March 2010 Newsletter of the H. H. Franklin Club Number 127 Copyright © 2010 Cazenovia College, Cazenovia, New York, U. S. A. 13035-7903 Page 1 of 8

The H. H. Franklin Club publishes Franklin Service Station solely as a convenience to its Members. No endorsement is made by the Club or the editor, of anything advertised in FSS. No claim or warranty is made as to the accuracy of an advertisement; no responsibility is assumed for any transactions resulting from the ads. ADVERTISEMENTS: Please state full car and engine serial numbers (all characters) when selling cars, engines, or crankcases. Type or print your ad clearly, be brief and precise, and specify the classification: VEHICLES, ENGINES, REPRODUCTION PARTS, PARTS, SERVICES, or MISCELLANEOUS—FOR SALE (with prices) or WANTED. Ads run once per request/donation. A DONATION is requested, although members’ ads can be free, and suitable nonmembers’ ads may be accepted. Selected company ads (member and nonmember) are $3 per line. One line contains 50 characters/spaces. Make payment to the H. H. Franklin Club, Inc. Misrepresentation in advertisements may result in a member being dropped from the Club rolls. The publication of your ad entails an obligation to answer all inquiries. The acceptance of advertisements is at the Editor’s discretion. NO PHONE AD ORDERS but Editor will answer questions 610/573-8013. MAIL YOUR AD TO: Tim Miller, FSS Editor, 3438 Oakhill Road, Emmaus PA 18049-4421 USA DEADLINES: (for issues dated): MAR 7 (for March); JUN 7 (June); SEP 1 (September—Hershey); NOV 30 (December—Christmas) Membership in the H. H. Franklin Club is open to anyone interested in air cooled cars & trucks through 1942. Ownership is not required. Dues are $35 per calendar year ($40US for foreign). Yearly publications include three magazines (Air Cooled News), four newsletters (FSS), annual Trek notice, renewal notice, and when published, a Roster of members, Register of Franklins, and Technical Index. Please send address changes to Membership Services, 80 Luke Avenue, Bergenfield NJ 07621-3406.

EDITORIAL POLICY: To publish information that will enable you to make your Franklin run well and safely.

CLUB LIBRARY & PUBLICATIONS

Reprints—INSTRUCTION BOOKS: S10, $26; S11, $28.50; S12, $24; S130, $7.50; S14, $22.50; S15,, $18; S16/19, $7..50; S17, $9; S18, $7.50. PARTS CAT: S11, $48; S12, $43.50; S13, $34.50; S14, $40. ACN 11—20: $67.50. Instruction book, S135-137, $24; & $2 postage. Checks to: The H.H.F.C Library, Lloyd Davis, RFD#1 Box 3899, Rutland VT 05701-9217.

CAR BLUEPRINTS: Order by drawing number from Parts Catalog, call for others. $5 each for first 3, then $3 ea.; you’ll be billed. Jeff Hasslen, 13311 95th St. NE, Elk River, MN 55330. Tel.: 763/441-7815

VEHICLES FOR SALE

(None submitted this issue) “RADAR” searching for homeless Franklins:

The following are listed in the www.franklincar.org website as of February 17, ‘10:

• ‘31 S153 Town Car Lee Webb 661-599-1670 CA Leland.Webb@gmail.com • ’29 S135 Vic.Brhm 315-655-2310 eweinheiher@tweny.rr.com • ’29 S130 Sdn Frank 626-614-6624 CA • ’33 Sdn w extra parts Norm Miller 563-320-2096 IA • ‘26 S11A 4 Dr Sdn., Mary Voitrano 414/581-5156 WI • ’22 S9B Parts to make speedster John 720-281-4812 CO johnjs49@hotmail.com • ‘26 S11A Sport Touring John MacKiernan 508/746-1988 MA • ‘27 S11B 4D Sdn Dale Sanderson 608/289-5701 Cell WI • ‘30 S145 4dr 208/756-3629 iamadamelover@yahoo.com AL • ‘28 S12A 4dr Paul/Judy 845/628-0799 pj111575@aol.com NY

The ads in the website have detailed descriptions and photos and asking prices. Also, included are Parts Wanted, Franklin Parts, Repro Parts and Accessories, Literature and Services. Get on a computer or to a library and have a look !

