Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator

Old American Made Jacks

B1Toad

TJ Addict
Original poster
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2023
Messages
2,881
Location
Arizona
I have a small collection of jacks including a couple of vintage Black Hawk jacks, the bottle jack is over 50 years old and still works great and doesn't leak. I also have this old Blackhawk one end frame lift called a "Service Chief" They made a similar one with a crank called a "Jeep Jack" but the Service Chief is hydraulic and mine still works although it does leak a bit. They actually still sell rebuild kits for it, $35.

I have a habit of collecting jacks, vises, bench grinders and anvils but I am starting to get rid of some of that, (I don't need 10-12 vises and 8 bench grinders)

Anyway it's not much good for modern cars but it can lift one end of a Jeep by the bumper. There is 10" of clearance between the body and the center of the lifting pads so in the rear you'd need to remove the spare first. The lifting pads are each attached to a heavy steel bar that slide in and out so you can adjust the width.

There is a notched bar with spring tension and as you raise the jack the spring keeps the bar against the lift and catches a notch every 8" or so, so when you choose a height you can then release the hydraulic ram and the lift will settle into the nearest notch and support the vehicle without the need for stands, it's extremely stable. Everything is heavy steel and the whole thing, although heavy, rolls easily on smooth concrete with 3 steel wheels.

I've used it for installing receiver hitches and for unloading heavy stuff from the truck bed, and years ago I used it on some Jeeps.

Anyway I have been trying to get rid of stuff lately and I've sold off some steel and yesterday I sold 3 post vises and gave away a couple bench vises, next I was going to clean this lift up and sell it but now having second thoughts and thinking about restoring it and keeping it in the garage. All it really needs is paint and a new ball on the release handle, I stuck a piece of 1/2" PVC there for now. I can throw a seal kit in it while I'm at it. I'm just not sure I'll ever use it, I have a wide variety of way to jack up all my different vehicles. It would be pretty handy for an axle swap job but I don't plan on doing that.

Anyone seen one or used one? I put a picture of the Jeep Jack in there and you can see it is similar in design to my Service Chief.

Blackhawk1.jpg
Service Chief.jpg
JeepJack.jpg
 
That $89 in 1955 would be over $1000 adjusted for inflation today. And that is new...doesn't even take into account the nostalgia and fact that you probably can hardly find them anymore. I think its cool. maybe get it restored. Looks cool as hell.
 
It is very cool. If it were mine and I wasn’t going to be using it I’d sell it. People tend to hold on to things, too many things far too long. Then they die and someone is left to deal with tons of stuff nobody in the family wants. It’s sad, but it’s just the way it is.
 
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Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator