C O N C E P T S

#0389, 12 May 2016, page 26.
IMMACULATE
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY CHRIS COLLARD
C O
N
C E P T S
4X4 Australia heads to Moab, Utah, to drive the
2016 crop of Jeep concept vehicles at
the 50th Easter Jeep Safari.
078
#0389, 12 May 2016, page 26.
drIven
EASTER JEEP SAFARI
CONCEPTS
#0389, 12 May 2016, page 28.
S
INCE its inception, the Easter Jeep Safari has
captured the attention of the off-road world. What
started in the 1960s as a local trail ride with a
few Jeeps, Scouts, Broncos and Land Cruisers has
morphed into a massive American spring gathering
and draws more than 20,000 four-wheel drive
aficionados from around the globe.
Each year, Jeep, along with its underground team
of mad engineers, rolls into town with its latest batch
of concept vehicles. The word ‘concept’ is a little deceptive, as one
might be misled into believing these creations are in the works
for the general market. While some – or variants thereof – do
eventually see the light of day on showroom floors, most remain
eye candy for all to drool over and dream of.
As the hired gun responsible for photographing these works
of art, I’m often able to talk the top dogs at Jeep into letting
me take one or two out for a private day on the trail. All of this
year’s concepts are worthy of a good romp in the bush, but it was
the Crew Chief that caught my eye. It’s based on a late-model
#0389, 12 May 2016, page 28.
Interior is almost untouched,
save for the massive compass
and four toggle switches.
Pentastar V6 engine with JPP
cold-air intake is mated with a
five-speed auto transmission.
#0389, 12 May 2016, page 30.
ension lift from
Four-inch susp
mote reservoir
JPP and FOX re
t to the test.
shocks are pu
Wrangler Rubicon chassis, although it radiates DNA from
another era – one of olive drab green and the Kaiser M715.
With keys in hand I headed for the Sand Flats Recreation
Area in the lee of the snow-capped La Sal Mountains for a
relaxing day on Moab’s expansive slick rock.
Jeep’s underground team began by slicing the frame in
half and adding 585mm in front of the rear axle. The cab
was chopped off behind the rear doors and replaced with a
1525mm steel bed fitted with a hardwood floor, mesh side
panels and a pair of jerry cans. The front clip was removed
and sent to the body shop, where the grille, hood and fenders
were reworked with the design lines of the M715. When
complete, a custom ragtop was stretched over the top,
windows were removed for an authentic open-air feel, and
door panels were sealed up. The final package was trimmed
with Jeep Performance Parts 10th Anniversary Rubicon
bumpers fitted with Warn winches fore and aft, JPP
Rubicon rock rails, and bed-mounted lashing points.
The Crew Chief rolls on 40-inch NDT military tyres
wrapped around 20-inch beadlock wheels. Supporting the
additional weight are a pair of JPP Dana 60 axles fitted
with Eaton ELockers, 5.38:1 gears and Warn hubs. Prop
shafts from Tom Woods tie the axles to the reliable 3.6-litre
Pentastar V6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission.
To keep the tyres in contact with the surface, the underground
boys installed a four-inch suspension from JPP, and FOX remote
reservoir shocks.
Rolling down Main Street gained me no less than celebrity
status. The thumbs-up was the ubiquitous gesture from
#0389, 12 May 2016, page 30.
JPP 10th Anniversary Rubicon
bumpers are fitted with Warn
winches fore and aft.
Design lines are based on the
Kaiser Jeep M715, a military
vehicle built from 1967-68.
Eaton ELockers are fitted to
Dana 60 axles, to send torque
where it’s most needed.
Enormous wheelbase doesn’t
become an issue until you
have to turn this beast around.
#0389, 12 May 2016, page 32.
JEEP CREW CHIEF 715 CONCEPT
ENGINE
TRANSMISSION
COLOUR
AXLES (F/R)
LOCKERS
SUSPENSION
TYRES/WHEELS
BUMPERS
WINCH (F/R)
ONBOARD AIR
BED
CANVAS TOP
3.6L Pentastar V6 w/JPP cold-air intake
five-speed automatic
Tactical Green
JPP Dana 60, 5.38:1 gears, Warn hubs
Eaton ELocker
JPP 4in with FOX remote reservoir shocks
40in NDT military, 20in beadlocks
JPP Wrangler 10th Anniversary
arn Rubicon
JPP/Warn
ARB compressor
custom 1.5m steel
custom
passersby, intersections became autograph sessions,
and I nearly had to peel lookyloos out of the cab when I
stopped for fuel.
Across the dash sits the control centre with its full-size
nautical compass and toggles for the ELockers, ARB air
compressor, and a mysterious button labelled ‘auxiliary.’
Hmm, maybe a rocket-propelled grenade launcher?
A cool Utah breeze rolled through windowless doors as
a friend and I scaled the Fins & Things Trail. The Katzkin
leather seats felt good and the lockers kept the squarecut military treads turning evenly. The Crew Chief’s
wheelbase, which is about a gazillion inches long, actually
helped when surmounting some of the larger ledges.
However, the turning radius was akin to the Titanic.
By the end of the day I wasn’t ready to hand the keys
back to the Jeep boys; rather, I was thinking about
filling the tank to take a leisurely 1600km dirt trek back
to California.
The thumbs-up was the ubiquitous gesture from passersby,
intersections became autograph sessions, and I had to peel
lookyloos out of the cab when I stopped for fuel