Powel Crosley also owned WLW-AM 700, a 50,000 watt behemoth of a station. Add to that the Cincinnati Reds. He was a genuine tycoon, who deserves to be remembered. Thanks, Adam!
@@tombrown1898 it is an interesting story. Specially designed transmitter, huge components. A pond was built for cooling water for the tubes. Stories of metal sheds near the tower with panels buzzing with the RF power audio pulses.
My father in law was a Crosley dealer in Chicago just about the time Crosley quit car production. Among the things he told me was that he sold just one car. However, he had a steady business of repairing Crosleys for a few years after production ceased. He showed me the dealer agreement and it was all of one page!
My dad taught me to drive in a Crosley . I was 5 years old …I sat on his lap and steered while he did the pedals. The house we lived in had a small figure 8 track in the back yard. I miss him the fun times we had.
I grew up in Dearborn MI in the late 50's-60's. I became acquainted with a guy several years older than me that had about six Crosley's. In total over the years, he came to own about 20 that he would sell or part out. I was about 12 at the time and talked my Dad into buying me a Crosley for a project car. My first one was a 48 Wagon followed by a 49 Wagon and then a 52 Super Sport. I learned a lot from those cars and have fond memories of them. I was was surprised that you did a video on them. Thank you for that.
My grandfather had a Crosley dealership in the Chicago suburbs in the 40's. It did not make him wealthy. One of my dad's friends would come in and lift the front end of a Crosley and turn the car sideways (in the showroom!) .He also had a Hudson dealership. My grandfather was a guy who always looked like he was wealthy, but was actually robbing Peter to pay Paul. Still, I loved him! RIP, Grandpa B.
As Jeremy Clarkson, of Top Gear fame, might say, Well, now some say that the styling of the Crosley Hotshot with its bonnet mounted headlamps was Donald Healey's inspiration for the ever so cheery, smiling "Frogeye Sprite" BMC sportscar. Yes, without a doubt, that side profile has remarkable familiarity yes, quite remarkable, if one must admit". Cheers.
I think I'd read or heard the name "Crosley," but knew little about it beyond that. What an interesting story. Combine this era with a young man who had talent, drive, and capital, and we see products of America's greatness. Even without spectacular sales, I hope he could look back on his life with great pride in his diverse accomplishments.
Haha great story. I had a Crosley refrigerator that I gave to my brother when I moved. Visited him last week and we enjoyed having a beer which he keeps stocked in there. Works like a charm!
When I was in high school in the early 1960's, a student I knew slightly, a couple of grades ahead of me, had a 1952 Crosley wagon. I still remember the propeller on the grille, which I believe actually rotated.
3:50 Looks like a Nash Metropolitan in the background across the street. I don't recall anyone I knew having a Crosley at the time but a family friend did have a Metropolitan. Having been born in the early 40s, I'm familiar with Crosley radios and refrigerators. My older brother welded up an oversized 'go-kart' and used a Crosley rear axle for the drive mechanism. He attached a sprocket to the pinion shaft and a 5-1/2 horsepower Briggs horizontal shaft engine with a sprocket on it powering the chain drive. NO CLUTCH! Push start and go! 😅🤣 Dangerous? hell yeah, but loads of fun. 👍
Another great overview, Adam. I noticed that you never stood next to it -- that would make it look even smaller! ;-) This is about the best example I have ever seen, thank you for featuring it.
Used Crosleys were in great demand during WWII because of their great gas mileage. Also, Crosley was only a top selling radio brand for a couple years, being overtaken by Philco, RCA and others. The radio/TV manufacturing arm of Crosley Corp. was sold to AVCO in 1946 after the wartime Government contracts were fulfilled but Crosley radios and TV's continued to be made until 1956. The home appliance division was also sold and all profits from both sales were put into auto manufacture. There is a book about Powel Crosley in print and recommended for those who want to know more about this interesting guy--and his unsung brother, too.
