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2009 Jeff Daniels Jeep Show - Backyard BBQ
Backyard BBQ: With A Side Of Jeep Show
From the April, 2010 issue of Jp
By Melissa Howard
There's nothing like spending the day hanging out with friends, listening to music, and checking out cool Jeeps, but all at a Jeep show? No way. That's what we thought before we stumbled upon Jeff Daniels' Annual Jeep Show a few years back. We couldn't wait to check out what was planned for the September 2009 show. Once a year at the shop in Harleysville, Pennsylvania, Jeff and Dan open their doors to anyone who wants to join the fun. Not only are there Jeeps to drool over, there's also a DJ, a live band, kid activities, delicious food, and off-road demonstrations by Rausch Creek. This year Jeff Daniels handed out trophies in 22 categories. If that wasn't enough to make for a fantastic day, the festivities ended with fireworks. In the past the show was 100 percent free to both Jeep entrants and spectators. In order to reduce costs this year, they charged $15 to pre-register ($20 at the gate), but it was still free to the spectators. Each Jeep entrant got a goody bag with a $2.50 voucher for gas, was entered into a raffle with over $1,500 in prizes, and got discounted parts and merchandise the day of the show. Not to mention the best parking! There were 373 participants and over 4,000 spectators. Now that's a party! For more info about this year's event, go to jeffdanielsjeeps.com.  Mike Snyder from Temple, Pennsylvania,...  Mike Snyder from Temple, Pennsylvania, was out on the obstacle course playing in his '01 Wrangler. The swapped-in Dana 44s with ARB Air Lockers front and rear are suspended from a whopping 9-inch Skyjacker lift out front and a Down N' Dirty Customs four-link rear. The 1-inch Daystar body lift provides the finishing touches to clear the 37-inch Super Swamper IROKs. The stock six-cylinder and NVG3550 still provide power and locomotion. |  Once the gates opened, it...  Once the gates opened, it didn't take long for the lines to form. Everyone was excited to pick their spot, do some last minute spit-shining, and let the ogling begin. The staff kept things moving smoothly while checking in Jeeps and handing out goody bags. |  This is what happens when...  This is what happens when the only non-Jeep shows up on the obstacle course. Douglas Brown of New City, New York, in his Formula Buggy was turned over to demonstrate how to recover quickly and safely on the trail. Really, we think they were just picking on him for driving a Toyota. That'll teach him. |
 Spectators crowded around...  Spectators crowded around the obstacle course for the Rausch Creek off-road demonstration. They had seven vehicles on the track at the same time on many different obstacles. With so much going on, it was hard trying to figure out what to watch. |  We had a great time watching...  We had a great time watching Andrew Burns of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, zipping around the obstacle course. He kept the build price low with a front Dana 44 and rear Ford 9-inch he pulled from a Ford truck still with the stock 3.50 gears swapped onto spools front and rear. It has a 4.0L HO and AW4 from a '95 Jeep bolted to a 231/flipped Dana 300 doubler. Custom radius arms up front and a three-link rear suspension plus a bunch of sheet metal removal allows clearance for the 36-inch Super Swamper SX tires. |  This little ray of sunshine...  This little ray of sunshine has a face that only a mother could love, and we would love to get our hands on one. This '61 FC-170 owned by Luke Noel was such a crowd pleaser; he took home the trophy for the Vintage and Rare class. |
 Adam Eckley of Lehighton,...  Adam Eckley of Lehighton, Pennsylvania, was playing around on the logs on the obstacle course in his low-mileage '78 CJ-5. He bought it with only 31,000 miles on the clock, then added a Hard Rock bumper, sport cage, Warn winch, and hit the woods. The stock 304ci AMC V-8 pushes on a T-18A transmission bolted to a Dana 20 T-case. Power goes out to the front Dana 30 stuffed with an Aussie Locker and rear AMC 20 with a Detroit Locker, both with 4.10 gears. The 33-inch Super Swamper Trxus tires are mounted on 15x8 Ballistic Fab beadlock wheels. |  A pink and red camouflage...  A pink and red camouflage Jeep isn't something you see every day. Even though Michael Matthens of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, didn't drive his '97 Jeep Wrangler around the obstacle course like it was a girly Jeep, we think he was trying to cover the paint with mud in this pit. A largely-stock powertrain coupled with a 4-inch lift and 33-inch Pit Bull Rockers gets the job done. When we asked him if his Jeep had any unique features he replied, "Ugly as sin." |  Why crawl when you can jump?...  Why crawl when you can jump? Shawn Ferguson of Green Lane, Pennsylvania, in his mostly-stock '77 Jeep CJ-5, put on quite a show for the spectators on this hill. The inline-six, T-18, and Dana 20 are all largely untouched, but Shawn didn't waste any energy on the stock axles and swapped-in Dana 44s front and rear with 4.10 gears and mini spools. A 71/2-inch BDS lift provides clearance for the Yokohama Geolandars and a full DOM roll cage keeps him safe should he land rubber-up. |
 This '81 CJ-7 hailed from...  This '81 CJ-7 hailed from Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, and its owner Scott Ferguson put the stock 258ci inline-six with swapped-in NP435 and twin-sticked Dana 300 to full use. The narrow-track front and rear axles might be the stock units for this Jeep, but the guts aren't stock. The Dana 30 now runs 4.88 gears, a Detroit Locker, and chromoly shafts, while the AMC 20 rear has been trussed to keep the tubes where they belong; it has one-piece shafts, 4.88 gears, and a Detroit Locker. A 41/2-inch lift clears the 35-inch tires, and stock CJ wheels complete the look. |  Something old and something...  Something old and something blue: David Kline of New Hope, Pennsylvania, did an amazing job restoring this '64 Willys Wagon, including the stock T-90, Dana 18, front Dana 27, and rear Dana 44. The only changes from stock are a period-correct engine swap in the form of a '65 Rambler V-8, homemade headers, a custom bellhousing, and a one-off transmission input shaft. | |
Jeep Wrangler Research
Consider the Jeep Wrangler for your next new car and browse reviews featuring information on test drives, comparisons, options and features. The 2010 Jeep Wrangler has a comparable standard engine and has comparable seating capacity. Other similar vehicles are the Jeep Commander and the Jeep Compass.
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