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	Crosley 1010 “The Witness”


	Gerald Davenport, of Paducah, Ky is the owner of the Bonneville Race Car # 1010. It is a 1951 Crosley Super Sport, (Americas first production Super Sport)

In 1969 Gerald bought his first Crosley and always intended to restore it. He told his son Jeff that he could have it and that they would work on it together one day. At the age of twelve, Jeff bought another one with money he had saved and they would work on both someday.

Gerald watched his son Jeff grow into an amazing young man with tons of potential, but In 1990 Jeff was in a tragic accident that took his life. The car had caught fire, and Jeff was trapped inside unable to get his seat belt undone.



	The four builders. with owner-driver, Gerald Davenport in the middle

When Gerald looked at the two Crosley’s that he and Jeff had bought, he saw an opportunity to share Jeff’s story.

Gerald sold his paint business and opened up a Crosley dealership. He traveled the United States to find Crosley cars that needed work. These cars were super economy cars. They got 50 miles to the gallon before anyone cared about gas mileage.

After taking one of these Crosley cars for a spin on the Bonneville salt flats Gerald decided to create a Crosley racecar and go back to Bonneville and set a world record in that class.


	In 2001 Gerald set the World Land Speed Record at Bonneville in his Crosley racecar, in its class.. After setting a world record in this little car Gerald began to attract attention. He was able to tell people Jeff’s story and minister to other people who had lost children. In 2006 Gerald decided to build a second record-breaking Crosley racecar. (He now had a collection of over 50) The new car has been featured in Hot Rod Magazine, Goodguys Magazine and the front of the Bonneville 60th Anniversary T-Shirt and also featured on National Geographic TV.

		Follow the build of this 1951 Crosley Super Sport

Day one, the beginning, not the end.

Day one, shot from back side.

Day one, shot from front side

Day one, engine compartment.

Day one, interior.

Just another shot of interior.

Day one, rear with spare tire in place. Rear tire replaced with sponsors logo. See Crosley Corp @ crosley.com.

Day two, starting to disassemble project.

Day two, more disassembling.

Day two, final removal of body.

Grandchildren..Ethan & Mikayla, your just going have to be patient with Gran G.

It's still going to be a while, be patient.

Body ready for blasting, frame in background already blasted

Don ready for blasting body. Good friend Don Shipley stands ready to blast body. .

Frame at Crosley of Ky Dealership. Rolling frame ready to be delivered to Fleming Fabrication.

Bare body ready for metal work. New rockers will be built by Brad Stark's Customs.

Front view of blasted body. Brad Stark’s ability to metal work this badly "bruised" body, only used a small amount of bondo.

Rear of bare body. This end will not need as much work as the front.

Much work ahead. Brad turns this nightmare into a dream come true.

Bare frame on chassis table at Fleming's.

Daniel Fleming with welding helmet on. After getting frame squared, Daniel is probably thinking what have I got myself into?

Fire in the hole.

Bars, braces, and supports.

This front fender, with it's squared off wheel opening, looks like it should be a rear quarter. Bonneville rules allow us to radius the wheel wells to fit larger safer tires.

Aligning engine, transmission, & rear end for smooth rotation.

Fleming fits rear section of body onto new cage.

This rear aluminum motor plate will make the engine more steady at high rpm's. Crosley originally mounts motor on front sides, and rear mount is under transmission.

With this plate mounted between the cage bars, it should keep the engine steady at 10,000 rpm.

Here Fleming is setting up latter bar rear end.

The rear coil over shocks are from the local Harley Davidson Dealer.

Re-fitting rear clip, making ready to radius rear wheel openings.

Aluminum steering wheel from Speedway Motors, Gauges from Auto Meter.

Making final measurements before installing chrome molly axle & suspension.

Steering shaft with couplers connecting to rack & pinion.

Powder coating completed by Dave Fletcher. Dave's Powder Coating, 618-543-9250. Color is speedway black.

Reassembly beginning. Puzzle going back together, starting with the rear end.

Rack & pinion steering, along with QA1 shocks, & two sections of the polished aluminum firewall are klekoed in place.

Another part of the interior and fuel cell are klekoed in place.

After returning car to our home shop (Crosley of Ky) we cleaned out our show room to take this beautiful overhead shot of the meticulous work done by Daniel Fleming of Fleming Fabrication. At this point it seems unjust to put a body over such beautiful work.

