What about a Crosley?

[Crosleycrazy1]

Crosleys were built from 1939 - 1952 by Powell Crosley who made millions selling radios and was the owner of Crosley Field in Cincinatti!! My project in works is a '47 Crosley Wagon to be V6-60/700R4 powered! My Mom has a '52 Crosley Truck that the Sloan Museum here in Flint wants to display. They're tiny at 4' wide and 12 1/2' long! 40" tread on 80" wheel base. Crosley HotShot and Super Sports were the sports cars. Farm O'Road was a mini version of the Jeep! The original COBRA engine was built from '42 - '48 first used during WWII to power generators then his production cars. 44 cu in @ 22.5 hp Cast iron version from 49 on. The engine lived on until 1975!! Check out Crosley_Gang in yahoo groups

[malcolm brumley]

When I was a teen we had a crosley. It was lots of fun. I heard that they made them so narrow so they could place 2 side by side for shipment in railroad cars. They also used the motors in boats and the transmissions on riding mowers. The head and block were one piece. The years are gone but hold fond memories.

[MagicRat]

If I recall, Crosley was the first production American car to use disc brakes.

[Crosleycrazy1]

Malcom - yeah ~ they are ~ the rights to the original COBRA (copper brazed) sheet metal engine were purchased by Crosley prior to WWII ~ he supplied a mess of them thru the war to run generators, power a multitude of various small tugs (aircraft carriers, small fuel carriers,etc) and he was ready on DDAy with his new line of cars powered by COBRA ~ in '49 the COBRA became the CIBA (cast iron version) and was used as a direct replacement for the earlier COBRA engines to consumers.
44 cu in ~ 26.5 hp standard
MagicRat ~ correct!

[tigermiata]

Originally Posted by malcolm brumley

I heard that they made them so narrow so they could place 2 side by side for shipment in railroad cars..

Interesting!

I had read that the reason was that Powell Crosley wanted to service the cars in his appliance stores and thus had to fit through standard 48" commercial doors.

[Hudson]

The Crosley Hot Shot was the first production car with disc brakes.