Franklin automobiles were luxury cars produced between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York, and contained the first air-cooled automobile engines. This 1930 Franklin is one of only seven ever made with a Pirate Phaeton body. Herbert H. Franklin (1866–1956), a die-casting manufacturer and newspaper publisher, decided to become one of the many new automobiles manufacturers after riding a horseless carriage. The first Franklin car was sold in 1902 and with an air-cooling engine. Because the design eliminated water-cooling and related freezing problems, Franklin’s were attractive to physicians and others who needed reliable winter transportation. Like most independent luxury automobile companies, Franklin’s sales started to decrease after the 1929 stock market crash. The company tried to save itself by introducing a new, radically designed, twelve-cylinder automobile in 1932, but it was too late. By 1934, the company was out of business.

This Franklin is rare due to its design and custom-built body known as the Pirate Phaeton. The body was designed by American coachbuilder stylist Raymond Dietrich (1894–1980) and only seven of these bodies were made. While most vehicles of this period had exposed running boards, the doors on the Pirate Phaeton flared out and concealed the running boards. It is possible the original owner of this car was Herbert H. Franklin. When riding in a Pirate Phaeton, Franklin was involved in an accident where the hinged door glass hit him in the head. The vehicle was repaired, and the glass windows were modified to retract into the door panels. Since no other Pirate Phaeton would have this modification, this automobile is believed to be the one Franklin modified. Out of the seven originally made, this Franklin is one of only four or five still in existence.