Crosley "crackpots"

Pics: Colin Marsh

On a recent visit to the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, Florida I came across these two Crosley cars, the Hotshot sports model on the left and the 1948 station wagon to the right. One of the advantages of the these cars was 50 miles per U.S. gallon. As the sign next to the wagon pointed out: Who cared? Gas was 19.5 cents per gallon. People who drove them were considered "CRACKPOTS." The cars were built from 1939 until 1952.
I am currently reading the book "Crosley" by Rusty McClure with David Stern and Michael A. Banks, [Rusty writing about cars], which is the story of the Crosley company. Oddly enough the bodywork of these cars was used as the basis for dragsters and at the Bonneville salt flats.