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My Kingdom for a Trailer


xcarguy

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The resulting divorce would be even more costly than that trailer.

 

:iagree: And just think, a COMPLETE running, driving, and very well done Birkin was purchased a couple of days ago through this site for a few thousand less than the cost of the trailer. :ack: But I may still consider the helmet. :conehead:

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Okay, for what it's worth (discussion wise, for trailer size), here is a photo of my 'Storker' (yes, o' Mightiest of Mikes, that's just for you :jester: ) sitting on my lift. The car, as stated earlier, has a wheel base of 92". The internal lift dimensions (runners: length and width) are 15' x 75". So, trailer 'size wise', what do you think? :rofl:

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You'll need a little room, front and back for the tie down points. So don't cut yourself too short.

 

Can't wait to see that beast at the track in July. The Porsche and Vette boys are gonna need new underware. :rofl:

Tom

 

Tom,

 

My thoughts also on not cutting myself short. I'm starting to think maybe 18' min (possibly 16 with a V nose or similar). I'm also kicking around the 7' width vs. . . . ? As for my car, I hope it can live up to NJMP expectations. :ack: As for me, well, that's another story. :jester:

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Shane, I have an 8 foot wide trailer with inside wheels so my interior is somewhat narrow over the wheels. the 8 foot with fenders outside would give good room. IMO. 8'6" just seems as wide as the full lane to me.

 

Tom

 

Tom,

 

You and I are definitely on the same page. The 8'6" is wider than I want to go, but I also don't want to cut myself short on width. My width at the rear (outer fender-to-outer fender) is approximately 68" and the front (respectively) is about 65". I'd like to do 7' on width, but that might be a bit tight. :rofl:

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Karl, (Blubarisax) has a really light and small trailer. So narrow that he has about an inch clearance on each side of his rear wings as he winches it in. I don't know how he ever gets it in there. He's just that good!!!:hurray:

 

Tom

 

That encouraging! I'd have about two inches per side with a 7 footer. I'd sure like to see a photo if one is available. :cheers:

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I went through this last fall and ultimately went with this guy: http://www.pro-lineperformance.com/Pro-Line20deluxe.htm

 

First I have no where on my property to store a trailer so I store it off site. Okay technically I do but I'd have to move the trailer to get stuff out of the garage or make the neighbors love me by parking it in the middle of the yard. Having an enclosed gave me another garage and I don't need to rush to load or unload the trailer; if I don't feel like doing it after a long day out, it can happen tomorrow or in three days and it can be packed days before.

 

During an outing last summer someone broke an oil line. It took about an hour to clean the track. During that time I plopped a chair in the trailer, kicked back, and relaxed in the shade. Directly across the paddock from me was someone in a really nice low profile trailer - he either had to crawl into the trailer or sit in the shade of it. His trailer was way nicer than mine but I don't think it is as functional. For the difference in fuel mileage the shelter makes it all worth it. Plus I don't need to crawl to the front to retrieve tires.

 

This is more personal preference but I knew more toys were coming so I wanted a trailer to suit expansion. Going with something that wasn't a car hauler would mean selling it and buying something bigger soon. Three months after getting the trailer, I bought a vintage race car. Look ahead to what else you may be doing since up until this point I always had the excuse of "I have no way to move it" keeping me from getting fun stuff.

 

I'm relatively young for a Se7en and vintage car guy so I don't have the money to spend $20k on a nice low profile all aluminum trailer. When I bought mine it was $4000 if I picked it up in Indiana. I could barely get a used non-car trailer for that price and its quality is perfectly acceptable. To me the trailer is a tool and whatever gets the job done for the money is what I want; bench racing trailers isn't my thing. I also figured that I could easily resell a 20' car trailer when the time came.

 

It seems like some of the non-car trailers spend a bit of time on Craigslist before selling and there are usually a ton of them for sale; I'd look long and hard at getting one of these lightly used if second hand ones are also common in your area rather than spending almost as much up front for a trailer that is less functional and more difficult to unload when you're done with it.

 

Speaking of unloading, be sure whatever you buy has a tail gate. The barn doors that are common on non-car trailers will get old fast since you'll need ramps to load and unload.

 

Lastly a steel 24' enclosed trailer with 7k lbs gross weight is close to useless since it can carry a ~3,400 lbs car and nothing more. The gross weight of a 20' or 24' are the same yet the 24' curb weight is higher; in the end its load carrying capacity is lower even though it has more space. If you are 20' or less, 7k lbs gross weight is fine - anything more and I'd pay for 10k lbs gross weight. Obviously if a more 7 sized trailer works for you this is a moot point.

 

Sorry for the dissertation - just some observations on what I went through last year.

Edited by a.moore
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I don't need mirrors or high HP for my enclosed trailer. By keeping everything light and compact, I don't have wind blowing it around either. If you don't need to haul large cars light weight and low build height is the way to go. I used mine as an open trailer until I went through a long rain soaked tow.

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Here is my old Birkin on the 18 foot featherlite trailer. If that is all you are towing, they make a 15 foot version as well.

 

 

 

Bill S.

 

Bill,

 

Thanks for sharing the photo. I've been wanting to see a Seven on a Featherlite. This is one of the open trailers I'm considering if I go with an open trailer and build my own enclosure.

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I went through this last fall and ultimately . . . . To me the trailer is a tool and whatever gets the job done for the money is what I want; bench racing trailers isn't my thing. . . . . