This 1951 Crosley Hook and Ladder Firetruck is an absolutely stunning piece reportedly built originally by Overland Amusements to be used as a children's amusement park ride. As far back as 1907, Cincinnati multimillionaire Powel Crosley, Jr. started his first foray into building automobiles, the first being the Marathon Six and the second being a cycle-car named the DeCross, both failing respectively in 1909 and 1913. Despite these early failures, and after a multi-decade hiatus, Crosley .....
re-entered the automobile market when his namesake automobile, the Crosley, debuted in 1939. The Crosley was essentially a European-inspired economy car that was notably small, but very efficient with regards to fuel consumption and was rather inexpensive to consumers. In 1940, Crosley added another category to its lineup of vehicles, light-duty trucks. And, by light-duty they meant lighter duty than what most trucks were doing at the time. Rather than being a truck to haul seriously heavy cargo, the Crosley trucks were intended as replacements for bike couriers. Like all American automakers, Crosley civilian production was halted with the onset of World War II and the company assisted in the war effort. Trucks returned to the Crosley lineup in 1947 and were rated as quarter-ton trucks (as opposed to the standard half-ton). Interestingly, Crosley even produced a number of functional miniature fire trucks that were intended to be used in industrial factories. By the late 1940s and into the early '50s, Overland Amusements outfitted approximately 100 Crosleys as Hook and Ladder Fire Truck amusement rides, where a Crosley truck towed a rideable trailer. The trailers came is both bumper pull and gooseneck configurations, with the gooseneck trailers believed to be quite a bit more rare with numbers estimated to be in the single digits. This particular example underwent an extensive restoration with seemingly no regard for cost and spent the past 10 years in the private collection of a prolific classic car collector who took great care of this rig throughout the course of their stewardship. Powering this '51 Crosley Fire Truck is a "Cobra" 44 cubic inch overhead valve inline 4 cylinder engine fed by a single barrel carburetor that together were said to have produced 26.5 horsepower when new. The OHV inline 4 is backed by a pair of smooth shifting 3 speed manual transmissions that provide for additional power for this towing rig. Speaking of towing, the 1951 Crosley truck pulls a matching gooseneck trailer with seating for at least 20 children and adults on gorgeously restored wooden benches. The trailer comes outfitted with functional lighting as well as all sorts of vintage fire truck decorative equipment such as axes, hoses, and even a vintage-style fire extinguisher. Likewise, the Crosley cab is decked out with a working fire engine siren, rooftop mounted beacon light, brass bell, vintage fire fighting hose nozzles, and copious amounts of diamond-plate trim. The 1951 Crosley truck as well as the matching trailer ride on Blackwell bias-ply tires that are mounted on painted steel wheels with Crosley-branded hubcaps. The chrome and brightwork around the exterior of this Crosley Fire Truck shows particularly well and further elevates the exterior appearance. The entire exterior of this Hook and Ladder rig has of course been refinished in Fire Engine Red and sports golden "Kiddie Fire Department" livery throughout, completing the gorgeous exterior appearance of this '51 Crosley Fire Truck. The interior of this '51 Crosley is absolutely gorgeous too!fff. The front bucket seats, sun visors, and door panels have all been reupholstered in black vinyl and are accented with red piping. The red painted dash, almond-colored steering wheel, and black and red carpeting all appear to be stock and wonderfully complement the exterior look. The Crosley-branded instrument cluster comes equipped with a 70 MPH speedometer, oil pressure gauge, temperature gauge, amp gauge, and fuel gauge. Whether you're buying your first classic truck and you want to be the talk of the town, or you're adding to your existing collection of unique classic cars, this 1951 Crosley Hook and Ladder Fire Truck is an extra special piece and would make an excellent choice. Give Ellingson's a call today at 763-428-7337!
*"Cobra" 44 Cu. In. OHV Inline 4
*Single Barrel Carburetor
*Dual 3 Speed Manual Transmissions
*Super Fun & Unique Display Piece
*Seats at least 20 Children & Adults
*Previously Owned by Prolific Collector
*Refinished in Fire Engine Red w/ "Kiddie Fire Department" Gold Livery
*Black Bucket Seat Interior w/ Red Piping
*Trimmed with Vintage Fire Fighting Equipment
*Rooftop Beacon Light & Siren Work Great!
*Stock Instrumentation
*Odometer Reads: 20,611 Miles