The Crossley 3 litre

The Crossley "3 LITRE SPORTS SALOON"

The Crossley 3 litre Sports Saloon was manufactured between 1934 and 1936. Approximately 10 were made. Chassis numbers range from 43001 to 43010. It used the same chassis and possibly sometimes the body of the 2 Litre Sports Saloon. One survives in Australia but not with its original body and there are rumours of another in a museum in Germany.

BODY STYLES

	Saloon £ 795 (1936) (The photograph is the one that appears in Crossley's own literature for the 3 litre but it is actually the 2 litre Sports Saloon prototype. It is not certain but there is no evidence that it was ever fitted with a 3 litre engine. )
	This is a genuine 3 litre probably with a body by coachbuilders Ranalah. There are reports that the car survived in the Cambridge area until the late 1960s.
	The later 3 litre. Both styles appear to have been on offer in 1935. The bodywork is believed to be styled by C. F. Beauvais who had been with the coachbuilders Avon but in 1935 had joined Crossley. £ 795 (1936) (The lower picture shows the car being manoevred on the 1935 London Motor Show stand)

Some cars were supplied to Australia in chassis form to independent coach builders. One car is known to have been black with green leather interior.

The prices quoted are from contemporary advertisements. No independent test reports seem to have been done.

SPECIFICATION

Engine/gearbox/transmission

Body/chassis

capacity 3198 cc

cylinders 6 monobloc

bore 75 mm

stroke 120 mm

compression ratio 6:1

RAC Horse Power 20.9

carburettor single down draught with automatic choke.

valves overhead operated by pushrod

lubrication full pressure to crank, big ends and valves

ignition coil

max power 64 bhp at 3000 rpm

fuel consumption (typical) ?? mpg

max speed (approx) ?? mph

Gears ENV type 150 4 speed preselector
ratios 1:1, 1.46:1, 2.24:1, 3.9:1

Clutch none

Drive shaft open shaft

Rear axle spiral bevel
ratio 3.75:1 or 3.9:1 (1936)

wheelbase 10 feet 2½ inches (3111 mm)

length 14 feet 2 inches (4318 mm)

track 4 feet 8 inches (1422 mm)

width overall 5 feet 7 inches (1702 mm)

weight ?? cwt

steering Worm and lever

suspension - front Offset semi elliptic springs. Hydraulic shock absorbers,

suspension -rear Offset underslung semi elliptic springs. Hydraulic shock absorbers,

brakes Foot and hand brake operating on all four wheels

wheels/tyres Rudge Whitworth wire wheels.
Tyre size - 5.25 x 20 or 6 x 18

RETURN TO CROSSLEY CARS IN THE 1930s