Towing behind the A

roccaas

roccaas

Well-known member
MAFCA Cover Car on Saturday showed a significant trailer behind a 29(?) Tudor. How much weight is safe to tow, and is their a reliable tow frame for A's?

I'm more concerned with short distance, lower speed towing (small sailboat), but I have seen some parade floats pulled by Coupes as well as AA's. AA's seems more reasonable, but he Coupe did pull along well at parade speed.
 
How much engine ya got, --and how are your brakes?

Going to the MARC Nat'ls in Jacksonville a few years ago, we actually won the Longest Distance Towed award because I used one Model A Phaeton to pull another Model A Phaeton down to the meet. We kept up with the rest of the group touring down, ...and I even passed a Fordor going up a hill while pulling the other car. Model A engines make awesome torque.

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Standard engine, 2 year old rebuild. Standard 3 speed with standard rear end.

Ted's Floaters, so I'm satisfied with the brakes.

Towing a 130 lb sailboat on a 150 lb trailer, flat drive of 15 miles at 45 mph.

Is there a Hidden Hitch or U Haul unit that can bolt up to the rear of a Cabriolet?

Thanks
 
If you drive slow enough, and use common sense, you will likely never ever have a problem doing that. One question though, don't you need to back the trailer WAY down the ramp to launch a sailboat? If so, 'Me' is thinking wet skinny tires on a slimey boat ramp is not a good combination!!

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At last months club meeting we had our insurance agent from Silver Wheels told us that we should not tow anything behind our Model A's! He said that they would not cover it! I would check with your agent, just to be sure. Things may be different in the States, and I don't really understand why he said this, but we've been told now. I am sure my car could handle a small trailer, both going and stopping, and was considering one as there is not very much storage space in a Roadster for a week-end get-a-way.
 
Std 28 pickup,towed a 350kgs camper with three others for 7000klms.one 28 woodie towed 550kgs the same distance.

4533901166_d6b3edd451.jpg
 
When I was in graduate school my best bud ran the machine shop in the engineering school. I hauled more heavy machine tools in my 29 CCPU in those days than you can imagine: surface grinders, mills, etc., just drove slow and had fun. (I also prayed the spokes would hold: one wheel was shakey due to rust) Last time my wife and I changed houses (hope it was the last) I did it all (furniture, etc) with a 4x8 utility trailer behind my 30 tudor (not too far and lots of trips). Read "Born Naked" by Farley Mowat: his dad made a big camper and towed it clear across Canada (admittedly slowly) in the '30's with their coupe (new from the dealer). A's are working vehicles. Take it easy, pay attention, but do it with confidence. The A can handle a big job as well or better as any newer car if you pay attention.

Giles in Cincinnati
 
If your going to tow, and you cobble up some sort of a hitch to hold a 2" ball with a thick shanked [these come thick and thin] take a moment to think about steel. Regular old black iron, mild steel flat bar which may be used in construction of the rig.

10,000 lb times the thickness of steel divided by four equals the safe working load.

Now go do some cyphering and a look~see to figure out just where under that 'A' your going to bolt on some steel.

Your starting with this...

Fordframeback-2.jpg


And making this or something like it. So heat and beat.

Fordframehitch.jpg

Piece of cake. Opps the 7/16" above right ought to read 7/8 "

skip.
 
We installed a receiver hitch on the Model A Times sedan and tow a Mullins trailer quite well. This trailer has been towed with quite a load and the car tows it well. Stopping is to be considered when deciding on the load. We have used a Model A to tow another Model A but you must be aware of the additional room needed to stop with the mechanical brakes.
 
I used to tow all over the country with this setup.
The car has 4 wheel disc brakes and the trailer also
had disc brakes...The car had a flathead B engine at the time.
 

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My '30 Coupe (with cast iron brakes and insert rods) pulls our 1935 Bowlus Road Chief to special events. The trailer weighs 1100 pounds empty. The hitch is a copy of the heavy duty hitch I have on my Ford pickup that I welded together from square steel tubing. Insurance has been a problem since my carrier of choice, Hagerty, will not insure the car with a trailer in tow. I did switch to my modern car insurer, State Farm, and insured the A as a "regular" car. The biggest problem when the Bowlus is behind the Coupe is nobhead drivers who don't pay enough attention to where they are going when they see the combination. Gar Williams
 

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Thanks for the info on Insurance. That's a deal killer.

Maybe I can run up an overhead rack that bolts to the front and rear bumper mounts?
 
Gar - What a unique trailer. I can honestly say I have never seen that model and brand of trailer, and I have camped numerous places all over this great USA.

Thanks, for sharing,
 
Gar - Absolutely amazing! Am I correct, did you actually dismantle that trailer down to the steel frame? How did you keep all the pieces straight? What kind of shape was it in when you got it? That aluminum certainly wasn't that shiny when you got it.

Thanks for sharing.
 
The trailer is great for towing behind a Model A since it is so light and very aerodynamic.

The trailer was very badly corroded when I brought it home from Oregon. I did dismantle it completely and replaced all of the aluminum skin and the interior lining of birch plywood. I have been in the antique aircraft repair business for a long time so it was really nothing new. It just took a lot of time.

Thanks for your interest. Gar Williams
 
Gar -- to give credit where credit is due -- you have a lovely rivet-bucker and Model A co-pilot! Roses (again?) are always in order!
 
Era photo of Model A towing a camper

Here is an original era photo of a Phaeton, in Germany, pulling a descent sized camper.....and I'm assuming all five people fit in the car as well.....and don't forget the kid riding in the trailer (see trailer back window).

Phaetonpullingcamper.jpg


Looking at the wooden shutters and paneling, it looks like a fairly heavy trailer.

Fordially,
Brad in Germany
 
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