The Franziss Special

https://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=franziss1do8.jpg

Spotted at Road America this weekend. The Franziss, which is a combo of Frazer-Nash and Curtiss. As in Curtiss OX aero engine. And that, literally, is all I know!

-William

I know nothing about it either but I love the looks - it's what a race car ought to look like. Probably sounds the part, too.

For some reason (maybe because of the cars I've owned) I always look at cars like this to see how easy they'd be to push without bending the bodywork. I've always liked cars with a headrest that carries straight back to the rear of the car because it was a "strongpoint" where you could push without bending the aluminum (due to its shape). The Franziss looks pretty tough to push.

Chitty-chitty-bang-bang.
I love these old aero-engine race cars.
And that exhaust system....rudimentary!

Wulp, I asked over at the Nostalgia Forum about this car. Turns out that it was built up by its owner, Roger Sweet, and is visiting the States for the summer. I looked around the car quite a bit, and it's really well put together, certainly not a lash-up.

Ever watched an old movie where someone's starting up an old WWI biplane by hand? The car sounded just like that-first one cylinder fires, then another on the other side of the engine, then two more, then all eight! I mean, of course it'd sound like that, but it still made me smile!

-Wm.

Um.... WOW! I really love that car!

I got to see that car at Watkins Glen, At Speed!!!. We were siting in the grandstands at the top of the esses getting ready for the pre-war cars to come out, and we actually could pick out that car starting up in the paddock behind us. It did sound just like an old bi-plane.
PAH..PADAH... PDDDAH.. PADADAHH PADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Exact same engine that was in the Curtiss Jenny (WWI Bi-plane)
The coolest part , other than the distinct, and utterly cool exhaust note, was that the rockers are exposed, and you can watch them work as the engine is running.
He did pretty good in the race too!
It was my favorite car there.. Got to see it downtown too.
Glen Curtiss was actually from Hammondsport N.Y. (about 45 min up the road from me/Watkins) the Curtiss museum is DEFINATLY worth a tour if you're ever up this way.
Here's the only pic I was able to get of that car.
Sorry about the idiots head in the way.