My Dad had a Hot Shot when I was young and he once got it stuck in the mud. It was so small and light, I was able to pick it up out of the ruts and set it off to the side, one end at a time. Even changed a flat tire in a similar manner. lol It was basically a go-cart with body panels and didn't weigh much at all. 👍
My dad was a dirt track racer back in the day. He raced a Crosly at the Cincinnati Gardens. He grew up right across from the factory in Cincinnati, and he would watch them build them while observing through a window.
My grandparents had a Crosley refrigerator. It was known as the ice box well into the 1980's. I think they still called their new GE one the ice box after that.
In Parry Sound Ontario I had the pleasure of viewing a gentleman’s collection of Crosleys. Hot shot, wagon , pickup, sedan. Engines galore both stamped and iron block. I drove a couple around the area and loved them. I believe the collection of them is now in BC along a few other makes,MG,69bb Camaro, Rolls. Great guy.
One of my best friends in life, who is now in a memory care home, often told the story about his first car, a used Crowley. He traded a cow for it. (Iowa farm boy). He would take gas from the farm tank (not taxed for road use) and run the streets of his little rural town. He even chased his Mom around the yard with it and she would get so mad at him then calm down after a while. We went to an estate sale in the 90s and they had a Crowley engine. He bought it and painted it and had it on display in his garage. Whenever I hear about a Crosley I think about him. As a dementia patient, he doesn't know what day it is but he might just remember the Crosley of his teenage years.
A man i used to work with restored several Crosleys, including at least one HotShot. He also contracted with a local machine shop to build factory-exact replacement emblems, including the propeller emblem, to sell to other people who were doing restorations.
My father was approximately 7' tall and would often tell the story of his and my mothers first date in the back of a Crosley on a double date. I finally saw one and my mind is still boggled by this.
Interesting story, toklat! That first date between your parents could've easily been ruined by that super small car...and you never would've been born! Glad it didn't work out that way.
I’m glad you mention the little propeller on the grill. I wasn’t sure if my memory was correct. When I was about six years old in 1952 a lady in our little town had one and I never missed an opportunity to spin the propeller when I went by her car.
Writing from Australia, thanks Adam for a fascinating auto history lesson. I'm certain I've seen Crosley fridges and radio's in Australia in the late 50's and early 60's such as you showed in the film.
Crosley made the auxiliary power engines for the B-29 bombers. He wintered in Florida and built a large home immediately north of the Sarasota-Manatee County line. The Crosley Mansion is still there and open to the public.
The postwar Crosley was designed to fit two-abreast on a railroad boxcar which is why it's so narrow especially by modern standards (49" vs 66" width of a Mitsubishi Mirage, which is only 6" longer and dead-on the same height).
Crosley refrigerators I remember a maroon or barn red Crosely round top refrigerator in my early youth. Thing was ancient seeming at the time. I remember it well. I want to say it was the same color as the car shown.
I believe a lot of the COBRA engines were replaced under warranty. That engine was built during WW2 and used by the military for power generation and such and been a success but in civilian use corrosion became a problem.
There's a Crosley Type 4 at the Brussels Autoworld car museum. Such an interesting little car, they feel completely out of place in the US car market of the late 40s. Maybe he should have tried selling them in Europe, that's what people needed here in the rough post war time : the Beetle and 2CV were about to start production, and a bit later the BMC Mini and Fiat 500 showed up and all became the successes we know, and in the beginning were comparable cars.
When I was five my nextdoor neighbor had a Crosley. I had a pedal car. Because the Crosley was much smaller than other cars in those pre-VW-ubiquity days, I would go up to his fence and ask if I could drive it.
When I lived in Cincinnati, there is Crosley Field. During the depression The Cincinnati Reds were almost bankrupt, and Mr. Crosley saved The Reds by donating money to The Reds. And there is a Crosley car in the CVG airport too. I enjoyed Your video interesting and the history.
