The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Trailering

As my '56 nears completion of it's restoration, I have been giving thought to perhaps acquiring the bed/fenders/axle of another "tri-5", and make a custom, matched trailer to pull behind. Anyone done this yet?

Thanks '56--That 1958 is JUST what I'm thinking about! Nice looking rig for sure!! I thought it'd be a good place to carry the chairs, tent, cooler, electric scooter and all the other goodies ya take to a car show.

Hi Brian,

I have two trailers made from AD trucks back halves. The fenders have been scavenged from one of them and the others are beat up pretty badly, but they are trailers. I have always intended to make a chuck wagon out of one of them for camping and hunting and a horse trailer out of the other.
I envisioned the camp trailer having a chuck box in the back of the bed to hold my cookware, folding down for travel and with a lid that folds down to form a prep table. I would keep my camp gear all ready to go where all I had to do was add food in the cooler and water. It would be water proof with a cover like a commmercial bed cover.
The horse trailer would be the bed trailer with stock racks with a fold down ramp and both trailers painted to match my truck in its finished color. Shane posted AutoCAD drawings of the proposed stock trailer some time ago, but I doubt that he still has them. I will get them both done in time. Good luck on yours.
Ralph

Ralph,
Sounds like you have some real good ideas there! A friend of mine has a '53 Ford 1/2 Ton street rod, and he pulls a restored '49 Teardrop travel trailer (matches the truck). Nice! A teardrop would also be nice to pull, but, somehow, that back end of a Tri-5, hooked on to a Tri-5 just looks better!
1956,
When do you plan on starting yours?

Hey, what is up, the site took the word 53 ford pick up, I thought all Ford stuff was blocked out

Site changed!

sorry I did not know that, what else has changed??

A lot of the fun stuff disappeared.

Does anyone know of any instructions on the web for turning the back end of an old truck into a trailer? I've been thinking about doing this with a '55.1 Chevy parts truck I have, but I don't have a clue how to modify the frame.

One way to avoid that hassle is to simply build you an 3"x4" angle iron frame that is the dimensions of the bed. Use a 5-lug #3,500 axle and standard trailer springs, a 2" coupler, a standard 4-pin flat wiring connector, and a $25.00 tongue jack. Bolt your bed to the frame at the standard bed mounting points (weld the mounting ears to the trailer frame and bolt the bed to those). You'll have a very stout frame that will allow an even higher load carrying capacity than if you went and bent the truck frame and used the pickup rear (lots of unnecessary weight there!!!). Use the same bolt pattern as the truck and you'll only have to carry the one spare wheel/tire.

Makes for a much nicer looking and towing unit! You might consider electric or surge trailer brakes, either way. Depending on your state law, you may require them. If your state requires a title, getting a title/tag on what would be considered a home-built trailer is no big deal, and the state would assign a VIN# to it, in that case.

Good luck, whichever way you go!

That '59 is the coolest IMO. I saw a motorcycle pulling one last weekend that looked to be made from the back end of a small car. I don't know what because I can't tell this newer crap apart.

GMCpanel, I welded a '70s-80s GMC bed onto a boat trailer and shortened the neck on it. It might work for you.

Here's my deal - My panel truck is a 1-ton, and I have a 3/4-ton Chevy pickup corpse that I'd like to make a trailer out of. I've heard of some people using a factory front axle for this type of conversion, but I'm not sure how to get the knuckles properly locked into place. The new custom-made frame idea sounds good - I might look into that.

And now for something completely different...

Not mine, but it is quite functional as the bottom part of the bowtie is a cooler, and the rest holds all of the show gear like canopys, chairs, etc.

[img]http://pic5.picturetrail.com:80/VOL92/799532/1477218/63605631.jpg[/img]

GM built trailers made of piuk-up beds and rear fenders in the 30-40's It was a standard item in the range.

Brian: I'm still gathering parts for the project. I probably won't get going on it until I have the 3100 finished.

I have a damaged '56 frame that I will cut and use for the trailer frame. I will probably use a half ton front axle; they are plentiful. (fabricate and fasten plate steel to center the spindle on the axle -- toe)

Great posts above! Give me some real good ideas on putting one of these together. (Really like that little bowtie trailer! )
1956-Guess I also need to start gathering some parts. I already have a fairly nice boat trailer that could be used as the frame. Lot of things to think about in putting it together--like you, I gotta get the 3100 done first! :p

That little bow tie trailer would be miserable to pull. Too short and too narrow. I'd be afraid to pull it over 35 mph. And reverse. I hope he is good.

1956 can you expand that description? I've been thinking about doing the same thing and haven't been happy with any of my ideas.

I have built several of these from all types of pickups. I have had good luck v-notching the flanges of the frame that sticks out in front of the bed and bending them in until there is just enough room a heavy gauge 2" square tubing to poke thru the front of the frame. I weld a heavy plate to the front of the now bent frame and cut a 2X2" square hole and pass the square tubing through and weld to heavy angle iron brace that spans between the frame even with the bed front. I then weld or bolt a 2" ball hitch to the square tubing and you are ready to go. The wiring harness to the rear lights is cut under the cab and a male trailer plug attached to the harness is perfect. Weld on a fold away trailer jack and your are done. I built my welding trailer in about 3 hours from start to finish from a wrecked 3/4 ton, 77 GMC truck. I can take pictures, but I cant post. If anybody is interested, e-mail me.
Ralph

Norselander is going to post photos as soon as I get them from the processer. Stay tuned.
Ralph

Ralph, thanks for the photo's, and to you Norse for posting them. Very good ideas there!

