Guess this hood ornament

[tallyho8]

I enjoyed the thread "Guess this tool", so I am trying to make another interesting thread. I know that TBN readers are so well informed that they will probably guess it quite easily so I included a couple of extra questions.
Hint: My parents junked this vehicle while I was young.

1. What make vehicle is it off ?
2. Approximately what year?
3. What are the outstanding features of this vehicle?
4. What is their motto, in English, that I covered up with my key.

 

[RobS]

Interesting challenge! I don't know directly so I'll offer some guesswork. I'm thinking French as the lion reminds me of Versailles. Not that many French makes, so perhaps Peugeot? No idea what year etc.

Fun challenge. I recently visited a classic car museum and shot a bunch of ornaments. No lions though.

 

[blueriver]

I enjoyed the thread "Guess this tool", so I am trying to make another interesting thread. I know that TBN readers are so well informed that they will probably guess it quite easily so I included a couple of extra questions.
Hint: My parents junked this vehicle while I was young.

1. What make vehicle is it off ?
2. Approximately what year?
3. What are the outstanding features of this vehicle?
4. What is their motto, in English, that I covered up with my key.

I know very little about older vehicles ...

1. South African Lion Hunters Jeep
2. About 1950-2009
3. 4 wheel drive, open station with a ROPS
4. Hunt till you bag the big one ........

 

[dave1949]

It came from a Franklin automobile - which makes you older'n dirt
About 1928 ?
The latin motto is VINCIT which seems to mean 'To Conquer'

Dave.

 

[tallyho8]

It came from a Franklin automobile - which makes you older'n dirt
Dave.

Careful Dave, I 'm just a little older than you!
Naturally it wasn't new when my parents junked it in 1954.
You got the first question right, only 3 to go.
The motto answer is not quite correct.

EDIT: OK, I see you edited your reply to include the year. That is correct too.
2 to go.

 

[dave1949]

Careful Dave, I 'm just a little older than you!
Naturally it wasn't new when my parents junked it in 1954.
You got the first question right, only 3 to go.
The motto answer is not quite correct.

I see they stopped production around 1934, it must have been a family treasure and well cared for. Just joking about the age.
Dave.

 

[Tig]

My Google source tells me the motto is Aura Vincit, air conquers.
Is the feature you refer to the fact that Franklins were air cooled?

 

[NSBound]

It's a 1928 ornament. they were built from 1902-1934, all air-cooled, earlier ones with wooden frames. the company was eventually sold to tucker.

 

[Tig]

Wikipedia is a great read on Franklin. Very interesting car and company.

 

[jimmyj]

Neat! Love these threads. Never got one yet but dang it one day I will!

 

[dave1949]

Three things autos should have: - hood ornaments, vent wing windows and rain gutters above the side windows! The good old days.
Dave.

 

[tallyho8]

Ok, it didn't take y'all long to get the answers. It is hard to stump anyone now-a-days since Google can practically give you the answer to anything quickly.
ANSWERS:
1. What make vehicle is it off ?
Franklin
2. Approximately what year?
1928
3. What are the outstanding features of this vehicle?
a. Had air cooled engine. (one of the most successful ones)
b. Had an aluminum engine.
c. Had an aluminum body.
d. Most decorations and trim were copper, brass or bronze.
e. Had the world's best sounding ooga horn because it was vacuum powered instead of electric.
4. What is their motto, in English, that I covered up with my key.
Aura Vincit = Air conquers

I can remember a few other things about the one we had even though I was very small when my parents scrapped it. Ours was 8 passenger. 3 in front seat and 3 in rear seat and 2 seats that pulled down from the back of the front seat that faced the rear seat. It had window shades on all the back windows. I am almost certain that I remember a keyhole on the floor shift so you could lock the shift. It had one rear tail light on the drivers side that had STOP embossed in it. It had mechanically operated brakes on the rear wheels only. It had wood spoke wheels with the spare mounted on back. The windshield opened and there were levers inside so you could work the windshield wipers yourself if you wanted. And we always got a laugh when we pulled into a service station to get gas and the attendant checked under the hood and came back and asked where the radiator was.

One dangerous feature that many other cars also had was the battery was mounted under the floorboard under the driver's feet. One of our neighbors was disfigured when he was trapped in his overturned car and the acid dripped in his face.

All I have left now is some photos, the hood ornament and the hubcaps but I sure wish I had that old car now.