Among the many storied, prewar, American motorcycle manufacturers, the name Crocker stands out above the rest. Hand built in extremely limited quantities by engineer and racer Albert Crocker of Los Angeles, the bespoke performance machines built from his seven-man shop have come to be known as “The Duesenberg of American Motorcycles.” Like Duesenberg, they were built to a standard and not a price, and no two Crockers are alike.

Albert Crocker’s foray into motorcycles began as an engineer for the Aurora Automatic Machine Company, builders of the Thor motorcycle and supplier of engines and components to Indian Motorcycles. An avid racer in his own right, he developed a passion for high-performance machines fueled by the immense popularity of dirt track speedway racing. When Indian needed a talented engineer, they recruited Crocker to join their company. Later, Crocker would run Indian dealerships in Denver and Kansas City before purchasing his own dealership in Los Angeles in the late 1920s.

By 1933, Indian had no new competition motorcycles, so Crocker took it upon himself to build one. With the help of former Indian engineer Paul Bigsby, the duo created first, a frame, then a 500 cc OHV single-cylinder engine, before finally debuting the first Crocker Speedway motorcycle in November of that year. In its first race at Emeryville, California, the Crocker Speedway won nine of its 12 heats, creating instant demand for the new competition machine. Eventually, around 31 Crocker Speedways were sold before the fledgling company turned its attention to building a big V-Twin motorcycle.

Drawing on their racing success, Crocker and Mr. Bigsby set out to build nothing less than the fastest production motorcycle in America, utilizing a newly designed 45° V-Twin engine with hemispherical, overhead valve heads, and a nearly square bore and stroke of 3.25" x 3.62". Fuel and oil tanks were cast from lightweight aluminum. The engine was a stressed chassis member, with a steel transmission case integral to the frame, increasing torsional rigidity.

At its public debut in 1936, it was reportedly America’s first production overhead-valve twin motorcycle, preempting the Harley-Davidson Knucklehead by several months, and outclassing it with an estimated 55 hp and a top speed of over 110 mph. Considering that passenger sedans of the day boasted similar horsepower figures, it is no wonder the 495-pound Crocker has been dubbed “America’s First Superbike.”

It is believed that approximately 70 Crockers were built between 1936 and 1942, before production ceased due to the advent of WWII. According to the Crocker Registry, the last Crocker built was the motorcycle offered here, engine no. 42.61.310, known in the Crocker circles as "310". Later models, like this example, incorporated many design changes from earlier models. Big-Tank Crockers utilized a larger 3 1/2-gallon fuel tank, hence the nickname. The early hemispherical combustion chamber was dropped in favor of a conventional wedge arrangement, and suspension was improved from single to a dual-spring girder fork. A second oil pump was added for better scavenging and lubrication. The frame length grew from 59.5" to 62.5", resulting in a more relaxed rake angle for improved handling. Additionally, "310" is purported to be one of just six examples to utilize a unique cantilever-style seat spring.

Importantly, this Crocker has been owned and restored by some of the most well-known and knowledgeable authorities on the marque. The first listed owner of "310" in the Crocker Registry is Ernie Skelton. Mr. Skelton was a well-known Crocker collector and historian. The next known custodian listed is California-based collector Gordon M. Clark. While the purchase date from Mr. Skelton is not known, a Los Angeles Times article published in June 1990 mentions "310" being exhibited at a Southern California motorcycle show in unrestored condition and belonging to Mr. Clark. In 2020, the Crocker "310" was sold to the consignor with the help of well-known early motorcycle collector Don Whalen. The owner then oversaw the completion of the multi-year restoration by noted authority Steve Huntzinger, resulting in the beautifully presented machine seen today.

This Big Tank Twin shows only 24 miles since its recent restoration. In the November 2021 issue of Thunder Press, Huntzinger was quoted as saying of "310", “It’s the best one I’ve worked on…definitely a real Crocker.” The article also stated that the restoration included new handgrips and footboard runners from the last sets in the original Crocker inventory, and NOS 1942 Firestone chevron-pattern tires.

In a copy of a letter on file, Homer Wood, Crocker’s first commercial customer, summarized the motorcycles as follows: “A remarkably small team of talented and dedicated men, all steeped in racing culture, created a marvelously integrated product to challenge all comers. It took hubris to launch a new and advanced vehicle with experience in only one factory prototype.”

The example offered here is perhaps the finest Crocker extant, in ideal specification, and benefiting from a top-notch restoration befitting its rarity. The Crocker is the quintessential Hollywood hot rod, a competition-bred machine turned loose on the street, and a progenitor of that iconic prewar era in California motorcycle culture.

*Please note that this vehicle is titled by its engine number.