Franklins for sale, Feb.’10 HMN: ‘23 S10B Touring MO, ’28 4dr PA, ’29 4dr PA, ’32 Sdn MT Mar’10HMN: ’26 Touring PA Mar/Apr Horseless Carriage: ’15 6-30 Touring NY

MISCELLANEOUS

ORIGINAL FRANKLIN LITERATURE: Sales brochures and manuals for most models. SASE for free list. Please specify Franklin as I have lists for all cars/trucks/motorcycles, U.S. & foreign. Walter Miller, 6710 Brooklawn Pkwy, Syracuse NY 13211 Tel: 315/432-8282 Fax: 315/432-8256 www.autolit.com

PARTS WANTED

Wanted: Series 10 parts car or major parts—mainly from cowl forward. Want to construct a chassis or speedster/race car. Jim Stevenson in Nova Scotia Canada. 902-835-2660 nandjstevenson@eastlink.ca (126)

REGIONS & LOCAL GROUPS

Lehigh Valley Franklinites (PA) meet on 3rd Tuesday of each month near Allentown PA for dinner & drinks. Usually attracts 10-15 people. If you are visiting eastern PA or NJ call Tim Miller at 610/573-8013, anytime. Leave a message or email: (marmoset@fast.net)

Midwest Region: The Midwest Region covers the states of IL, IN, MI, OH, WI, MN, KY MO, and IA. Many faithful members from NY, NJ, TX, AZ, PA, NC and KS meet with us. You too are invited to join us at our planned 2010 meets. With or without a Franklin, consider joining us. To host a meet or require information please call Ralph Gack, President, 13900 Ridgewood Drive, Plymouth, MI 48170-2431, email: krgack@sbcglobal.net.

Bakersfield CA Mini-Meet, Friday, April 16, 2010 3 - 11 pm, during the HCCA Bakersfield Swap Meet (April 16-18). Any Franklin folks interested in Franklins are invited. Bring a friend.

Rather than have individuals bring food, we are asking for a $6 donation at the door to cover the cost of a catered Mexican buffet dinner. BYOB. You can bring a chip or dip as well, but we will need everyone to contribute for the dinner. RSVP at 661-833-1440 or at:

leland.webb@gmail.com or see Lee Webb or Marlene Zimmerman at the meet. To get rough numbers for the buffet dinner, call Lee & leave a message or email . Visit www.hcca.org/events for info on the HCCA meet.

Hey HHFC Club Members ! You can now pay your H H Franklin Club, Inc. dues on-line using a credit card. First if you check the page marked “Join the Franklin Club” you will find you can now use PayPal or your credit card. Check it out on the Web Page. WebMaster, Frank Hantak, 37770 So. Silverwood Dr., Tucson AZ 85739-2015 fbhantak@franklincar.org

WEB PAGE: http://www.franklincar.org for news, more classifieds, events & tech talk. Have a Franklin event planned H. H. Franklin Foundation Franklin Museum

Page 2 of 8 Franklin Service Station No. 127 (March 2010)

THE FRANKLIN CLUB PROJECTS Contact for information or to order: Bob Harrison, 59 Reuben Brown Lane, Exeter RI 02822. Cell: 401-269-9122, Hm. 401-667-0214 . hfranklin32@verizon.net

Prices listed do not include shipping. Item# Item: Price: FCP-1 1930 Ser. 145 outer Tail Light Lens, clear glass. $5.00 ea FCP-2 Red plastic inner lens for use with FCP1 $5.00 ea. FCP-3 1928 on—Swing out W.shield Weather Seal $25.00 ea. FCP-3.2 Series 17—Windshield Weather Seal $40.00 ea. FCP-4 1928 to Series 151 W.shield Hinge Cover-52” $ 2.00 ea. FCP-5 S10-S130 Sp.Plug rubber Escutcheons(set of 6) $65.00set. FCP-6 1930-on Side draft motor. Pushrod Set of 12 $150.00/12

