Vehicle Description
The Farm-O-Road was made by Crosley, a company that most of us know for their equally-cute little cars, pickups, sports cars, station wagons, and of course their radios. The Farm-O-Road was made in 1950, 1951, and 1952 and they were somewhat similar to the Crofton Bug, the Crofton Bug was actually based on the Crosley and those vehicles came out in 1958, several years after the Crosley F-O-R was gone. Powel Crosley Jr. had already made a fortune in the auto parts business by the time he ventured into radios and broadcasting in 1925. His first car came out in 1939 and they were gone by the end of 1952.
And now for something completely different...a 1952 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. An AACA National 1st place winner in 1986 and the same ownership for over 35 years speaks volumes for this mini SUV. Consignor states this is the first 1950 Farm-O-Road produced based upon the FR101 serial number tag, however, this vehicle is titled as a 1952 using the engine number.
Exterior
Small but mighty could best describe this pre "Gator" vehicle. This example comes to us as an older restoration, 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 is a full open bodied, very Jeepesque and with seating for 4. Cream painted 12-inch wheels with chrome Crosley moon capped centers are on all 4 corners and showing some rusting and age. 12" rubber adorns the wheels and are showing age with cracking and dry rot. Black bumpers, which are a single straight piece of steel, are on front and rear.
Interior
Wide open to the fresh air we see 2 low back buckets covered nicely in tan vinyl and a bench is in the rear with matching upholstery. 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. Green painted metal flooring coves all surfaces and is 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 is backed up by a three-speed Warner T-92 transmission with a high and low range box mounted behind. The reduction in the range box was 4:1 and combined with the 5.38 axle gears in the narrow 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.
Vehicle Equipment
- Exterior Color:
- Green
- Interior Color:
- Camel Tan
Vehicle Warranty
Please contact us for the warranty details specific to this vehicle.
About Classic Auto Mall
Classic Auto Mall is a world class consignment house located in southeastern Pennsylvania with indoor showroom space for up to 1,000 collectable and special interest vehicles offered for sale. We are conveniently located just west of Philadelphia. This one of a kind building is climate controlled and security monitored and is the ultimate destination for classic and specialty car lovers. The building is located right on the Pennsylvania Turnpike with terrific frontage and exposure. Additionally, this one of a kind building houses one of the finest barn find collections in the world with over 400 vehicles on display. The facility and grounds have plenty of room for indoor and outdoor automotive related events, car shows, car club meets, ride and drives and more.
Classic Auto Mall by the Numbers:
- 336,000 square foot climate controlled building 8 acres under one roof
- Showroom space for 1,000 vehicles for sale and 400 barn finds on display-Capacity of 1,400 vehicles indoors!
- 40-acre property with 1,500 feet of frontage on the Pennsylvania Turnpike
- 28 acres paved, lined and lighted parking lot with space for 2,500 vehicles Parking for 1,000 additional vehicles on the outside green space
Classic Auto Mall is within easy driving distance of many cities and destinations on the East Coast including:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 48 miles New York City 132 miles
Lancaster, Pennsylvania 35 miles Washington, DC 123 miles
Carlisle, Pennsylvania 78 miles Maple Grove Raceway 9 miles
Hershey, Pennsylvania 65 miles King of Prussia Mall 30 miles
Manheim, Pennsylvania 39 miles
This wonderful facility started life as a clothing outlet mall in 1985 and then evolved into a furniture outlet mall until it closed its doors in 2011. The building reopened as Classic Auto Mall January 1, 2017. There is a 188 room Holiday Inn with a walk-thru entrance attached to the facility that has a full-service restaurant, lounge, meeting facilities and an indoor swimming pool. The hotel just underwent a $3,000,000 renovation.
With an abundance of car collectors, car clubs and racetracks located within a short distance, this fantastic facility is ideally situated.
Our consignment program has classic car lovers excited to have a facility like this to store and offer their prized possessions for sale. We market vehicles worldwide and get top dollar for your one special car or your entire collection! Please contact us further to discuss your needs.
Terms and Conditions
- Secure Purchase
- Cashier's Check/money order
- Cash (in person)
- Personal check (once cleared)
General Terms
Notice to Bidders: The vehicles we list for sale at eBay are also for sale at our retail location. Please contact us to confirm vehicle availability.
We reserve the right to end an auction early. Deposit: We require a non-refundable $500 deposit within 48 hours of winning the auction. Please call to make arrangements for payment. We accept the following forms of payment: Cash in person, wire transfer, certified funds, institutional financing. All sales transactions must be completed within 7 calendar days of auction close.
Prices are subject to change without notice. Although every effort is made to present accurate and reliable vehicle information, use of this information is voluntary, and should only be deemed reliable after an independent review of its accuracy, completeness, and timeliness. It is the sole responsibility of the customer to verify the existence of options, accessories and the vehicle condition before time of sale. Any and all differences must be addressed prior to time of sale. No expressed or implied warranties, including the availability or condition of the equipment listed is made. EPA mileage estimates are for comparison purposes only. Actual mileage may vary depending on driving conditions, driving habits, and vehicle maintenance.
Fees and Taxes
State or local taxes, title, license fee, processing fees, registration fee, dealer documentary fee, finance charges, emission testing fees, and compliance fees are additional to the advertised price.
