utility trailers of the era

[GB SISSON]

When I was a kid in N Seattle, one of my neighbors had a little trailer that I think came from the Western Auto store. It had two special hitches which clamped to the rear bumper and a single caster wheel centered at the rear. Musta been super easy to back up, but don't forget it's back there when turning tight corners.... On another note, a friend tells of how his dad rented a travel trailer for a family vacation and on his first backing attempt managed to stab a tailfin from their '58 belvedere clean through the trailer's front panel. Back to early utility trailers, I have two here. One that looks professionaly made from a Ford tonner rear axle with the diff sawn out and sleeved, and another with an 8 lug front axle from a 50's 3/4 ton chevy. I will get pics of them after dinner.

 

[tubman]

The "One-Wheel" trailers are what I was talking about. We used to see a lot of them in the early and mid-fifties. I haven't seen one forever, but they seem to be a big deal with the vintage VW crowd these days.

 

[cas3]

I remember those one wheel jobbers, Seem to remember they had some kinda trailing arm suspension on the one wheel, like an old BMW earls fork

 

[TomC750]

I made one from The back half of a '47? Stude pickup. It made a better trailer than the complete truck ever was.

 

[GB SISSON]

I just may win the 'white trash award' this month with these two beauties, but it's worth noting the creativity in the fabrication of the fenders. Imagine the extra hand work just to give them a pleasing profile. Both sets of fenders are 1/8" steel, one from diamond plate and the other are hot dipped galvey. The tonner trailer has an incredible pack of springs, underslung for low center of gravity, and a tailgate at each end. HUH? It also has vacuum boosted juice brakes, the booster mounted below the bed. The box is 7 1/2' x 4'.The 7.00 x 17 goodyears have not so much as a hairline crack. They were on the rear of my 38 tonner I bought 30 years ago. Notice the chrome yellow paint under the red. Dealer demonstrator yellow like Revenski's. EDIT: I stand corrected. The axle tube is just a tube. It is welded to 3/4" plate offsets then up to the tonner's hubs/brakes/backing plates. The drive axles were replaced by simple steel covers bolted to the hubs.

 

[petehoovie]

I just may win the 'white trash award' this month with these two beauties, but it's worth noting the creativity in the fabrication of the fenders. Imagine the extra hand work just to give them a pleasing profile. Both sets of fenders are 1/8" steel, one from diamond plate and the other are hot dipped galvey. The tonner trailer has an incredible pack of springs, underslung for low center of gravity, and a tailgate at each end. HUH? It also has vacuum boosted juice brakes, the booster mounted below the bed. The box is 7 1/2' x 4'.The 7.00 x 17 goodyears have not so much as a hairline crack. They were on the rear of my 38 tonner I bought 30 years ago. Notice the chrome yellow paint under the red. Dealer demonstrator yellow like Revenski's. EDIT: I stand corrected. The axle tube is just a tube. It is weled to 3/4" plate offsets then up to the tonner's hubs/brakes/backing plates. The drive axles were replaced by simple steel covers bolted to the hubs.

 

[tubman]

I just thought I'd post one of the most important trailer building rules for those not aware of it : "The longer the tongue on a trailer, he easier it is to maneuver".

 

[cas3]

very true Denny, even on semi trailers, the longer they are the easier to navigate.

On GB's post, I'll bet Red Green could tell us why 2 tailgates is a must have

Also, GB...I think you have a photo on file of the vintage cast bumper hitch on your woody.
Could we see it again? typical of the era, and I think I have a twin...but where?

 

[32philly]

What a great era! I truly miss those trailer days.

 

[s.e.charles]

. . GB...I think you have a photo on file of the vintage cast bumper hitch . . .
Could we see it again? typical of the era . . .

please. missed the first time around.

thanks,

sid

 

[GB SISSON]

Here's that clamp on trailer hitch. It is stamped not cast. Maybe someday I'll paint my bumper, but my son and I will have to go to the track get a new sticker. No hobie stickers on this wagon... I go outa my way to not be confused for a surfer.

 

[petehoovie]

Here's that clamp on trailer hitch. It is stamped not cast. Maybe someday I'll paint my bumper, but my son and I will have to go to the track get a new sticker. No hobie stickers on this wagon... I go outa my way to not be confused for a surfer.

 

[s.e.charles]

Here's that clamp on trailer hitch. It is stamped not cast. Maybe someday I'll paint my bumper, but my son and I will have to go to the track get a new sticker. No hobie stickers on this wagon... I go outa my way to not be confused for a surfer.

excellent; thanks so much.

cowabunga!

sid

 

[GB SISSON]

Thank you Pete and 'cowabunga dude' Sid. Skip, I know I have 'another ********' hitch, if your's was lost in the shuffle I'll send it to you. (If I can find it.)

 

[cas3]

Well, don't bet on my memory in Vegas, odds would be low. I have an old clamp on type bumper hitch that is cast, MFR data cast in, god knows where it is in my new mess, but I know I've seen the exact hitch here. Sorry for the fuss GB, but that photo I'm thinking of must be in another thread about vintage hitches. Its here some where! Carry on....

 

[flatford8]

That hitch doesn’t look like it would be to hard to make. I got an idea for a frame hitch on my Shoebox, that uses the bumper too. But, I don’t think it applies here. My Dad built a “pop-up” camper from a Popular Mechanics issue about 60yrs ago. Slept six of us. Some of the homemade “utility/camper” trailers you see on-line look really well done. Like Lawrie’s caravan………Mark

 

[signsup]

Going through some pics today and found these on a hitch that came on my 1947 Packard Clipper. I'm sure not factory, so Bubba at some point in time. But some pics of what he came up with.

 

[petehoovie]

Going through some pics today and found these on a hitch that came on my 1947 Packard Clipper. I'm sure not factory, so Bubba at some point in time. But some pics of what he came up with.

 

[s.e.charles]

seems all of the forces which could come into play are not considered when some of these gizmos are fabricated.

chain being only strong as the weakest link and all.

 

[signsup]

Here are some pics of a Bantam T3C that I played with a few months ago. This was the WWII jeep parts made by Bantam that they used for civilian trailers. Added tail gate by cutting rear panel and installing reinforcement. No hand brake and Fulton coupler instead of military lunette eye.