Franklin 1930 convertible speedster by Dietrich

[Walt G]

there was a huge multipage catalog issued by Franklin in 1930 printed by the Caslon Company in Toledo, Ohio . at 32 pages on coated stock paper at 10 x 12 3/4 inches it featured "the airplane-Powered" Franklin . Mostly showing/explaining mechanical features it also had a few pages of body styles. Very well illustrated a few of these 'non sales' specific ( so far as what a car looked appeared like) have survived. Collectors/people saved the sales catalogs because they had pretty pictures, but not always the mechanical features based paperwork. Here is the page showing the 4 door convertible sedan on the series 147 ( longest wheelbase of 132 inches) This body style was a special order only, most think of a "speedster" as a 2 door boat tail roadster. Franklin in 1930-1932 offered  a 4 door club sedan designed and bodied by Dietrich Inc. they named a speedster and in 1930 and 1931 an open convertible sedan also designated a speedster.

Edited November 22, 2021 by Walt G (see edit history)

[wayne sheldon]

A great looking car that Franklin!

One of many cars that marketing departments termed "Speedster" in the 1920s and 1930s. Hudson and Marmon both offered what was basically a low sided four passenger touring car (phaeton?) in the early 1920s that they called "Speedster". A good friend years ago had a Hudson Speedster. And I knew two people with Marmon Speedsters! It was wonderful one time, all three of those cars on one club tour!

I knew Franklin offered these in 1930, and have probably seen a couple pictures of them. However, often such photos are not fully identified. It is really nice to see this. Thank you.

[58L-Y8]

Walt:

 

It's been written that Ray Dietrich didn't do much to make a car design special, he did just enough.  That is certainly well demonstrated by these Franklin club sedan and convertible 'Speedster' models.   Although a 132" wb was modest length for a series-custom bodied car in Franklin's price segment, Dietrich perfectly scaled the design elements to create the most appealing proportions.   The mirrored symmetry of the window A and C-pillars juxtaposed to the broad roof quarters, all compact within the rear axle plane absolutely makes this design.  Thanks for posting this wonderful piece for us to enjoy.

 

Steve

[Walt G]

The Dietrich designed 4 door Franklin speedsters first appeared in 1929 with Franklin's series 13 model 137 chassis. that too was 132 inch wheelbase. Convertible speedsters as shown here were available for 1930 thru 1931. 1932 only saw the enclosed version. the 1932 was the only one with an adjustable front seat - not comfortable for anyone with long legs. I had the pleasure (???) of moving about the 1929 Speedster that Bill Harrah brought to the annual Franklin meet( called a trek) and it was not fun trying to get in or out of that front seat to drive/move the car. People in that era were shorter. Not sure how Bill drove it as he was 4 inches taller then I am!

The feature that makes this style work so well is that the rear window frame is slanted/raked forward at the top so you get that same style echoed in both the windshield area that is raked back and the rear door as well. Harmony of design as Steve mentions . Lots of top irons under that convertible top to deal with when you lower the roof on the 4 door convertible version. Yikes.

The 1930 cars with there horizontal hood louvers just dramatize the length of the hood and make it look longer . Squint at the image, the top of the hood, louvers, belt line, lower edge of body, running board edge all work together as a part of the flow of the design.   Speedsters never offered side mounted spare tires, all were rear mounted.

 

Always a great pleasure to have people observe and then comment. I hope to be around a long time - just so much here to share sitting in my collection.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Walt

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by Walt G (see edit history)

[hook]

Here's close to a full set. Picture 1 + 2 Green 1931, Red 1930, Tan 1930, Tan 1929 on end. (all sedans) Picture 3 is a Black 1931 convertible. 
 

[Larry Schramm]

On 11/29/2021 at 8:00 AM, hook said:

Here's close to a full set. Picture 1 + 2 Green 1931, Red 1930, Tan 1930, Tan 1929 on end. (all sedans) Picture 3 is a Black 1931 convertible. 
 

Are the pictures taken in Cazenovia, NY?

[hook]

3 hours ago, Larry Schramm said:

Are the pictures taken in Cazenovia, NY?

