The Pinto Air Freight 1950 Crosley CD 18-wheeler for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller’s description:
In 1955 Bob Pinto started a new trucking business in Philadelphia. He and a friend,custom coach builder John Giordiano, set out to build a eye catching vehicle for advertising the newly formed business. A mini 18 wheeler was just the thing. They took a 1950 Crosley CD either station wagon or pick up and cut the back off just behind the door latches. A custom rear panel was made and was nailed onto oak boards inside the cab. They added a 2nd tag axle and a full size Fruehauf 5th wheel from a salvaged 1939 truck. A GM Hydrovac power brake unit was added to provide vacuum needed for the 12′ trailer they would build to be hauled by the Crosley. The trailer is 5′ wide and 12′ long. It has dual axles with mechanical cable brakes pulled by a vacuum canister just as the full size trucks did. The rod to control the brakes is frozen in place now and the brake vacuum is disconnected. The trailer is registered 2999# so no brakes are needed where it is registered. In the mid 1960’s a Chevy 153 4 cylinder engine was installed with a 3 speed Muncie transmission. This worked fine until 1973 when the power from the Chevy engine damaged the Crosley rear. A 1960 MG Midget rear end was used as a replacement. A few months back, I was driving it and one of the axles broke off the end plate. I found 2 new style axles at a MG shop in Kansas City. These are the new hardened ones. I replace the broken one. I have the 2nd for a spare. I also removed the pumpkin, cleaned the gears, replaced the gaskets and the rear axle bearings and seals. I also replaced the wheel cylinders and the brake shoes. The prop shaft was recently rebuilt with new u joints front and rear. The fronts are Chevy and the rears MG. When I started this project I took apart the engine and checked the transmission and put them back with whatever parts needed replacing. The engine got a new head gasket and sealed. There is a minor leak from the rear seal as I did this 9 years ago. I have driven it less then 1000 miles since then. The speedometer does not work but I have gps one on my phone. The complete clutch was replaced, as well as the starter and the alternator. It has a 80 amp 1 wire unit with a 21 circuit GM wire harness. The distributor is new as are the coil, plugs and wires. I added Air Conditioning about 3 years ago. It has a under dash cooling unit with the condenser mounted on the rear panel with a electric fan. The receiver dryer is also on the rear. It has a Sandon 508 compressor with rear exit. The equipment is from Cold Master in Largo Florida. It has a Alfa Romeo radiator with the Chevy in and out spouts soldered on so it uses factory hoses. The seats where just recovered with pressed pleat material as what was used the last time the Crosley was redone in 1972. The floors are covered with rubber mats that looks like diamond plate. The door cards and dash panel are from 1972. The passenger window glass has a crack in the lower front. This is a regular problem on Crosleys with 1 piece glass in the doors. The floor is covered with a sound proofing material. I recently removed the Cherry Bomb muffler and had a standard muffer installed. The “stacks” are non functional and were from my 1968 Corvette. I put them on the Crosley in 1973. It has a small air horn on the roof with the compress just under it on the inside. 8 of the 10 tires on the truck (480×12) are replaced. The body was media blasted and primed. I left the “patina” metal on the truck and painted it apart as you can see in the photos on my web site, crosleygarage.com. This left the truck with a old look. There are a few minor dents and scrapes on it. Please see the photos. The PINTO signs on the doors are magnetic and can be removed. Lettering on the front push bar can also be removed. as they are stickers. The tires on the trailer are old but have new tubes in them. The trailer still has the “patina” paint and rust on it from 1972 and over 25 years of being outside. It was hand letterd in 1972 ans I did not want to touch that. The trailer floor boards were replaced with 5″x1″ x12′ long deck boards pressure treated and screwed on from the bottom. The wood on the side door has been replaced. The wire harness is new. Light bulb sockets that were bad were replaced and all of the bulbs. It has a new 6 pin round plug on the front to accept the trucks trailer cord. There is an extra wire in it for the future electric trailer brakes. This is not a restored vehicle. I rebuilt everything and it is a real eye catcher. Yes it could still use some refining, but it is what it is. A bespoke Crosley 18 wheeler. It is one of a kind.
See more Crosleys for sale on Hemmings.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment