Accessory Stone guards on later series Franklins?

[53 New Yorker]

Hello all you fellow Franklin-ites and others following the Franklin postings.

 

I'm curious to know if anyone ever manufactured Stainless steel woven wire inserts for the stone guards I've seen on some of the 1930's Franklins?

 

I took the attached picture at the 2021 Trek, on the green.

 

Cheers,

 Bill W.

 

 

[Walt G]

I don't know of any source specific to Franklin , but Packard has seen reproduction wire stone guards made and offered for sale. Perhaps if you contact one of the current Packard accessory parts suppliers that will put you in contact with the person who may have the wire mesh available. When they were new there were several companies that supplied these to a variety of makes of cars for a variety of years. Some of the car manufacturers showed that in the accessory catalogs they issued . Franklin issued an accessory catalog for the series 14 and 15 that I have an original of ( the only one?) that I had photo copied and about 30+ years ago had for sale at the trek. All copies are long gone. ( no plan to have further copies made)  I have a flyer someplace that is from that era that lists the style and cars they did this for , but do not have the time to look for it immediately or within the next few months due to my commitments for writing stories for periodicals.

[PFitz]

I think Don Sommer made some repro stone guards for Franklins. Along with a lot of the repro 30 airplanes. There are differences in the Sommer repro guards and planes if you know what to look for.

 

The difference between an original Franklin stone guard and a repro is how the top frame is shaped (Gene Gazza had one hanging on the garage wall. I think Balderson as it now?). The originals have that added point to the top frame and the rear edge of the frame has a half moon notch to clear the hood ornament. The one in your picture looks like the ones in my copy of the 31 accessory catalog. 

 

The repros I've seen, the top frame was shaped in a vertical "V" to clear the hood ornament. 

 

The Sommer repro airplanes are cast stainless steel and have a straight up back edge for the rudder instead of rounded like the original. And the main wing of the Sommer is longer and narrower - being welded-on front and rear edges only - instead of a one-piece casting like the original chrome plated bronze plane.  Original 30 airplanes are very rare, but there are dozens of the repros (I have one of Sommer's repros here that has been on the Gazza Pursuit for the 40 years that I've been associated with that car). 

 

And if you see any airplanes that look like they are turning in flight, I had a nice talk with Don about how that happened, but that's a story for another day. 

 

Paul 

Edited September 15, 2022 by PFitz (see edit history)

[53 New Yorker]

Walt G.:  THANK YOU for the lead with the Packard Club folks...  Also Glad to hear you are keeping yourself tremendously busy at this time in your life.

 

Paul: Interesting information about the shape at the top of the shield and the extra information about the 1930 Airplanes.  If I'm reading it correctly, I think I have an original stone guard.  

 

 Cheers

 Bill

[Laura S]

I think I remember Ed Wyle saying Art Cazault ? Made the one for my 31 151 . He may have made some others . Not positive 

[Bob Cornman]

Art also made the stone guard on my 151 convertible coupe that was restored by Ed Wyle.

[53 New Yorker]

Art and Don are no longer in the roster...  😟

[Bob Cornman]

They are both deceased.

[John_Mereness]

Try such as McMaster Carr or Grainger - anyway, the material was made as of a couple of years ago and commonly available, though today you may have to do a specialty company - do a google search for woven wire mesh (and it is steel and silver soldered into the frame).

 

Is someone looking for an original stoneguard frame - I probably have one still in a box from moving (no mesh) and probably a 153 series ?