Crosley Car Owners Club
Encyclopedia
The Crosley Car Owners Club (CCOC) was historically notable as being one of the first American
support groups for owners and enthusiasts of American-built automobiles, in this case those built by the Crosley Corporation in Richmond, Indiana
, between 1939 and 1942 and by Crosley Motors, Incorporated in Marion, Indiana
, and Cincinnati, Ohio
, between 1946 and 1952.
The CCOC was organized in early 1952 by Edward Herzog (November 5, 1903 - July 7, 1982) of New York
. The first director was George W. Drum (October 3, 1925 - December 16, 1997). At that point, Crosley cars and trucks were still in production, but Crosley Motors was sold to General Tire
that July and production halted forever at the close of the July 3rd shift.
Although there were sporadic outside efforts to acquire the automotive tooling and fixtures and resume production, the necessary finances were never assembled and eventually the tooling was scrapped, although the founders of the CCOC worked to preserve the spare-parts stock.
A CCOC brochure of the period read:
America's most exclusive automobile organization adopts orphaned Crosley owners.
When production of Crosley automobiles was discontinued in July, 1952, some 60,000 Crosley owners suddenly found themselves out on a limb. Would they be able to find parts? How about service? And what had happened to the company anyway?
The last question, at least, was fairly easy to answer. Crosley's downfall had been the efficient but short-lived copper-brazed Cobra engines. These warped and rusted out of shape, leaking a mixture of oil and water into every conceivable part of the sedan and convertible models that were unfortunate enough to be equipped with them. Over 43,900 of the Cobra-engined models were produced before the company raised enough money to switch to the Ciba engine, which had a cast-iron block. Sales then started to rise, and the little Hotshot appeared, followed by the Super Sports.
These two cars proceeded to make a name for themselves in sports-car competitions, consistently knocking off cars with much bigger engine displacements and astronomical price tags, much to the delight of the company and owners alike. But it was too late. The bad name of the Cobra engine had been too much of a financial drag, and soon Crosley Motors was no more.
For a while, Crosley owners everywhere felt like poor homeless orphans. But then, out of the air of confusion and chaos there came the Crosley Car Owners Club. Before long, a parts purchasing service had been set up by the club, and a service booklet covering repairs on all Crosley cars bumper to bumper was printed.
By now, club enrollment has swelled to 600 members, who use their cars daily, keep them in perfect shape, and hope for the day when Crosleys again will be built.
By early 1953, 588 members were registered. On July 18, 1954 the CCOC organized its first national gathering in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
. The CCOC publication (the Crosley Car Owner's Club Bulletin) reported that fifty-one members from twelve states brought forty-three Crosley vehicles to that meet, the oldest of which had been built only fifteen years prior and the newest was but two years old.
Early in 1955, member Donald W. Rice of Bedford, Pennsylvania
became the new CCOC president and oversaw the second national summertime Crosley gathering
in Perkasie, Pennsylvania
on August 14 of that year, at which thirty-seven Crosleys from ten states were in attendance. In early 1956, Rice turned the CCOC over to the last Crosley distributorship then still operating, Service Motors (of 581 Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont, New York
and later of 616 Burnside Avenue in Inwood, New York
), which appointed George W. Drum as the CCOC managing director.
As the 1960s approached, the summertime CCOC national meetings had tapered off but the Bulletin was still published, and CCOC membership lists and Bulletin publication responsibilities were again assumed by George W. Drum
.
The Bulletin became sporadic in nature and finally ended in mid-1961.
However, the Crosley Car Owners Club remains active. As the Internet age dawned in the 1990s, the methods used by many such hobbyist and special-interest groups for communicative purposes have altered, spreading to instant, electronic text-and-image messaging and, like the CCOC and a number of other formerly mail-based groups, have gone into decline or have reorganized into Web discussion groups.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
support groups for owners and enthusiasts of American-built automobiles, in this case those built by the Crosley Corporation in Richmond, Indiana
Richmond, Indiana
Richmond is a city largely within Wayne Township, Wayne County, in east central Indiana, United States, which borders Ohio. The city also includes the Richmond Municipal Airport, which is in Boston Township and separated from the rest of the city...
, between 1939 and 1942 and by Crosley Motors, Incorporated in Marion, Indiana
Marion, Indiana
Marion is a city in Grant County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,948 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Grant County...
, and Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, between 1946 and 1952.