These are direct replacement hollow push rods with hardened solid ends. FCP-7 12” Twilite Head Light Lens (out of stock) FCP-8 Cowl vent seal (cut to your length) $0.25/in FCP-9 Hood Door Pulls for Side draft hoods 1931-’34 Bronze castings that require Chrome Plating. $10.00ea FCP-10 1929-1932 Brake Drums for cars with wire wheels or de-

mountable wood wheel. Will require riveting to your hubs and turned to finish size. Include rivets and detailed instructions. Note: For safety reasons, to be sold only in sets of 2. $150.00 pr.

FCP-11 Series 11 “STOP” ruby tail light lens Made of Acrylic Urethane $35.00 ea.

FCP-12 Series 11 “Beehive” ruby tail light lens Made of Acrylic Urethane $35.00 ea. FCP -13 Head Light Bracket to Sill cap screw 3/8”-16 X 3 ¾” long slotted oval head $ 4.00 ea. FCP-14 Head Light Bracket to Sill Cap Screw

3/8”-16 X 4 ¼” long slotted oval head $ 4.00 ea. FCP-15 Spring Pivot Bolt Washer

Series 9 to Series 147 cars $ 2.50 ea. FCP-16 Copper Washer for Master Cylinder fitting 0.034” thick x 1.125” OD x 0.885” ID $ 1.00 ea. FCP-17 Copper washer for brake fitting 0.065” thick x 0.565 OD x 0.345” ID $ 0.75 ea. FCP-18 Mandrel bent Aluminized Exhaust Pipe for S145, 148,

163 & ?? This project is not complete. Will bring a prototype to the Trek. I can email pictures of pipe installed on my ’32. Contact me if you are interested. Sample clears crankcase, air filter housing, air box, brake pedal, steering box, frame cross members, etc. Est. Price is $180 to $200 each.

FCP-19 S16 Tresslite Tail light yellow Segment lens Made of Acrylic Urethane $35.00 ea. FCP-20 S16 Tresslite Tail light white/clear Segment lens Made of Acrylic Urethane $35.00 ea. FCP-21 S16 Tresslite Tail light Ruy Red Beehive lens Made of Acrylic Urethane $35.00 ea. FCP-22 S16 Tresslite Tail light clear license plate lens Made of Acrylic Urethane $35.00 ea. FCP-23 Rebuilding Kit for Gemmer Steering box. This kit is manufactured by Dick Pratt $375.00 ea. The newest item. the Gemmer steering box kit FCP-23, is supplied to the club by Dick Pratt. Members can buy the kit and rebuild their steering box themselves or have someone else rebuild their steering box. Another option would be to buy the kit and save it until it is needed. This way they can be sure to get a kit before they are all gone. When the time comes to rebuild their steering box they could send kit and steering box to Dick Pratt for rebuild or rebuild it themselves.

AIRCOOLED EVENTS

Bakersfield Ca Mini-Meet, (Party at Webb’s House) Friday, April 16, 2010 3pm - 11 pm, during the HCCA Bakersfield Swap Meet (April 16-18).

Spring Meet - Kalamazoo, Michigan �May 12 to 15, 2010. Host: Ralph Gack (see mail & email addresses above) - �Grand

Opening of the �"Franklin Collection at Hickory Corners

WesTrek ’10: Rancho Cordova CA near Sacramento, June 13-18, 2010 The Mailing was sent out in early November. Any questions or info, contact Bill or Jan Charpier 910/987-5845

57th Franklin Trek, 2010: July 31—August 7, 2010

Hershey 2010: October 5,6,7,8 & 9 — HHFC spaces RNE 8-12. (Red North Field) Stop & say hello to friends on “Franklin row” in the upper North Red Field.

