Jeep Fact Friday! May 16, 2014

With the 2014 NHL playoffs in full swing it’s appropriate to find a relationship between Jeeps and hockey.  At first we thought that might be a daunting task.  Quickly we found that Jeeps have played a large part in hockey.

Jeeps are known for their capability in nearly every condition.  With that in mind, a man named Frank Zamboni sought out to manufacture one of the most important machines in hockey: the Zamboni Ice Resurfacer.

During the early 1940’s Frank Zamboni saw the need for a mechanized ice resurfacer.  At the time ice resurfacers consisted of hot water tanks on wheels that would spread an even layer of water on the ice.  The water would freeze and create a fresh ice surface.  However, these resurfacers weren’t able to condition the ice and often times they would create a choppy surface.   The old machines needed to be pulled across the ice at a steady pace in order to create a uniform surface.  Thus, the old process of resurfacing took a long time.

Zamboni started experimenting with various vehicles in an effort to manufacture a mechanized ice resurfacer.  The Jeep CJ was found to be an ideal starting point because they were small, 4-Wheel-Drive, readily available, inexpensive, and could easily be adapted to perform nearly any task. Only slight modifications were necessary to transform a CJ into an ice resurfacer.  The driver’s seat and steering wheel were relocated to a frame on the rear of the vehicle.  The resurfacing equipment was then bolted onto the top and rear of the body.

Through the years the Zamboni was redesigned several times to improve the operators vision, increase efficiency and overall effectiveness of the machine.  The Zamboni continued to be built off the CJ platform until 1965 when the “Model HD”, a custom built chassis designed specifically as an ice resurfacer, began production.

Today, Zamboni still manufactures ice resurfacers.  Recently they presentd the Montreal Canadiens with their 10,000th manufactured model.  They’ve also restored several of their classic machines.  Those restored classics can be found outside college hockey rinks all over America.  There is also a Zamboni with a Jeep CJ chassis that resides at the US Hockey Hall of Fame (where Frank Zamboni was inducted in 2013).

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Pinterest to keep up with all things Crown!

Jeep Fact Friday! May 2, 2014

Welcome to another edition of Jeep Fact Friday!

One of the best parts about owning a Jeep is its effectiveness in various situations.  The slogan “Go Anywhere.  Do Anything” speaks volumes about how well they perform in most any circumstance.  With that in mind Jeep began offering several functional accessories from the dealer in the 1980’s for every model.  Now when “accessories” and “dealer” are grouped in a sentence some may think of things like an engine block heater, a ski rack, or side steps.  Jeep did provide these type of accessories to their dealers but they also offered the more utilitarian accessories such as winches and plows.

Jeep had every piece necessary to mount a winch to the front of a CJ-7, SJ Cherokee and Wagoneer, J-10, J-20, XJ Cherokee, and MJ Comanche.  Some kits were very simple while others required several brackets and filler plates.  They were all available with a 6,000 lb. Ramsey winch as a light duty option for those who liked the look or used it on rare occasions.  With the fact that a 6,000 lb winch will struggle to perform some tasks Jeep commissioned Warn to set them up with a severe duty winch.  Warn had just the model in mind: the 8274.

Close-up of the tag on a factory Warn 8274 Winch

Warn’s 8274 is a workhorse with an upright design rated for an 8,000 lb. single line pull.  Warn started to manufacture it in 1974 and still offer a variation of it it today having only made small tweaks to it.  Those who own an 8274 are typically very reluctant to “upgrade” to a modern winch due to the durability and speed of it.  A brand new 8274 will set you back over $2,000 and a used one in need of minor repair goes for $400-500 today.

Mounting a winch to the front bumper on a CJ-7 only required a mounting plate similar to those offered today.  Bolt the plate to the frame, bolt the winch to the frame, and you’re done!  Strapping a winch to a SJ Cherokee and Wagoneer, J-10, J-20, XJ Cherokee, and MJ Comanche proved more difficult.  On these models the front bumper had to be pushed forward with several brackets to allow the winch to fit between the front crossmember and the bumper.  The open areas were then covered with filler pieces.  This created what Jeep called a “hidden winch” and changed the cosmetics of the Jeep very little (though it did look as if a park bench was strapped to the grille).

