Cute as a bug would be one way to describe this 1947 Crosley CC sedan. It looks like a lot of things actually, a bumper car, a kiddie pedal car, or just an oversized Matchbox toy. One interesting facet is its condition, it’s in nice shape with just a claimed 18K miles. The seller tells us, “These cars are extremely difficult to find in ANY condition…“. I’m down with that and intrigued enough to want to look this curious mini-car over. Once again, T.J. has found us a gem, this particular one is domiciled in Madison, Virginia and is available, here on craigslist for $9,200.
Crosley was a short-lived domestic auto and manufacturer and assembled the CC in their Marion, Indiana plant for only three years, ’46-’48. Besides this two-door sedan, the CC also was available in a convertible, pickup truck, station wagon, and panel van versions. Just under 20K units were produced in ’47 with 14K of that total being “fastback” sedans such as our subject car.
The story is that this Crosley has been off the road since 1952 and about fifteen years ago a mechanical and cosmetic restoration was engaged. The finish is claimed as original with touch-ups applied where necessary. Apparently, the restoration required no rust repair as this Crosley has remained rust-free over its three-quarters of a century life span. The proportions of this CC are odd, especially considering the width of the doors when compared to the car’s entire length of only 145″. Regardless of the visual imbalances, this diminutive two-door sedan shows well – unusual but nice.
The engine room sports a 26.5 (the .5 is important when you only have 26!) HP originating from a 44 CI, in-line four-cylinder engine. The hookup to the rear wheels comes about via a three-speed manual transmission. While that sounds underwhelming, you have to remember that this CC barely weighs 1,200 lbs. soaking wet. The seller states that this Crosley is in running and driving condition but doesn’t elaborate beyond that. Mentioned, is the conversion of the fuel system to an electric pump.
The interior is noted for two things, one is the cool red-backed engine gauge cluster and the other is the door panels which look like a combination of wood and cardboard. Another observation is the thinness of those rumpled-looking front seats – once around the block is probably all my old bones could handle. It’s about as primitive an interior automobile environment as you’ll find and it’s also a “radio delete” model (though it probably never had a standard radio to actually delete). Note there is a red block-off plate covering the radio slot but its speaker grille is clearly evident.
This is definitely a neat find and is clearly indicative that not everyone involved in the automotive biz thought the post-war scene should be dominated by longer, lower, shinier, more powerful cars. I guess the question is, who will want a mini car like this Crosley CC today?
I never knew this model existed. It may be barebones but it has full instrumentation. Looks like Crosley was first to invent the CUV. Also had a OHV engine which was pretty cutting edge in the 40’s
OHC actually
Not merely OHV (over head valves) as this is an Over Head Cam engine!
What is the CUV?
Looks like a Happy Meal toy,I remember my uncle saying he could drive his on the sidewalks of Nashville
Good write up, yep seats need some help although these were just commuting from the burbs to work cars. Don’t think of loading the family and going across country back in the day. At least I hope not, great car for someone looking to start collecting and garage space is minimal.
This is the mid ’40s to ’48 body style. They switched to the ” square” body in ’49. A ’49 wagon was my first car. It was the first year of the cast blocks vs the welded together flat steel units. This car has one of these later engines. My wagon was used as a chicken coupe and we just couldn’t get the smell out of it so found a ’48 sedan in a wrecking yard and put the body on the ’49 chassis. Fun little cars, especially when the racing modifications to the engines were done. The racing versions more than doubled the HP and wound up to 10,000 rpm.
The engine picture was the first thing I looked at. I was try to tell if it was a cast or a welded block. Cool they modified the engine. Seemed advanced for its day.
Are there still any of the light COBRA(copper braised) Crosley engines in service?
I can’t answer your question but when I was building/restoring my car I had folks coming by trying to buy my engine. Even in those days I don’t know if I could have found an engine to buy if l wanted one. The dealers didn’t have any and the factory wouldn’t sell you one.
I seriously doubt that any are still around, unless you could find an old WW2 pump unit. When these COBRA engines began to seriously fail soon after they were used in the cars Crosley offered a recall for a free engine replacement (iron block) through their dealers. Talk about standing behind your product!
The cast iron engines were tough — they were used in a small inboard hydroplane racing class back in the ’50’s and ’60’s. Had one back then, and have one now.
In my Crosley Jabro collection I have a Cobra engine that might be able to be put into service. The nose of the crank is broken.
BobHess
The Crosley motors were used in so many different places, they shouldn’t have been hard to find.
Military generators, reefers on semis, inboard and outboard boats and some I’m not remembering.
Neighbor ran a snowblower with one that he mounted on the front loader of a Struck crawler.
