Crocker Motorcycles: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|US motorcycle manufacturer}} |
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{{More footnotes|date=June 2009}} |
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{{One source| date = February 2020}} |
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The '''Crocker Motorcycle Company''' |
The '''Crocker Motorcycle Company''' is an [[United States|America]]n manufacturer, based in [[Los Angeles, California]], of single-cylinder [[Motorcycle speedway|speedway]] racing [[motorcycle]]s from 1932, powerful [[V-twin]] road motorcycles from 1936, and the "Scootabout," one of the first modern styled [[motor scooter]]s, in the late 1930s. Production ceased in 1942. In 1999 Crocker Motorcycle Company was resurrected to manufacture authentic OEM replacement parts and now produces complete Small and Big Tank Crockers in southern California, following the original specifications. |
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Michael Schacht is Crocker Motorcycle company President. According to Schacht's own information (and others) complete reproduction motorcycles have been produced. It has been alleged in various forums that some of these reproductions have been erroneously represented as being original. |
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==Original Crocker company== |
==Original Crocker company== |
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[[File:1935CrockerSpeedway.jpg|thumb|1935 Crocker Speedway motorcycle on display at the [[Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum]], Birmingham, Alabama. The single-cylinder motorcycle had a displacement of 499cc and weighed 220 pounds.]] |
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[[Image:Crocker-right.jpg|thumb|This 1941 Crocker sold for $230,000 at auction in 2007.]] |
[[Image:Crocker-right.jpg|thumb|This 1941 Crocker sold for $230,000 at auction in 2007.]] |
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[[Image:Crocker-engine.jpg|thumb|Crocker engine]] |
[[Image:Crocker-engine.jpg|thumb|Crocker engine]] |
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Over 30 speedway motorcycles were produced before Al Crocker began work on creating a V-twin motorcycle. The first V-twin entry for Crocker had a 61 in |
Over 30 speedway motorcycles were produced before Al Crocker began work on creating a V-twin motorcycle. The first V-twin entry for Crocker had a 61 in<sup>3</sup> (1,000 cc) "Hemi Head" producing 55-60 hp, exceeding the horsepower produced of both the Indian and Harley of the day (38-40 hp). Many Crockers were manufactured to order, with the 91+ cubic inch (about 1,491 cc) being the largest capacity production motorcycle of the time. When production ceased in 1942, approximately 100 of the V-twins had been produced in all. The remaining inventory of parts were sold in 1947 to Elmo Looper. Many of these parts went into restorations of the surviving examples, of which at least 68 exist today, according to a registry started by Charles "Chuck" Vernon and Johnny Eagles, two members of a group of original Crocker owners in Southern California. Although total production of all models is not known, it is thought by some to be around 200 units (about 40–50 speedway, 40–50 "Scootabout" scooters, and 100+ V-Twins). Al Crocker also produced an overhead valve conversion kit in the late 1920s for the Indian 101 "Scout". |
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| ⚫ | The proprietor and founder of the company, [[Albert Crocker]], ceased motorcycle production in 1942 when the war effort put a shortage on critical materials. Indian and Harley received contracts with the US Army for military motorcycle production and Crocker |
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==Crocker Motorcycle Company reincarnated== |
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It had been over sixty years since the last Crocker rolled out of 1346 Venice Boulevard in Venice, California, before the New "Crocker Motorcycle Company"<ref>{{cite journal|last=Contos|title=Crocker Rebirth|journal=Crossroads Motorcycle Magazine|date=April 2007|issue=116|page=21}}</ref> first began (1997) to produce parts. After an enthusiastic response to the high-quality parts produced for some of America's top restorers, and with inquiries from original Crocker owners, it was decided to officially incorporate the Crocker Motorcycle Company in January 1999. In early 2002 Crocker Motorcycle Company began to trademark Crocker worldwide, an aggressive stance was taken to accelerate their parts-making process, and the quest was on to create all the parts needed to assemble complete and exact continued productions of both the coveted "Big Tank" and the "Small Tank" models. The Web site was launched, and their market grew further still. Crocker's customer base has been global since the late 1990s. |
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Crocker Motorcycle Company produces parts that are exactly as the originals by incorporating "old school" pattern-making methods with ultra-modern measuring and machining technology. Crocker uses CMM (coordinate measuring machine) part measuring for quality control and in many cases CNC machining techniques to ensure the exactness of each part they make. Crocker's casting patterns are made by old-world craftsmen who have a dedication to making things correctly rather than quickly. To ensure a strict quality control, Crocker has created an extensive library of Cad-Cam engineering drawings for every part they produce. Crocker Motorcycle Co continues to produce and sell original type parts as well as authentic Big and Small Tank Crocker motorcycles in Southern California. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-american-motorcycles/new-crocker-motorcycle-company.aspx|title=The New Crocker Motorcycle Company|publisher=Motorcycle Classics|accessdate=2011-10-04|date=November–December 2007|author=Margie Siegal}}</ref> All Crocker parts are made in the USA. Crocker Motorcycle Company holds both supplemental and Principal trademarks in the USA and well as many others globally. |