I think the sheet metal blocks that they had to replace all of them free which cost a lot and the not ready for long term road use disc brakes failure was too much to over come as bad news travels fast and they never recovered. To your point the cast block engines are absolutely splendid engines to the point also they were used in the early warning system generators in arctic areas for the military because they had a time limit to start and be on line in a short time and nothing else tested passed except Crosley OHC engines.
@@barrykochverts4149 I think the slant 6 engines had a aluminum blocks as a rare deal but anti freeze would have been needed to change every year or two back then to keep the dissimilar metals from rotting aluminum parts away and that didn't happen back then. If we had Crosley sheet metal blocks today with our modern coolants they would not have rotted but back then it was alcohol based non permanent winter only fluid
You mentioned the Shelvador refrigerator. There's an interesting story associated with the Shelvador's introduction. One of Crosley's engineers went to Mr. Crosley and said I have this way we can put shelves in the doors of our refrigerators and showed Mr. Crosley his detailed drawings. Mr. Crosley knew a good idea when he saw it and offered the engineer a choice of $15,000 up front or $0.25 per refrigerator produced. This was the middle of the Great Depression and the engineer, being the prudent type, took the $15,000. Had he taken the other choice, he would have been a millionaire before the patent ran out . . . .
Dad traded his first Crosley wagon with mechanical drum brakes because it failed D.C. safety inspection. The replacement had hydraulic drums were fine. Restored a ‘51 wagon with him in high school. Transmissions do not have synchronizers because that would add $5 to price. The last couple years a bird hood ornament was installed. Some lifts could not accommodate the narrow track so the D.C. service dept. rolled the car on it’s side with blankets protecting the finish. The narrow track did allow good go in snow since it bit on fresh snow. He picked up 8 fellow employees on a snowy day in Md. They could run 50 mph since the engine could handle the rpm. Ours did not like bumps as they could set off front end shimmy muted by a tap on the brakes.
My Aunt had one in college (back in the 50s). The #1 prank the guys used to play on her was to move her car (carry it off somewhere) or, worse yet, lean it against a wall.
Back in the late '80's,my 1961,52 foot Chris Craft had a Kohler generator that was powered by a Crosley marinized gasoline engine. It proved to be very reliable.
This was certainly a departure from your always anticipated submissions and again well done as usual. I note the use of wood in this vehicle in what I will describe as the rail the convertible top would ride on. That fresh air vent on the side of the auto. I could not determine and am curious if there was a screen of some type that would at least minimize the entry of anything but air to enter the car at that location. Thank you for this quirky and engaging entry.
Interesting program about the auto business of a remarkable man. Crosley was known as Henry Ford of radio. In addition to producing the most radios, Crosley Broadcasting- WLW , The Nation’s Station , 500,000 Watt transmittter , could be heard everywhere during the 1930s. Owner of the Cincinnati Reds who played at Crosley Field. Crosley Corp. worked out the process and produced the secret proximity fuses for anti- aircraft shells , considered the third most critical WWII weapon development after the atomic bomb and radar. Crosley built the 750,000 Watt shortwave radio transmitter WLWO used to broadcast to Nazi occupied Europe, later part of the Voice of America during the Cold War. Etc., Etc.
Hi Adam, I have a fun fact about this cars with the roof was called cabricorse in Europe. One exempel was 1950s Opel Olympia with this kind of roof. Nice to see.👍
A bit of a departure for you as the Crossley was obviously a tiny econobox type, totally different from the cars you normally cover. But it's interesting in a lot of ways. I'd heard the name because of the sports car, the Hotshot, even though it was well before my time. (Looking forward to your video on that that you promised us in this video). Somehow I had the impression it was British! And when I saw the photo I thought, well, sort of an off brand Austin Seven. This video acquaints me with a completely unknown facet of automotive history -- and American history at that.
The Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum, about 30-40 minutes north of San Diego has a pretty good, if sometimes a little dilapidated, collection of Crosley cars appliances if you're in the area.
there is a yellow crosley in Napa autoparts in my city , i offered the owner $10,000 but he said no lolol nice little car anyway ,, i can go to napa and see it anytime i like
There are only a few channels on RUclips that I consider perfect. There is this channel of course. Ed's Auto Reviews, Steve Magnante, and Project Farm. There are some others that have excellent content 90% of the time, but not the 100% that I would rate these few channels. Jay Leno's Garage is almost perfect. Then channels like AvE, Uncle Tony's Garage, and others that have mostly great content. But occasionally there are videos I can't watch for one reason or another
My '54 Ford has a very vague suggestion of propeller blades in its center grille bullet, but it's so subtle that I don't think it qualifies. However, the very similar '52 Ford has blades that are a bit more noticeable and the two front turn signals have even more noticeable "blades." Still not as pronounced as the Crosley, though.
well,,, I bought a 1948 crosley 2 Dr sedan off a car lot in garden Grove ,ca, in 1959,, and made a street rod out of it . Ford big V8 eng and trans and rear end .the eng had all up grades like 3 carbs, aluminum heads more cubic inches ,,,it was very fast. BUT ,,the sad part of all this is when I bought the car it had a 1937 Ford V8 60 eng and drive train that we thought was a hack job by some mechanic.. but now I know it was one of 8 prototypes that crosley made and only 5 are known to exist,, I had one of the other 3. I cry to this day ,,it' would bring about $80,000 today.
Powel Crosley also owned WLW-AM 700, a 50,000 watt behemoth of a station. Add to that the Cincinnati Reds. He was a genuine tycoon, who deserves to be remembered. Thanks, Adam!
Yes, and WLW received a special license to crank up the power to 500,000 Watts output for a while in the 30s. The station could be heard in Europe.
@@mikekokomomike I hadn't heard that! Sort of a privatized Voice of America.
@@tombrown1898 After the war WLW's original transmitter location became a site for VoA.
@@tombrown1898 it is an interesting story. Specially designed transmitter, huge components. A pond was built for cooling water for the tubes. Stories of metal sheds near the tower with panels buzzing with the RF power audio pulses.
Crosley broadcasting also owned local TV stations in several markets.
My father in law was a Crosley dealer in Chicago just about the time Crosley quit car production. Among the things he told me was that he sold just one car. However, he had a steady business of repairing Crosleys for a few years after production ceased. He showed me the dealer agreement and it was all of one page!
My dad taught me to drive in a Crosley . I was 5 years old …I sat on his lap and steered while he did the pedals. The house we lived in had a small figure 8 track in the back yard. I miss him the fun times we had.
I grew up in Dearborn MI in the late 50's-60's. I became acquainted with a guy several years older than me that had about six Crosley's. In total over the years, he came to own about 20 that he would sell or part out. I was about 12 at the time and talked my Dad into buying me a Crosley for a project car. My first one was a 48 Wagon followed by a 49 Wagon and then a 52 Super Sport. I learned a lot from those cars and have fond memories of them. I was was surprised that you did a video on them. Thank you for that.
I love it! Crosley is a forgotten but important post-war auto manufacturer.
What a fun little car. I have never seen a Crosley on the street, just at car shows. Thanks for the GREAT Powel Crosley "Backstory."
My grandfather had a Crosley dealership in the Chicago suburbs in the 40's. It did not make him wealthy. One of my dad's friends would come in and lift the front end of a Crosley and turn the car sideways (in the showroom!) .He also had a Hudson dealership. My grandfather was a guy who always looked like he was wealthy, but was actually robbing Peter to pay Paul. Still, I loved him! RIP, Grandpa B.
As Jeremy Clarkson, of Top Gear fame, might say, Well, now some say that the styling of the Crosley Hotshot with its bonnet mounted headlamps was Donald Healey's inspiration for the ever so cheery, smiling "Frogeye Sprite" BMC sportscar. Yes, without a doubt, that side profile has remarkable familiarity yes, quite remarkable, if one must admit". Cheers.