A few. Crosley club member
Rallye, Funny you mentioned Jabros. Back in the late 60s my father raced sprint cars for a guy that also raced TQ Midgets. He had a Jabro that he stripped of most of the Crosley parts because he want the the motor for his midget.
I ended up with the stripped down Jabro. Not knowing about them using all the Crosley parts, I put in a 4 cyl Chevy and a narrowed dragster rearend. I could have bought a Crosley back then for pennies.
They are most unique…a friend built one up as a rail, dragster in the 1950’s. A real screamer! LOL
Was your friend Nick Brajevich?
Aka Braje speed equipment.
Jerry Halek in Toledo, as I remember!
Rallye… None of us who had the cars were up to speed on the car’s history. I didn’t need anything so didn’t go digging for history. The folks looking for engines didn’t know about the many other uses for them. Got more history on the cars yesterday on the Crosley site I found than I ever had. Crosley car engines on Google.
Fun with math. These little wheels turned more than 30.25 Million times over 18,000 miles.
Check your bearings…
“…who will want…?”
I would, but not this model (I guess beggars cant B choosers?). The waggy, p/u or “Hot Shot” (sporty 1) would B great. Just NOT the copper motor~
Only 18,000 actual miles, but that’s 126,000 in Crosley miles.
The Crosley was the answer to a question that no one was asking, back in 1946. It was at least 30 years too early. But, by ’76, the NHTSA and EPA regulations would have killed it anyway.
OMG! Finally. THIS is the Crosley my brother had. I was 8/9 years old when he had it (1961) I knew nothing about the car other than it was small, funny looking and he hand painted it like an artist. I believe it was originally yellow.
Every time a Crosley comes across BF I think of my brothers car, but the ones on BF doesn’t look like his. Finally, the Crosley he had is here. Thank you.
I jumped at the chance to get a pre ’49 because I liked the looks of it better than the ’49 and up designs. Your brother has good taste.
Ironic a car made by a radio manufacturer has a “radio delete” option
If you ever drove one, you would know that listening to a radio would be quite difficult…that overhead cam engine using a chain drive was super NOISEY! LOL
No chain. Vertical shaft with bevel gears top and bottom.
Don’t remember them being noisy either.
It is hard to appreciate the size of these very small vehicles. I wish it was parked beside a new F-150 Super Crew, the wheelbase of which is the same as this Crosley’s total length.
Good write-up Jim.
Very cool, it looks pregnant.
My favorite styling idiom: “darling dumpling.” I think I am in love.
Put an LS in it, and “tub” it with some monster meats in the back…
There is a dubbed dragster with this body on the site I mentioned above.
Yet more LS stupidity!
Amen Mike…these are rare classic cars part of the American legacy of automobile engineering! Save them, restore them, but let us not mangle them with foolhardy modifications!
I remember seeing this car in the early 50s (as a kid) and the one comment that stuck with me was the pronunciation…
Crawls -ley
Got to drive a 47 just like that in 1961….it was for sale at a price of $250. It was not in great condition, certainly not as good as this one being offered. Getting more rare, each and every day! Someone better snap this one up!
The first one I ever saw was at the Ringling Bros. Circus…it held a dozen clowns…that was back in 1949!
I saw the “clown car” gag at the Ringling Bros. Circus myself… but being little I thought that there were MORE than 12 clowns getting out… they just kept coming out… my jaw was wide open… Must have been about ’50 or ’51. Always wanted one from that point on. Got the Sports car version, owned it for about 20 years, sorry to sell it but getting older and “downsizing” had to happen sooner or latter.
Crosleys were built from 1937-1952
https://auto.howstuffworks.com/crosley-cars.htm
Here’s my documentation claiming 1939-1952, where’s yours?
JO
Try this one….. https://ertelgiftshop.com/motorsports/crosely-and-crosely-motors-americas-first-compact-car
Apparently Powell Crosley was working on the prototype in ’37.
Internet sources could be wrong, so take it all with a grain of salt. :-)
Prototype sure, but prototypes, that never reach actual production can go on for years. I’m referencing the first year of live production. I use that determining factor in every post that I write.
JO
Hi Jim, I noticed that “Auto.how stuff works” site has a few other “mistakes” in their narrative. Particularly the info on the Hot Shot… that picture of the small red sports car… with the black top. They made the one in the picture in 1950 (almost exact model as mine) but they mention the “Super Sports” (which was my model) having conventional doors. The Super Sports had doors so to speak, but they were NOT conventional. My doors were “push on” that just “fitted” or attached to the black rubber edging on the door area of the car. The FULL conventional doors came on the 1951 Super Sport. The S.S. also had a folding top, but the Hot Shot had a removable top that had to be disassembled.
