Trailer hitch on a healey?

[Csarneson]

I've seen photos of Healeys towing trailers but not a single pic of the hitch. I am rebuilding a 100/6 and would like a hitch mounted bike rack to keep a bike away from the body and paint. It's currently on a rotisserie so now is the ideal time to figure this out. I was staring at my chassis for a while tonight but can't figure out how to create one. Is the back end even high enough to do it? Thoughts?

 

[Randy Forbes]

Of course there is! You just have to figure out how to do it, and what you're willing to modify in the process. I'm reading into this that if you want to haul your bicycles on a Healey, you're probably not building a concourse contender, but rather restoring the car to drive. Therefore, yes, now is the time to incorporate the needed modifications!

If it was me...

I'd not build a single point trailer hitch, per se, but come off the rearmost crossmember almost out to the point of the spring shackles. During this phase of your restoration, it would be very easy to make a slit into which you could pass a thick (3/8" or 1/2") steel plate (maybe 3" x 4") with threaded holes tapped into it. You'd bolt your bracketry to the outside of the xmbr and into the threaded plates. From these brackets, tubular steel could be fashioned to come out from under the chassis, and up to supports the bike(s). Eight (8) bolts, and you could remove if from the car (put the bolts back into the threaded holes when not in use, to prevent corrosion) as no matter how nice you build it, without bikes on it, it will detract from the appearance of the car

Just a note about trailer-hitch mounted bike rakes:
When I wanted to put a hitch on my ///M Rdstr, so I could haul track tires to autocross events, I did a lot of searching about hitches and BMWs. By and large, nobody had any negative comments about using them to tow (relatively light utility) trailers, but there were some bad examples from when the hitches were used for bike racks! I don't know if it had to do with the single-central mount, and the wind buffeting the bikes (and no telling at what speeds these BMW_Demons were traveling...) but they were literally tearing out the sheetmetal trunkfloors of their (primarily) 3-Series sedans, coupes and cabriolets__when hauling only these seemingly lightweight bikes.

Hence my suggestion to not use a hitch-mounted style of rack, but to spread the attachment across the width of the chassis as much as possible. I would also devise some straps that you could hook to the back of the cockpit on either side, to keep the bikes "snug" and prevent them from buffeting in the wind (even thoughh we all know that Healeys are driven much slower than Bimmers ). The straps could even be kept in place with the top on, assuming it's not a BJ7 or 8.

Just some food for thought...

 

[roscoe]

I have seen photos of the late Norman Nock towing a small teardrop trailer with his 100. It was way classy and functional. I'll bet if you call British Car Specialists in Stockton, CA they would e able to help you out.

 

[Keoke]

I've seen photos of Healeys towing trailers but not a single pic of the hitch. I am rebuilding a 100/6 and would like a hitch mounted bike rack to keep a bike away from the body and paint. It's currently on a rotisserie so now is the ideal time to figure this out.

My suggestion is:
Either drive the Healey or ride the Bicycle never combine the two.----:highly_amused:

 

[John Turney]

I have seen photos of the late Norman Nock towing a small teardrop trailer with his 100. It was way classy and functional. I'll bet if you call British Car Specialists in Stockton, CA they would e able to help you out.

Definitely call BCS. Norm's widow still has the car.

 

[stuntflyr]

Bicyclists are always blocking my way.
Chris...

 

[Csarneson]

Hopefully by the time I finish restoring my Healey I will still be young enough to ride a bike.

Randy i I love your idea of attaching to the ends of the rear crossmember. I already have a bike rack that lives on the back of my daily driver (saab convertible) but would love to toss on the healey someday as well. I ordered a class 1 mount hitch from Amazon for $26 and will try to weld up an adapter to go to the crossmember. At that price I'm willing to gamble that I can weld on a reinforcement plate with captive nuts.

 

[RAC68]

This thread brings up something I had though a while back. At a show about 10 or 15 years ago, I saw a 100-6 toing a teardrop motorcycle trailer painted to match and providing additional space for a cross country trip. I like the idea but never followed through. Years later I was dissuaded by the price of the trailer and my BJ8P1's low rear clearance further encumbered by the transverse resonator. Although I would still love to install a trailer, I see little potential for installing a hitch and having the clearance to go down my driveway without severely scraping or loosing my resonator.

Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[CraigC]

Another person who could shed some light on the hitch installation would be Len Hartnett. He's a member of the Golden Gate Healey Club. From some recent pics I have seen he is still towing the trailer I first saw him towing way back in the late 70's.

 

[Csarneson]

So I ordered a hitch from Amazon for $29 (with free shipping) and it arrived last night. After I ordered the price suddenly jumped to $170 ( https://amzn.com/B003PJ0IBY ). I plan to mock it up this evening and figure out a game plan. It doesn't look like it will be hard at all and I will happily post pictures of my solution.

My basketcase car didn't come with a rear bumper. Would somebody be kind enough to measure how far the rear bumper extends out from either the rear shroud or PREFERABLY the rear-most part of the trunk floor? Exact measurements are not necessary. Thanks!

 

[tahoe healey]

Len Hartnett is in the process of selling his trailer. I don't know if he sold the hitch that goes with it too. I was at his house last weekend and the hitch was off his car. I think it simply bolted on with 4 bolts so as to be easily removable. He is currently on his way to Rendezvous but you could contact him after. He is one of the nicest guys and probably will have diagrams of everything as that is "Len" (those who know him will know what I mean).
TH

 

[Lotuswins]

 

[Csarneson]

Thanks Jerry. That's an interesting design. Any idea what this part is?

 

[Lotuswins]

I believe that part bolts to the bumper, either on top where the license plate light does, or drilled from underneath, but into the same holes. You can sub a receiver for the ball portion, I would put the small one on, and it should hold a bike okay. To stabilized the bike though, you might think of bungy cords or straps to the bumper guards to keep the bike from twisting. Also, since it bolts through the rectangular rear portion of the frame, welding tubes in would be best to keep from collapsing the frame. just a few thoughts. I found this picture on the internet somewhere, but have seen the same thing on a healey in Portland.

 

[red57]

This has been my solution for the last 15 years or so. I've logged around 10k miles towing. Trailer fully loaded is around 4-500#, tongue weight about 30-50# and when I arrive at the track, four bolts and it's off. I normally run my car without bumpers so I had already moved the license plate light to the license plate so no wires to unplug. I used a coule of mangles stock bumper brackets cut off and welded to 2x2x.125 square tube with a piece of 1/2" plate welded on for a ball mount. Not an alternative if you want stock a bumper.

I have not tried to inset photos before so I hope this works.
Dave

 

[red57]

Wow, sorry guys, I though there would be thumbnails like I see in other posts. Obviously I don't know what I'm doing:tennis:
Dave

 

[GregW]

Full size photos good Dave. Less clicking. My dad did something similar to tow a 16 foot speed boat. Launched and retrieved the boat down a ramp into the water.

 

[Keoke]

Well the trailers aren't unique:

Sandy of the Austin-Healey Association who handles club merchandise sales [Regalia] has a red/white teardrop and another lady I do not know has a Yellow one there are others too.

Have not seen red57 for quite a while he use to be more active on the old forum.

 

[eyera3]

Don't know if you ever got a photo or made your hitch? I have one that came with my Healey trailer. I have not yet installed it and can send photos.

 

[Michael Oritt]

Rudy Streng from NC had a trailer made from the back of a Healey. It was pretty cool.