Jump to content

Franklin Speedster Build


MikeDeFelice

Recommended Posts

I know they always specify that seat belts and safety seats should be attached to the "frame" but in modern cars that usually means a big washer under the floor pan or even the parcel shelf. It might be worth adding a cross brace or an extra crossmember in the frame itself to run these through the floor. Light aluminum, wood or even thin sheet metal is not going to be strong enough in the event of a mishap. Better to err on the safe side if you want them to work. According to Newton, objects in motion tend to stay in motion, so we would fly about as far as it takes a human body to decelerate from cruising speed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Hudson33

Thanks for reply, There are two concerns I have, first it has to be strong which I can do but also I want to be able to take them out or hide them when car is for show. I'm not much for judging but trying to keep on the old speedster format.

Thanks for comments --- will give it some serious thought

Fred

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 months later...

Hi Mike , I am anxious to see the Franklin speed car and the progress you have made this winter! Ill bet it looks like a million bucks by now. Mike [ATTACH=CONFIG]230164[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]230165[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]229985[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]229986[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]212841[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]212839[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]211300[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]211299[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]198749[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]198750[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]196117[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]196120[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]196121[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]196122[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]196051[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]195778[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]195777[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]195776[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]195775[/ATTACH]!

1930 franklin Speedster in Build Stage. 3 Side Draft Webers, Lowered Suspension and Chopped Narrowed Cowl. Packard Wheels and Hubcaps. 1910 Stanley Steamer Lights, New exhaust Manifold. Brake, Clutch and gas pedals. New Exhaust with Powder Coat. Started motor today (Sept 19) for the 1st time, It runs (POORLY) and needs some additional tuning.Found out Valve Timing was wrong and firing order was wrong. Fixed those problems. Strange for a motor that was supposed to be running. Now I find the Starter Drive is junk. Someone tried to weld it and it is no good. Looking for a starter drive so I can back to sorting this Motor out.I have the starter drive problem resolved but now the starter is dragging copper on the armature. It was working ok before I had to resolder the stud on the field coils and replace the starter drive. trying to figure out if the starter is binding or something. It appears to be turning the motor over without a problem but is arcing badly on all brushes. Received a second starter from a Franklin Friend. Starter problem resolved and now the Distributor has a problem. replaced Points,Cond, rotor and Dist Cap. Now I find out the Dist Housing is worn. No bushings so we bored the dist and made oil lite bushing. Motor seems to run OK.Now it is time to try and sort out those 3 Webers.New Grille with Air Cooled Script and Faux Hand Fuel Pump. Still trying to figure out how to run on Rubber Exhaust Extension. Maybe it will be Summer when I can go outside???New Headlights with Dillion Lens and Crank hole in the Grille. Pics of new Windshield and Wing Windowbelow/down. Can only post 20 pics on a Post.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]195327[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]195328[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]195329[/ATTACH] Mike DeFelice NY

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Hudson33

Hi Mike D and Mike W

This is a real build. Maybe I will find some parts to build something similar.

I have a '20's frame and am looking at a motor but just getting back to '12 Hudson speedster.

Good job and good luck

Fred

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
Guest wendyLEQ

Hello Mike!

Today is July 12, 2014 and you called us yesterday about the 1930 Franklin that you are making into a speedster. I talked to you and then my Husband called you back & told you a little something about the car. My Husband thought you might like to see how the car looked when it left us for Illinois in 2011. So I have attached four pictures for you that pretty much shows the shape it was in and what was with it the day it left us. I hope you enjoy the car and we looked at all your pictures and you have done amazing things with it and we like it very much. We are so happy it found a home & someone to work on it. Thanks for calling us & we are so happy you did. Wendy LeQuieu in California

post-73327-143142614775_thumb.jpg

post-73327-143142614699_thumb.jpg

post-73327-143142614729_thumb.jpg

post-73327-143142614751_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest wendyLEQ

Hello Mike!

Today is July 12, 2014 and you called us yesterday about the 1930 Franklin that you are making into a speedster. I talked to you and then my Husband called you back & told you a little something about the car. My Husband thought you might like to see how the car looked when it left us for Illinois in 2011. So I have attached four pictures for you that pretty much shows the shape it was in and what was with it the day it left us. I hope you enjoy the car and we looked at all your pictures and you have done amazing things with it and we like it very much. We are so happy it found a home & someone to work on it. Thanks for calling us & we are so happy you did. Wendy LeQuieu in California

attachment.php?attachmentid=258542&d=1405203262&thumb=1attachment.php?attachmentid=258543&d=1405203368&thumb=1attachment.php?attachmentid=258544&d=1405203404&thumb=1attachment.php?attachmentid=258545&d=1405203437&thumb=1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • 2 years later...

Mike,

 

I'm new to the Speedster forum, but I'm not new in my appreciation of fine looking vehicles.  That's a really good looking car.  Can you post some more pictures of it?  You might also consider posting the pictures on the General Discussion Forum since that forum sees much more traffic.

 

Cheers,

Grog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
  • 1 month later...

FINALLY GOT AROUND TO WORKING ON THE SPEEDSTER AGAIN. MOTOR NEEDED SOME SERIOUS ATTENTION. REPLACED A U JOINT .

LATEST PIC OF SPEEDSTER WORKING ON THE ENGINE. ROD BEARINGS, VALVE GUIDES, VALVES, PISTON RINGS, LOTS OF CLEANING

AND MACHINE WORK. HELICOIL THE EXHAUST STUDS IN THE HEAD.CLEANED UP THE COWL. HOPE TO START PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER

NEXT WEEK. WAITING ON THE MACHINE WORK TO GET FINISHED.

frank.jpg

frank1.jpg

frank4.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/6/2018 at 12:21 PM, alsfarms said:

Have you had anymore activity with your Franklin Speedster?  What is the windshield assembly you have used on the car?

Al

AL, SORRY ABOUT THE LACK OF RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION. I BUILT THE FRAME. THE OUTER SUPPORT PIECES AR FROM A MODEL A FORD. THE FRAME CAME FROM SPEEDWAY MOTORS AND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR A MODEL A FORD.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, alsfarms said:

Hello Mike, Are you using the Franklin axles and wheels?  I do not recall.  What wheelbase is your speedster going to be?  How badly worn is your engine?  Excessive or just typical?

Al

The Chassis is all Franklin. The Wheels are Packark and they just bolt up. I had to make adapters to make the Caps fit the Franklin Hubs. The Motor was tired but nothing Major. I did not look at the Main Bearings in the Motor. I am not sure if I just did not want to know.I know I did not want to pull the motor and address the problem. Hoping for the best, I will have to check the wheelbase. I think the Chassis is shorter than stock.

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, alsfarms said:

another note..... I see you have a priming pump hanging on the side of your cowl.  Do you actually use it and if so, how have you plumbed it into the fueling system?

Al

Al, It is just there for show. I remembered having one on the Mercury  Flathead Motor in my Inboard Hydroplane so I made that to look like the Pump.

 

Mike

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, alsfarms said:

What year are your Packard wheels?  My big series Nash for 1929 also shares wheels with Franklin, Chrysler and Packard, (maybe others also that use the 7 lug design).

Al

Al, I don't remember. I just matched up the number of holes and the pattern. I had to get a set of wheels because the wood wheels I got with the car were junk like most of the rest of it. I have a new set of wood wheels and tires I should at moving.

 

Mike

 

Mike

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, alsfarms said:

Are your wood wheels also 7 lug removable, with lock rings?

Al

Yes, Wheels were powder Coated and fitted with new spokes. They were returned as shown in the Picture

Wheels were never drilled. Need to go back to Witmer Carriage to be finished.

 

Mike

frank10.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, alsfarms said:

hmmmm, does the lock ring come in from the back side?  That is a bit peculiar, but maybe not for Franklin.

Al

Al, I think the wheel was put together backward. Those problems would be taken care of when the inserts and holes were drilled. They know about it.

I just never returned the wheels to make it happen.

 

Mike

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Finally got the Motor back together and it ran about 2 minutes and the Oil Pump Shaft Seized up. The washer under the pump shaft

got on top of the pin that holds it in place. This happened when I replaced the low distributor with the high distributor housing. Thanks 

to a member of the Franklin Club I got a replacement shaft and it fixed the problem. I was fortunate that the only damage was the oil pump gear. The cam gear destroyed the oil pump gear and not the gear on the cam that drives it..

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...