1928 FRANKLIN AIRMAN MODEL 12B LIMITED 2 DOOR VICTORIA BROUGHAM

1928 FRANKLIN AIRMAN MODEL 12B LIMITED TWO DOOR VICTORIA BROUGHAM. THIS CAR IS CURRENTLY REGISTERED AND INSURED FOR ROAD USE IN MY NAME. ENGINE # E129184. CHASSIS # X181397L21. BODY # W1790. CAR IS REGISTERED BY ENGINE #. STAMPED INTO BLOCK ON LOWER FRONT PASSENGER SIDE.

ALL FRANKLINS WERE BUILT IN SYRACUSE NY FROM 1902-1934. SOME 150. 00 FRANKLINS WERE PRODUCED IN ITS 32 YEARS OF OPERATION. INCLUDING ABOUT 7000 AIRMAN. THE AIRMAN IS A AUTOMOTIVE TRIBUTE TO CHARLES A LINDBURGH. WHO FLEW THE ATLANTIC IN MAY 1927 NON STOP. THIS WAS THE USA's GREATEST TRAVELING TRIUMPH UNTIL JULY. 1969. WHEN NEIL ARMSTRONG LANDED AND WALKED ON THE MOON. THE LIMITED WAS A MID 1928 SPECIAL MODEL. AT ALMOST $3. 00 NEW. IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE. COMPARED TO $400 FOR A MODEL A FORD. WHAT MAKES THIS CAR VERY SPECIAL ARE SEVERAL THINGS. FIRST IS IT WAS SOLD NEW TO THE TIFFANY FAMILY. WHO LIVED IN THE EAST FLATBUSH SECTION OF BROOKLYN. NY. THEY USED IT TO TRAVEL TO THEIR SUMMER HOME IN OYSTER BAY. LONG ISLAND. NEW YORK. DID YOU SEE THE MOVIE THE GREAT GATSBY? THE 1974 FILM WITH ROBERT REDFORD. NOT THE REMAKE FROM 2013. SIMILAR STORY. THE RUNNING BOARDS HAVE STEP PLATES ONE FOR EACH PASSENGER MARKED TIFFANY. THIS IS A 4 PASSENGER CAR. A PRECURSOR TO CARS LIKE THE CHRYSLER LETTER CARS OF THE 1950s. NEXT IS THE BODY STYLE. BUT MORE IMPORTANT IS THE LIMITED MODEL. ALUMINUM BODY (HOOD. COWL. AND TUB) ALUMINUM ENGINE. TRANSMISSION AND DIFFERENTIAL.  ABOUT 4400 MODEL 12B AIRMAN LIMITED WERE SOLD. HOW MANY ARE LEFT? A HANDFUL. BECAUSE WHEN WW II BROKE OUT MANY FRANKLINS FOUND THEIR WAY TO THE SCRAP PILE. WITH A BODY AND POWERTRAIN RICH IN ALUMINUM AND COPPER. THE WAR EFFORT NEEDED THEM MORE THAN WATER COOLED AUTOMOBILES. THIS CAR HAS 28700 MILES AND IS UNRESTORED. ONLY THE DRIVER SEAT WAS RECOVERED IN 1957 WITH THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED THAT SAME YEAR. ALL OTHER GLASS IS ORIGINAL. CAR WAS SOLD TO A NEW YORK CITY AREA CAR COLLECTOR ABOUT 1950 WHO HAD ABOUT 50 ANTIQUE CARS. THEY MADE THEIR MONEY IN THE TUG BOAT BUSINESS IN NEW YORK HARBOR. AND ARE STILL GOING STRONG TODAY AFTER ALMOST 140 YEARS. I JUST SAW ONE OF THEIR TUGS A FEW DAYS AGO PUSHING A BARGE ON THE EAST RIVER. SO THERE YOU HAVE IT. LIMITED PRODUCTION. EXPENSIVE WHEN NEW. SPECIAL ENGINEERING. UNIQUE DESIGN. GREAT PROVENANCE. 85 YEARS OLD AND RUNS AND DRIVES BEAUTIFULLY. I DROVE IT 50 MILES TO A CAR SHOW A FEW WEEKS AGO. CRUISES AT 35 MPH.

IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. I DROVE THIS VEHICLE TO TWO CAR SHOWS. EACH ONE HAD A ROUND TRIP DISTANCE OF 50 MILES. THE FRANKLIN CRUISED ALONG AT 35 MPH AND WAS VERY GOOD ON THE CURVES. EVEN ON THE PARKWAY SYSTEM WITH A LEGAL SPEED LIMIT OF 55 MPH. THIS CAR HELD ITS OWN IN THE RIGHT LANE. THIS IS NOT JUST A CAR TO LOOK AT IN A MUSEUM. THIS IS A CAR TO DRIVE AS WELL. STARTS RUNS AND DRIVES BEAUTIFULLY.

THIS AUCTION STARTS AT ONE CENT WITH REASONABLE RESERVE. CAR IS ENTERED IN THE HERSHEY PA SHOW SATURDAY OCTOBER 12. IT WILL BE IN THE CAR CORRAL BEFORE THAT. THIS CAR WILL BE SOLD. I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO END AUCTION EARLY ONCE I HAVE A REAL BUYER. I ENCOURAGE SERIOUS BIDDERS TO LOOK AT THIS CAR. CAR IS FOR SALE LOCALLY AS WELL.   

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