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| ⚫ | The proprietor and founder of the company, [[Albert Crocker]], ceased motorcycle production in 1942 when the war effort put a shortage on critical materials. Indian and Harley received contracts with the US Army for military motorcycle production and Crocker received a contract with Douglas Aircraft making aircraft parts. That became a more lucrative business for Al Crocker than motorcycle manufacturing, and in 1942 Crocker Motorcycle became Crocker Manufacturing. Crocker later sold out to a company named [[Borg Warner]]. Al Crocker died in 1961. Designer of many of the components, [[Paul Bigsby]], went on to fame as a designer of guitars and particularly of the [[Bigsby vibrato tailpiece]]. |
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Since 2008, after returning to southern California, Crocker Motorcycle Company has been busy refining all their engineering, tooling, metallurgy, and manufacturing techniques with the assistance of some of the best mold makers, engineers, and aerospace machine shops in the world. The end result is a stunning example of the Crocker Big and Small Tank motorcycles, visually identical to the originals, manufactured to the highest quality standards and winning the prestigious "Industry Award" at the Quail Motorcycle Gathering in Carmel, California, in 2012. Crocker motorcycles |
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| ⚫ | Crockers are among the most expensive motorcycles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/2008-05-01/Motorcycle-Reviews/The-Crocker-Special.aspx?page=4|title=The Crocker Special|publisher=Motorcycle Classics|access-date=2009-08-07|date=May–June 2008|author=Paul Garson}}</ref> At the ''MidAmerica Auctions'' motorcycle auction in January 2007 in Las Vegas, a 1941 Crocker big tank motorcycle sold for $230,000. At the Gooding & Co. auction in 2006 in Chandler, a 1931 Crocker 61 sold for $236,500. At the Bonhams & Butterfield 2006 auction in New York, a 1937 Crocker "Hemi-head" V-Twin brought $276,500. At the 2006 auction of Bator International in California, a 1939 Crocker 61 cubic-inch side valve model sold for $200,000. The most recent Crocker Motorcycle sold through Mecum Motorcycle Auction in Las Vegas, January 2019, and achieved a record-breaking $704,000 sale price. At the Mecum Monterey Auction, August 2019 1936 Crocker Small Tank achieved a record $750,000 |
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The company began taking orders for its very limited production in October 2012 and now builds complete and authentic original type Big and Small Tank Crocker motorcycles to customer specs as Crocker did back in 1936–1942. Crocker motorcycles today are considered to be one of the most valuable and collectable American motorcycles in the world. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[ |
*[https://crocker.la/ Crocker Motorcycle Company] Official Website. |
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*{{Citation |last=D'Orleans |first=Paul |title= Rockin' with a Crocker; Riding the first new Crocker built since 1942 |date= October 22, 2012 |magazine=[[Cycle World]] |url= http://www.cycleworld.com/2012/10/22/rockin-with-a-crocker }} |
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*''[http://www.star-riders.org/starcruiser/volume1-2/crocker.html The Legend That Could Have Been]'', essay at [[International Star Riders Association]] website. |
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* {{Citation |last= Frank |first=Aaron |title= Whatever Happened to Albert Crocker? America's Original Superbike, Reborn |magazine=[[Motorcyclist (magazine)|Motorcyclist]] |date= January 19, 2013 |url= http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/news/whatever-happened-to-albert-crocker }} |
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*''[http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/motorcycles-1/crocker/the-crocker-motorcycle/ The Crocker Motorcycle'' |
*''[http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/motorcycles-1/crocker/the-crocker-motorcycle/ The Crocker Motorcycle]'' - Jay Leno's Garage |
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[[Category:Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of the United States]] |
[[Category:Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of the United States]] |
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[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Los Angeles]] |
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[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1932]] |
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1932]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1942]] |
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[[Category:1932 establishments in California]] |
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[[Category:1942 establishments in California]] |
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Latest revision as of 05:25, 11 May 2024
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (February 2020) |
The Crocker Motorcycle Company is an American manufacturer, based in Los Angeles, California, of single-cylinder speedway racing motorcycles from 1932, powerful V-twin road motorcycles from 1936, and the "Scootabout," one of the first modern styled motor scooters, in the late 1930s. Production ceased in 1942. In 1999 Crocker Motorcycle Company was resurrected to manufacture authentic OEM replacement parts and now produces complete Small and Big Tank Crockers in southern California, following the original specifications. Michael Schacht is Crocker Motorcycle company President. According to Schacht's own information (and others) complete reproduction motorcycles have been produced. It has been alleged in various forums that some of these reproductions have been erroneously represented as being original.
