European-style car hauler trailers.....

mazdeuce wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: I need longer ramps.

Your car is too low.

RoughandReady wrote: That crown vic is sweet.

Thanks! It's been everything to me....literally.

EvanB wrote: Your car is too low.

No such thing.

In reply to blaze86vic:

Ramps? We don't need no stinkin ramps.

irish44j wrote:

Knurled wrote:

Toyman01 wrote: Tow rigs got bigger and more capable. Trailers got bigger and people started hauling the entire shop to the race track. Just as important, interstate speeds went from 55 to 70. A long trailer tows better at high speeds.

The Interstate speeds were 70-75 when those black and white photos were taken.

And they're a hell of a lot higher than that in Germany ;)

Not when it comes to towing. Used to be a 80 km/h limit on the Autobahn (same as trucks over 3.5 tons) although I have a vague recollection that they bumped it up a little due to European harmonisation. Speed limits when towing used to be higher in France than Germany (90-100 km/h, IIRC) so the funny thing was that the French made better tow vehicles than that big German car companies.

Also, don't forget that towing limits in Europe are generally higher compared to the US for the same vehicle in addition to the trailers being slightly smaller and lighter. It's entirely possible to tow a production car based racecar with something like a big sedan or station wagon and not exceed the towing limits, and something like a Formula V with something like a Golf Diesel.

EvanB wrote:

mazdeuce wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: I need longer ramps.

Your car is too low.

My rallycross car isn't but the 911 sure is. The whole point of having a BIG trailer is so that I could haul all of my cars, not just some of them. Besides, I thought you were all hardcore and were always going to drive everywhere. Why do you care about trailers all of a sudden?

mazdeuce wrote: Besides, I thought you were all hardcore and were always going to drive everywhere. Why do you care about trailers all of a sudden?

I drove the 900 miles to nationals in a stripped Miata one too many times.

mazdeuce wrote: My rallycross car isn't but the 911 sure is. The whole point of having a BIG trailer is so that I could haul all of my cars, not just some of them. Besides, I thought you were all hardcore and were always going to drive everywhere. Why do you care about trailers all of a sudden?

'cos we're all getting old and grumpy.

Just had a track day this weekend with a bunch of friends. One of them borrowed this trailer for his Exige from another guy with one. Aluminum and built for this model of car. He towed it just fine with his Tacoma. The scaffolding across the front of the car is a rack for extra wheels. Really neat and light weight but spendy I'm guessing.

Another friend has a big enclosed thing with a generator and cabinets and such. Uses an f-250 turbo diesel to haul it. We camped in it so there's that for a benefit of larger car haulers. Both of them have no real problems cruising at freeway speeds.

we didn't have any trouble towing our e30 chumpcar on a 1700-lb open trailer with my V6 4Runner, even in the mountains. It was really an easy tow with a total weight of about 4500lbs. The new (old) Sequoia will be even more effortless at that weight.

That said, a smaller/lighter trailer is always preferable in my book, hence why I ask about this topic :)

mazdeuce wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: Where did you get the ramps on the little trailer? I have (what looks like) the same trailer as your big ones and the ramps are way too short for proper car loading leading me to a series of shenanigans that I don't always like. I need longer ramps.

They're from Harbor Freight. No problem with the Locost, but I needed to beef them up a touch for when I started dragging the Miata around.

Now, if you want to see shenanigans, you have to see me loading the Miata into my current trailer with all the aero bits and the track ride height. It's quite a production. I sure miss that old red trailer...

BoxheadTim wrote:

irish44j wrote:

Knurled wrote:

Toyman01 wrote: Tow rigs got bigger and more capable. Trailers got bigger and people started hauling the entire shop to the race track. Just as important, interstate speeds went from 55 to 70. A long trailer tows better at high speeds.

The Interstate speeds were 70-75 when those black and white photos were taken.

And they're a hell of a lot higher than that in Germany ;)

Not when it comes to towing. Used to be a 80 km/h limit on the Autobahn (same as trucks over 3.5 tons) although I have a vague recollection that they bumped it up a little due to European harmonisation. Speed limits when towing used to be higher in France than Germany (90-100 km/h, IIRC) so the funny thing was that the French made better tow vehicles than that big German car companies. Also, don't forget that towing limits in Europe are generally higher compared to the US for the same vehicle in addition to the trailers being slightly smaller and lighter. It's entirely possible to tow a production car based racecar with something like a big sedan or station wagon and not exceed the towing limits, and something like a Formula V with something like a Golf Diesel.

I know when towing my boat (all 3500 pounds of it plus trailer) I keep my speeds right at 55mph on the highway. Easier on the truck, easier on the mileage, and gives me an slightly larger envelope of safety if I have to stop or turn quickly

EvanB wrote: I drove the 900 miles to nationals in a stripped Miata one too many times.

