bball7754 Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Picked up my new trailer from Montrose Trailers at the end of April. It's 14', enclosed and all aluminum, except for the deck. Total width, including the fenders, is 94". Interior width is 74". "Standard" width is, I believe, 104". According to the Certificate of Origin, it weighs 1380 lbs, but I think that is likely optimistic. Here are a few pics. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Looks nice. I'm curious about the design... what's the benefit of this shape, access, aero? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimrankin Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 You should tape a few tell-tails all over that bad puppy just to see what the shape is really doing. It looks like a really slick entry but you might find it's picking up drag/lift from the back falling off like that. Might be just sloped enough that it stays stuck and just flows off. Excuse for a adding a really cool spoiler if it is lifting though..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxologist Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Friend has one of those for a GT3. obviously not a slimmed down edition like yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 (edited) Steve: Looking good! I called Montrose a few days ago based on your advice. As you know, they hand build each one of these to exact spec. Takes abt 10 weeks. Not sure I can (or want to) wait that long. Not cheap, I think $10K was ballpark. I saw that they have a tire storage option. Doesn't look like you got that. It is a 7" deep 32 inch wide channel that runs the length of the trailer beneath the car rails. So the stowed tires are directly below the car when it's on the trailer. My tires are 22" x 8" so wld fit tho wld stick up an inch. Since my car has 3 1/2" ground clearance, it wld work fine. One of the things I have learned is that in addition to the safety of tandem wheels (2 per side) is the trailer then tracks/tows much easier/straighter. Apparently a single axle is much wobblier, wh/seems logical. I assume the odd shape is designed to reduce wind resistance and make towing easier. And it gives you amazing access to the car. How did you find it towed? Any thing you'd do differently, lessons learned, etc.? Were you tempted to buy another trailer and if so what? Mike Edited June 10, 2011 by Kitcat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bball7754 Posted June 11, 2011 Author Share Posted June 11, 2011 Mondo - Not really sure about the theory behind the design, other than some aero benefit and easy access to both ends. Jim - Pretty sure they didn't do any wind tunnel work when they were designing the trailer. I didn't feel any lift when I towed it empty back from Michigan. Mike - I thought it towed well, but I'd never towed anything before so don't have any comparisons. Drove through some serious storms coming home (windy and heavy rain), and it seemed to track well. I drove 65-70 most of the way home, and got about 14 mpg with the Volvo. I was hoping for more, but it (the Volvo) actually doesn't get very MPG in general. I considered an open Trailex, but really wanted something covered. My friend with the Lotus Eleven has the same trailer. He bought it as an open trailer when he first purchased his Seven, then had them convert it to covered. After owning it for about 4 years, he said he'd still make the same choice. Only downside is that there is lots of opportunity for leaks. But I'm happy so far. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimrankin Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 Wasn't realy that serious about the lift part as it may be "wing" shaped but it's not consistant enough in the curvature to really work well as a "lifting body". I was serious about the drag though. If you can't keep the air flowing smoothly down the back you end up with turbulence, what is esentially a vaccume pulling you backwards. On a trailer this small and at speed of 75 or less it probably isn't going to translate into any real fuel consumption issue worth dealing with. If you were pulling it with something smaller and less powerful, may be an issue with extra drag really counting. I really like the look of the trailer over all and especially the fact you can get to just about anything inside without climbing over/through the car. The recess for tires down the center, under the car, really sounded like a great idea if your serious enough to want to carry a set for rain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiBirkin Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 Lovely trailer and really nice design, i'm having trouble though wondering why you would want to trailer such a nice car and not drive it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bball7754 Posted June 11, 2011 Author Share Posted June 11, 2011 Kiwi - It's really for track days. I had to limp home (225 miles) from a track day last summer, and finally decided that I was pushing my luck. My preference is still to drive it - but this opens up some other possibilities. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiBirkin Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Had a funny feeling it was for trackdays You USA guys must have too much disposable income with all these cars listed in people sigs and trailers for trackdays, here we are in NZ being told its all doom & gloom for the US economy ??. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimrankin Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 It's pretty "doom and gloom" if you don't have much to offer or if your particular skill is not in demand but if you are steadily employed it's just a bit "tighter" and keep an eye on the future. You might also notice that several of the members are past the point of paying for our kids first 20 or so years and have decided to become kids ourselves now, just with better toys than we gave them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Well I thought the world was going to end, so what the heck... I agree that the average age on this site is probably up there. , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimrankin Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I heard the "NEW" date is October 21st so just go out and drive all crazy and such because when "the rapture" comes all "7" drivers will be transported into heaven (no tickets served there) because God told me he just loves fast cars. Well, maybe that was my surgeon who likes fast cars, but he thinks he's God so maybe that counts.LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiBirkin Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 If were off to heaven then I'm making sure I take a couple of cars with me, hmmm new Birkin, Elise S3 here I come. See you up there guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjslutz Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 Trailer looks great. Mine weighed in @ 985 LBS after I did the cover. I only have one axle though. I have towed mine at speeds not much less than what the 7 will do, and it is very stable. With the VW TDI wagon I do around 25 to 28 MPG at the speed limit. At the same speed W/O the trailer it is around 40 MPG. I also thought I would do better MPG with the trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 I have been looking at a 2011 Touareg TDI. It gets 28 mpg, without a trailer. So your 28 w/trailer may be some kind of record. Most big pickup trucks will get 8-10 mpg w/trailer. The se7ens event in NJ is 650 miles from me. So 1300 miles round trip. At 8 mpg that's 162.5 gallons of gas. At $3.50 gallon it costs $568 to tow my 7.With your TDI wagon it wld be $186 (assuming $4. for diesel). So your vehicle saves big $. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestTexasS2K Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 My truck gets 20 mpg with car and trailer doing 74mph. Bio diesel cost me .70 cents a gollon. I just drove to Colorado Springs and back on about 65.00 dollars. Gotta love that Bio Diesel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjslutz Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Loren, Was that on the way there or back? It is all down hill on the way home. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestTexasS2K Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Round trip average. I actually hot 24 going and less coming back because of a 30 mph head wind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestTexasS2K Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Keep in mind the Colorado trip I had no trailer just 5 people and a bed full of camping gear. I did pull a small box trailer back it was 5x4x12 it was packed full of gear too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now