I think I'd read or heard the name "Crosley," but knew little about it beyond that. What an interesting story. Combine this era with a young man who had talent, drive, and capital, and we see products of America's greatness. Even without spectacular sales, I hope he could look back on his life with great pride in his diverse accomplishments.
Haha great story. I had a Crosley refrigerator that I gave to my brother when I moved. Visited him last week and we enjoyed having a beer which he keeps stocked in there. Works like a charm!
When I was in high school in the early 1960's, a student I knew slightly, a couple of grades ahead of me, had a 1952 Crosley wagon. I still remember the propeller on the grille, which I believe actually rotated.
3:50 Looks like a Nash Metropolitan in the background across the street. I don't recall anyone I knew having a Crosley at the time but a family friend did have a Metropolitan. Having been born in the early 40s, I'm familiar with Crosley radios and refrigerators. My older brother welded up an oversized 'go-kart' and used a Crosley rear axle for the drive mechanism. He attached a sprocket to the pinion shaft and a 5-1/2 horsepower Briggs horizontal shaft engine with a sprocket on it powering the chain drive. NO CLUTCH! Push start and go! 😅🤣 Dangerous? hell yeah, but loads of fun. 👍
Another great overview, Adam. I noticed that you never stood next to it -- that would make it look even smaller! ;-) This is about the best example I have ever seen, thank you for featuring it.
What an adorable little car!!! 👍👍
Used Crosleys were in great demand during WWII because of their great gas mileage. Also, Crosley was only a top selling radio brand for a couple years, being overtaken by Philco, RCA and others. The radio/TV manufacturing arm of Crosley Corp. was sold to AVCO in 1946 after the wartime Government contracts were fulfilled but Crosley radios and TV's continued to be made until 1956. The home appliance division was also sold and all profits from both sales were put into auto manufacture. There is a book about Powel Crosley in print and recommended for those who want to know more about this interesting guy--and his unsung brother, too.
My Dad had a Hot Shot when I was young and he once got it stuck in the mud. It was so small and light, I was able to pick it up out of the ruts and set it off to the side, one end at a time. Even changed a flat tire in a similar manner. lol It was basically a go-cart with body panels and didn't weigh much at all. 👍
My grandmother had a Shelvador. She bought it in 1950 and it was still running in her kitchen when she passed away in 1995.
This has to be one of the very rare channels that I love reading the comments on. Love reading all the shared experiences, stories and fun facts. 👍
My dad was a dirt track racer back in the day. He raced a Crosly at the Cincinnati Gardens. He grew up right across from the factory in Cincinnati, and he would watch them build them while observing through a window.
And Powell, well over 6' tall, specified that he would comfortably fit in his car.
My grandparents had a Crosley refrigerator. It was known as the ice box well into the 1980's. I think they still called their new GE one the ice box after that.
I still say Ice Box.
I've got a Crosley trunk freezer from the 1940's that my parents got used in 1948..... it's still working and in daily use.
Old appliances were great, unlike the overpriced junk they sell now. @@godsowndrunk1118
In Parry Sound Ontario I had the pleasure of viewing a gentleman’s collection of Crosleys. Hot shot, wagon , pickup, sedan. Engines galore both stamped and iron block. I drove a couple around the area and loved them. I believe the collection of them is now in BC along a few other makes,MG,69bb Camaro, Rolls. Great guy.
One of my best friends in life, who is now in a memory care home, often told the story about his first car, a used Crowley. He traded a cow for it. (Iowa farm boy). He would take gas from the farm tank (not taxed for road use) and run the streets of his little rural town. He even chased his Mom around the yard with it and she would get so mad at him then calm down after a while. We went to an estate sale in the 90s and they had a Crowley engine. He bought it and painted it and had it on display in his garage. Whenever I hear about a Crosley I think about him. As a dementia patient, he doesn't know what day it is but he might just remember the Crosley of his teenage years.
