Vintage 1929 custom popcorn truck. (The Tomaso
Collection)
What’s that ‘Ol sayin’ about a diamond in the
rough…
There’s simply just far too much to scribble
about from my initial visit to the Martin Auto Museum. Which has a bit of
everything on display.
Like that vintage popcorn & peanuts truck
above. To the unheard of and unknonwn likes of the Streetnik Bandit tribute rod
and the 1929 Franklin.
Yet of growing interest to Mwah after-the-fact
is the Museo’s 1929 Franklin Model 135 Sedan. Since I just love the story about
how the front radiator grill is fake!
Having been added to ease consumers thoughts of
what an automobile should look like after dealers demands…
In 1929, there were three Franklin models to
choose from, the 130, 135 and 137, all powered by the company’s air cooled six
cylinder engine.
Ironically, there just so happened to be an
article about the very 1929 Frankin in question in the April issue of the
Martin Automotive Times Newsletter, Shazam!
So I’ll let the Museo’s unofficial spokesman
Rick DeBruhl do the heavy lifting with His excellent 12 minutes video on this
very car instead.
VIDEO: 1929 Franklin:
Innovation, Elegance and the Crash that Killed It
While here’s another Youtube video I found
detailing the Franklin’s unique air-cooled engine, ahead of its time.
VIDEO: Franklin’s last
in-line 274cid engine
And thanks to museum Docent Gene, I learned
that there’s a Franklin Auto museum in Tucson, Arizona, which I wasn’t aware
of. With Gene claiming there’s some 30 Franklins on display, along with a
cutaway Franklin air cooled engine.
Lastly, albeit an earlier version of the
Franklin. Here’s a good video upon their 1923 automobile, including actually
driving said vehicle…
VIDEO: They beat Porsche to
the Punch: Franklin’s Air-cooled Automobiles
Photo C/O No Fenders Blogmeister’ Miguel.