The CCOC was organized in early 1952 by Edward Herzog (November 5, 1903 - July 7, 1982) of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The first director was George W. Drum (October 3, 1925 - December 16, 1997). At that point, Crosley cars and trucks were still in production, but Crosley Motors was sold to General Tire
General Tire
The General Tire and Rubber Company is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles.General Tire was founded in 1915 in Akron, Ohio by William F. O'Neil. Products included the low-pressure "General Balloon Jumbo" and the "Dual 90" tire...
that July and production halted forever at the close of the July 3rd shift.
Although there were sporadic outside efforts to acquire the automotive tooling and fixtures and resume production, the necessary finances were never assembled and eventually the tooling was scrapped, although the founders of the CCOC worked to preserve the spare-parts stock.
A CCOC brochure of the period read:
America's most exclusive automobile organization adopts orphaned Crosley owners.
When production of Crosley automobiles was discontinued in July, 1952, some 60,000 Crosley owners suddenly found themselves out on a limb. Would they be able to find parts? How about service? And what had happened to the company anyway?
The last question, at least, was fairly easy to answer. Crosley's downfall had been the efficient but short-lived copper-brazed Cobra engines. These warped and rusted out of shape, leaking a mixture of oil and water into every conceivable part of the sedan and convertible models that were unfortunate enough to be equipped with them. Over 43,900 of the Cobra-engined models were produced before the company raised enough money to switch to the Ciba engine, which had a cast-iron block. Sales then started to rise, and the little Hotshot appeared, followed by the Super Sports.
These two cars proceeded to make a name for themselves in sports-car competitions, consistently knocking off cars with much bigger engine displacements and astronomical price tags, much to the delight of the company and owners alike. But it was too late. The bad name of the Cobra engine had been too much of a financial drag, and soon Crosley Motors was no more.
For a while, Crosley owners everywhere felt like poor homeless orphans. But then, out of the air of confusion and chaos there came the Crosley Car Owners Club. Before long, a parts purchasing service had been set up by the club, and a service booklet covering repairs on all Crosley cars bumper to bumper was printed.
By now, club enrollment has swelled to 600 members, who use their cars daily, keep them in perfect shape, and hope for the day when Crosleys again will be built.
By early 1953, 588 members were registered. On July 18, 1954 the CCOC organized its first national gathering in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,374 people, 21,655 households, and 13,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,932.9 people per square mile . There were 22,727 housing units at an average density of 889.7 per square mile...
. The CCOC publication (the Crosley Car Owner's Club Bulletin) reported that fifty-one members from twelve states brought forty-three Crosley vehicles to that meet, the oldest of which had been built only fifteen years prior and the newest was but two years old.
Early in 1955, member Donald W. Rice of Bedford, Pennsylvania
Bedford, Pennsylvania
Bedford is a borough in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, west of the State Capital, Harrisburg. It is the county seat of Bedford County. Bedford was established in the mid-18th century. Population counts follow: 1890, 2,242; 1900, 2,167; 1910, 2,385. The population was 3,141 at the 2000...
became the new CCOC president and oversaw the second national summertime Crosley gathering
in Perkasie, Pennsylvania
Perkasie, Pennsylvania
Perkasie is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia. Establishments in the borough early in the twentieth century included silk mills, baseballs, brickyards, lumber mills, tile works, a stone crusher, and manufacturies of cigars, tags and labels, wire novelties, etc. The...
on August 14 of that year, at which thirty-seven Crosleys from ten states were in attendance. In early 1956, Rice turned the CCOC over to the last Crosley distributorship then still operating, Service Motors (of 581 Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont, New York
Elmont, New York
Elmont is an unincorporated census-designated place located in the northwest corner of the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, along its border with the borough of Queens in New York City...
and later of 616 Burnside Avenue in Inwood, New York
Inwood, New York
Inwood is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 9,792 at the 2010 census.Inwood is included among the Five Towns, an informal grouping of villages and hamlets in Nassau County on the South Shore of western Long Island adjoining the...
), which appointed George W. Drum as the CCOC managing director.
As the 1960s approached, the summertime CCOC national meetings had tapered off but the Bulletin was still published, and CCOC membership lists and Bulletin publication responsibilities were again assumed by George W. Drum
George W. Drum
George W. Drum was an early leader in automobile club circles, and the first director of the Crosley Car Owners Club in 1952...
.
The Bulletin became sporadic in nature and finally ended in mid-1961.
However, the Crosley Car Owners Club remains active. As the Internet age dawned in the 1990s, the methods used by many such hobbyist and special-interest groups for communicative purposes have altered, spreading to instant, electronic text-and-image messaging and, like the CCOC and a number of other formerly mail-based groups, have gone into decline or have reorganized into Web discussion groups.