Between Flemings craftmanship & Dave Bamber's engine work, this vehicle has become a beautiful work of art.

The man responsible for all of the electrical work is Mark McManus. I've only known Mark since 01/08. He came highly recomended by Fleming Fabrication. You had to be here to see the passion & perfection that went into his work. Just when I thought it was (perfect), Mark wanted to go one step further in perfection.

This view shows the aluminum radiator that is cooled by two motorcycle electric fans.

Other than the steering shaft only Lokar comes through the firewall.

This shows the custom taylor made seat, one of many things fabricated by Fleming. (did I mention he's a perfectionist)

Early photo of Mark McManus's wiring. I thought this looked good, but what do I know, I'm only the driver. After this photo was taken McManus spent about 20 more hours on this board alone.

Carbon fiber dash holds Auto Meter Gauges, with FJO 02 sensor in the middle. Steering shaft shows what speedway black powder coating really looks like.

Header & intake. Wow which one is polished & which one is Jet Hot coated. Custom intake (Fleming) made of aluminum for Holley carb, headers (Fleming) made of carbon steel (Burns) & Jet Hot coated

Front shocks.

Cool can by Moroso, can be filled through Full Bore fastened door in fender well.

XDI Electromotive engine controls.

Fire Bottle has stainless line routed along roll cage to exit on driver body.

Wheels by Weld & tires by Good Year.

Both clutch & master cylinders are by Wilwood.

Clutch & brake assemblies by Wilwood as are front brakes.

Ignition. Electromotive feeds spark to plugs.

Accelerator cable. Lokar cable operates linkage on Holley carburator.

Crank Trigger Wheel. Crank trigger wheel by Electromotive, pointer & sensor bracket fabricated by Bamber Racing.

Oil feed & return. Number 10 AN lines & fittings both send & receive oil to remote filter.

5 point harness. With the new car we are using Crow safety equipment. Five point cam lock harness, two piece fire suit, gloves, shoes, neck brace, & all underware.

Here is a passenger side view of the tremendous detail & workmanship that went into this special car.

Another view without body. It's almost a shame to cover this with a body.

Work of art! After seeing this shot & looking back at photo # 5, it makes a small comparison of what we must have looked like on the inside before JESUS came into our lives.

This is where the original spare tire was located. Now the Crosley Corp. logo is here. This logo along with other sponsor's names was air brushed by Brad Starks.

Laying out flames. No that’s not Jimmy Shine, (just kidding), that's Brad about 1:00 AM laying out flames on sides.

Brad Starks about 3:00 AM. Now we are starting to see why we might want to put the body on. Top to bottom, Brad sprayed DuPont Hot Hues exclusively.

Finished (probably not) The reason I say probably not, is because this team of men, Fabrication (Daniel Fleming), Body & Paint (Brad Starks), Wiring (Mark McManus), and Engine by Bamber Race Engines.

This is Danny Taylor of DuPont Hot Hues Division. His Dad, Bob, started Taylor House of Color (bobtaylors.com), where the Father & Son worked together for about 25 years. I met Danny at the Carl Casper Car Show in Louisville,Ky Feb 2008, later in the day I was fortunate enough to meet his Dad, Bob. Bob said of his Son, he is the best I have ever seen on striping & lay out of a car. Danny was kind enough to get on the phone with painter Brad Starks and say job well done. I wouldn't call my Son (Jeff) back from living with his Heavenly FATHER even if I could. But I do appreciate what this Father & Son combinitation have accompolished together.

The "MAN" . Well here is the guy I have been referring to in much of these photo descriptions, my best friend, Daniel Fleming. He is in my opinion the best fabricator, welder, and all around crew chief that anyone could ever have. This car would have never have been built, nor this car's Ministry (what ever it might be), have ever been possible without his passion of trying to make this special car the very best it could be. I will have to say, every one who has touched this car in the process of it's building, has gone above & beyond what was expected of them.

Trailer (wrapped). Here is the driver's side view of our new 2008 race season trailer. Wrap done by River Graphics, Paducah,Ky.

Front view. How can you look at this & not think Hot Hues - Hot Wheels?

Rear of trailer. As you go pass us on the hi-ways this year, give us a thumbs up, and I know you will have seen our web site.


	Click on the video to hear the story of this little red car


	For more info on this car go to www.crosley1010.com. thanks for your time, as always, going with GOD's speed, Gerald Davenport.

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