There probably isn’t a single one of us here who doesn’t dream of finding a Cobra or some other super rare roadster hiding in a barn, but the truth is, very few of us will ever have that kind of experience. That doesn’t mean that there still aren’t a lot of other great finds out there, many of which fit into any budget. Sometimes the budget finds are just as much, if not more fun, than the expensive ones anyway. Sure this 1952 Crosley Super Sport won’t ever beat a Cobra in a race, but it would bring just as many smiles to my face as any high dollar exotic. The fact that I could drive it like I stole it and not have to worry about breaking any speed limits would be a massive plus. This one is going to need a lot of work before it will be ready to be driven hard, but there really isn’t a lot to these little cars. Find it here on eBay in Houston, Texas with bidding at $2,000.
The seller claims that this Crosley was stored in a Houston garage for around 15 years, but that is all the history they provide. These light little cars were actually quite popular for racing back in the ’50s, especially after winning at Sebring in 1950, so I can’t help but wonder if this one has some racing history. The fact that it had a roll bar installed at some point would point to it possibly being used for racing, but is hardly proof. If the next owner could uncover who the past owners were, they might be able to track down more of its history. It probably won’t add any monetary value to the car, but it would be fun to know.
Like I stated earlier, this car is going to need some work. It actually looks to be in solid shape, with minimal rust, but is going to need some body and metal work. It appears that a previous owner hit something quite hard. It left damage to the front end, mostly to the sheet metal in front of the suspension. The way the metal is bent is rather unusual for a front end collision and looks to me like the car was dropped onto something. Hopefully there isn’t any serious structural damage and those pieces of metal can just be straightened back out.
The other area of concern is the engine because the seller believes it’s seized. They had originally planned on restoring the car themselves, so they had acquired extra parts, including a spare motor. The additional engine is included in the auction and should make this project a bit simpler. The 724 cc motor shouldn’t be difficult to swap out and could probably be done in an afternoon. At just 26 horsepower, this little motor certainly won’t win any drag races, but it was durable and went on to be very popular in the 750 cc or less class of racing. Since the motor is going to have to come out anyways, I would do a few minor upgrades to it, but focus primarily on making it dependable. What’s the fun of having a nimble little roadster if it’s broke down all the time?
This one might look like a lot of work, but remember this car is only 145 inches long and tips the scales at just 1,100 lbs. Everything about these cars is simplistic, so rebuilding it should be a fairly simple task. In the end you’ll have a fun little car that you won’t feel bad driving hard. Just think about all the smiles it will bring!
The biggest problem I see with this car is the lack of a title! I’m not sure about the laws in Texas, but in most States there are ways to get a new title. Usually it involves searching for the last titled owner or performing some sort of public auction. Either way, it will be a hassle. Nonetheless, I would love to have this little guy just to cruise the back roads during the summer months. Heck, maybe it could even be titled as an ATV to be used on the street! If none of those options work, it could make a fun little race car and you wouldn’t even need to feel bad about drilling the holes for the roll bar!
Actually in Texas, the age of the car classifies it as an antique and obtaining the title is very simple.
These cars always have me somewhat confused. I can’t help but like them but I have such a hard time taking them seriously. If I owned it, I somehow doubt I would drive it outside my neighborhood development in fear of being killed by one of today’s crazy drivers! At the same time, I can understand how people start collecting them; they’re small, simple, and cute! Anyone interested in American automotive history would have to be fascinated by Powell Crosley and his small, cheap car dream. He was almost a mini-Henry J. Kaiser on many levels! No, I think I’d pass on buying one, but I sure wouldn’t mind spending a Sunday at an all Crosley show looking over these cars and learning about them from their owners. I also wouldn’t pass up a chance to ride in one, but would defer driving it – more fun to leave the navigation to it’s owner.
does the first photo make a bugeyed sprite look beautiful or what! i can not deside if this is a tuesday temptation or a funky friday car. reserve is not meet as of yet. this is a nice find for someone who knows these cars and knows how bad that damage is. i do not buy with out a title so i am just looking.
Lot of potential there, and not a bad price these days. This will need help, but the good news is that parts availability is amazing given that Crosley shut down in ’52 – everything except sheet metal is easy to find, and ALL of it is cheap. Service Motors (in business since the forties) probably has everything this car needs in stock and ready to ship. Also great support from the Crosley Auto Club – they just had their annual meet in Ohio. (http://crosleyautoclub.com) Curious to know what’s going on in the middle of the tranny tunnel- that’s not a stock attachment. Assuming maybe it was a beefed up attaching point for seat belts or the roll bar? Anyway, great little cars, but then I’m biased– I’ve got a ’51 SS in mid-restore in my garage right now!
These raced and won in their day. The current price is a steal for the guy that wants to have a little toy to restore. Parts are out there. Reference “Crosley Gang” online.
Great group of lads.
Sheet metal damage looks more likely caused from towing by tow strap then being dropped on something. If someone had attached a tow strap to the lower suspension and/or cross member the strap would have stressed the metal and bent it forward and up, as it appears to have done in the photograph…
Bidding has been slow on this one and it ends in an hour! If shipping it to Idaho wasn’t so expensive, I would probably pick it up as a BF project car. Oh, well…
reserve is not met as of yet.
it did not sell. high bid $2703
Looks like a reasonable project, surprised there wasn’t more competition for the sale.
I have a Early Crosley COBRA ( Tin Engine) amongst my late fathers collection of British cars/parts.
Guess I should have bought this one Bruce!
when I was in high school my dad bought a 3 wheeled forklift to use in our weekend body shop. It had a Crosley 4 cylinder engine, ran on propane. Great little motor. Maybe another source for used motor parts(?)