My solution for the RX-7 was a big old sleeping bag laid out over the floor to replace the sound deadening qualities of the now-missing carpeting.

blaze86vic wrote: And it also seems that 2 axle brakes is purely custom order now (I swear I remember that being more common in days past).

I remember it too. A lot of times a trailer would have electric brakes on one axle and surge brakes on the other.

For extra fun, the trailer I towed with when I hauled a car with a B4000 had only one working trailer brake, and it was a binary device. That was kinda fun, the trailer would try to make its own left turn every time I braked.

I had a trailer for my racing MG Midget that was homemade by a racer in the 70's specifically for a Midget or Bugeye. It was very simple. 2 tilting ramps and a solid beam axle with no brakes. I towed that rig with my B4000 Ranger across country with no problem. I even put my street MGA on it, which weighed 2000 lbs vs the Midget's 1400. The only thing I would do differently were I to design it is to make it a 4 wheeler instead of two. It was a little disconcerting when a tire let go.

Had a buddy who had a trailer built for him for a similar car. A local trailer place did it and it wasn't very expensive, though I don't remember the price.

irish44j wrote: With all the oddball specialty trailers out there for hauling everything from Bobcats to whatever, you would think that there would be ONE manufacturer out there interested in a niche product. Alfa - is your trailer aluminum or steel (700lbs is mucho-light!)? Also, how wide would you say it is (under 8 feet?) Who manufactured these trailers back when they were made here?

Mostly aluminum. It's two bent pieces where the wheels go, a pretty basic T shaped structure for the toung- out of steel, and some cross bracing that also acts as ramp holders in the rear. Except for some brakets- the whole thing is bolted together, and works like a charm. I added a few tie down points...

It uses two 2000lb torsion axles, so capcity isn't an issue for those.

I don't recall the exact dimesions, since I don't have it in my possesion at the moment. But the weight is accurate- since the shipping cost was 100% about the weight- which were on the documents that I got when delivered.

The hardest part to replicate are the two main ramps- it's 1/4" alumuminum sheet bent to hold the car. They are pretty big.

<img src="" /> Great for mid engine, rear engine, sandrail etc.

A friend of mine built a small trailer for his hand built aluminum hot rod. He first talked to a powder coater and asked what the inside dimensions of his largest oven were. Then he built the largest small trailer that he could have powder coated.

LanEvo wrote: I love those small trailers in Europe with the aerodynamic fiberglass clamshell tops. Wish we could get them here. Edited to add: Can't find a photo of what I'm talking about. They look kind of like this, but are meant for hauling cars...

• Lee

Lancer007 wrote: Just had a track day this weekend with a bunch of friends. One of them borrowed this trailer for his Exige from another guy with one. Aluminum and built for this model of car. He towed it just fine with his Tacoma. The scaffolding across the front of the car is a rack for extra wheels. Really neat and light weight but spendy I'm guessing.

I have one of those. It's a Trailex. It weighs about 900 pounds. I picked it up used for $1500 and also pull it with a Tacoma. I sold the tire rack.

Woody wrote: I have one of those. It's a Trailex. It weighs about 900 pounds. I picked it up used for $1500 and also pull it with a Tacoma. I sold the tire rack.

YOu stole it for that price. I just checked their web site and the cheapest car trailer is just over $6k new. That's 835lb's with a 3,100lb capacity

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

Woody wrote: I have one of those. It's a Trailex. It weighs about 900 pounds. I picked it up used for $1500 and also pull it with a Tacoma. I sold the tire rack.

YOu stole it for that price. I just checked their web site and the cheapest car trailer is just over $6k new. That's 835lb's with a 3,100lb capacity

Admittedly, I got a good deal on it, but I've had it for about eight years and it is now 30 years old. But, being aluminum, all I have to do is hit it with some Zep-Alum and in ten minutes, it looks almost new.

I've been thinking of building a new trailer for my bikes. Either a deck that drops/tilts so you don't need ramps, or an enclosed similar to those high/low trailers where you can load the bikes, then lower the roof down to the height of the bars for better aero. Something like that black one above, but with lower height.

mazdeuce wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: Where did you get the ramps on the little trailer? I have (what looks like) the same trailer as your big ones and the ramps are way too short for proper car loading leading me to a series of shenanigans that I don't always like. I need longer ramps.

Google search grip strut

Zomby, you want a Haulmark Low Hauler. Subject to the Harley Tax, unfortunately.

Steel trailers are bendy and flexy, which is fine. Aluminum ones are snappy, which is not fine.