Better Ignition by DELCO-REMY (Editor’s Note: This is the third and final installment from a Delco-Remy Instruction Booklet, dated 1950, and suggested by Neal Kissel. The “Kettering” ignition type system has been used on Franklins since the Series 9. From S13 on, Franklin used Delco Remy ignition similar to the 1950 systems discussed in the booklet. This installment discusses issues of maintaining the ignition system. Vacuum control, while not used by Franklin is also discussed.)

Maintaining the Ignition System While an explanation of the functions of various units of

the ignitions system has been complicated, the units themselves are comparatively simple and can be checked with standard types of test equipment. Periodic inspection is essential to obtain peak performance on present-day cars and he ignition certainly should not be overlooked. A complete checkup should include the following steps.

Figure 1

Battery Cables—the Source First, determine the condition of the battery and the battery

cables, and their connections (for corrosive film and powdery crud). If they are not capable of delivering current at sufficient voltage to the ignition system, proper ignition performance will not be obtained. Also you should check the high voltage wires to the spark plugs. The easiest way without special tools is to look for blue auras and sparks with the engine running at night or in the dark—especially when damp.

Check the Advance Mechanisms (Centrifugal/vacuum) To check the vacuum advance unit on the type application which rotates the distributor, turn the distributor in a direction opposite to the normal rotation of the breaker cam or rotor. (Fig. 1) The distributor should turn freely and the vacuum advance spring should return it to its original position when released. On the type where the breaker plate is supported on bearings for vacuum advance, rotate the breaker plate (not the whole distributor) to check the vacuum advance mechanism. (Ed. Note: Few if any Franklins were originally equipped with vacuum advance but this information is handy because a lot of other antique cars used Delco systems with vacuum.) The centrifugal advance can be checked by turning the breaker cam/rotor in the direction of its normal rotation. It

No. 127 (March 2010) Franklin Service Station Page 3 of 8

should rotate a few degrees freely and the advance springs should return it, without sticking, to its original position when released. (Fig.2) These checks give a quick indication of whether or not the advance mechanisms are operating. Special testing instruments are required to check detailed performance accurately.

Figure 2

Cap and Rotor Wipe out the cap with a soft cloth and inspect both cap

and rotor for chips, cracks and carbonized paths which would allow high tension leakage to ground (Fig. 3)

Figure 3

Contact Points If the contact points are burned or pitted they should be

replaced or dressed with a clean fine-cut contact file or stone. Blow out all dust. Be sure no loose particles remain on the point surfaces after completing the dressing operation. Never use emery cloth or sandpaper to clean the points, since particles of these materials may embed in the contact surfaces and cause the points to burn.

Contact surfaces which have been used will not appear smooth and bright (Fig.4 ). This does not necessarily mean they are not operating satisfactorily. Often they may be making contact over an even greater areas than with new points.

Proper Point Gap Adjustment Techniques If the points need cleaning or replacement, take the distributor off the engine, since this job can be done more easily and accurately on the bench. Notice the relative position of the

Figure 4

rotor and the distributor with relation to the engine before removing the distributor. It will then be easy to reinstall the distributor in the same approximate position and only a small adjustment will be necessary to complete the timing.

Figure 5

The contact point opening can be checked and adjusted on many cars without removing the distributor, by use of a suitable dial indicator—if you have one. The dial indicator is more accurate than a feeler gage as it measures the actual movement of the movable contact in thousandths of an inch. (Fig. 5)

The point opening of used points cannot be checked accurately with a feeler gauge, since a feeler gauge measures from high point to high point on the contact surfaces and not the actual point movement or opening. (Fig.6)

Timing the Engine with a Timing Light A timing light may be used to time the engine. The

instructions by the engine manufacturer should always be followed when setting the timing—to plug or not to plus the vacuum advance system andy any recommended rpm during reading. (Most Franklins have static timing instructions which can be checked against the timing light reading for convenience.) Dwell or Cam Angle A cam or contact angle meter also may be used under normal conditions to check the cam angle on the car. There are several makes of Dwell meters. Any reliable instrument may be used. (Ed. Note: Dwell readings were not very commonly used

