The V-drive on the Crosley block was developed by Aerojet
General circa1952. Rights to the block and the V-drive
went to Twin Coach - Fageol Products in
The Crosley story goes something like this:
1940 Lloyd Taylor developed "Tin" block made from
sheet metal stampings
1941 "Tin Block" Paul Klotsch
from Crosley noticed the unit
1942 Crosley purchased
"COBRA" = Copper Hydrogen Brazed assembly
Apparently Crosley
cleaned out all of Lloyd Taylor's
business and personal
property. Unpleasant
1943 Used by Military during war
1944 Mil Generators, pumps, auxiliary uses
1945 Crosley planned use in small
car
1946 Small car development, sales
1947 Small car development, sales
1948 Crosley sold 29,000 units
1949 Crosley iron block CIBA
1950 Crosley auto ceased
1951 Aerojet General obtained total
rights to engine, car & all
1952 Vee drive (V-drive) developed
by Aerojet General
1953 Rights to engine and applications went to Twin Coach (Fageol)
Produced engines, pumps, generators
and V-drives
1954 Fageol Products (Div of Twin
Coach) developed Outboard
(V-drive belts were power-limiting)
1955 Fageol Products developed VIP
(Vertical Inboard Power)
1956 Fageol marketed V-drive, VIP,
Outboards and Pumps.
Generators and some marine
applications had Pepco Superchargers
1957 Ray Fageol (son of Lou) moved
to
Partnered
with Bud Crofton. Crofton partner solved pump problems.
1958 Lou Fageol moved back
(retired) to
1959 Lou & Ray Fageol sold all
rights to Bud Crofton
1960 Crofton got Military parts contracts, made Bug Car,
Outboards,
pumps.
1961 Sold Outboard to Homelite
1962 55 Hp derivative of block, Aluminum castings
1963 more development, sales
1964 Homelite outboards
1965 Homelite outboards
1966 Sold Outboard to Dick Fisher - his Boston Whaler made
Bearcat-55
... Bearcat sales
1972 ceased
This information is provided by John Fageol
For more information follow this link.
roduction