A 1921 Franklin Series 9-B Touring project is being offered at no reserve in Bremerton, Washington, giving collectors and restorers an opportunity to acquire an early air-cooled American automobile. The four-door touring car was acquired by the selling dealer roughly a year ago and is now listed with a bill of sale as a non-running project.
Finished in green with black fenders and a black soft top, the vehicle retains its period styling and construction, including aluminum body panels mounted over a wooden frame. Exterior elements include a horse-collar hood, adjustable two-panel windshield, running boards, front and rear bumpers, an external horn, and a rear-mounted spare tire. Staining and wear are visible inside the soft top, reflecting the car’s age and use.
Franklin, based in Syracuse, New York, produced air-cooled automobiles from its founding in 1902 until operations ended in 1934. In 1921, the company built 8,536 examples of the Series 9-B across multiple body styles. The model was known for its lightweight construction and engineering approach centered on air-cooled power.
The car rides on 24-inch green-painted wood-spoke wheels, and a spare tire is mounted at the rear. Cracking is visible on the left-front tire sidewall. The Series 9-B sits on a 115-inch wheelbase and uses fully elliptical leaf springs at each corner, along with a worm-and-gear steering system. Braking is handled by an inline driveshaft drum and a rear mechanical parking brake.
Inside, the right-hand-drive layout offers bench seating for four trimmed in black vinyl installed in 1967. Matching vinyl appears on the door panels, where cracking and peeling are present. Rubber flooring covers the front area, while beige carpeting lines the rear cabin. Additional features include storage pockets, a rear robe rope, and a rearview mirror.
Instrumentation includes an ammeter, barrel-type speedometer, oil-pressure gauge, and a Waltham analog clock set into a black dash panel. The fuel-level gauge is positioned at the rear of the vehicle above the tank. The odometer displays 39,000 miles, though total mileage is unknown.
Power comes from an air-cooled 199 cubic-inch inline-six paired with a three-speed manual transmission. The engine does not run, and the car is offered as a restoration project without a title. See it here.
Shawn Henry