Page 4 of 8 Franklin Service Station No. 127 (March 2010)during the years of Franklin manufacture. However they are very convenient to quickly check the contact opening

Figure 6

while the engine is running and not disassembling anything. The best you can do (works well) is to set up the car statically per Franklin instructions and have the car running well. Then take a Dwell reading with you meter for future checks. It is a quick, accurate check to see if the contacts are set properly.) The cam angle, or dwell angle, is the number of degrees the cam rotates from when the contact points close until they open again. The dwell increases as the point opening is decreased, & is reduced as point opening is increased. (Fig. 7& 8)

Figure 7

Point opening and cam angle are both requirements for good ignition. The maximum cam angle is required only for top engine speeds but a reasonable point opening is required for all speeds. Be sure the contacts always separate according to specifications even when a dwell meter is used as a check.

Contact Point Pressure, Spring Tension The contact point pressure should be measured with a spring

gauge. The spring tension must give correct point pressure for each type of beaker lever arm. Weak tension will cause the points to flutter and bounce at high speed and this results in a high–speed miss. Too much spring tension will cause excessive wear of the cam and rubbing block, The point pressure of all breaker lever arms should be 17-21 ounces measured from the center line of the point. When the reading must be taken back of the point, an allowance is made by using a limit of 19-23 ounces. (Fig. 9) The actual contact pressure will be the same. On all types of levers, the pull should be exerted at 90° with the point surface and the scale should be read just as the points separate. The contact point pressure can be adjusted by bending the breaker lever spring. Bending the spring as shown (Fig. 10)

decreases the contact point pressure. To increase the point pressure, the breaker lever arm must be removed from the distributor and the spring bent away from the arm by hand. Avoid excessive distortion of the spring, since only a small

Figure 8

Figure 9

change in spring tension normally is required. New breaker springs usually are stronger than required in operation, therefore always check the contact pressure of new contacts after they have been installed.

Figure 10 Electrical Connections

Carefully inspect all low and high tension connections in the ignition circuit. It must be remembered that a bad connection causes resistance which will impair ignition performance—possibly to a point where engine operation is seriously affected. This especially applies to 6 volt systems.( Fig. 11)

No. 127 (March 2010) Franklin Service Station Page 5 of 8

Figure 11

Examine the high tension as well as the low tension wiring for brittle or cracked insulation and broken strands. Replace he wiring if necessary. Defective insulation on the high tension wiring may cause missing or cross firing. (Fig. 12)

Figure 12

Lubrication The distributor requires lubrication of the shaft, advance

mechanism, breaker cam, breaker plate assembly and breaker lever pivot. Hinge cap oilers should have 8 to 10 drops of light engine oil (10W) every 5,000 miles. Grease cups should be turned down until tight every 5,000 miles and refilled with No. 2-1/2 grease. High pressure grease fittings should be supplied with grease every 5,000 miles. Use Delco-Remy Cam and Ball Bearing Lubricant on distributors equipped with ball bearings. (Fig. 13) Distributors with built-in lubrication are assembled with a supply of oil in the reservoir. Under normal operating conditions the reservoir would be refilled every 10,000 miles or 200 hours of operation. To refill the reservoir, remove the oil plug and add grade 20W oil. When replacing the plug, seal with a compound that will hold against oil. (Fig. 14)

A trace of Delco-Remy Cam and Ball Bearing Lubricant should be placed on the breaker cam every 5,000 miles. (Fig. 15) If the lubricator felt becomes hard and stiff, install a new cam lubricator. (Fig. 16) Never put oil on the cam lubricator. Every 5,000 miles put 1 or 2 drops of light engine oil (10W) on the breaker lever pivot and 3 or 4 drops on the felt wick under the rotor. On bearing-supported breaker plates, place a small amount of Delco-Remy Cam and Ball Bearing Lubricant on each ball or molded bearing every 5,000 miles; on center-bearing breaker plates, add 3 to 4 drops of light engine oil (10W) to the felt wick between the plates every 5,000 miles.