CJ-7 with a factory Warn 8274 Winch

Today Mopar, as well as aftermarket suppliers *wink wink*, still offers a few heavy duty bumpers with accommodations for a winch on the JK Wrangler.

If you’ve owned or seen any of these Jeeps with factory winches let us know (and post some pictures!).

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Pinterest to keep up with all things Crown!

Jeep Fact Friday! April 25, 2014

Welcome to another edition of Jeep Fact Friday!

We spent last weekend at Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah and along the way we saw a few of Jeep’s concept vehicles. One that caught our eye was the KL Cherokee Dakar.  This Jeep is packed with goodies to conquer some of the more challenging trails in Moab and it’ll be sure to catch your eye doing it.

“But you can’t lift a new Cherokee!!  My uncle’s step-brother who knows someone said it!” – This is one rumor that’s swirling around the message boards that is untrue.  Lifting the new KL Cherokee isn’t as simple as swapping the coil springs and hitting the trail. Lifting the new Cherokee involves A LOT of work.  Why might you ask?   For one, it’s built on a car platform and features independent front and rear suspension with aluminum subframes.  In order to achieve the 2″ lift, Jeep replaced all four struts with Fox coil overs and custom mounts for fitment.  To ensure the CV shafts didn’t limit suspension travel they were swapped out in favor of high-angle RCV-style shafts.

“That thing must have gotten stuck everywhere!” – The Dakar Cherokee started its life as a Trailhawk Cherokee.  The Trailhawk package features a low-range transfer case and a rear locker.  Jeep enhanced its capability by carving out the front and rear fender openings to fit a set of 33″ BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires mounted on Trailhawk wheels.  Another 7″ of clearance was gained with the lift and body modifications.

“Well what about the undercarriage?!  Won’t the oil pan and fuel tank break over obstacles?” – One of the advantages the Trailhawk features is skid plates to protect the oil pan, differentials, transmission, and fuel tank.  Jeep also added additional protection with a set of rock rails to keep this controversial body as dent-free at the end of a week of wheeling as it was when it started.

“Well it’s ugly and I don’t like it so I think they wasted their time” – This is the opinion of a lot of people we’ve spoken to (I’m looking at you XJ fanboys!).  It DEFINITELY has a different look than any previous Jeep but we think it’s not all bad.  Some of the new body features will take time to get over.  Especially the running lights up on the top of the fenders and the hood-mounted grille.  The same thing can be said when the first XJ was released (WHERE’S THE FRAME?  COIL SPRINGS UP FRONT?).  The interior of the new Cherokee is plush and comfortable with creature features like GPS and Bluetooth connectivity.  The Selec-Terrain Traction Control System adapts the drivetrain and braking system to perform at its best in every terrain.  Another neat feature the Trailhawk has is a Selec-Speed Control.  Basically this is a low-speed cruise control designed to allow the vehicle to drive over various obstacles without the vehicle jerking from tapping the accelerator over bumps.

      

The Dakar concept vehicle was made to show off what Jeep can do when they put their mind to it.  It also is a gauge to determine how it is received (bolt-on accessories like rock rails could end up in a Mopar Performance catalog).  In addition to the tow hooks, hood, and window surrounds 2 of the 5 spokes on each wheel and 2 of the 7 slots on the grill was painted red.  This is similar to the paint scheme they used with the Level Red JK Wrangler.

      

Overall the Dakar Cherokee is no Hurricane (the fire-breathing twin-hemi powered, 4 wheel steer creation Jeep unveiled in 2005).  Its design isn’t as outrageous and it certainly won’t be as capable.  However, it does a great job of balancing comfort, reliability, and capability.

