wrmyers35

I sent my cylinders out for boring & fitting with new pistons. The machine shop said the wrist pins from my engine are not useable, but I cannot find new ones to replace them. i was told Egge would have them, but from conversations with them, they have none and don`t expect to have any before May 2016 (if then). They said they have to buy 300 when they place an order. I was told the dimensions are 0.937 inches diameter X 3.0625 inches in length, but I cannot find any anywhere! Does anyone have a set, or know where I can obtain them? Thanks!

My 1932 Franklin Airman 5 passenger sedan has freewheeling. I also prefer to drive it in direct drive . . . with freewheeling engaged the engine has no affect when slowing to a stop.

All, I finished the restoration in May 2015! The picture in my heading is the car finished.

I ordered the cover but it wouldn't work with my cylinder. My cylinder is rounded on the pedal end but squared on the opposite end. CPP was very good about letting me return it!

Well, I pulled the free-wheeling unit out - not too big a project . . . I carefully removed the seal and took it to Purvis Industries to see if they could find a match. They found a Timken seal with the same OD & ID measurements, and it has the same seal width/height as the original, but it does not have the 'shoulder' on the outer edge. I presume the shoulder is supposed to keep it from going in too far? Since the ID, OD& seal height measurements are the same, and since it would be a 'pressed' fit, I decided to try it. I installed the seal, it definitely is a pressed fit, I reassembled the unit & installed it back into the car. With the pressed fit I feel it will remain in place without any problem (The same type fit that we use for the rear drum seal in a Model A Ford)! I've driven it about 5 miles and it has no leak! (The old seal leaked as soon as I put oil in the unit!) If anyone is interested, the Timken seal part number is 473476. It cost me $19.02 including Texas sales tax.

Great - Whoever is making them I'd like one ~

I bought this Franklin in May 2014, significantly disassembled, needing #5 cylinder replaced & needing to be painted & reassembled! I do my own mechanical work, and I'm in the process of reassembling it but I am mainly familiar with Model A Fords . . .this is my first experience with a Franklin. As shown in the picture I'm progressing nicely, but when I checked the free wheeling unit on the transmission I found it empty. I filled it to the proper level and it is now leaking badly onto my garage floor ~ (I guess why it was empty!) Messages from Jeff Hasslen & Tom Rassmussen suggest that I have to have some machine work done to make a modern seal fit. Does anyone have any experience doing this? I've made pretty good headway with it, but concerned that I've never worked on a free wheeling unit. How about a step-by-step instruction on how to remove the free wheeling unit? Would anyone help me?

I need a crank hole cover for my 1932 Franklin Airman 5 passenger sedan. I realize they are scarce but I read where someone made a few some time back. Hopefully someone has one that they will part with for a reasonable price.

THANKS! I'll check with them!

OK, can you tell me where I can obtain the special cover? Do regular parts stores like auto Zone or O'Reilleys carry them?

My 1932 Airman 5 Passenger sedan had the master cylinder replaced with what looks like a late model GM dual cylinder. I am looking for a useable original master cylinder so I can use the filler tank on the firewall. Please e-mail me if you have one to sell - wrmyers35@att.net

Looking for a crank hole cover for my 1932 Airman 163 five passenger sedan. I think I saw on the forum where someone had some made a few years ago, but they were all sold. Also, I need a horn/headlight switch - the zinc die-cast that is riveted to the phenolic is broken and 1/3 of the die-cast is missing. Anyone have either one or both to sell?

Mike West sold me a .030 o/s cylinder & piston. I installed them and the engine seems to be running on all 6 cylinders ~ yeah! Now to continue with all the rest I have to do to the car!

Based on color chips e-mailed to me by Paul Fitz I've concluded that the colors on the car are Franklin Spring - 1931 colors. The main body appears to be Woodbark Buff; Fenders & top appears to be Neenah Gray and the darker color around the windows appears to be Clairvorne Beige. My body shop owner is trying to get examples from Jim Wells at TCGlobal - jimwells@tcpglobal.com.

Wow! What a mystery! I guess I'll just pick some colors & go with it . . .

I found the picture on the web - it was identified as Conceptcarz.com. That is really all I know about the car.

I don't know the owner - hoping that the owner might respond or someone might know the car & the colors.

I would like to paint my 1932 Franklin Airman 163 with colors very similar to this car, but I don't know the colors. Does anyone know the owner of this car, or can anyone provide me with the colors and codes for these colors? Bill Myers wrmyers35@att.net

Thank you for your comments. I think I'll take it to our local automotive machine shop to have it checked out. I may have a clue as to why the #5 piston failed; somewhere back in it's life someone added an A/C system to the car. They installed the condenser coil right against the blower intake. I'm sure this must have restricted the air intake to the blower. Due to my wife's medical conditions I want to retain the A/C system in the car. I plan to move the condenser to the underside and install an electric fan on it.

It sure is great to have 'friends' on this forum advising me!! As I've said, I'm quite an amateur when it comes to this vehicle. I really appreciate the help I've been receiving! Mike West from Livonia, NY is sending me a standard cylinder & piston which he said were running together in an engine. I'm still curious what the meaning of X149 stamped in the top of the pistons.

I am using a 6" digital caliper to measure the pistons & cylinders. I just measured again and got different readings! This time both pistons 5 & 6 measured 3.494" -? I measured at the very top of each piston. The cylinder #5 measured 3.514 top & bottom, but the scores on each side are pretty deep. Cyl #6 measured 3.514 at the bottom (haven't taken head off of #6 Cylinder). I cleaned the top of pistons #5 & 6 & took a picture of pistons side by side. It appears that the engine has been re-done; the pistons are stamped on top X149 & have 5 punch marks on #5 & 6 punch marks on #6 piston. Here is the picture of the two pistons side-by-side: What does X149 mean?

I'm a new Franklin owner ~ not knowing much about Franklins, I bought a 1932 Airman A16 163! The engine had not ran for approximately 10 years. I put 2 oz. of Marvel Mystery Oil into each cylinder & let it set for a couple days, the turned the engine with the starter. It turned over freely so I put the plugs back in, hooked up a temporary gas tank & started it. It started right up & sounded pretty good! I notice a slight miss & found cylinder #5 not running. I did a compression check & found no compression. I pulled the cylinder and found the top of the piston damage - it looked like it had actually 'burned' on 2 edges at the top! The black 'wedge' at the right side is actually a hole right through the piston(See picture)! It also scored the cylinder! I also pulled #6 to examine (on right), it looks good. So . . . I need a replacement cylinder & piston. The piston measures 3.512" and the cylinder measures 3.514". The piston & rod appears to be original Franklin parts. This car has only 50,xxx miles so I don't want to totally rebuild the engine! Anyone have these parts?? Please reply telling me what you have & $$. Bill

Mike, I guess I missed the pictures . . . please send again. Try my e-mail: wrmyers35@att.net THANKS!

THANKS - I'll give you a call!

Being a Model A Ford guy I am totally 'ignorant' to Franklins! BUT, I just bought the subject car - it was partially disassembled for painting. I need a replacement horn/light switch button; the pot-metal ring that latches it to the light switch shaft has 1/3 of it missing. Also, I need a demountable wooden spoke wheel & split ring for this car. My windshield is rusted through in both lower corners - could use a replacement. I need both running board outer edge trim; I have one 'good' zinc trim and the other one is broken in half and someone tried to repair it. I probably will need more parts as I progress with making this car run . . . Can anyone help? I live in Bedford, TX - between Dallas & Fort Worth <div class="postfoot"><!-- --> Reply With Quote