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How's This For a Potential Closed Car Hauler?

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tony barnhill

tony barnhill

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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This was just offered to me for $1,500....interior is stripped down to the aluminum frame but original hard insulation is still there...floor is solid plywood....single axle.....it's missing its 2 corner curved front windows (hmm, can they be made?)

I've a friend who owns a fabricating shop & he's gonna look it over to see if he can turn the rear end into a clamshell that opens to allow ramps to be pulled out but keeps original shape/skin....don't know if I'd have to build the floor up over the wheelwells or if I can narrow them enough to pull an MGB into it.

A friend who owns a garage thinks they can be narrowed....he says to stay with a single axle but go heavyweight with electric brakes.....he also says to change the tongue to a longer one.

Wouldn't it be neat...TD in the rear, curved settee with table in front w/frig at one end of the settee...winch for car...maybe a microwave on top of the frig...little Honda generator...maybe even a small AC unit on top....hehehe
 

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sounds great. How about a pic or 3? Sorry, they were there. Just took forever to load for me. :laugh:
 
Unique.... Definatly unique.
 
Basil said:
There is a joke here just dying to get out - but I'll be nice!
Click to expand...
Go ahead - get it out.....here's more for your joke:

I think its a 1949 Spartan Manor (2nd from top in photo below):

spartan49.jpg
logowhite.jpg
 
Looks great but I would sure like to see dual axles.
 
Bayless said:
Looks great but I would sure like to see dual axles.
Click to expand...
The early 25' and later 26' Spartan Manor came in a single axle or the 26' Manor Tandem came with duals...my friend said it wouldn't bee hard to change....I'm still learning about this old beast....but, I've found a place in California that probably has the front windows - they were originally plexiglass!!

Could be as old as a '46 but no newer than a '51.

Hehehe...Jay Leno has a Spartan converted just like I'm thinking:

825_43453867455a51f4ae9be.jpg
 
It'd be unique for sure. I'd want tandem axles - also some idea as to tongue weight with & without a car in it.

Those corner windows shouldn't be too hard to make from plexi. We once made one with compound curves for a Zagato knock-off removable hardtop in a friend's kitchen oven.

It'd be a real attention getter at the vintage races.
 
I`v been thinking something along the same lines. I was thinking how nice it would be to take my Tr in during the night at local car shows plus having somewhere to sleep, eat and go P without having to get a Motel/Hotel room.It sure would beat leaving it unattended overnight in some city park or Motel/Hotel parking lot somewhere for sure.
Tandem axles would be a plus as would air conditioning, Tv, bathroom and cooking facility.
 
Looking at Jay Leno's trailer build, they installed tri-axles & an air bag suspension....they also raised the entire trailer so the wheel arches make a very small intrusion into the trailer floor....so dual axles are a real probability...got a friend who owns a trailer manufacturing plant (he designed & built the trailer I haul MG's with) so he could do that easily.

Don't want a trailer to live in - done that for 6 months in an RV all across the continent - just a place to relax during shows...hotels for me & Jerri!
 
Tony,

That's pretty cool!I've thought about an Airsteam at times,also.

- Doug
 
If I remember correctly, Spartan was made by a division of Spartan Aircraft Co. after WW-2. They were the Airstream of their day. Extremely well built with aircraft technology. Very expensive compared to most other trailers.
 
Uh, I was kinda thinking <span style="font-style: italic">the can man</span> may be interested in it. Maybe not quite $1500 worth of aluminum, by weight, though.
 
When we-uns down here in Louisiana see or hear the word <span style="font-weight: bold">TRAILER</span>, we immediately think of FEMA and get light headed (maybe from the formaldehyde).
 
Of course, in Alabama, perhaps the word <span style="font-weight: bold">Trailer</span> invokes nostalgia. :devilgrin:
 
Go ahead with all the jokes...hehehe....right now, it's just <span style="font-weight: bold">TRAILER TRASH</span>....but, if I do decide to buy it, ya'll will all want to hang out in it at shows!!

Yep, Spartan Aircraft did make it....I've ben loking on the internet & have found restored ones going for as high as $45,000!
 
The fellow racing Peyote, the TR3 special, uses a converted Airstream trailer as a hauler. Saw it at Road America.
 
Tony, where did you find the build of Jay Leno's trailer? I looked at Jay's Garage and couldn't find it.

Some time ago, I saw pics - maybe here? - of someone who had modified an Airstream(?) such that his car fit inside for transport and then the beds, etc. folded down once the car was out for sleeping, etc. I thought that was a cool setup!
 
Silverghost said:
Tony, where did you find the build of Jay Leno's trailer? I looked at Jay's Garage and couldn't find it.

Some time ago, I saw pics - maybe here? - of someone who had modified an Airstream(?) such that his car fit inside for transport and then the beds, etc. folded down once the car was out for sleeping, etc. I thought that was a cool setup!
Click to expand...
https://www.cardomain.com/ride/340096/5 Apaarently this guy sold it to Jay Leno (or , possiby, I read the caption under the photo wrong & its just shown on Len's site)

Swift6 said:
You'll probably need a bigger truck to pull that thing loaded as well.
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You don't think my full-size Dodge with a 5.9L V8 & towing package will handle it?
 
tony barnhill said:
Swift6 said:
You'll probably need a bigger truck to pull that thing loaded as well.
Click to expand...
You don't think my full-size Dodge with a 5.9L V8 & towing package will handle it?
Click to expand...

I was actually thinking of your Sonoma, forgot about your Dodge. :blush:

However, that depends on what you mean by full size. A 1500 could do it but a 2500 would be better, not quite to the level of the 3500 though. Balance of the trailer and tongue weight could make all the difference though. As well as how far you plan to tow. Of course I'm coming from the point of view that we often have to pull trailers over high mountain passes out my way. Not something you need to worry about unless you try to bring it out to the MGB meet in Breckenridge next summer. :wink:
 
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