Crosley Motors was the upstart automaker that began before World War II, took a pause, and struggled into the early 1950s. They’re mostly remembered for creating several variants of microcars that included a small pickup and an open-air roadster, the Hotshot. If you surf the net, you’ll find a few photos of Crosley “Clown Cars” but no information on how they came to be. Did Crosley build them or were they modified Hotshots? Whatever the case, this interesting example wears old circus paint, and we’re told it will run with some mild wrenching.
If you look for a Crosley Clown Car on the web, the photos all look a little different as opposed to cookie-cutter. By definition, a clown car is a “small car used in a circus act during which a large number of clowns emerge from the car for humorous effect.” I doubt that was the purpose of this one as where would 19 guys hide? More likely a couple of clowns drove it around under the tent, blowing a loud horn and waving at the crowd.
We wish we knew the history of this Crosley because it probably would have a lot of crazy stories to tell. The seller says it has a new battery and fuel (that’s a selling point?) and will run with a little bit of maintenance, whatever that means. Is that a tiny Crosley engine under the hood? Maybe. Is that a shifter for a 3-speed manual transmission we, see? Probably.
If you’re looking for the rare and unusual, this Crosley is probably it. The title is clean, so transferring it to the next owner should be easy, but I’ll bet you have fun convincing the DMV clerk what this thing is. Located in Bisbee, Arizona, this strange yet cool project is available here on craigslist for $4,995.
Not sure if this is a clown car, more likely a parade car, like Shriners.
https://www.greatfallstribune.com/gcdn/-mm-/333c1271c2393e4d5375c5f38ce5fedd5ad275a2/c=0-122-2400-1478/local/-/media/2015/07/19/GreatFalls/GreatFalls/635729404949651365-Frost-Shrineparade-July-18-2015-3.jpg
Very cool. …..I love it ! …..Different
Beeeeeeeeeeeautiful. Finally the respect the Crosley duly deserves. I can’t think of a better use for one, aside from the Crosley fire truck as a kid. I’d have to think about as much interest as vacuum wipers today. Fun yard art, maybe, anyone with a shred of interest, is,,,well, probably at this site. It is pretty cool. Looks like a new meaning for “bench seat”. Looking up “Crosley Clown car”, a slew of examples come up. Not this particular one, that I suspect was a local parade car, that a clown surely drove. Several renditions are shown, and the Crosley, being this cute little roller skate of a car, was a sure bet.
I’m seeing ’42-’48 Ford fenders and Studebaker Hawk tailfins. Somebody put a lot of work into this little jalopy. Probably several pounds of lead. I hope that it finds a home.
we’d used the term for yrs, never knew it was official. May B became so thru our use? Anyway
like to see it back as a crosley. Any customizing is personal and often suites a solo taste. I say: “Bring back the original.”
That is a custom body. The hood looks like a hotshot, but the front clip does not. It looks like it came from one of their regular cars. Hotshots had a flat spot in the front wheel cut out and also lacked a grille.
The rear is from other vehicles.
I’m no expert on the company, but I have an interest in those micro cars. Especially American ones.
Never like a listing that says ” it will run with a little work – battery and gas….plus all the ad cross adds at the bottom…..
Nobody mentions that a Crosley was a “race winning” performance car. That usually accompanies a post about these things.