The Crofton Bug

The Crofton Bug was a resurrection of one of the defunct Crosley Motor’s better ideas. The Crosley automobile was a valiant attempt by industrialist Powell Crosley to provide an ultra-compact, highly-affordable car that offered all of America the joy and freedom of motoring. Alas, after selling nearly 75,000 cars and trucks in the years just before and after World War II - and losing a good chunk of change in the process - he threw in the towel in 1952. The frugal Crosley sedans, station wagons, roadsters and trucks failed to capture the favor of a nation intent on conspicuous consumption. 

Crosleys did not sell well enough to stay in business, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t good. So good that some of it’s more interesting prodigy lived on well after the company had packed it in. While the Crosley automobile was no more, the engine that had propelled it still found widespread application. The durable overhead cam mill would go on to power everything from motor boats to military generators, refrigerators to racing cars. And from 1958 to 1964 it found itself in the engine bay of a pint-sized SUV called the Crofton Bug. Do not confuse this Bug with the more famous insect from Germany. The Volkswagen was called the Beetle (and nicknamed Bug) because it was cute. The Crofton was called the Bug because it crawled over rocks like one.

When W.B. Crofton, a successful San Diego GMC truck and Aerojet Marine dealer, purchased the rights to that versatile Crosley engine in the late 1950s, he also got the plans for the Crosley Farm-O-Road utility vehicle. The Farm-O-Road was built on a toughened up Crosley sedan chassis. It was a pint-sized truck-let that could go anywhere a mule and cart could but with a lot less fuss… and not much more comfort. About 600 Farm-O-Roads were sold over Crosley’s last 2+ years. 

In turning the Farm-O-Road into the Bug, Crofton made numerous modifications. Length grew by over a foot, though still maintaining its maneuverable 63” wheelbase. It was all cargo space in back. Output from the 44 cubic inch 4-banger was increased from 28.5 to 35hp, giving a slight bump to the old Farm-O-Road’s 40mph top speed. Despite the modifications, this was an SUV at its most basic. The Bug was 3 feet shorter and 1000lbs lighter than the Jeep CJ-2. It also made that humble WW2 Jeep seem plush in comparison. 

Soon a range topping model was added called the Brawny Bug. The BB was brawny indeed, with a compound transmission, a skid plate and either flotation or mud tires. The engine was bored out to 53 cubes and sported a pavement-ripping 45hp. Even with the mightier mill, this brick-like, agro-geared buff Bug could do no better than 50mph.

Beyond the two versions of the Bug, Crofton sold in very small numbers a work truck called the Tug. Similar to Jeep’s Forward Control trucks of the same era, the Tug had the driver’s seat atop the front wheels to allow for more cargo area.

A little more than 200 Crofton Bugs and Tugs were built form 1958-64.

The Bug, like the Farm-O-Road before it, are usually compared to the early Jeep - that iconic granddaddy of the modern SUV. It might be better, though, to think of the Bug as early ancestor of the mud-slinging, brush-hopping ATV terrors we have today. It was made for folks who lived good portion of their lives in the elements. For the farmers, ranchers and hunters who made up the Bugs core buyers, this was the perfect mule to saddle up and go check out the Back Forty.

Copyright@2018 by Mal Pearson