Page 41 - Issue 41

The trailer may be the most borrowed piece jump past the GVW very quickly. Buy some new
of equipment a rodder owns. If you have one heavy duty ratchet straps, bolt on a winch, and
yourself, you know exactly what I am talking you are ready for almost any automotive failure.
about. Having a trailer is like sitting on the worst Then, we have the overkill trailer, the “let’s
kept secret on the planet. This can be great see if I can break it” trailer, the implement
when you have a tight circle of rodders who are trailer. This will be over 20 feet long with
happy to pay back what they owe, but it can double the capacity of your traditional car
lead to you having your trailer out on almost trailer and held up by two axles both sporting
a permanent loan, bouncing from driveway to 8-lug wheels. This is the kind of unit you
driveway. How are you going to fi nd it when you really don’t want to see leaving your driveway
need to use it? without direct supervision. Friends, or more
If you own a yard full of projects hauled with realistically friends of friends, will try to see
the help of others, you also get what I am saying. how much scrap they can really fi t on it before
Borrowing one in a pinch is one thing, like when the tires start to squat. It takes more than the
your water pump grinds its own innards forty average truck to pull since the empty weight
miles from your shop, but borrowing one all the on one of these can be more than what most
time is pushing it with your friends if you ask me. cars weigh.
Maybe you need to consider buying one instead Finally, perhaps the rarest of the rarest friend
of borrowing again? will have a fl atbed truck ready to lend. If you
Trailers can be some of the most abused don’t have one good axle able to roll, the dolly
pieces of equipment, so tread lightly if you is out. If you don’t have a full-size truck to pull
are looking at something used, yet, deals can a full-size trailer, then those are out, too. The
be found if you take your time to shop. They fl atbed car hauler can do it all with ease:
come in many shapes and sizes where each retrieve your broken down ride as well
will fi t your needs better than others. There as haul home your next project. The
really isn’t a perfect fi t for every job, so here problem of course is how horribly
are some ideas for what to look for when impractical they are for the average
needing to borrow or buy. user. Do you really need another
First, we have the two-wheel dolly. This little vehicle to maintain, pay for tabs/
half-trailer will get you out of 99% of the jams insurance each year, and store when
you are in--all you need is the truck to pull it. not in use? I would love to have one,
and found out about a complete 1954 Lincoln that had
These units can be pretty light depending on but I need the space to park it. Can
been languishing inside the gates of French Lake Auto for
how much aluminum is used in the construction. someone tell my wife a new pole shed is a
the better part of three years. Since nobody else was interested
They work slick as long as you can get your need and not a want?
vehicle up the short ramps. Even though I have
in the vehicle, Kevin asked whether they would be willing to part
seen it a thousand times, I would never trust
with just the engine and transmission. They were and Kevin had his
this to tow a project with rotted tires that just
unique drivetrain. The engine ran beautifully as-is per Kevin, though
happen to hold air. Maybe something a little
bigger is what you need.
he opted to go through the heads and add hardened valves and
Next, we have the traditional car trailer,
seats to account for today’s gasoline. That transmission is a four-
maybe a 7000 pound gross unit with room
for 16-18 feet of car on the bed. This will move
speed automatic which was made by General Motors and purchased
almost anything you need, just be careful of
by Ford to use specifi cally for the Lincoln line.
anything too big or too heavy where you can
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