Past Crosley of the Month Winners - Page 13

To get us in the mood for next months Nationals, I went back to 2005 when the Special Bodied class was last the Spot Light featured class and pulled one of the entries I liked. A nice Crofton Bug.

Only problem I don't know who it belongs to. It has Florida plates and I can only read the sign well enough to know it doesn't belong to who I thought it belonged to. If you recognize the Crofton and can fill in a little more info send me a note and I will add it to the description.

Here are two locations for Milage Motor Co a Crosley distributor, not just a dealer. The above picture is ar 221 North Shartel Oklahoma City, OK. The picture to the right is at 921 W. Main St Oklahoma City, OK.

Dave Edwards remembers buying Crosley parts from a different past dealer in Oklahoma City in the 60s and there was no signs of the Milage at that time.

The Crosleys of the Month for August was easy, how could any one Crosley beat out the fantastic collection of prototypes Paul Gorrell and Family brought to the 2015 Nationals.  All came on one long trailer accept the 1937 CRAD pre-production prototype that came in it's own enclosed trailer. I can only imagine the reaction of people seeing this rig come down the highway from Iowa. Here are a couple of shots from the full display inside the main building (image 1), (image 2).

Chuck Koehler, our treasurer and long time Crosley supporter, died just 6 weeks after he attended this years Nationals.  Many Crosley people know him as the Tillotson expert and master rebuilder of Tillys. He was also one of the wandering Crosley mechanics at the Crosley Nationals every year, helping many members get their car running again. He will be missed, rest in peace Chuck.

Chuck has owned many Crosleys and many other cars over the years, but most came and went. Two that were in his more permanent collection was his Terraplane street rod tow vehicle and his custom roadster see right photo. Above with his wife Sharon was one of the years he won the best modified class at the Nationals. A couple of more shots here is Chuck and Sharon playing Crosley games one year and a photo of Sharon Max and Chuck tending their vending booth this year at Nationals. If you want to take an audio ride with Chuck here is a link to my ride back in 2001.

Clarence and Gayle Myers of Ohio had 3 basket case Crosleys and created Old Woody in less than one year from what they could salvage.

Since Old Woody weights considerably more than a stock Crosley it is no speed demon but it is an eye catcher.  Here is a more complete story.

Curtis Schoellerman of CA writes: "My SS is a '51 "Crosmobile". My car is a sad story with a happy ending. I first found this car sitting in a yard about 30 years ago. No, it's not for sale because his kid is going to restore it. I kept checking back every few years, and suddenly its gone! I asked anyway, and it is now parked around behind the house. His son was killed in a motorcycle accident, so now the dad wants to get rid of it. This car had been nearly 100% complete. Now, there is just the body and running gear.

Glen Hanekamp of Ohio Clowning around at the Nationals this year. Glens 1948 Clown Car is a regular at the National show and always a hit.

I missed getting the pictures of Glen and crew in uniform. Click here for a shot of Glen's car with the top up.

Erik Mogul found and bought this 1950 Firetruck this past Spring. Nice looking Little Chief I hope we see it at the Nationals in the future.

The "Little Chief" was made by the Fly and Harwood starting in 1949 it was built on and extended Crosley chassis with chain drive from the original rear axle to the new rear axle.

Dennis Terdy of Illinois writes: "The picture is circa 1953 with my mother and identical twin brother and my dad's 49-50 Crosley. After 17.5 years of children's college payments (4 kids, same wife, 3 decades) and 3 daughters' weddings, I finally had "permission" from my business manager (wife) to buy a car to rebuild. After keeping used cars running for teens and a growing family in a relatively affluent suburb for 3 decades, it was now my turn."

"I joined the Illinois and National Crosley club in about 2011 with my eyes on buying a Crosley...mostly for nostalgia reasons. My adult children kept their eyes out, and I eventually found this one, (I am the second official owner-I have the original title) from, yes, a barn in western, rural Illinois. The video is obviously my personal documentation of the rebuilding process...video just completed in late December. Strangely....April 30, the day of total completion, was my dad's birthday...hard to not think something else was going on and I'm the last guy to think like that."

Dave Heinselman of Ohio wanted a little more power and watched to much Tim the Tool man on TV. This is Mighty Mouse a 1948 Wagon sort of.

I'm having problems finding the details on the engine but I believe it is a supercharged Chevy 327. If I find more info I will update.

Fred Syrdal's latest prize. This is his 52 Mod SS, serial number VC-40398 highest known VC serial number. Fred saw it in 1993 at the last Doc Fry meet in Florida, He says he was "smitten". Unfortunately it went through three more owners till he managed to buy it.

Fred's modified Super Spots was owned by Mace (Red) Gellinger, co-owner of Service Motors in the 80's. Fred was told that Red found it in Illinois (hearsay?).  The story was that this car was the last off the assembly line and built for a friend or employee of Powel Crosley.  Modified in the 50's to look more modern. If anyone knows more history on the car let us know.

John Van Sickle of Virgina has restored two award winning Crosleys. Above John and his daughter pose with his 51 Sedan, on the set of the movie Chances Are.

John's latest work is his 52 Super Sports, here it is in front of Johns house in VA (just joking). Both cars are AACA National winners.

Decided with Racing Cars the Spotlight class this year we needed some racing pictures. Instead of the normal H-Mods and such, how about stock car racing. Picture quality is not the best so if anyone has better quality stock car pictures, please send them to me. These were reportedly taken at Fort Wayne Speedway in Indiana around 1953.

They were posted by fellow with the alias ClayMart on the Jalopy Journal website 6 years ago. He said "A friend of a friend had a couple albums of old stock car racing photos that I was able to copy. Most, if not all of the shots, are from the old Fort Wayne Speedway in northern Indiana."

I thought I had Jim Friday's 49 Convertible as a CotM years ago but I got a note from his wife Lois nominating it and looking back I had missed it. Sorry for the long over do feature. Jim's Convertible won the Senior AACA award in 1979, then the AACA Grand National Senior Award and The Chocolate Town Trophy awarded by AACA in Hershey, PA in 1981.  Jim's car is now shown in the Winner's Circle at the CAC National meets. I believe Jim's Crosley may be the first Crosley to win a Senior and Grand National award.

I understand that Jim's parents drove their Crosley from Iowa to Washington when Jim was young and they took the seats out to sleep in it at night. Jim was president of CAC from 1988 to 2002 and is currently on the board. In the earlier days Jim had a school bus modified into a camper and the 49 went in the back. I looked for a picture, I know I have, with the 49 being winched out the back like the bus was giving birth. This is the only picture I found of the Crosley Express with Jim from 1979.