1929 Franklin Model 137
Every so often there’s an engineer or an innovator who refuses to follow the status quo or the accepted truth. John Wilkinson was one of those men. Although the money for the company came from H.H. Franklin, until November 1924, the design and execution of every Franklin automobile was the work of the singular Wilkinson. Wooden frames and air-cooled engines were among the concepts he championed. Everything he approved was for a distinct purpose. Although brilliant, he was unbending in principle. And when, despite falling sales and dealer requests, he refused to fit a conventional-looking false radiator to his air-cooled Franklins, he was over-ruled and departed directly.
Franklin’s biggest car, the Model 137, was offered with seven cataloged bodies and ranged in price from $2,770, to $2,970, at a time when the same money would buy four or five Model A Fords. To be sure, the Franklin was a carefully designed and crafted automobile that still adhered to the air-cooled philosophy of John Wilkinson.
The chassis was fairly conventional, featuring elliptical leaf springs at all corners supporting a pair of solid axles. A big car, the Model 137 weighed almost 4,000 pounds. It was propelled by a six-cylinder, Franklin “Airman” air-cooled engine that displaced 274 cubic-inches and sent 60 horsepower aft by way of a three-speed manual transmission.
Finished in black with a tan leather interior and top, with light wire wheels. Considered a full Classic by the Classic Car Club of America, this fine Franklin can be used for touring or show and offers an elegant and unusual alternative to Packard and Cadillac automobiles of the era.