A man i used to work with restored several Crosleys, including at least one HotShot. He also contracted with a local machine shop to build factory-exact replacement emblems, including the propeller emblem, to sell to other people who were doing restorations.
Thank you! I know a good deal about automotive history, but not a lot about Crosley, so this was informative. I remember the radios and 'fridges.
My father was approximately 7' tall and would often tell the story of his and my mothers first date in the back of a Crosley on a double date. I finally saw one and my mind is still boggled by this.
Interesting story, toklat! That first date between your parents could've easily been ruined by that super small car...and you never would've been born! Glad it didn't work out that way.
I’m glad you mention the little propeller on the grill. I wasn’t sure if my memory was correct. When I was about six years old in 1952 a lady in our little town had one and I never missed an opportunity to spin the propeller when I went by her car.
Wow! I knew Crosley radios and WLW, but had NO IDEA of cars and appliances! Thanks for the education!
Writing from Australia, thanks Adam for a fascinating auto history lesson. I'm certain I've seen Crosley fridges and radio's in Australia in the late 50's and early 60's such as you showed in the film.
You are correct! I have not heard of this car!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Crosley made the auxiliary power engines for the B-29 bombers.
He wintered in Florida and built a large home immediately north of the Sarasota-Manatee County line. The Crosley Mansion is still there and open to the public.
My favorite show... The Orphan Car Show Riverside Park, Ypsilanti, MI Thanks again Adam!
Very interesting, you've basically posted a documentary.
Good job.
The postwar Crosley was designed to fit two-abreast on a railroad boxcar which is why it's so narrow especially by modern standards (49" vs 66" width of a Mitsubishi Mirage, which is only 6" longer and dead-on the same height).
Pride of Cincinnati
Crosley refrigerators I remember a maroon or barn red Crosely round top refrigerator in my early youth. Thing was ancient seeming at the time. I remember it well. I want to say it was the same color as the car shown.
Maybe "Crosley Red" was their cheapest paint color, so they used it everywhere.
I just saw a Crosley at a rod meet last weekend, I was excited to finally see one. Paul Crosley sounds like quite a guy.
I believe a lot of the COBRA engines were replaced under warranty. That engine was built during WW2 and used by the military for power generation and such and been a success but in civilian use corrosion became a problem.
I believe the problem stemmed from using the wrong coolant.
There's a Crosley Type 4 at the Brussels Autoworld car museum.
Such an interesting little car, they feel completely out of place in the US car market of the late 40s. Maybe he should have tried selling them in Europe, that's what people needed here in the rough post war time : the Beetle and 2CV were about to start production, and a bit later the BMC Mini and Fiat 500 showed up and all became the successes we know, and in the beginning were comparable cars.
So sick, didn't know that Crosley made cars!
When I was five my nextdoor neighbor had a Crosley. I had a pedal car. Because the Crosley was much smaller than other cars in those pre-VW-ubiquity days, I would go up to his fence and ask if I could drive it.
When I lived in Cincinnati, there is Crosley Field. During the depression The Cincinnati Reds were almost bankrupt, and Mr. Crosley saved The Reds by donating money to The Reds. And there is a Crosley car in the CVG airport too. I enjoyed Your video interesting and the history.
Cincinnati boy says thanks for showing these. Greater Cincinnati airport has a few of these things and they are interesting to look at.
Great video! Those Crosley cars were probably a blast to drive being so light.
I think the sheet metal blocks that they had to replace all of them free which cost a lot and the not ready for long term road use disc brakes failure was too much to over come as bad news travels fast and they never recovered. To your point the cast block engines are absolutely splendid engines to the point also they were used in the early warning system generators in arctic areas for the military because they had a time limit to start and be on line in a short time and nothing else tested passed except Crosley OHC engines.
