1949 Crosley Hot Shot

Roadster

The 1949 Crosley Hotshot is considered by some to be America's first post-war sports car. Its small engine made only 26.5 horsepower, but its overhead cam and displacement of only three-quarters of a liter (750cc) were remarkable. It had a non-detachable cylinder head and fine main crankshaft bearings. With an 85-inch wheelbase, these tiny, light, and nimble cars provided frisky performance and handling characteristics. A Crosley Hotshot even topped the Index of Performance at Sebring in 1950. Perhaps best of all, the Hotshot retailed for less than $1000.

Roadster
Chassis number: VC 10131

Powel Crosley, Jr., of Cincinnati, Ohio, was a successful entrepreneur and owner of a broadcasting corporation bearing his name and the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. He would later build a sub-compact car with the assistance of his younger brother, engineer Lewis Crosley. Their first car was a two-door convertible that weighed less than 1,000 pounds and sold for just $250. This new car made its introduction at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1939. 1941 saw the range expand to include two- and four-passenger convertibles, a convertible sedan, a station wagon, a panel truck, and a pickup, among other variations.

With gasoline rationing, sales for the 50 miles per gallon Crosley continued to climb, helping to keep the company afloat. Among the 'firsts' for the Company, they were the first to use the term Sport Utility, the first mass-market single overhead camshaft engine and first American car to be fitted with four-wheel disc brakes.

In 1949, the company introduced its Hotshot sports model which became the basis for countless Crosley-powered road racing specials. The Hotshot won outright in the 1950 Sebring Six Hours.

This particular car is a competition-proven Hotshot Roadster. It has no doors and no roof. It is finished in a maroon color with cream-colored wheels and a tan interior. It has been given a thorough restoration in recent times.

The car has a Crosley radio, chrome bumpers and a rear mounted spare wheel. The engine is a 44 cubic-inch overhead valve four-cylinder engine fitted with a Single Tillotson Carburetor. There is a three-speed manual transmission and four-wheel drum brakes.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster
Chassis number: VC10001

The Crosley Hotshot is recognized as America's first postwar production sports car. It was introduced in 1949 and was the brainchild of Powel Corsley Jr. The two-passenger Hotshot was 145 inches long and was powered by a 725cc engine with a manual transmission.

This is the very first Crosley Hotshot. It is finished in a light shade of green-blue with an interior featuring red upholstery over the seats. It rides on steel wheels with chrome hubcaps and is wrapped with whitewall tires.

by Dan Vaughan

Powel Crosley, a manufacturer of radios and refrigerators, began manufacturing automobiles in 1940. The Crosley cars were tiny, quirky, and not very popular.

The 'Hot Shot' was America's first post-war sports car. With only 26.5 horsepower, the car was not very fast, but it handled well and offered an elemental wind-in-face experience typical of British MG's. Only 2,498 Hot Shots were built between 1948 and 1952. Even though production may have begun in 1948, they were listed as 1949 models. Also, the 2,498 Crosleys produced include both the VC (Roadster) Hotshots and Supersports. Crosley left the car business after 1952.

Introduced in 1949, as a Super Hot Shot, the Crosley Hot Shot came with cut down sides without doors, or removable half doors. The Hot Shot was available at the low price of $849. With new styling that included integral fenders, smooth hood, turn indicators (on sedans and convertibles) and sealed-beam headlights in upright pods the 1949 was by far the best car produced by Crosley. An 80-inch wheelbase was found on the convertible, station wagon, delivery and sedan models. On the new Hotshot roadster the wheelbase was updated to an 85-inch. The main variances between the previous model and the Hot Shot was the super side script, the folding top rather than assembled and the red trim around the cockpit. Before 9' hydraulic brakes were installed in June, current roadsters came with 4-wheel Goodyear – Hawley aircraft-style disc brakes. This change was implemented due to the salt-filled country roads that caused freeze-up problems with the brakes.

While working on a U.S. Navy project during the war, Crosley used a block of brazed copper and sheet steel to develop the overhead cam four-cylinder. Eventually, postwar cars were installed with these 60 lb engines. Displacing 44 cubic inches, this five-main-bearing engine developed 26.5 hp at 5400 rpm. This engine was popular during the war in powering everything from Mooney Mite airplanes to truck refrigerators. Subject to electrolysis that resulted in holes developing in cylinders, the copper-steel block was updated to a cast-iron block designed and built by Crosley in 1949. Keeping the original dimensions, this engine added much more stability to the vehicle.

Unfortunately, Crosley's reputation for unstable engines affected sales in the future. The 1949 model was produced in only 7431 units, this drop from 19,000 units for the 1947 model and 29,000 of the 1948s.

Winning the Index of Performance at the Sebring Twelve Hours, the Hotshot was sleek and speedy. Able to achieve 90 miles an hour, the semi-elliptical-spring front suspension and coil springs with rear quarter elliptics were impressive.

by Jessican Donaldson