Comments on: MI Tests the New Crosley

By: Bill Gray

Bill Gray — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:48:23 +0000

My best friend and I had two of these in 1960 – 61. Crosley eventually produced a cast iron version of the 44 cubic inch engine. Believe it or not, Crosley won the first Sebring 12 Hour endurance race. My son and I have one today, a 1947 sedan… a future restoration project

By: Louis Rugani

Louis Rugani — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:20:00 +0000

The CROSLEY CAR OWNERS CLUB (CCOC) has lots of rare Crosley photos and historic memorabilia, and offers Crosley service and parts advice.

By: Rick Auricchio

Rick Auricchio — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:20:42 +0000

My dad had a Crosley wagon in the late 50s-early 60s.

By: Toronto

Toronto — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:53:54 +0000

Grazie, Gazzie and JMyint. That strikes a dim chord of memory.

Hey! My old 3-cyl Suzuki would be about 10.2 HP by that formula! It was actually about 38 HP at 5800 rpm or so (carburated version of the Swift.) But it topped out at 85 mph, not 56.

By: nlpnt

nlpnt — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:02:25 +0000

I saw a Crosley wagon at a show’s car corral last summer; they’re really strikingly tiny in width and wheelbase but the overall length and height are about what you’d expect from a modern subcompact hatchback. Much longer hood, lots of cargo space (more in the wagon than in a Yaris hatchback) so I’d expect the compromise to have been made in passenger space, particularly in back.

From what I understand, the Crosley was made so narrow so they could fit them two abreast in a railroad boxcar when shipping from the factory!

By: Rick

Rick — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:43:23 +0000

I remember seeing these things on the road occasionally back in the late forties and early fifties. Besides being quite a bit smaller than other cars of the time they had a rather squashed look about them . . . as if they had tried to pass between two semis and didn’t quite calculate the gap between the trucks correctly.

Rick

By: JMyint

JMyint — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:43:46 +0000

AMA horsepower rating was the figure states used to determine vehicle tax and tag cost. It was calculated by the diametre of a single cylinder squared times the number of cylinders divided by 2.5 (AMAhp=D²*n/2.5). This doesn’t reflect true horsepower especially in high compression engines. I think Missouri is the only state that still uses taxable horsepower to determine tag costs.

By: Gazzie

Gazzie — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:41:08 +0000

Toronto-
AMA stands for Automobile Manufacturers Association in the United States. In the UK it was the RAC Royal Automobile Club horsepower rating. The ratings were based on tax purposes. I found a pretty good explaination here http://www.forwardlook.net/mai.....28701.html

By: Toronto

Toronto — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:33:23 +0000

Can anyone shed light on the AMA horsepower rating?

By: Peter Berard

Peter Berard — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:57:34 +0000

I got a kick out of this rerun. I was into Tom’s column at an early age. My dad, being an automotive mechanic, got every issue and I read them all. I have his test on the first radically new MGB and mow own one myself. I have two Crosleys at this time and it’s cool to reflect on Tom’s take. He was fairly accurate.