44 cubic inch single overhead camshaft inline four-cylinder
Tillotson 1-barrel carburetor
26bhp at 5,400 rpm
3-speed manual transmission
Live axle suspension with semi-elliptical leaf springs
4-wheel hydraulic brakes

*One of the cutest automobiles ever built
*Capable of over 70mph when stripped down
*A Hot Shot won the first endurance race at Sebring in 1950
*Restored to very good cosmetic and mechanical condition

THE CROSLEY HOT SHOT

Powel Crosley believed in small cars. He tried to build and market a cyclecar in the early 1900's, but the cyclecar market was decimated by the arrival of the Model T.

Crosley then turned his attention to radios and refrigerators and hit the product and market sweet spot, turning his Cincinnati business into one of the success stories of the Depression era. Crosley radios were nearly ubiquitous during the Radio Age, competing toe-to-toe with William Sarnoff's RCA for home units and with Paul Galvin's Motorola for the then new field of automobile radios.

Having made a fortune he took the small car idea up again in the late 30's with a tiny 2-cylinder air cooled car. War production intervened when Crosley built vast quantities of a 44 cubic inch 4-cylinder for military auxiliary power. Built with a copper brazed sheet metal water jacket the little engine was powerful for its size and light weight. What could be more logical than putting the "COBRA" (as it was known) engine in Crosley's little car, which was exactly what Crosley did when he was allowed to re-enter production in 1945.

Crosley claimed 26.5 brake horsepower from the little four, with the same output from the later revised cast iron block "CIBA" engine. Tuners talked of 70+ horsepower with 11 or 12:1 compression ratios and alcohol injection to counter knock. To promote its performance Crosley introduced the Hot Shot roadster. Simple and light, even doors on the Hot Shot were optional. The Hot Shot outclassed MG TCs

In 1950 Victor Sharpe, Jr. of Tampa, Florida entered a Crosley Hot Shot Roadster in the inaugural Sam Collier Memorial Sebring Grand Prix of Endurance driven by Fritz Koster and Ralph Deshon. Sebring that year was contested on an index of performance formula where speed was balanced by efficiency. The little Hot Shot, although it was lapped nineteen times by the second place Ferrari 166 of Jim Kimberly and Marshall Lewis, took the trophy, demonstrating the Crosley's combination of performance and economy.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This little 1950 Crosley Hot Shot Roadster is cherry red with tan vinyl upholstery. It is the basic Hot Shot without doors but with bumpers, rear deck mounted spare wheel and tire, flat windshield and top bows. Blackwall tires ride on body color steel wheels with hubcaps. It has been restored to very good standards some years ago and has been carefully maintained since then with little use. The engine compartment is neat and orderly, showing little evidence of age and even less of use. Paint, chrome and upholstery are extremely good. It is a real car, built in Crosley's factory, with an honorable heritage and a cheeky presentation that, even in a field full of mini and micro cars, will hold its own in no uncertain terms.