Crosley Number 1

I last left off with my first sports car, a 492 Berkeley. After this love affair with English built cars it came time to finally find a US sports car. The only one for me had to be a Crosley.  

I must admit that brother Fred has had and still has an unduly huge influence on my lust for certain cars. Fred found a 1951 red Crosley Super Sport, so of course I had to have one as well. Naturally, Fred knew a fellow in Montclair, NJ who just happened to own a 1952 Crosley Super Sport in running condition. 

1952 Crosley Super Sport
NOT John's but close enough

Buying a person’s pride and joy is not a simple matter of paying his price. No, you have to convince him his baby is going to a good home. The seller Boris finally said yes, and I then owned my new love.

I learned a lot about the advanced design of this wonderful car, as well as the short comings of a car built to a very low price. The chassis of this car was flimsily constructed of very thin gauge steel. Luckily for me my neighbor knew how to weld. He came over and took care of the crack in the chassis.

I was able to get the seats upholstered in red vinyl. Our secretary’s husband was a good body and paint man. He came to my garage and the next thing I knew I had a good looking Crosley!

Fred heard of a vintage sports car club that ran track days at Lime Rock Park, CT. We attended one of these events, and learned that if we wanted to join we needed two club members to sponsor our applications. A very nice gentleman, Mr. Fred Herdeen, took time from racing his early Ferrari  to help us meet the requirement needed to join. With Mr. Herdeen’s help Fred and I were soon members of the Vintage Sports Car Club of America (VSCCA). In that era, mid-1960’s, vintage sports cars consisted of mostly pre-war Bugatti’s, HRG’s, and MG’s with a smattering of post-war Ferrari, Maserati, Siata, and OSCA.  Because the Crosley had such an important place in history as a racing sports car, they too were included in this august list of cars.

I was able to attend a couple of races put on by the VSCCA with my Crosley. I remember having my car at the Hershey antique swap meet, and then going up to Watkins Glen as a display for the Formula One races being held there. 

I actually managed about two laps around that wonderful course as a pre-race tour. All I could think of was all that Armco surrounding the track! My son Erik was able to get an autograph of Dan Gurney that day.

There would be several more Crosleys to enter my life, but this was my first one. More on these unusual cars next week.