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Avoid excessive lubrication. If too much oil is used, the excess is apt to get on the contact points and cause them to burn.

Spark Plugs The spark plugs should be checked, cleaned, adjusted or replaced as necessary. Be sure the proper spark plugs for the application and type of operation are being used. Removing the rounded end on the center electrode will assure the lowest voltage requirement to fire the plug.

Page 6 of 8 Franklin Service Station No. 127 (March 2010)

Figure 16

Instruments to Check Specification and Malfunction When the distributor is removed from the engine, the operation of the centrifugal advance mechanism can be studied throughout the full distributor speed range on a synchroscope. (Fig. 17) In addition to spark advance, the synchroscope also will check contact angle and will detect excessive distributor shaft eccentricity.

Figure 17

The ignition coil should be tested on a reliable coil testing instrument capable of detecting as few as ten shorted turns in the coil secondary and one shorted turn in the primary. It also should detect open circuits, insulation breakdown and excessive magnetic losses. These are all conditions which affect ignition performance. The ignition condenser may be checked on a reliable instrument which checks for breakdown, low insulation resistance, high series resistance and capacity. (Ed. Note: There are a number of inexpensive hand-held VOM type models available which can measure capacitance. Fluke makes a very good line of these.)

Causes of Poor Performance There are many causes of poor ignition performance which can be found without any testing instruments, such as defective wiring, plugs, disributor cap or contact points. Most of these are due to normal wear, but at times some special condition in the application, the engine or type of operation will cause more rapid wear of one part. Burned contact points, for example, may be produced by any of several conditions. Excessive current during cold weather operation, or high voltage from qn improper regulator adjustment

will cause this condition. Oil or crankcase vapors may be getting into the distributor and depositing on the contact surfaces. This causes arcing and rapid burning of the points. A glance at the breaker plate and point support will disclose instantly whether the trouble is caused by oil, for oil produces black areas on the contact points or a smudgy line under the contact points (Fig. 18) Clogged engine breather pipes or piston blow-by create crankcase pressure which may force oil up into the distributor. Breather pipes and vents should be checked.

Figure 18

The manner in which contact points transfer metal from one point to another was discussed earlier. As engine compression ae increased, fewer engineering corrections of this condition are possible. (Ed. Note: Well, electronic ignitions helps quite a bit).

(This Concludes the Series on Better Ignition: This was about 95% extracted from a GM, Delco-Remy monograph for auto repair students entitled Better Ignition by Delco-Remy. Again my thanks to Neal Kissel for suggesting the series. Even though it was designed for cars of the 40s’ and 50’s. most later Franklins used these instruments though without vacuum advance Ed.)

SOME WISDOM & WIT from Tom & Paul

QUESTION: 1932 DRIVE SHAFT PLAY—I jacked up the rear of my 1932 sedan to check things out, grease, etc. When I turn the (universal) drive shaft with my hand, there is over an inch of "play" before the rear wheels turn. Probably why, there's a "clunk" when I stop driving forward, shift into reverse and let out the clutch. The universals are tight (no play). So, is this the " Drive Shaft End Play" referred to in my instruction book, that needs to be adjusted within the differential? In other words do you think this is the axle drive shafts? Please give me some ideas as to how to isolate this. Do you know who mades a gasket for the differential plate? ANSWER: If the universals are tight, then the free play could be either axle stub play within the differential (not really a problem), loose wheel hub on the axle shaft (a problem - check & tighten), loose or worn ring gear to carrier bolts (big problem, very rare), bad bearings (really bad problem, makes lots of noise - rare).

If you take the rear cover off, you will need to hand-cut a new gasket. Before you do that, you can very lightly turn the driveshaft and try to feel where the play is. The gears should mesh well - meaning when you turn the driveshaft lightly, there is just a little bit of play in the gears themselves. It takes a light feel. Beyond that very little bit of play, frequently there is a lot of play when turning further while the square ends of

No. 127 (March 2010) Franklin Service Station Page 7 of 8

the axle shafts turn inside the differential. It is common to have what feels like a lot of play, but

really the gears are meshed well. If you cannot feel this, you can pull the rear cover off and see it.

