One might have been a spark advance or an auto gas throtle, for distance driving.

Franklins had great styling in addition of their expert engineering. WYR #1 YES! #2 Pierce Arrow

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.

WYR: All of them. Never know what mood I'll be in. NTT: Marvin Berry and the Starbrights? I can't tell.

$2885 had about 140 ounces of gold in it then. So, about $280,000 today. Inflation would be the metric from 1971 to today.

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.

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...

9:57 That switch isn't ride control. It switches between 3.5:1 and 4.5:1 on the two speed differential.

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. 😎

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?

Going with the Packard and the Pierce-Arrow this time.

I know how I feel about this car 😊i'min love baby

Packard for first car pick. Franklin for the second car pick. No idea what song that is. 😸

Now where is the Radiator Cap? 😊

Packard, Packard, Packard! Any day.

Was hoping for the under the hood section. Was the owner not willing to open it?

Back in that day, gasoline was probably more or less than 5c per gallon.

Early in the 20th century, air cooling was a real benefit as antifreeze did not yet exist.

This was back when cars were works of art.

As much art as machine.

I'll take the Packard and the Pierce Arrow, thanks.

Something by the Rolling Stones maybe?

Packard then the pierce

Packard 12, Franklin 12

33 Franklin 33 Pierce Arrow (it was in a class of its own) song, unsure, sound a little like Creedence...

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 ✌️🤠🍻

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......

Electric Light Orchestra Living Thing 🤞🤷

I'll take the Packard

1933 Franklin 1933 Pierce Arrow

Cadi--Franklin air-cooled 12 Rod Stewart--Maggie May ?

Packard Pierce Arrow

Packard!

! Packard .... 2 Auburn

The Packard is ugly, the Cadillac bland, but the Franklin is pure style. Would love to hear the sound of that air cooled engine.

I will take the PACKARD V12

WYR. I have to be true to my family brands of Auburn and Packard

You claim the Akron killed more people in that airship crash until 1950. What about the Hindenberg in 1937?

Franklins had wooden frames !

I would wany the Packard

Did Americans really hand over their gold to the Govt in '33?

I dont like the toodalew either.certainly not a man's expression. And Willys is Willys not Willis as you tried to convince us. I had a friend who's name was Willis. He spelled it Willis. They both are spelled as they sound.

Too heavy at close to three tons