Crosley Motors was a small American manufacturer that produced tiny cars and related vehicles from 1939 to 1952 (except during the WWII years). Considering that so few of these machines survive today, it’s surprising that more than 80,000 were built before the company went belly-up. The seller may be heir to a barn and/or lot that contains 13 Crosleys (or more?) of various types and versions. This listing was posted several months ago, and they may be gone now, but the fact that so many are in one place at one time makes them noteworthy. This assortment is located in Lake Mills, Iowa, and is available here on Facebook Marketplace for an undisclosed price.
Crosley’s downfall may have been making the right cars at the wrong time. Gasoline was cheap in those days and – after the war ended – any car maker could sell almost anything due to pent-up demand. Small station wagons were the most popular with buyers, but they also sold sedans, convertibles, sports cars, trucks, and off-road vehicles.
The company was an innovator and is remembered for building the first mass-production car with an OHC engine, and the first with disc brakes on all four wheels. None of the Crosleys weighed more than 1,400 pounds, and the engines were no more than one liter in displacement. More than 93% of Crosley’s cars came after World War II.
From the photos provided by the seller, a little bit of everything seems to be offered. But none of them appear to be better than in “fair condition,” and we doubt anything here has run for years. How and why these automobiles were amassed may be the biggest mystery, so perhaps the seller’s father, grandfather, or uncle was a big fan and picked up one after another and never did much with them. Thanks for the tip, “NW Iowa Kevin”.
This is really sad. I do hope someone rescues these oddball and brings them back to life!