Unless Crane gets a 2nd breath from the banks, better start finding an alternative boys. The Chevrolet L-72, L-78 and LS-6 camshafts are done and sold out. NO stock. Jim
I'm sure glad the banks are doing well so they can loan the coin without blinking. NO problems there either. Jim:shock:
Retraction...... that's Comp cams, 3 of my friends had them go bad, wiped the lobes off spent the mains.
For what it's worth.!!!!!! February 24, 2009 Crane Cams shuts down, workers laid off By JIM WITTERS Senior Business Writer 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. Mikronite received approval in 2006 to receive tax rebates from the state and the county amid discussion about moving its New Jersey operations here. But the company ended its contract with the state in 2008 due to nonperformance, Michael said. “Crane has gone through a series of small layoffs recently,” he said. Crane Cams and Crane Technologies Group were founded by Harvey J. Crane Jr. in 1953 as Crane Engineering Inc. in Hallandale. The company is well known in high-performance and racing circles for its line of camshafts and engine valve train components. In 1979, Crane Cams became an employee-owned company. Some operations moved to Daytona Beach in 1981, with the remainder of the operation and employees relocating here in 1985. Mikronite, an industrial technology firm, bought Crane in 2006. In March 2007, Mikronite sold its property on Fentress to STAG Capital Partners of Boston, then signed a 10-year lease. _________________ Jim
Blessing in disguise...? Look at it this way, now us Chevy guys have a viable excuse for developing our own "signature cam"...what is it they say, "when one door closes, another one opens"...? As a matter of fact, I think I can hear my current cam flattening right now...:Brow: In all honestly, it is indeed a shame...was nice to be able to cruise down to the GM dealer and pick up a cam for $100 and be done with it!
I sure liked that 284H I ran in my car for a while. I'm sure you could get a custom grinder to match it up....if that's what you want....but like Rob says....not off the shelf for $100. How does an employee owned company go under and the employees lose their jobs?????Executive bonuses? Union pressure??????Political corruption? Liability lawsuits? Hedge fund financing, sounds like. Look out Chrysler and GMAC.....and a lot of others.
Re: Blessing in disguise...? OH YEA!!!! I am in when can we start :Brow: Julies bump stick went bad all of the sudden :eek2: . Maybe we could call them The Pure Stock Chevrolet Alternative Cams or PSCAC that has a nice ring to it. :TU: . WOW! we could grind on for the L-S6 guy's one for the L-71 guy's one for the L-88 and one for the 396 /375 guy's. I have a few mule motors that I can strap to the dyno and throw cams at them till they blow, sound like fun huh!:grin:
sounds like a good idea Terry;the crane blueprint runs decent # on the dyno and it is right to specs of the purestock rules.i wonder what camshaft manufacturer the top running pontiacs and mopar are running?Lets get started on the PSCAC ;what do you think Lerum?chris
I lucked out today.I had ordered 8 rocker arms about 2 weeks ago from Summit.Four right side rockers came in last week and the four lefts were on back order till almost April.When I read on Moparts that Crane shut the doors I figured I'd better call Summit.They had not heard about Crane.Guy told me to look elsewhere.So as luck would have it Mancini ONLY had 4 lefts.I dodged that bullet
I have a used Crane cam in the garage. Will this closing of Crane Cams make my old cam a collector's item on ebay?? It can't be worth much anyway as it only has 13 lobes on it...................... :af: :af: :af: Maybe that is one of the reasons they went under?? They and Comp Cams have had a run of ~soft~ cams in the last few years.
Terry - suddenly there's no excuse for the bowtie part of GM to have to run them originals -- .1% and what ever lobe center here we come !!:laugh: Who's Initials do we put on this one?????? fill in the blanks . _ -_ race cams
Tim, How bout nothing faster than a speeding _______ racing cams.:eek2: :Brow: OH!!!!! BOY!!!!!! This is going to be fun!:idea2:
The guy from Summit called me back today and told me that Crane has cancelled all orders.No telling when or if Crane will reopen. Glad I found what I needed on the shelf