See Guys, it does rain in New Mexico. We only get 12 inches per year, but you should be here when it comes. I have a couple of AD trailers made in a similar way, but I did not make them and they are not where I can photograph them. You can make these pretty by placing a sheet of diamond plate over the frame and dressing up. Thanks for posting the pictures Norse.
Ralph

Great pictures! Thanks for working together so we can all see them.

I'm thinking maybe the frame and bed from a parts truck I have should become a trailer soon.

That's a nice little trailer...but the extra weight of the frame and the truck axle (without brakes!!!) adds a lot of unnecessary weight to the unit. An angle frame with a brake axle is by far the better (and safer) way to go...The way that's set up, you're pulling the weight of almost a half a truck behind you; never mind the load in both the trailer and truck!

Granted, you're saving money with the truck frame, but that's being penny saved/pound foolish, IMHO. As a former trailer dealer, I've got the experience in both directions.

My two cents...

Hi Patrick,
It is a heavy trailer. Behind that little Lincoln Welder is my big Lincoln SA 200 welder. Thats why I used the 3/4 ton for this project. It pulls really well. I have hauled it at interstate speeds many times, and you dont know its there. I have never had problems stopping it either. Localy, I pull it with my 48 pickup and sometimes with the tractor when working in the lots. When I make a finished trailer to pull down the road, I will probably build a frame and use an axle with brakes.
Ralph

OK -- I found one photo.
[img]http://www.norcalspeedshop.com/_offsite_images/cameotrailerchevysml.jpg[/img]
Click here for the
complete photograph.

Actually, there are brake kits for this application. I got a great deal on this one from NCSS . Drop Drew a line -- I'm sure that he can hook you up!

That's a new one...I didn't know there was a conversion offered to make a truck axle brake work as an electric or surge brake, hmmm.

Nice emergency brake there! I've practically used the same thing once or twice!

Norse, is that white trailer yours??? It's a nice one!

Norse, that picture of the Cameo with the Stepside trailer is SHARP!! I got to get me one of those!!!! Thanks for posting.

Patrick: The setup pictured is my goal (less Cameo bed). I am far from that stage of the project.

While I still think that I would like to build a truck-based trailer, you have given me cause for reflection.

Ideas: Motor City Classics (scroll down the page) makes some neat looking woody-style diecast trailers.

OK Norse Buddy: How about a real nice motorcycle trailer, hooked behind the 59 w/truck & motorcycle matching colors. I have heard of a trailer that you drive the motorcycle on and then you use some kinda of lever, hydraulic to lift it off the ground and then just tow.

Anybody heard or seen anything like this?

popcorn The Truth is Out There (Headed to BIG car & truck show) Ben

Trailering!!! Sounds like an other great project! You folks sure have some nice trailers
out there.
Ha! Now Im in serious thought of making one myself!

Classic Finn

OK Pop... This is what I have considered:

• 3200/3600 box (possibly a 3800 -- sides are hard to find but can be fabricated out of a couple of extra bedsides) to -help- accomodate motorcycle wheelbase
• modified frame and bed crossmembers that allow a low center channel (dropped bed floor in center) -- may be necessary to widen track and source wider axle to accomodate breadth of bike
• side-swing tailgate -- mounts to reinforced bedside (as oppossed to drop-down gate)
• add your favorite canopy for wet-weather protection -- build a vintage custom like Scott Sensing\'s or...
  [img]http://www.norcalspeedshop.com/_offsite_images/1959camper.gif[/img]
• Bumper? side-swing (like tailgate) or drop down (think original tailgate setup with a bearclaw latch or somethin')

Or... Have a look at this. Personally, I wouldn't dream of towing a nice looking motorcycle without a shield built onto the trailer to protect the bike from debris.
Or... Unloading\'s a breeze with one of these!

Norse: You are the MAN!!!! The Razor Trailer is exactly what I'm looking for. I knew I had heard of a trailer you just drive on then lift. That big ol electraglide I do not want to ramp.

Putting that info in my truck page and keeping.

popcorn The Truth is Out There (Thank you Thank you. Ben)

Seen this trailer just two week ago. the guy restored a Corvair, then cut up his parts car for a trailer:
Corvair Trailer

Jolly--one neat little trailer!

Steve:

[img]http://norcalspeedshop.com/_offsite_images/skidtrailer/skidtrailersml.jpg[/img]

Here are the photos that I promised you. This is a log skidding trailer. It's pretty crude but it gets the job done.

In retrospect, I don't think that welding to the axle would be the best idea. :rolleyes: But one could fabricate a clamp out of plate steel that mounts to the spindle flange and axle with bolts (I'll have to get a better photo for this -- I snapped it to diagram another feature on this chassis).

That is a little crude... I'm thinking about getting some 2-inch square or perhaps round tubing, welding plates on each end, and bolting the spindles to the plates using the holes that held the backing plates on.

That allows using the old truck hubs and wheels, while also letting me configure the frame and suspension right for a trailer.

But I'm still in the thinking stage and this project may never go further than that...

Norse,
I have a trailer that I use to haul round bales of feed to my cows that is similar to your log skidding trailer. It is made from an 1/2 ton chevy front end axle, 51, I think. The tie rods were bent and welded to the straight axle. The tie rod ends are still adjustable to get it to track straight. Works pretty good.
Ralph