1933 Franklin V12 Four-Door Sedan

Description

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

The Nethercutt Collection is one of America’s finest Automotive Museums and Collections, a masterpiece comprising over 250 perfectly restored American and European motor cars, along with a vast array of rare mechanical musical instruments and precious antique furniture. 

Maintaining a classic car collection of this size is never easy, and when it reaches the scale of our collection, it becomes increasingly more challenging. Our founder, J.B. Nethercutt said the following at age 91, “The recognition and preservation of beauty has been a major focus of my life. It would suit me well if what people remembered about me was, ‘Where he went, he left beauty behind.’” 

As a result, we have decided to part ways with a small group of cars from the collection and will do so in partnership with our friends at Hagerty Marketplace. Many of the cars we have decided to sell we have owned for in excess of 50 years, or have been in storage, not on display, or represent a tremendous opportunity as a restoration project. They are a compelling mix of pre-war examples that have been thoroughly well-cared for and that will easily find new caretakers who will undoubtedly cherish and use them as intended.  

As we say goodbye to this group of cars, we hope the occasion for their sale will introduce us to new collectors and enthusiasts, and we look forward to hosting you at the Museum and Collection in Sylmar, California, in the coming months, years and decades. 

 * * * 

 The H.H. Franklin Manufacturing Company of Syracuse, New York was the most successful producer of air-cooled automobiles in the United States. The firm, which produced cars from 1902-1934, was founded by Herbert H. Franklin and John Wilkinson, an engineer, who designed and built cars combining high quality with light weight. The cars had a distinct reputation for dependability and long life.

The first Franklins went on sale in 1902. In more than 30 years of production, the company never made a water-cooled machine and sold more than 150,000 cars in all. The patents to the Franklin engine would be taken over by the Air-Cooled Motor Corp. whose Syracuse factory specialized in light horizontally-opposed aircraft engines; a six-cylinder Franklin helicopter engine, converted to water cooling, powered the Tucker automobile in 1947. Air-Cooled Motors continued producing two-, four-, and six-cylinder variants of the Franklin engine until 1966.

Franklin produced about 200 V12’s during 1932-33 and according to marque experts, about 12 are known to exist today. All Franklin V12’s were equipped with a Columbia two-speed rear axle which makes for comfortable highway cruising.

Highlights

• Offered from The Nethercutt Collection

• CCCA Full Classic eligible for all CARavans and Club events

• Rare, low production Franklin model

Features

• Solid body

• Missing parts, but transmission included

• Rolling chassis

• 17-inch wire wheels

• No engine included

Ownership History

Purchased from Bill C. Meacher, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada (1969).

From Cameron Richards, Vice President of The Nethercutt Collection: “This Franklin was a donor car used to build a fabulous example of the Franklin 17A that has been displayed in the Nethercutt Collection since the late 1960’s. This is a great restoration opportunity to resurrect one of 200 Franklin V12's ever built.” 

Additional Notes

A Broad Arrow Auctions Specialist is working as an agent on behalf of the owner of this vehicle. Broad Arrow Auctions is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hagerty.

Contact: Donnie Gould Phone: 954.647.0779 email: dgould@hagerty.com