Let us know what you think about the Dakar Cherokee.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Pinterest to keep up with all things Crown!

Jeep Fact Friday! April 18, 2014

Welcome to another edition of Jeep Fact Friday!

This week we’re going to focus on one of the more popular and sought after trim packages available on the CJ-5 and CJ-7: The Levi’s trim package. This trim package was commonly featured with the Renegade package and gave them the accents and features that made them different than a regular CJ.

Jeep began offering the Levi’s edition on the CJ-5 platform in 1975 and the CJ-7 in 1976 and continued offering them until 1979. Featured in the Levi’s edition CJ’s were front & rear denim seats in tan or blue with copper rivets and buttons seen on any pair of Levi’s jeans. To continue the theme and tie the interior style together the dash pad and sun visors were color-matched to the seats. The exterior styling featured a red Levi’s decal on either side of the cab just above the Jeep logo and a vinyl soft top that matched the color of the seats, dash pad, and sun visors.

At this year’s Easter Jeep Safari we had the privilege of wheeling with a light blue 1976 CJ-7 Levi’s edition with some off-road modifications. This CJ featured a tan wheels wrapped with Goodyear Wrangler MT/R Kevlar tires, a tan soft top, and the original blue denim seats (seen below). It was a blast watching it crawl up every obstacle it attempted!

Let us know if you’ve seen a Jeep with this (or any other) limited edition trim package.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Pinterest to keep up with all things Crown!

Jeep Fact Friday! April 11, 2014

Welcome to another edition of Jeep Fact Friday!

Over the years Jeep has produced several unique vehicles for the US Military.  These vehicles ranged from the MB, M38, M38-A1, M715, and some custom vehicles designed for a specific purpose.  In our travels we came across an M170 (seen in the image below), an M38-A1 with a 20″ extended wheelbase.  This modification made it very popular as an ambulance on the front line of a battle zone.  In addition to the added wheelbase, other modifications consisted of extending the door opening on the passenger side and installing the spare tire and a jerry can in place of the passenger seat.

In 2010, Jeep also designed the J8, a military version of the JK Wrangler used overseas (the one with rear leaf springs, Dana 60 rear axle, and 35 spline shafts *drool*), with an ambulance package for the front lines.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Pinterest to keep up with all things Crown!

Jeep Fact Friday! March 21, 2014

Welcome to another edition of Jeep Fact Friday!

In 1943 the Marine Corps awarded a Purple Heart to a Willys MB named “Old Faithful” for its role in the Guadalcanal Campaign.

Jeep Fact Friday! March 14, 2014

Welcome to another edition of Jeep Fact Friday!

Have you noticed in the past few years many off-road rigs have been using a torsion bar style sway bar?

The explanation to this recent transition is contributed to one fact: torsion sway bars can be produced to fit into compact spaces and are tunable to accommodate an array of suspension styles.  This stabilization ensures that operator remains in control of the vehicle at all times.  Today, aftermarket suspension manufacturers produce bolt-in kits that replace the factory sway bar with an adjustable torsion bar.  Many off-road vehicles from mild to wild (including most King of the Hammers competition vehicles) use torsion bars in both the front and rear of the vehicle.

While the idea of using torsion bars as sway bars has been popularized recently it isn’t a recent discovery.  In fact, Willys implemented a torsion bar sway bar system in the rear of the VJ Jeepster and in the front of some early Pickups.

Jeep Fact Friday! March 7, 2014

Welcome to our weekly blast into the history of Jeep!  Every Friday we will post a fact about Jeep Vehicles.

During the prototyping stage of the Willys MB and Ford GPW the concern with occupant safety was brought to the table.  The MB and GPW vehicles were designed to carry 3 people along with their gear.  The most fragile portion of these vehicles were the driver and the fuel tank.  This was especially true since the vehicle had no armor or protection of any sort for the occupants.  A single round could cause the end of the entire crew.  With that in mind, the decision was made to locate the fuel tank under the driver’s seat.  The idea was to minimize the area that, if hit with a round, would result in a catastrophic failure to the vehicle and the occupants of the vehicle.

