Jump to content

1931 Franklin Airman Coupe, not mine.


Recommended Posts

1931 FRANKLIN series 15 airman coupe

$29,995
Dealership  · Listed 2 days ago in Tacoma, WA
 
Year:1931 Make: Franklin Model: Series 15 Series: Airman Coupe VIN: 51204815L14 Mileage: 23,600Exterior: Tan Interior: Tan Transmission: Manual Engine: 274 Drive Train: RWD Franklin Series 15 Airman Coupe Features: Aluminum Body 100HP Aircooled Engine
1931 Franklin Series 15 Airman Rumble Seat Coupe. Rare nice older car that underwent restoration many years are. 274 CI aluminum Air Cooled inline 6 cylinder engine that produced 100Hp in 1931. National Award winner back in 1991. Franklin specialist Dutch Kern rebuilt engine around 1500 miles ago. Nice aluminum body with good older paint. Interior top and rumble seat in great shape. Rare Car. A documentary service fee in an amount up to $150 may be added to the purchase price or capitalized cost.
Product photo of 1931 FRANKLIN SERIES 15 AIRMAN COUPE
 
Product photo of 1931 FRANKLIN SERIES 15 AIRMAN COUPE
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, alsancle said:

Someone remind me. I think it’s been available for a long time?

I vaguely remember seeing it before.  I wish it was closer!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Being a bit of an odd duck I find the Franklins to be a vehicle that would be fun to own. Having owned a Corvair and several older VW's the idea of an air-cooled engine is desirable. The only down side I can see to it is the plain Jane dash. Looks like they ran out of ideas when they got there. The rest of the car is nice. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Jeff Perkins / Mn said:

That occurred to me also that that dashboard is very plain. I would still like to own a car like that as I have also been fascinated with Franklins. The problem with the rumble seat is my friends in my age bracket are, for the most part, Too out of shape to get in one! 

In my case, I have a daughter who could easily navigate the rumble seat but she's a redhead with skin to match. Leaving her in a rumble seat for the day would turn her into a lobster!

  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm in the same complexion bracket as her. Definitely overcast travel for me. I don't know if I'd be comfortable setting back there at this point in my life. There is something about owning a coupe with a rumble seat that seems like it would be fun. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Incredible great cars to drive long distances. I had a 1931 victoria brougham but on the larger wheelbase series 153.  Dutch Kern did the  engine on mine as well. I drove the car over 40,000 miles after it was restored. In daylight and nighttime, clear and heavy rain. I would go to the annual Franklin club meet for a week , drive there and back - no trailer  - 3 1/2+ hours one way. Put 1,200 miles on in one week.

  • Like 8
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of cases I dont particularly care for the 'padded' top on a coupe (trying to look like a roadster), however I think it works extremely well on this auto. Very sharp looking car. I like the idea of a rumble seat, but this being a fixed roof car a trunk may be more practical. Reading Walts comment makes me want to put this one in my garage. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

And for our record, the seller is:

Premium Motors

2403 S Tacoma Way

Tacoma, Washington 98409-7529

(253) 272-5293

 

It's good when a dealer has realistic prices.

I checked out another car at this dealership at the request of a forum member, a '36 Buick coupe, advertised at $29K. Decent 20-footer, but the wood framing around the trunk was toast, the previous owner had done some  detailing not to everyone's taste, and the engine was so noisy (bad bearings? Sounded like cast iron fittings in a rock tumbler) I had to shout at the salesperson to get him to shut it down.

They did have some interesting cars, but maybe not a place to buy without a test drive.

Edited by suchan
grammar (see edit history)
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, suchan said:

...maybe not a place to buy without a test drive.

Thanks for the alert, Suchan.

Are you saying that the dealer's ads and conversations

didn't reveal the deficiencies, and that you had to see them

on your own?  I hope he's not like that;  but if so, that's

dishonesty on the dealer's part that deserves the strongest rebuke.

 

We need completely honest dealers who sell with a fair mark-up.

There's no other way to true success in business.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

We need completely honest dealers who sell with a fair mark-up.

There's no other way to true success in business.

This is true for cars and for parts as well , paper items etc. Some people just like to "enhance" or "embellish" their descriptions of what they have for sale, same goes for just about everything - includes authors about the subjects that they are writing about , restorers about the level of their work, and owners who show their vehicles and claim accomplishments or credit due to illustrious former owners. Some of us never went down that path for any reason, were perhaps considered a bit "blunt" in our comments and thus we have put a fair number of people "off". Myth becomes truth if around long enough - I have stated that before.  But being an active "hobbyist" ( no I don't like that word either when I hear the word hobby I always immediately think of the word horse) for 60 years and an active author /historian for 55 years I "do my homework" and stand back and watch the situation  play out .

Thank you John for your sage words.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

Thanks for the alert, Suchan.

Are you saying that the dealer's ads and conversations

didn't reveal the deficiencies, and that you had to see them

on your own?  I hope he's not like that;  but if so, that's

dishonesty on the dealer's part that deserves the strongest rebuke.

 

We need completely honest dealers who sell with a fair mark-up.

There's no other way to true success in business.

Salesman seemed clueless, like he didn't know a '30's Buick shouldn't sound like that, or that you shouldn't be able to move the sheet metal around the trunk like a piece of rubber. It's hard to imagine a dealer could stay in business not knowing better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, suchan said:

Salesman seemed clueless, like he didn't know a '30's Buick shouldn't sound like that, or that you shouldn't be able to move the sheet metal around the trunk like a piece of rubber. It's hard to imagine a dealer could stay in business not knowing better.

Difficult to find sales people with product knowledge. About 40 years ago I sold my business and took a job as a salesperson because it's a profession where the only real requirement is some level of people skills and the ability to get out of bed in the morning. Even those two areas were often lacking in others....

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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...