Cost-Effective Convertible

Tiny cars, in one form or another, have been around since the early 1900s. Just before World War I, the cyclecar fad lasted approximately two seasons in the United States. Here, the Ford Model T spelled early doom for those diminutive contraptions — as did the rural character of much of the country. The segment hung on a bit longer in Europe, where the industry was not done in entirely until the arrival of the Austin 7, in 1922. A vestige lives on today, in the form of the Morgan 3 Wheeler.

The Austin 7, with a 46-cu.in. flathead four-cylinder and a 75-inch wheelbase, was itself no giant among cars — especially when it arrived on these shores for 1930. It staggered in and out of the U.S. market through 1941, becoming American Bantam in 1937. Bantam, of course, designed the vehicle that was to become famous as the Willys Jeep.

Around the time American Bantam was expiring, Powel Crosley Jr. was making his third attempt at entering the U.S. auto industry. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native’s first try had involved the semi-luxury Marathon Six, which failed in the Panic of 1907. Undeterred, Crosley continued to