1927 Franklin 11-B Tandem Sport Chassis Number: 164935-17 Registration Number: OFL27H (Germany.) Body Number: 58 A rare & unusual air cooled Franklin as used in a similar model by Charles Lindburgh in peiod. Air cooled 3.3l, 6 cylinder engine, 28PS, single cylinder with aluminum piston and connecting rods. Main parts of the body are made of aluminum. Sits on ash wood frame in perfect condition and the original wooden artillery wheels. Front brakes were only introduced in 1928. So not available here. Fully elliptical suspension, mahogany roof riggin to the ceiling, rare heating, tube radio ca. 1935, original silver-plated details such as door handles and interior lights in the interior. The Franklin was built in 1927 approx. 8000 cars. (Ford built 8000 per day) As far as I know, there were only 17 examples of the Tandem Sport body as a special model for the 25th anniversary of the Franklin company. Of these, 5 cars are still preserved. There are only 3 older vehicles of type 11-B left. About 140 11-B are still known. (2%) This is 135. Car of the Model Year '27 and was probably already manufactured in September 1926. It was the most expensive model in the Franklin program at $3150-$3400 (price range like Cadillac 1927, a Ford costs $550) A "normal" 11-B sedan was $2800. Charles Lindbergh drove a Franklin 11 in the year of his Atlantic crossing in 1927. Franklin made a lot of noise in advertising from the fact that Franklin engine is just like an airplane engine in feeling. The following year, the Franklins received the name "Airman". The first owner of this car was a comic book artist very well known in the USA at the time, whose cartoons appeared daily in newspapers for almost 50 years. (Fontaine Fox) About Series 11 The 11 Series was produced between 1925 and 1927. It is the last car that from a technical point of view still has the handwriting Wilkinsons, the mastermind behind Franklin. It is also the first waggon styled by an external designer. Wilkinson left the company in the dispute, not least because of the dummy radiator present for purely optical reasons, which bowed to the taste of the mass instead of technical necessity. In fact, the cars designed by designer deCausse are very attractive and modern. Unfortunately, deCausse passed away in May 1928 so that he could not further develop his design line. In addition to the extra flat tandem sport, the 11A Sport Runabout created the first "boat tail" stern, long before Auburn became famous with it. This Franklin has been in long term cherished family onwership. It has won many concours prizes with the latest being awarded at Schloss Schwetzingen concours d'elegance. The interior is beautifully original. The car starts easily & runs quietly with a smooth powerful engine. It is in super mechanical condition & has ben maintained without regards to expense as part of a small collection of mostly Rolls Royce cars. Call Richard Biddulph. Mobile ++44 (0) 7967 260673 Simone Della Corte Mobile ++44 (0) 7377070943 Sales & Valuations Vintage & Prestige of Northampton Ltd. richard@vandp.net www.vandp.net Showroom: 2 Ryehill Ct, Lodge Farm Industrial Estate, Northampton NN5 7UA Viewings & Visits Strictly by appointment only please. We have on site long term storage for over 200 cars with 24 hour security & covered trailer delivery to customers anywhere in Europe.