While some “barn finds” are nothing more than cars that have been stored for a long time in a proper garage and are covered with dust, others live up to the name in every way. If you are a clean freak, then you might get the hives from just looking at the pictures above and below. However, diamonds are to be found in all that filth. This pair of Crosleys for sale on Facebook Marketplace in Warsaw, Indiana may be an excellent find disguised as junkyard fodder. According to the ad, this 1947 Crosley sedan and a Super Sport (mislabeled as a coupe and a Hotshot) are available for $3,000 if you purchase both cars. While the pictures reveal vehicles that are, on the surface, in rough condition, a closer examination shows that there may be enough spare parts and good metal to make this barn find a winner. Would you be willing to wade through the detritus to get a good deal on two interesting Crosleys? Thanks to Ted for the tetanus tip!
If you have never heard of a Crosley automobile, prepare yourself for a great story. Powell Crosley made his sizeable fortune in small appliances in the 1920s and beyond. His radios, starting with a budget model called the “Harko,” undercut the competition and were unveiled when the medium was in its infancy. When customers complained that it was sometimes difficult to pick up radio stations, Crosley established WLW (which still exists), a radio station that peaked at over 700,00 watts of power. He later moved on to refrigerators. The company’s addition of shelves in the doors of their economical refrigerators was a hit. This too was another example of Crosley getting in on the ground floor, as the rapid spread of electrification and the low cost of his refrigerators doomed the icebox to the historical dustbin. It seemed that Powell Crosley had a gift for predicting the market and having just the right product at the right price.
Until it came to his first love, which was automobiles. Crosley spent a lot of time and effort in his early years trying to break into the automobile industry as a manufacturer and a supplier. Finding no success, Crosley built his fortune in other areas before trying again in 1939. In that year Crosley debuted a two-cylinder automobile that weighed less than 1,000 pounds and would be sold at his appliance dealerships. Sales were far off predicted numbers and the dealership model proved to be problematic. The cars were popular as used cars during World War II due to gas rationing, and as that rationing held on after the close of hostilities, his redesigned four-cylinder car was initially a moderate sales success. Sales predictably fell after gasoline became both plentiful and cheap. Crosley tried to turn his fortunes around with several innovative body styles ranging from regular sedans to a Jeep-type vehicle called a Farm-O-Road. The company even offered what many consider the first postwar American sports cars called the Hotshot and the Super Sports. With sales dwindling, Crosley threw in the towel in 1952 by selling the automotive division and its factory to General Tire and Rubber Company.
In hindsight, Crosley was right about America’s need for small cars. It was just that market conditions weren’t favorable for a small, fuel-efficient American car at that time. It is fun to speculate what might have been if Crosley had managed to stick around long enough to compete with the VW Beetle and the Japanese invasion. Regardless, the surviving examples of Crosley’s automotive dreams enjoy a healthy following today. Prices for restored Crosley automobiles are comparable to other economy cars of the era despite their size. The two cars you see here could be a good investment for someone and a great ride to your local cruise in. Advertised as a two-door coupe and a Hotshot, a close examination of the few photographs we have reveals these to be a two-door sedan and a Super Sport. Both cars are loaded down with parts. The problem is that some missing body panels don’t show up in the pictures.
The seller tells us in the ad that the frame has little rust for its age. Given the mistakes in the ad and the general lack of cleanliness in and around these cars, I am not sure I would put much stock into that statement. The picture above reveals surface rust in some areas, but nothing stands out as particularly difficult to restore. The picture above of the Super Sport’s nose looks quite remarkable given that these cars were driven hard and often encountered immovable objects. One problem is the missing parts we see in the picture. The headlights, marker lights, and the bumper were all designed to be easily removable for racing. Are they still with the car?
The picture above reveals the very simple hood that Hotshots and Super Sports relied on. Without hinges, a lever was twisted, and the panel lifted away to allow access to the engine. With the engine so far down in the compartment and the photo not being very clear, it is hard to see if any speed parts are installed. The CoBra and the later cast iron block CIBA engines displaced 44 cubic inches and put out 26.5 horsepower in stock trim. With speed parts, most manufactured by Braje, these engines could scream on racetracks. It wasn’t unusual to see a Crosley-powered car in victory lane in midgets, sports cars, and any other racing application that needed a compact engine that put out a lot of horsepower for its size.
