Life — February 17, 1910 — page 3: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Simplicity in an automobile is proof of advance design. Nowhere in the Franklin do you find complexity. Simplicity is not solely in avoiding a multitude of parts and contrivances. Methods of operation can be just as complicated as anything else, and things simple in themselves can be put together in a complicated way. The Franklin chassis is a masterpiece of simplicity. There is nothing cumbersome; all the elements are plain straight work with few parts. There is no dead weight, no plumbing, no torque rods, no strut rods or other evidences of complexity. Everything connected with the operation of the Franklin is simple. The control is by throttle only. The transmission oper- ates direct without intermediate mechanism. The same is true of the brakes. The steering gear, the axles, the transmission, the ignition—all are simple and light. The lighter an automobile the easier it is on all its parts, The water-cooled automobile can never be simple like the Franklin. The Franklin new air-cooling system eliminates all auxiliary apparatus. Gears, fan, belts, pulleys, piping, packing, pump, radiator and all the mechanisms required in water cooling are dispensed with. There is nothing to get out of order, freeze or leak. The motor will not overheat. Even the tire question is simple with the Franklin. Motorists have been taught that tire trouble is necessary and that demountable rims, extra tires and other complex addi- tions must be endured. Not so with the Franklin, The tire question is easily and simply solved—just by using tires large enough and strong enough to do the work. Extra tires or extra rims or anything to add trouble and useless weight are avoided. Franklin tire equipment never blows out; punctures are rare, and the tires give service for more than four times the mileage of the ordinary tire equipment. Nineteen-hundred-ten Franklins have been in use since last June, so you can get these facts direct from owners. If you are going to pay more than $3000 for an automobile select a six-cylinder. With that investment you are entitled to the best. If you want thirty horse power or more get a six-cylinder. For small horse powers the advantage, final results and first cost considered, is with the four-cylinder motor. Above that the advantage is with the six. A six-cylinder automobile will not climb hills any better than a four-cylinder, nor will it run slower on the throttle. True, these are the alluring features claimed by most makers, which simply shows that they have missed the real advantage of six-cylinder construction. The properly designed six-cylinder automobile is lighter per horse power than the four, smoother in operation and easier on tires. Naturally we make both four- and six-cylinder automobiles —the four in smaller horse powers and the six for high power. We do not attempt to make one thing do for everything. In four-cylinder construction as power is increased the weight of the fly wheel has to increase more than the power, and weight in the whole vehicle must be increased, else the vehicle will not long withstand the power shocks. Heavy fly wheels cause more trouble to driving mechanisms than anything else. In the Franklin six-cylinder seven-passenger forty-two- horse-power Model H the increase in power is thirty per cent greater than the increase in weight—a result other makers miss. The Franklin six-cylinder motor is what a_ six-cylinder motor ought to be—a scientific light-weight highly-balanced power plant. Instead of the heavy fly wheel required on the four-cylinder motor of high power the fly wheel, because of steady engine torque, is very light. The power application is easy on the whole automobile from the tires to the engine. When you ride or drive you note its smoothness and readily recognize its superiority over the high-powered four. A simple way to decide between a four-cylinder and six- cylinder automobile is to compare the best high-powered four you know with the Franklin Model H. The way to get at the facts as between the Franklin six and other sixes is to com- pare them feature by feature and then put them to severe tests, over bad roads and good roads and on hills. Franklin six-cylinder Model H has no equal on American roads. It makes the best touring time of all automobiles. The won- derful smoothness of its engine, together with its four full-ellip- tic springs, wood chassis frame, large wheels and long wheel base, gives it an easy riding and charm of operation unknown in other six-cylinder automobiles. In smaller horse powers Franklin Model 1), twenty-cight horse power, and Model G, eighteen horse power, have long held the lead in four-cylinder construction. Light and flexible and having all the well known Franklin principles, they are not surpassed for comfort, reliability and economy. They do not get old and seemingly never wear out. Our new catalogue, a most informing and handsome book, is out. Sent free on request. FRANKLIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY Syracuse N Y Member Association Licensed Automobile Manufacturers comicbooks.com