Trailer hitch 1936?

[B-nut]

I would like to pull a small wooden boat around with the 36 pickup. Is there a manufactured trailer hitch available or am I looking at welding one up? Any ideas? Thanks B-nut.

 

[jimTN]

The way it was done years ago was to put a piece of 1 1/2" or 2" angle iron from one set of bumper braces to the other. Two rod caps with bolts thru them into the angle iron made excellent clamps. A piece of L shaped flat steel 1/2 to 3/4" thick was welded to the angle to proturd past the bumper, a short piece of flat bar welded to that steel right behind the bumper going up and bolted thru the bumper with a bumper bolt. I used to pull a round track car behind my 40 ford with a arrangement like that.

 

[36Bill]

My 36 has what looks like a Ford option hitch. It could be made by someone handy with heavy metal. I will take pictures later today.

Bill

 

[36Bill]

Here are pictures I hope of the hitch on my 36 pickup. Most of the metal is 1/2"x2" with the hitch 1/2"x2 1/2". It is all bolted together and worked well but I haven't used it in a long time.

Bill

 

[2ndgeer]

OK, you said you wanted to tow a trailer so I apologize for slipping off topic.
I can't back up a trailer worth a hoot so I carry my boat (12-foot Penn Yan Cartop) on an oak rack I built for my '34 pickup. The simple dolly seen in the second photo (found on eBay) makes it easy to move the boat. Maybe you should consider such a setup. No permanent changes to truck and no metal-working skills needed.

 

[FL&WVMIKE]

B-nut .........................
Here is an "antique" trailer hitch, that I made a couple years ago, for my '34 Ford.
We used it to tow an antique race-car to a function. The actual tow-bar was a REAL antique. It had been made out of a Model "A" wishbone.
To give the angle iron some "patina", I soaked some rags in salt water and left the whole thing, outside, for a few days.
It was simple to make. It just bolted onto the bumper bolts. A safety chain was hooked up, independently.
MIKE

 

[Ken Bull]

If you have a Bumper on the PU I have a HD (takes class 1 Ball) made by Acme that clamps onto bumper- Hitch less ball- $50 + shpg/Ken

 

[devilswillys]

Hi Ken
Did you sell the hitch
Do you have pictures
I was planing to have a teardrop after my 36 club cabriolet
did ford ever offer an original hitch
How does a hitch from back then look like anybody here have pictures or a good story about hitces frm the 30´s

Thanks Tim

 

[4dFord/SC]

According to my notes, this person was reproducing hitches for Mullins trailers several years ago: SNOWSKI62@aol.com

 

[G.M.]

Years ago they had an emergency "tow bar" that clamped on both bumper with I beleive a ball joint on both ends of a bar about 14"s long where the bar attached to the bumpers with what looked like two metal vises. Of course you had flexing of the bumpers but it got you home. I have a light duty tow bar on my 39 with a bar between the two bumper guard bolt. I use this to tow my V/8 60 midget a short distance. G.M.

 

[Dick Webber]

Do some measuring. I found that a receiver hitch from a 73-87 Chevy pickup fit my 49 F-1 without cutting anything, and still allows use of the original spare. Lots of pickups from the 70-80's have either 34 or 38" frames.

 

[lake_harley]

Digging up an old thread but wondering what would be a reasonably safe total weight trailer with load to pull with a '36 Ford Pickup. I'm considering buying one and it has a '49-'53 Flathead in it. I'd like to pull my Front Engine dragster with it and I would estimate the total weight of the trailer and dragster at about 1800-1900 Lbs.

Lynn

 

[petehoovie]

This is one for Lawrie to chime in on...

 

[cas3]

I would guess Lawries Caravan to be in the 800-1000 lb range, irrelevant.

Since the brakes on the 36 were adequate at best, brakes on the trailer would be a must.

I've never been a big fan of surge brakes, but they do work with light loads like you want.

Electric brakes are better, but of course would require you to wire that all up, and are you 12 volt?