Yes

[Larry Schramm]

44 minutes ago, hook said:

Yes

Not bad and I am not a Franklin owner.  My aunt & uncle lived just down Ridge Rd about 1/4 mile.

[hook]

1 hour ago, Larry Schramm said:

Not bad and I am not a Franklin owner.  My aunt & uncle lived just down Ridge Rd about 1/4 mile.

Not a Franklin owner????? You should be. If you replaced 8 of your 9 cars with Franklins, you'd save a fortune in ANTIFREEZE! haha

[BucketofBolts]

Franklin cars were the pinnacle of classic styling. 

[alextheantiqueautoguy]

On 11/23/2021 at 2:27 PM, Walt G said:

The Dietrich designed 4 door Franklin speedsters first appeared in 1929 with Franklin's series 13 model 137 chassis. that too was 132 inch wheelbase. Convertible speedsters as shown here were available for 1930 thru 1931. 1932 only saw the enclosed version. the 1932 was the only one with an adjustable front seat - not comfortable for anyone with long legs. I had the pleasure (???) of moving about the 1929 Speedster that Bill Harrah brought to the annual Franklin meet( called a trek) and it was not fun trying to get in or out of that front seat to drive/move the car. People in that era were shorter. Not sure how Bill drove it as he was 4 inches taller then I am!

The feature that makes this style work so well is that the rear window frame is slanted/raked forward at the top so you get that same style echoed in both the windshield area that is raked back and the rear door as well. Harmony of design as Steve mentions . Lots of top irons under that convertible top to deal with when you lower the roof on the 4 door convertible version. Yikes.

The 1930 cars with there horizontal hood louvers just dramatize the length of the hood and make it look longer . Squint at the image, the top of the hood, louvers, belt line, lower edge of body, running board edge all work together as a part of the flow of the design.   Speedsters never offered side mounted spare tires, all were rear mounted.

 

Always a great pleasure to have people observe and then comment. I hope to be around a long time - just so much here to share sitting in my collection.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Walt

 

The Franklin Company commissioned four coachbuilders to make models for 1930. The list included Dietrich, Derham, Walker and Brunn. There are engineering drawing and photos of cars available online.

[Walt G]

There were independent body /coach builders also who created and mounted coachwork on Franklin chassis as well but were not under contract to the Franklin Company for quantity work  , this especially in Europe. So the companies you mention were not the only ones to see their custom or semi  bodies on a Franklin chassis. Merrimac created bodies for Franklin  , prime example is the phaeton in the Franklin Museum collection in Tucson, Az.   Add to your list of coach builders Cantrell of Huntington, NY as a regular supplier of station wagon bodies on Franklin chassis starting in 1928 on the series 12 chassis.  Earlier in 1926 the Willoughby Company of Utica, NY was supplying bodies for the series 11 Franklin ( see my two part history in Crankshaft magazine issues 4 and 5)

I am well aware of the work Derham did for Franklin as I owned ( for 40 years) and personally restored the victoria brougham they created in the Autumn of 1930 for the NY and Chicago automobile salons of 1931. A total of 3 of the victoria brougham bodies were made. I also aided the Harrah collection when they restored the 1931 Derham town car they have and Paul Larios and Mike Moore were working for the Harrah collection.

[jrbartlett]

Just have to add that these Franklins are really beautiful.

 

[Walt G]

James.

Indeed they are, and the fellow who designed you Locomobile sportiff was the man who got the Franklins to start to conform to the "classic" mode styling wise in 1925 - J. Frank de Causse

But you have to be very short in leg to be able to drive a speedster ( especially the 1929 series 13) with any comfort. the  fixed front seat isn't adjustable, same goes for the "Pirate" body style ( except the sedans) 

I am getting back into a de Causse mode , I wrote his biography decades ago for AQ and am now going through all my Locomobile photos, porfolios , the NY dealer showroom album etc to do a story on the styling and extensive custom coach work fitted to the Locomobile chassis in the WWI  to 1929 era focused on the model 48 and 90.

 

SO many stories about so many orphan makes that have not been told , but can be done so properly if the "unknown"  material is gathered together and properly written about to make it a "good read".

Walt