I heard that later on, Mopar slant Six engines were used in the same applications for the same reason.
@@barrykochverts4149 I think the slant 6 engines had a aluminum blocks as a rare deal but anti freeze would have been needed to change every year or two back then to keep the dissimilar metals from rotting aluminum parts away and that didn't happen back then. If we had Crosley sheet metal blocks today with our modern coolants they would not have rotted but back then it was alcohol based non permanent winter only fluid
You mentioned the Shelvador refrigerator. There's an interesting story associated with the Shelvador's introduction. One of Crosley's engineers went to Mr. Crosley and said I have this way we can put shelves in the doors of our refrigerators and showed Mr. Crosley his detailed drawings. Mr. Crosley knew a good idea when he saw it and offered the engineer a choice of $15,000 up front or $0.25 per refrigerator produced. This was the middle of the Great Depression and the engineer, being the prudent type, took the $15,000. Had he taken the other choice, he would have been a millionaire before the patent ran out . . . .
Gr8 Tiny Car from Powell Crosley Jr., Adam😊👏
Thank you for introducing us to this car make. Very cool.
Dad traded his first Crosley wagon with mechanical drum brakes because it failed D.C. safety inspection. The replacement had hydraulic drums were fine. Restored a ‘51 wagon with him in high school. Transmissions do not have synchronizers because that would add $5 to price. The last couple years a bird hood ornament was installed. Some lifts could not accommodate the narrow track so the D.C. service dept. rolled the car on it’s side with blankets protecting the finish. The narrow track did allow good go in snow since it bit on fresh snow. He picked up 8 fellow employees on a snowy day in Md. They could run 50 mph since the engine could handle the rpm. Ours did not like bumps as they could set off front end shimmy muted by a tap on the brakes.
I've heard the name "Crosley," but didn't know anything about it, or the interesting back story. Hope to hear more.
CVG airport in norther Kentucky has a couple of Crosleys on display. Beautiful little cars.
My Aunt had one in college (back in the 50s). The #1 prank the guys used to play on her was to move her car (carry it off somewhere) or, worse yet, lean it against a wall.
Back in the late '80's,my 1961,52 foot Chris Craft had a Kohler generator that was powered by a Crosley marinized gasoline engine. It proved to be very reliable.
The hot shot 2 seat roadster was cool.
The COBRA 4 CYL.
This was certainly a departure from your always anticipated submissions and again well done as usual. I note the use of wood in this vehicle in what I will describe as the rail the convertible top would ride on. That fresh air vent on the side of the auto. I could not determine and am curious if there was a screen of some type that would at least minimize the entry of anything but air to enter the car at that location.
Thank you for this quirky and engaging entry.
The Shriners must have loved this thing !!!!
A video on the king midget would be cool
Very cool
Interesting program about the auto business of a remarkable man. Crosley was known as Henry Ford of radio. In addition to producing the most radios, Crosley Broadcasting- WLW , The Nation’s Station , 500,000 Watt transmittter , could be heard everywhere during the 1930s. Owner of the Cincinnati Reds who played at Crosley Field. Crosley Corp. worked out the process and produced the secret proximity fuses for anti- aircraft shells , considered the third most critical WWII weapon development after the atomic bomb and radar. Crosley built the 750,000 Watt shortwave radio transmitter WLWO used to broadcast to Nazi occupied Europe, later part of the Voice of America during the Cold War. Etc., Etc.
Murilee Martin has a great story about his grandfather's Crosley after WWII. I highly recommend it.
There's a few built into drag cars with big block Chevrolet engines I know of.
Fascinating narrative
Is such a neat little car, thanks for this.
interesting cars.
I'm fascinated by the CoBra engine, I unfortunately have never seen on in person, or a Crosley car for that matter.
Cobra block light weight but anti freeze ate out the block.