A Clunk is not so good though. Check all spring clip connections, tighten springs to the body mounts, axle to spring u-bolts, etc. Clunks can come from many places. Rear wheel bearing play can make a clunk - you can find this if you jack the car up and jerk around the rear wheel, trying to feel play.

It’s rare to have severe play inside the differential without a lot of other severe problems like noise or failure. Check things out a bit more to see what you can find and tell me what you find. Tom

QUESTION: RUNNING SERIES 12 NO OIL FILTER I don’t have a viable oil filter setup but want to start the engine in my series 12. I've tried to ferret out the answer to this question from the numerous Q&A items on pulse oil pumps and the Purolator oil filtration system.

If I understand how the pump works, it appears that it would be inappropriate to just plug the feed port in the crankcase that would normally connect to the filter as this will load the pump excessively. I assume I can just connect the feed port directly to the return port in the crankcase, thereby not loading that line nor reducing the flow to other vital areas. Am I correct? ANSWER: Yes, dumping the oil filter feed line back to the crankcase is o.k. Tom

QUESTION: 1928 CARBURETOR Will you please forward this to “Andy” - question on Jan 1 2010. I also have a Series 12B. The T2 carburetor is made of Pot-Metal which deteriorates with age. Depending upon the damage it is possible to repair it using epoxy but it will still be fragile.

I had two BB-1 carburetors and sent them to DAYTONA PARTS COMPANY in Florida. They sent me back a complete restored one and the remaining parts which had also been cleaned. Note that the BB1 carburetor will not accommodate the electric primer. ANSWER: Finding a useable T-2 is not a likely proposition. Even if you can find a good one, there is a fair chance the new one will fail. Any similarly sized carburetors could be good candidates for the Franklin. I used to run a Shebler on my 12-B with very good results. But the Carter BB-1 has always been in plentiful supply and thus was a very popular replacement. Unfortunately, even the BB-1's are getting harder to find.

Ebay seems to be one place to find carbs, but it has always been the local swap meet that turned up what I was looking for. With fewer pre-war parts buyers out there, swap meets have fewer and fewer pre-war parts. Another option is a brand-new carb from the Antique Auto Parts Cellar. They have new Zenith carbs that have been working well on some 1928 Franklins. I can also recommend for carburetor repairs, once you have one, Randy Fusco in New Castle, PA 724-656-1353. Randy is Franklin Club Member and does expert carburetor restoration. A BB-1 for $50 is a good price. . Good luck – Tom

QUESTION: REWIRING 1928—I am trying to rewire the whole car myself marking each wire, however neither the parts manual or owners manual shows the wiring behind the dash clear enough to tell where all the wiring goes to all terminals. My ignition switch is incorporated into the back of the coil and has no wire terminals on it except the three at the front of the coil marked Timer, Gas, Bat. When I turn on the key does this activate the wiring from the front of the coil for starting and running plus all the other systems. It would have been great to get a new wiring harness but the budget won't allow that and i'm no wiring expert. I have everything else wired up but need understandable picture of all the wiring from the dash to the two fuse blocks. Trying to get this car on the road for spring any help would be greatly. ANSWER: The ignition circuit on the 1928 powers only the coil and the gas gauge. I trust you are looking at a wiring diagram from your owners book? It is not super clear in the owner's book, but in general, you can see which wires go where. If you don’t have this diagram, I can blow it up & send a copy.

A couple of additional options: Call Rhode Island Wiring Service (800-241-1955) and order a wiring diagram. I think they charge $2-3 to send one. This will be an after-market diagram and may shed more light. Or it may not... Alternatively, call Jeff Hasslen (763-441-7815 Central Time Zone, evenings) and order a factory wiring diagram drawing. This is a large drawing and shows every wire, including color and length. It is possible that there is no factory drawing surviving for the 1928, you'll have to ask Jeff.

