Crane Cams Gone!

[t951]

If you have ever been into american muscle then the name Crane Cams should be familiar.

It was just on the news that they are done. All employees laid off and the business is shut down.

There is nothing on their website.

Wow, another american company gone!

[slakjaw]

That sux

[m21sniper]

Another American icon has fallen...

[911pcars]

Maybe premature news. Seems to work for me:

http://cranecams.com

Sherwood

[masraum]

Wow! When I was 16 I used to read through the specs of their cams in HotRod and Car Craft in the PAW and Summit Racing ads.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/breakingnews/crane022409.htm

DAYTONA BEACH — Crane Cams, a 56-year-old auto parts manufacturer, closed its doors this week and laid off its employees, a worker said today.

The news took Volusia County’s top economic development officer by surprise. City, county and state officials were working with Crane Cams and officials from its New Jersey parent, Mikronite Technologies, to keep the company open and in the community.

“We were trying to help them through this transition,” said Rick Michael, Volusia County economic development director. “They were considering a transfer of ownership. We were not expecting any closure.”

An automated voice mail system at Crane’s plant on Fentress Boulevard announced at midday today the company was closed and suggested calling back during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A call to Mikronite’s New Jersey offices produced similar results. Six cars sat in the parking lot early this afternoon at the local plant, which employed 220 just three years ago.

Inside the lobby, a reception desk sat empty. A call from the lobby phone got an answer from Dennis Burgess, who declined to comment and said no one at the plant could provide information.

In the parking lot, 14-year employee Ronald Dorn was leaving the plant for what he believed was the last time

He said workers were told during the past week that layoffs were likely, but he didn’t expect the plant to close.

It's probably harder to sell cams for new cars these days and the "Rice" crowd all want "JDM" parts.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by masraum

Wow! When I was 16 I used to read through the specs of their cams in HotRod and Car Craft in the PAW and Summit Racing ads.


It's probably harder to sell cams for new cars these days and the "Rice" crowd all want "JDM" parts.

I only run Crane cams in my RX7.

[Embraer]

http://cranecams.com/?show=mikroniteAcq

[legion]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

I only run Crane cams in my RX7.

Wait...

That does not make sense!

[71T Targa]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

I only run Crane cams in my RX7.

Shouldn't that be; 'I run Crane cams, or nothing at all, on my RX7.'?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Goin' to China, no doubt.

Not to mention it's probably hard to run a business selling aftermarket parts for American cars when the American car manufacturers are going out of business.

I'd also imagine that aftermarket car parts are a... um... "threatened" industry by the government environazis. I'm sure Pelosi and her ilk are dancing on their graves this morning.

[crustychief]

rx7

Originally Posted by legion

Wait...

That does not make sense!

Don't they make cams for the f-18 engines?

[vash]

amazing! in high school it was all about holley carb, edelbrock manifolds and crane cams. (on my car, coupled with Rhoads lifters....remember those?)

sucky! is the hotrod industry gone? what happened?

[TerryH]

My first introduction to Crane cams came in 1978 when I rebuilding a 351 Cleveland engine for my '70 Mach 1 Mustang. I ordered a slightly beefier than stock cam, and days later the box arrived with a caution advisory printed on the side, "not legal for street use, race track only". Now this should have been sufficient warning to verify correctness, but my rebuild was already on hold for a week waiting for this cam and in it went.

Too late to make this a short story, but this cam had so much lift and duration that it essentially broke my trans. The car had to idle so fast in neutral so it wouldn't die in gear, it would chirp just going from neutral to drive. The high stall converter was next on the list. But even with a converter, this was a cam that Richard Petty could have used at Daytona.

I didn't get what I ordered, but I did gleam a few good lessons. Don't get impatient and assume things are fine just because you want to race your hotrod asap!! LOL

I bought my next cam from Clay Smith.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by vash

sucky! is the hotrod industry gone? what happened?

Pretty much yeah.

Todays engines are tweakable without having to open them up.

And todays youth are into cars that go fast while turning.

[VINMAN]

Todays youth are also afraid to get grease on themselves.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by vash

amazing! in high school it was all about holley carb, edelbrock manifolds and crane cams. (on my car, coupled with Rhoads lifters....remember those?)

sucky! is the hotrod industry gone? what happened?

Not gone but still barely hanging in there. Hotrods and muscle cars are still my first love. Problem is the younger generation is not into old machinery. They like the flashy techno stuff. As long as us old guys are still around, hotrods will hang in there.
I find it hard to believe a company such as Crane is folding. Jesel, who makes hi-po valve train components, just expanded the factory to keep up with demand.

[tabs]

How can a Ricer have Grease?

[asphaltgambler]

Stay tuned to see who takes them over (if anyone) They make excellent products and have some of the most advanced profiles.............................however in the end if more $$ are going out the back door than in the front at some point you have to go bankrupt and/or close the doors

[RANDY P]

That really sucks. They are a great company.

For the kids, had there been some real american cars instead of this FWD garbage Detroit is peddling it might have been different. They only play with rice because it's cheap and widely available.

For instance, sorry to say but I'd rather have a Honda Civic to fix up than some beat CHevy Cavalier...


rjp

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by asphaltgambler

Stay tuned to see who takes them over (if anyone) They make excellent products and have some of the most advanced profiles.............................however in the end if more $$ are going out the back door than in the front at some point you have to go bankrupt and/or close the doors

Cam designs will probably be swallowed up by some other company and sold later. Doubtful the company will still stand. Usually what happens.

rjp