Vehicle Description
1950 Crosley Farm-O-Road
If you ask a Crosley Farm-O-Road owner if his rig is a 4x4, he'll
answer, "Of course! Four traction tires, and all four are
powered.". He doesn't mention that all four of those traction tires
are on the same axle. The Crosley Motor Company is best remembered
for building economical small cars way before it became popular,
but they also had connections to the world of four-wheel drive and
utility vehicles. Thx to Jim Allen for this info!
And now for something completely different...a Crosley Farm-O-Road
early "gator"style of vehicle. This Farm-O-Road took its cues from
the Jeep and the wartime Pup. It has a boxy, minimalist body with
everything you absolutely needed but nothing you didn't. It weighs
1,100 pounds, has a 63-inch wheelbase and just about everything was
extra. Even the detachable rear cargo box cost an extra $25. Two
models were offered: the FOR-1 at $795 (1950s prices) and the FOR
at $939. The difference was the presence of a hydraulic system and
a hydraulically operated drawbar, both of which could be also added
as an accessory. Front and rear PTOs were an option, which this
worker bee has!
Exterior
Small but mighty could best describe this pre "Gator" vehicle. This
example comes to us perfectly restored, bathed in green and made of
simple straight steel fashioned to emulate the looks of the
ubiquitous Jeep. Much smaller scale though but still using the
curved hood, side flanking rounded integrated fenders and vertical
oval grille. This example has a stake bodied rear deck with the
wood surrounds and a rubber covered floor. A frame is on to support
a canvas top which is not with this truck but certainly can be
added. Cream painted 12-inch wheels with green moon capped centers
are on all 4 corners, however the rear wheels are dual tired. On
the passenger's side is a snazzy spare neatly mounted to the back
of the front quarter. Black bumpers, which are a single straight
piece of steel are on front and rear.
Interior
Wide open top to the fresh air we see 2 low back buckets covered
nicely in tan vinyl. These are fronted by a fabricated metal dash
and triangular support emanating from the dash to hold the tall
steering column and wheel. In the center is the utilitarian dash
with dual round gauges, the one on the left being a cluster and the
right the speedometer. Rubber floor mats cover all surfaces and are
very clean. A shout out to the fold down windshield to make your
drive even more "airy".
Drivetrain
A lift of the mini hood reveals an all buttoned up and fully
restored gasoline engine. This sums up as a 44ci 26.5hp cast-iron
overhead cam four-cylinder. This was a tiny, but very potent and
surprisingly durable engine. It had a very long production life
that surpassed Crosley by decades. The engine was backed up by a
three-speed Warner T-92 transmission with a two-speed PTO-capable
range box mounted behind. The reduction in the range box was 4:1
and combined with the 5.38 axle gears in the narrowed Spicer 23,
the crawl ratio was 70.0:1. The Farm-O-Road had a mechanical
traction aid in the form of brake lever that operated as a parking
brake on both wheels but could also be operated on each rear wheel
individually. This engine bay can best be described as
pristine!
Undercarriage
No runs drips or errors and even no rust under here as it has been
meticulously restored. Leaf spring suspension, and drum brakes are
noted on all 4's. We can see the optional added front and rear
PTO's available to operate several instruments that were available
at the time.
Drive-Ability
You will not hit any breakneck speed, but you will have plenty of
power to haul stuff around, and even add on several accessories to
the two PTO's. It fired right up and idled very smoothly. It
honestly rides like a buckboard, but then again how far are you
really going to go?! All was running nicely, although the
speedometer and odometer were inoperable at the time of the test
drive.
A somewhat rare example as it is not exactly known how many were
produced, but it is thought to be around 600 from 1950-1952 when
sadly production was shut down and meant the end of the
Farm-O-Road. It did however usher in the UTV. OK, so it isn't a
"true" 4x4, but we hope you'll accept the Farm-O-Road owner's
definition of four-wheel drive with a wink and a nod just because
it's so cool! And indeed it is...
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.
