 CAC Nationals are just around the corner, it isn't to early to start making plans to be there. The VC (Hotshot & Super Sports) are the featured class this year. The picture above is from the 2000 Nationals. The VC was featured in 2000 and 2011 with 26 cars on the grounds. Jeff, our meet chairman, is hoping to double that for 2020.Whatever you have bring it to the meet or just bring yourself for a great time, July 6-11, Wauseon Ohio. |
||||
 Charlie Nicholas's Flying
Saucer. Charlie had a Crosley Dealership in MN and built
this custom Crosley. Some remembrances from Chet
Tschetter, who worked for Charlie part time from 1952-54
while he was in High School.
"Charlie was short and
stout, had a hard time bending over a fender to
service a normal car engine except a VW, Porsche, MG
or an Austin Healey. He also had a bit of a problem
sliding under cars as his shop had no lift, only a
creeper, standard floor jacks and stands. I
guess that is where I came in at 5’10” and 155
lbs. I could bend over and crawl under and
Charlie would issue instructions and away we went.
Crosley’s were his love but his ‘Furrin’ car shop was always full of foreign marks. He knew and understood them all. Under Charlie’s tutelage I had the pleasure working on many. Being short and stout, he always had his footstool at the ready to give him the added height to bend over a fender. Charlie was very proud
of his Crosley Flying Saucer. He drove it to the
Indianapolis 500 at least once and I recall it created
quite a stir as a rather unusual small American
car. The color was very close to a British
Racing Green. The car came out only on special
occasions but one would always see Charlie wearing his
customary beige one piece coveralls.
Yes, his sense of
humor was great, janitor he was as the shop was always
clean. Humor he had, automobile psychiatrist yes
- he listened to hear automotive problems which he
then confirmed and repaired. "
|
 Ted DellaCamera (CT) bought the Saucer at the 2019 Crosley Nationals and did a bit of sprucing up of an earlier restoration and has had it to many shows and an appearance on Chasing Classic Cars with Wayne Carini. Ted report about his time doing Chasing Classic Cars. "Not only was it a blast to work with the crew and Wayne, the car itself had a blast—with smoke coming from the engine bay! As the car was cresting a hill in mid-July, the motor lost power and both oil caps blew off. Wayne and I got the Flying Saucer back to the garage, where I pulled the spark plugs. I cleaned and checked all the plugs before reinstalling them. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to fix the problem. The heat that was generated in that one incident melted a piston so Wayne wasn’t able to get back behind the wheel and finish what had started out as a really fun ride. I was bummed and worked like a crazy man for the next week to find a replacement piston. If you’re already a fan of Crosley’s cars, then you know how hard it is to find some of these parts. But, I managed to find a piston that would work if I replaced all four; the replacement wouldn’t work with the remaining three. Wayne’s schedule didn’t allow him to come back to continue the story so what you’ll see on Chasing Classic Cars isn’t the happy ending I wanted, with Wayne smiling as he finished his trip in this one-of-a-kind car." |
|||
 Highlighting a couple of VCs from the last time VCs were the Spotlight class in 2011.
Paul Gorrell (Iowa) calls it "Rusty" it had the number one position of the Spotlight class in 2011. This is the prototype of all VCs to come, the very first Hotshot. Paul walked by it going to school sitting at the local Crosley dealer. He tried to buy it for years as he saw it rusting away beside the closed dealership. Even a wall of the building fell on it. He had to wait till the estate sale after the dealer died to buy it. To restore it would mean replacing everything that made it the first Hotshot. So he mounted #1 to a trailer and showed it the way he bought it back in the 80s. It has notes painted all over pointing out differences from the production Hotshot. |
 Deane Sherman (Ohio) shows
off his Super Sport at the 2011 Nationals pulling a
restored Whizzer motor bike behind. Deane help lead the
club as a board member for over 30 years and was key to
making the Nationals run smoothly even longer. He passed
on February 26, 2018. Deane displayed many beautifully
restored Crosleys over the years at Wauseon.
One more thing. Paul
surprised us all the first time he showed Rusty back in
the 80s by starting up Rusty and driving it, sort of.