Original Crocker company[edit]
Over 30 speedway motorcycles were produced before Al Crocker began work on creating a V-twin motorcycle. The first V-twin entry for Crocker had a 61 in3 (1,000 cc) "Hemi Head" producing 55-60 hp, exceeding the horsepower produced of both the Indian and Harley of the day (38-40 hp). Many Crockers were manufactured to order, with the 91+ cubic inch (about 1,491 cc) being the largest capacity production motorcycle of the time. When production ceased in 1942, approximately 100 of the V-twins had been produced in all. The remaining inventory of parts were sold in 1947 to Elmo Looper. Many of these parts went into restorations of the surviving examples, of which at least 68 exist today, according to a registry started by Charles "Chuck" Vernon and Johnny Eagles, two members of a group of original Crocker owners in Southern California. Although total production of all models is not known, it is thought by some to be around 200 units (about 40–50 speedway, 40–50 "Scootabout" scooters, and 100+ V-Twins). Al Crocker also produced an overhead valve conversion kit in the late 1920s for the Indian 101 "Scout".
The proprietor and founder of the company, Albert Crocker, ceased motorcycle production in 1942 when the war effort put a shortage on critical materials. Indian and Harley received contracts with the US Army for military motorcycle production and Crocker received a contract with Douglas Aircraft making aircraft parts. That became a more lucrative business for Al Crocker than motorcycle manufacturing, and in 1942 Crocker Motorcycle became Crocker Manufacturing. Crocker later sold out to a company named Borg Warner. Al Crocker died in 1961. Designer of many of the components, Paul Bigsby, went on to fame as a designer of guitars and particularly of the Bigsby vibrato tailpiece.
Crockers are among the most expensive motorcycles.[1] At the MidAmerica Auctions motorcycle auction in January 2007 in Las Vegas, a 1941 Crocker big tank motorcycle sold for $230,000. At the Gooding & Co. auction in 2006 in Chandler, a 1931 Crocker 61 sold for $236,500. At the Bonhams & Butterfield 2006 auction in New York, a 1937 Crocker "Hemi-head" V-Twin brought $276,500. At the 2006 auction of Bator International in California, a 1939 Crocker 61 cubic-inch side valve model sold for $200,000. The most recent Crocker Motorcycle sold through Mecum Motorcycle Auction in Las Vegas, January 2019, and achieved a record-breaking $704,000 sale price. At the Mecum Monterey Auction, August 2019 1936 Crocker Small Tank achieved a record $750,000
References[edit]
- ^ Paul Garson (May–June 2008). "The Crocker Special". Motorcycle Classics. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
External links[edit]
- Crocker Motorcycle Company Official Website.
- D'Orleans, Paul (October 22, 2012), "Rockin' with a Crocker; Riding the first new Crocker built since 1942", Cycle World
- Frank, Aaron (January 19, 2013), "Whatever Happened to Albert Crocker? America's Original Superbike, Reborn", Motorcyclist
- The Crocker Motorcycle - Jay Leno's Garage