This 1958 Crofton Bug is one of the more unusual and rarely seen alternatives to a Jeep CJ2 / CJ3, a short-lived experiment that utilized a durable Crosley powerplant with the most basic of form and function for an off-road capable runabout. The Bug was previously known by its name under the Crosley umbrella, the “Farm-O-Road,” a delightful moniker from an era of product branding that was both obvious and cute. Anyway, Crosley sold off the plans and the engine to Crofton, which made enough of these rudimentary machines that they still show up on occasion, but it’s still incredibly rare to find one for sale. Find this disassembled project-grade Crofton Bug here on eBay with bids to $1,775 and the reserve unmet.

The Crofton Bug was both limited and unlimited in its execution, as its modest powerplant meant highway speeds were a wish – but it’s not like the CJ2 was much of a speed demon, either. The focus was on go-anywhere capabilities with next to no creature comforts of any kind, making it perhaps even slightly more utilitarian than the Jeep. Crosley did sell about 600 Farm-O-Roads before conceding the model to Crofton, and we do see those pop up fairly regularly in comparison. Only about 200 Bugs were made, and that includes related models like the “Brawny Bug” and the Crofton Tug. As you can see here, you’ll be doing some DIY assembly to put this Bug back together – fortunately, there weren’t many parts to begin with.

The Bug was produced between 1958 and 1964, and it’s possible that in addition to the limited production numbers, we don’t see many of them today because they didn’t appeal to road-going users. In other words, the Bug was perfect for use on private land that required a means of transportation to ensure landowners could scope out their vast acreage with something more comfortable than a horse. So, it’s entirely possible you’ll still dig up a  Crofton machine in some rancher’s barn or sitting between hay bales on a farm, but less likely to find one taking up space in a suburban garage. The seller confirms that the Crofton will come with a windshield assembly, transmission, motor, wiring, seat, and other bits to put it back together.

I’d love to know the story on this Crofton Bug, especially in terms of where the seller found it. I’d also like to know if it has skid plates underneath, as those tires look like the optional mud rubbers that the rare “Brawny Bug” could be optioned with. The Brawny Bug also came with a unique transmission, bored-out engine, and either mud or flotation tires, according to MakesThatDidntMakeIt.com. A true expert will have to perform the necessary due diligence to determine if this was spec’d at a higher equipment threshold, and that winch on the bumper is telling me yes. Regardless, this is a rare machine, and while the audience is limited, there’s certainly a few people out there who still collect these micro-oddities.