Hi Adam, I have a fun fact about this cars with the roof was called cabricorse in Europe. One exempel was 1950s Opel Olympia with this kind of roof. Nice to see.👍
Frank Lloyd Wright bought 4 of these; loved them as beautiful.
Next the boat cars. In the early 80's I used to see a few off in a field in Indiana.
Wow that’s amazing.
I like the spot light
We have a Crosley freezer out in the garage. Modern, but I forget the actual age.
Neat little car!
A bit of a departure for you as the Crossley was obviously a tiny econobox type, totally different from the cars you normally cover. But it's interesting in a lot of ways. I'd heard the name because of the sports car, the Hotshot, even though it was well before my time. (Looking forward to your video on that that you promised us in this video). Somehow I had the impression it was British! And when I saw the photo I thought, well, sort of an off brand Austin Seven. This video acquaints me with a completely unknown facet of automotive history -- and American history at that.
The Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum, about 30-40 minutes north of San Diego has a pretty good, if sometimes a little dilapidated, collection of Crosley cars appliances if you're in the area.
there is a yellow crosley in Napa autoparts in my city , i offered the owner $10,000 but he said no lolol nice little car anyway ,, i can go to napa and see it anytime i like
Had the privilege as a kid to ride in the back of some type of a Crowley fire truck in St Clair Shores (of course many years ago)
A great car line, I think, just more suited to the European market than the US.
Huh. I never knew Crosley fridges and Crosley cars came from the same guy.
My mother totaled a Crosley. She always maintained that the other driver was at fault.
I WANT THAT FIRE TRUCK!!!
I always liked the little Bantam and Willys cars
There are only a few channels on RUclips that I consider perfect. There is this channel of course. Ed's Auto Reviews, Steve Magnante, and Project Farm.
There are some others that have excellent content 90% of the time, but not the 100% that I would rate these few channels.
Jay Leno's Garage is almost perfect. Then channels like AvE, Uncle Tony's Garage, and others that have mostly great content. But occasionally there are videos I can't watch for one reason or another
I had heard of Crosleys but I have never seen one. They look like a big go kart to me.
Adam, very interesting. I would like to know where they found such small tires.
They have them at Tractor Supply...
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
My '54 Ford has a very vague suggestion of propeller blades in its center grille bullet, but it's so subtle that I don't think it qualifies. However, the very similar '52 Ford has blades that are a bit more noticeable and the two front turn signals have even more noticeable "blades." Still not as pronounced as the Crosley, though.
SWEET
Looks like a much better car than a King Midget.
Neat.
He sounds very much like a smaller-scale Henry Kaiser...
I’m surprised they didn’t sell in the uk
Didnt they make a weensie pickup version?
Yes, there was a PU.
Crosley still makes appliances. They are made by Whirlpool, but have a better warranty, 10 years.
The Crosley engine was extensively modified for racing by Bandini, including a bespoke DOHC cylinder head fitted to some examples.
They also used Braje intake manifolds as an accessory. I had on on my 52 Super Sport.
Was this shot at this years orphan show? I missed it due to poor promotion by the organizers. I'm usually always there.
well,,, I bought a 1948 crosley 2 Dr sedan off a car lot in garden Grove ,ca, in 1959,, and made a street rod out of it . Ford big V8 eng and trans and rear end .the eng had all up grades like 3 carbs, aluminum heads more cubic inches ,,,it was very fast. BUT ,,the sad part of all this is when I bought the car it had a 1937 Ford V8 60 eng and drive train that we thought was a hack job by some mechanic.. but now I know it was one of 8 prototypes that crosley made and only 5 are known to exist,, I had one of the other 3. I cry to this day ,,it' would bring about $80,000 today.
I think this car would have benefited if it was marketed in Europe.
im looking for a crosley to fix up.
Check with the Crosley Car Owners Club.
I was surprised about the mail order business part of the story.
I imagine that they would be a real adventure as far as the suspension, compared to modern cars. Lol