Here is a picture
of Paul giving me a ride, that is Duane (our current
membership chairman) running along behind because Rusty
was steered by picking up the tongue of the trailer and
pointing it.
|
|||
Cleaning out some CotM that
have been waiting way too long. I always like two pictures
and sometimes I only have one of a car. It is easier to
let them pile up when I have pairs to use so here we go. The heavily modified VC above called Sport is owned by Fred Huttleston of CA. This picture was taken in 2007 (I haven't had it that long) U assume soon after Fred bought it. It has a Crosley engine with dual Solex carbs matted to a Fiat 4 speed. Nice looking modified. |
 |
|||
 In honor of this years
Spotlight class, the VC, here is a trio of the three
different variations of the VC. These beauties were all
restored by Dave & Deb Anspach of Florida, our
president and first lady. The cars are a 1950 Super
Hotshot (Super Sports), 1951 Super Sports, and 1951
Hotshot. As you can see the three variations are very
similar.
|
 The main differences are
the Hotshot had a simple assembled top, when the other
Crosley models added a Super line so did the Hotshot,
also referred to as Super Sports in some company
announcements. Crosley changed to a folding top and they
replaced the rubber cockpit trim with red leatherette
and other minor changes. You can see the folding top and
leatherette in the lower photo to the left. In 1951 they
added full doors and a hood ornament.
|
|||
I wanted to honor our Spotlight class winners one more time. The virtual show was a success, thanks to our committee and all that participated. If you haven't already looked over the show check it out. Hope we can all be back top together in person next year. |
||||
 CDs are the Spotlight class for 2021 so
here is the kick off to get started. This is Don, Gracie
and Jen Gatens(PA) 1950 Convertible. I'll let them tell
their story. "We purchased this little convertible last
September outside of Denver CO and hauled it back to
Philadelphia. It was quite a 3500 mile trip. The car had
been in a storage container for ~45 years. The original
1969 CO tags were still on it! it is all original with
exception of the missing convertible roof assembly.
|
 It was last titled in the early 70’s -
we have the title even though the state of CO purged it
long ago. Our car is a work in progress. We got rid of
the mini cooper tires that were on it when we picked
it up and replaced them with the original rims
(after blasting and powder coating them) and new tires
so we could roll it in the garage."
Hope to see the Gatens family next year at Wauseon. |
|||
 Powel Crosley couldn't
deliver Crosleys fast enough in 1948. This all new
hauler was designed by Crosley Engineers in conjunction
with Kenosha Auto Transit to increase the number of cars
they could haul by 50%, three on the bottom and six on
top. I wonder how many were made. A year later they were
no longer needed to keep up with demand.
|
 We have a few members that could make good
use of one of these, wonder if any survive in the back
of some junk yard.
|
|||
 |
 Another CC firetruck, the name of the owner or who submitted this photo got separate from the photo. Anyone recognize this Crosley? I'll update the caption if you send me the info. |
|||
 Merry Christmas andHopefully a Much Better New YearFrom the Crosley Automobile Club |
 |
|||
 I'm repeating a car from
April
2019 because I couldn't resist the pictures and
story. Matt Hellberg, of Iowa, believes his
grandfather bought this 39 Convertible new. He helped
his Dad get it back on the road. Next generation of fans
of Great GrandPa's Crosley.
|
 Early shot of the proud
owners. They later used the Crosley to advertise the family
jewelry store.
|
|||
 Since it is the time of
years we can expect some snow in the Northern parts of
the country, I thought a couple of pictures from when
Crosleys were just every day transportation and not
tucked away when the first flakes fall might be good.
Looks like a stock Crosley jack holding up that CD
sedan to put chains on. Wouldn't catch me under a
Crosley with that jack and on snow.
|
 |
|||
 Powel Crosley showing
off his Pup. Not sure who the passenger or baseball
player is?
|
 Crosley Pup at a
military base for testing purposes beside a Corbett
6X6. The Pup (CT3) was made in limited quantity for
the Army Air Corps (Air Force), 36 seems to be the
most used number for how many were built, in the
1942-43 time frame. The Pup was 4 wheel drive and was
powered by the prewar Crosley 2cyl opposed air cooled
engine.
Anyone that has more
info on either picture drop me a note and I will add
it to the caption.
|
|||
 Here is the CD end
(actually back end) of the show field in 2012, the
last time CDs were the Spotlight class. The photo may
have missed a few that were running around the meet
grounds but you get an idea of how many we need this
year to beat the last record. I couldn't find a count
of CDs in 2012 but we had a reported 112 total
Crosleys, we should be able to beat that this year.
Start getting your Crosleys ready whatever they are or
shape, we like to see all Crosleys and related
variations.
|
||||
 Nominated by Sam Perley -
Jeff Ackerman of NY and his Crosley powered
"BIGSHOT" roller in service. Jeff says it
"Works great !" Built in the 50s by
a fabricator.
Here are a few other shots - Front, In action, Instruments. |
 Jeff describes how it works. "The
T-92 transmission has 3 pulleys on the back shaft, 3
belts run to 3 pulleys on the front of the larger
transmission which then runs a drive shaft off the
back of the larger transmission, that has a 6 inch cog
that drives the chain to the rear roller with the 20
inch cog. It seems to run nicely with both
transmissions in 2nd gear.
|
|||
Past Crosley of the Month Winners - Previous Page - Next Page |
||||