I know what you’re thinking: “Why would they do that?!  That’s crazy!!  I would’ve put the fuel tank in the back and protected the occupants with bullet-proof glass and thick steel.”  That idea, while it is executed to near perfection today, was not what the government wanted.  The specifications that were issued for the prototype stated that the vehicle had to have a wheelbase under 75″ and weigh less than 1,300 lbs.  The vehicle the government wanted had to be agile and easily transportable.  Bullet-proof glass and steel reinforcement would exceed the requirements provided by the government.  Compromises were made and the MB and GPW ended up with a 80″ long wheelbase and weighed ~2,300 lbs.  So to minimize the target enemies had to disable the vehicle and crew the MB and GPW were designed with the driver’s seat and fuel tank as close together as possible.

If you have any Jeep facts that you would like to contribute you can e-mail me at adamd@crownautomotive.net.

New Banners are now Available!!

All new Point of Sale and Shop banners are available with your next stock order.  The new Crown banners are a complete redesign referencing our 50 Year Anniversary.  And our RT Off-Road banners are the first available displays under the new name.  The banners are available in two sizes:

Our Short Version, which is designed for shops and installation bays.

While the Long Version is intended for Showroom use.

Limited quantities available, be sure to contact your sales agent today.

Long Crown Banners (#CRBL13) are currently OUT OF STOCK.

Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival 2013

As you can tell, we had another busy weekend on the road. This time we stopped in Butler Pennsylvania to check out the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival. This festival is a tribute to the Jeep vehicle and it’s birthplace, Butler Pennsylvania.

A little background on “Bantam” and this festival.  At the start of World War II, the US Government was looking for a vehicle that was 4Wheel Drive, light weight, and able to transport soldiers/artillery. The American Bantam Car Company won the initial bid for vehicle design when it delivered a pilot vehicle in 49 days.  Although The American Bantam Car Company had won the bid, they did not have the infrastructure for full production. The Bantam design was instead sent to Ford and Willy’s Overland to aid their design.  Quickly those prototypes became production.  And now, many years later, we have one of the most recognizable vehicles ever produced.

The Bantam Heritage Jeep festival , only in it’s third year, is one of the premier Jeep events in the Northeast. This year’s event attracted 1500 Jeeps and even more people.  On display were Vendors, Manufacturers, and Jeep themselves had some of their vehicles.   Included in Jeep’s lineup was the new grand Cherokee shown below:

The event is full of stuff for the whole family too. There is a history display showcasing almost every model Jeep you would want to see.    My favorite vehicle was a pre 58 (narrow track) Forward Control Pickup.  You don’t see too many of these trucks anymore and never have I seen one in this pristine of condition.   Unfortunately the vehicle was roped off and I was forced to inspect it from a distance.

Located on site was a working WWII encampment.  You were able to walk back through history and see the living conditions for the average solider.  At one point we even saw a German soldier driving around on a motorcycle, seriously.

There is a little something for everyone here at the Bantam Festival.  Jeep owners could go on a trail ride, mess around in the Jeep Playground, Show off at the show and shine, or if you’re not into washing/waxing you could take a stroll through the mud pit.   And don’t feel bad if you can’t take your Jeep, there is still plenty of fun.   Both Quadratec and 4Wheel Drive Hardware were on site selling parts.  Skyjacker and Clayton Suspension were on hand helping you choose your next suspension lift.  Spectators could watch people thrash their vehicles in the mud pit or on the obstacle course.  And if after a full day of fun you were too tired to drive home, the campgrounds on site would take you in.

We must say that this was a great weekend trip for the whole family.   The weather didn’t agree with us the whole time but that made for a better mud pit and a more challenging obstacle course.  If you’re looking to attend next or want some more information about the Bantam Heritage Jeep Festival, checkout their WEBSITE.