Good coverage Vince….seems that no one mentions that in addition to cars & radios, Crosley’s bread and butter profits came from building Television sets and refrigerators….innovation was, the first fridge with shelves on the door
(hence, the Crosley Shelv-a-door)
The first one I remember was a neighbors early 1940’s model, with a 2 cylinder engine!
The sheet metal, welded seam, 4 cylinder came later !
When I was young and wild at heart there was a girl named Marion. We had a hot affair and I had fallen in love very much…. Now I am not so young (53), but I still love her. She still lives in my city. Maybe I should buy this car for her, drive it to her place and tell her. She’s NO golddigger, that’s why it could really work…. What do you guys think?? :D
By all means. Act now! Good luck Matthias ☺
Why is no one mentioning this fact: How a Tiny Crosley Hotshot Beat Ferrari and Jaguar To Win the First Sebring Race. True! Listed on Hemmings.
Sounds like the hare and tortoise race
My dad had a Woodie, a Panel, a Drop Top, and a Hot Shot. Mom still has all the pictures. Someone torched the garage where dad had them all stored. By the time the fire was put out, Not much was left. Cool little cars
Such the sad story, yet the legacy remains with those photos & memories! Thanks Sam,
Jules
http://www.facebook.com/CrosleyCarClub
Randy
Do you have a Bearcat engine?
I don’t remember if the Bearcat was in or out board engine.
I have and know the rods are stronger, cam has a larger base circle and the oil pump is better somehow.
Who built/made Bearcat engines?
Lee
“stripped down Jabro. Not knowing about them using all the Crosley parts, I put in a 4 cyl Chevy and a narrowed dragster rearend.”
Was that the large square tube or the small round tube chassis?
I have a square tube chassis with an MG 4 speed (also the Jabro drawings for the conversion) between the Crosley motor and torque tube.
I wonder what they’d say if you showed up to race at a vintage event.
Some 30 years ago I was reading about a vintage car race and there was a picture of a “Very Rare Jabro” Many years after I sold my.
Mine had a sturdy chassis made of round tubing and a fiberglass body with tilting front and rear sections. I tracked down James Broadwell the builder of the Jabros when I first got mine. He seemed like Jabros were in his past, so I didn’t press him with questions.
Wish I knew were to track down my car, but after all these years it probably was scrapped.
Lee,
JAmes BROadwell = Jabro
There were 4 versions. Mk I, II and III were front engine and mostly Crosley powered. MK IV was rear engine. I think all were the 3 piece bodies like yours.
I’ve never seen anything in numbers of what he made and sold.
Maybe you could have gotten more from him about the cars by talking about racing?
Mine must have been a MK1. It looked like a small D Type Jaguar with the headlights in the fenders. Maybe when I get done relocating to California I’ll look for one to tinker with. I’ll be 20 minutes from Willow Springs International Raceway. https://www.willowspringsraceway.com
Scanner isn’t working. I could try digital photos of the old brochures but read on first.
MKI and MKII looked very similar. Doors and windscreen were the main differences in the bodies.
Biggest difference was the suspension.
MKI used Crosley leaf springs and Crosley front straight axle. 1.25″ .050 wall tube frame
MKII had coilovers and front swing axles I think the same 1.25″ tube chassis.
Headrest fairing was optional on both I and II. I don’t know if it was a different mold for different rear body section or if the headrest fairing was a separate part added on.
MKIII looked more like a shrunk Lister and used 3/8″ tube for a birdcage chassis. 3/8″ is not a mistake these were small light cars
They all were 750# +/-
My square tube chassis kicks up in the rear and has half leaf (Can’t remember the term) springs in back. Crosley straight axle and leaf springs in front.
I never tracked Broadwell down but I did talk to Nick Brajevich a couple times and got letters from him.
Being close to a race track is a combination of blessing and curse.
I have Road America.
https://barnfinds.com/1957-jabro-so-whats-a-jabro/
Rallye, Here’s one that was on BF in 2017. This is what mine looked like except it had headlights like the yellow one. One of the photos has a good look at the engine bay with the Crosley leaf spring/straight axel.
There’s quite a bit of info on Jabros if you Google it.
Hemmings has an article too. https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2011/08/03/birth-of-the-jabro
That 50’s outboard based on the Crosley motor was known as the Faegol 44. It was a big horsepower outboard in that day. I was told by my late brother who knew all the marine stuff, that it was notoriously unreliable.
Where did HomeLight or HomeLite fit in…didn’t they also used Crosley engines? Were they portable generators?
This is believable:
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/post-crosley-engines