| THE CROSLEY REPORT | ROAD TRIP |
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The club meet and attendant festivities were fun as always. Lots of congratulatory handshakes from folks who almost couldn't believe that we'd driven all the way from Sacramento in a Crosley. One look in the car was proof enough-- it was full of pistachio shells, empty water bottles and soda cans. At the meet all the nice cars had their hoods up displaying gleaming engine bays sporting Braje speed-equipped mills. We popped the hood to reveal the filthy Aerojet with mammoth oil leak and motorcycle air cleaner... I like to think of it as the "working class" look. There were about 20 cars, ranging from stock Crosleys to race cars to Dick and Ed Scanlon's infamous beer truck-- which arrived with its kegs empty again this year! The biggest shock of the meet for me was the arrival of two guys younger than me! Most Crosley owners remember when they were new, so I was glad to see two kids that had the fever. Twenty-one year old David Wheeler had an AMAZING 1949 sedan, painted up like the famous So-Cal Speed Shop belly tanker hotrod.... except his was the "Slo-Cal" car! Absolutely stunning body and paint work, all of which he'd done himself! The running gear was stock Crosley except the aluminum cam cover and water jackets, which David designed and had custom cast!! He also brought a beater Skorpion (a rare custom-made Crosley kit car sold in the early fifties) which he was keeping in its well-used condition. He and his Dad drove both cars from Atascadero for the meet. One sixteen year old kid (whose name I missed, dang it) has a '46 sedan underway at home. One interesting thing I noticed under the hoods was a shroud that directed air straight into the radiator. I asked about them and found that the cars came with them, but since they were cardboard they all rotted away (which is why my Crosley has no trace of one). The cars won't run cool without them. I asked what the operating temp of a Crosley should be and was told it was around 190 degrees. 210 is about as high as you should ever let it go... Which means we drove all the way here with the car on the verge of overheating. We're REALLY lucky we didn't seize the engine on that 230 degree hill. |
The infamous Beer Truck-- built for a San Jose Hof Brau in the fifties. Dick and Ed Scanlon did an amazing restoration; it was a HEAP when they got it.
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Some folks getting a close look at Scott Schultz's pre-war (1940) Crosley. I think they were looking for the hamster. |
After the meet Al and I drove out to Morro Rock and worked on the car. I re-adjusted the brakes which were nearly non-existent after the Coastal Range. The clutch cable was fraying consistently, and I hoped it would get us back... I'd brought a spare brake cable, figuring i could rig it in a pinch, but I adjusted the clutch and it was fine. I'd fabricated and installed a new exhaust/downpipe gasket that morning before the meet, and it seemed to be holding up great. We got the car off the jackstands just in time for the club dinner at the VFW Hall. I was the proud winner of the "Travel Adventure Award", which I like to think of as the "Bob Carson", after the guy who has probably put more miles on Crosleys in the last twenty years than anyone on earth. Bob showed up sans Crosley this time, but seemed happy just to be there. |
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