Looking at all of the clues reveals a chance to get two Crosleys at a great price. There appears to be enough parts there for the two cars and you will be left with a good stash of spares. Only the missing doors on both cars, the hood on the sedan, and the lack of bumpers bring pause. The Super Sport is the big prize, as these are considered milestone cars and are even eligible for SCCA racing. Hopefully, one of our readers will get their tetanus shot and a pair of overalls and head down to this barn to inspect and purchase these Crosleys. This is one deal where you might come out ahead when you finish restoring both cars.
What would you do with these two Crosleys? Does owning a Crosley appeal to you? Please leave your thoughts in the comments.
My first car was a ’49 station wagon that I put a ’48 coupe body on. I started out with a car, not a pile of junk as shown here. Good luck selling this stuff.
Its hard to tell from the photos taken in what appears to be a cave that hasnt been explored in 50 years. But maybe theres some good parts and sheetmetal to help restore another Crossley. I actually saw one, a wagon in the flesh last year early one morning on my way to work, it was so nice to see it on the road running and being used. But Id be a little nervous with the early morning commuters driving like nuts on the road getting to work in the morning.
Its a shame they couldnt clean around it and get them in the daylight for better photos. But I guess we are asking too much.
Proving once again, that’s much easier to pull a car into pieces, then to put it all back together. It seemed like a great start to the project, until the case of beer was done…back in 1960.
Bingo! My own shop motto, and cautionary self-advice: ‘It’s much easier to take something apart, than put it back together’. Don’t ask how I know this…
these are special vehicles to me. Like all Crosley models (humm… sports, wagon, p/u, vert, and sedan). I’d use any, after the move away from the CeBe – or whatever the copper motor was called. Here’s what it CAN look like (something all the wrecks on our site should include – a true testament to the M/M/Y)
https://barnfinds.com/15k-miles-1948-crosley-cc-sedan/
I don’t see $3k in value here I see scrap metal good luck to the seller
Had a friend in college whose father liked Crosley cars so much he named his son (my friend’s brother) Crosley.
When I bought my first house I had a Crosley Shelvador refrigerator complete with a visegrip handle, paid 10 bucks for it and was still running great when I upgraded. Made 5 bucks on the sale.
From alpha to omega. The mighty 300 SL, to the lowly Crosley. What a range of value!
Uh….no.
A bit ambitious on the pricing of these two vehicles. I’m beginning to think that people that price vehicles like these have no idea of what it would cost to restore one and what the worth would be when they were done. The juice just ain’t worth the squeeze.
Seems like this is another one of those ads put up by a “friend” for someone who asked them to get rid of those cars for them. Most folks thinking that they have no worth would just scrap them. That would be sad, but they are NOT worth what they are asking, and there is not much weight there for scrap either. BUT that said there seems to be a lot of parts, mostly engines. The bodies do look sort of useful & could be restored. The ad says “automatic” transmission… they never had automatics. I owned a 1950 Hot Shot “Super”, the one the preceded the Super Sport, and the sports car looks like that model. No year given for that one though. Mine had a folding top, and doors that “lifted” off. The Hot shot did not. My car had a radio, a sales point for these and very hard to find today, it also ran. When I sold it I got a grand for it. It was rough, but it ran and drove. Given it was a few years ago. The seller should contact the Crosley Car club and offer them to the members as parts cars or projects. They would have more luck selling to the members than the general public. Crosleys were cheap cars when built and are still part of the cheaper collectables. Asking too much for their condition today.
Jeff, I enjoyed the write-up, including the history lesson. Another related historical note is Crosley Field, the home of the Cincinnati Reds from 1912 until 1970 (info from Wikipedia). As a kid I knew that was the name of where the Reds played; not until later did I realize the connection to Powell Crosley and a way to promote his cars.
Wow, never knew that.
I always learn something new and interesting from Bob. I had no idea.