If it is just a few issues, I might be able to just answer them via email. Tom

QUESTION: SERIES 9 OIL CONTROL—There was no evidence, nor can I find any mention or parts for oil control at the crankshaft rear bearing. My oil pan and crankcase have 5 ridges and 4 "valleys", and the crankshaft has very faint evidence of a reverse spiral.

At one time I think I read or heard that you mill in a groove for an oil seal when you do a complete rebuild. My engine is already together, so that is not an option.

Years ago the old Ford flathead V8 had a split ring of packing like propeller shaft stuffing box packing. Any suggestions? ANSWER: You have an ACME thread seal - a reverse-spiral, as you surmise. This seal works well when all is fitted well. There is some dripping after shutting down, but while the engine runs, oil is pulled back into the engine and leakage is minimal.

You will need to cut your oil pan gasket carefully so the gasket seals the thread. Cut the thread into the gasket ends. It's a bit finicky, but if you are careful, the seal will work. Since this seal thread is machined at the time the bearing saddles are machined, if you have new bearings, or worn bearings that have been shimmed, the seal may not align and may leak - sometimes prodigiously. When the fan picks up the leaking oil - well, you get the idea. You'll never see a rusty Franklin chassis

A rope seal, as you mention, is a fine idea, but requires machining of the pan and crankcase, tom

The H. H. Franklin Club, Inc. c/o Cazenovia College Cazenovia NY 13035-7903

MARCH

FIRST-CLASS MAIL

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Bethlehem, PA

Permit No. 100

2010

Page 8 of 8 Franklin Service Station No. 127 (March 2010)

ANOTHER REPORT FROM HICKORY CORNERS

May 15th seems like its just around the corner and we’re feeling a high sense of excitement about the Grand Opening of our building at the Gilmore Car Museum.

The Saturday morning ribbon cutting will coincide with the Mid-West Region Spring meet (May 12-15). Invitations were mailed two weeks ago. If you haven’t received yours yet please go to the club website - http://www.franklincar.org where you can find complete information on the event.

The Gilmore will open for the season on May 1, and Franklin will be ready. There are already nine cars in our building, two on the way, and more to come. If all goes as planned Ralph Hamlin’s 1911 racer will arrive on opening weekend on loan from Ted Davis of Oklahoma. Thank you Ted!

There’s still much to be done inside the building. Lights to be mounted, signs to be made for the cars, stories about Franklin to be laid out and installed. It’s like completing a restoration - the big work is finished and now we’re attending to the many details that come to the surface when winding up a project.

A SPECIAL REQUEST

Some Franklin enthusiasts just can’t resist creating vanity license plates for their cars. A lot of these plates refer to air-cooling. We think out-of-service vanity plates with an air-cooled motif would make a great addition to telling the Franklin story in our display. So if you have one (or more) that you’re willing to donate, we’d love to have it. And tell your friends.

ARRANGEMENTS

There is a block of rooms at two hotels near Kalamazoo airport for this purpose, usable from May 12th. through May 15th. 2010. Rooms must be held with a credit card. Be sure to mention you are with the H.H.Franklin Club for the rates below. Cut off date is April 12, 2010.

Hotels: Fairfield Inn Best Western 3800 E.Cork St. 3640 E.Cork St. Kalamazoo, MI 49001 Kalamazoo, MI 49001 (269) 344-8300 (269) 381-1900 Rate: $ 74.00 + tax (800) 528-1234 Rate: $ 79.00King/

$89.00 2Queens + tax

We are planning a barbecue at Gilmore on Friday evening, May 14th. With a dedication ceremony on Saturday, May 15th. For those who wish to arrive early, we have activities planned in the area to do on your own, such as Air Zoo, Kellogg House, area wineries, or a trip to the Auburn/Cord/Duesenberg Museum.

For Additional info, call or e-mail Ralph Gack, President Midwest Region at (734) 748-6339 or krgack@sbcglobal.net

Arthur Einstein (Editor’s Note: This month I gave Arthur the editorial. His ongoing News about the Gilmore Event couldn’t be better. )