1947-1948 Crosley Convertible & Wagon

1947 Crosley convertible. See more pictures of classic convertible cars.

A new-design woody wagon, pickup, and panel delivery went on sale during 1947. Big news was a new water-cooled engine with twice the cylinders and double the power of the prewar twin -- the five-main-bearing copper-brazed "CoBra" four used in wartime machines from refrigerators to Mooney Mite airplanes. Alas, its copper-steel block was prone to chemical corrosion that necessitated early rebuilds (most before 60,000 miles), so a near-identical CIBA unit (Cast-Iron Block Assembly) was substituted in early 1949, though many 1947-1948 cars have this retrofitted.

The initial divided mesh grille was replaced at mid-1948 by dual bright horizontal bars below a chrome "spinner." The design was still pretty basic, but sales were better than ever. In fact, Crosley scored record one-year production in 1948 -- some 10 times better than its prewar best. From then on, though, it was all downhill. The convertible is singled out here for the obvious reasons, the wagon for its utility and "cheeky" air.

• More "adult" than prewar models
• Better performance (now only marginal)
• Thrifty
• Wagon's utility
• Convertible's sportiness and scarcity
• Club support

• Troublesome CoBra engine (where CIBA not installed)
• Top-heavy, thus tippy in corners
• Where to find parts?
• Limited value appreciation now

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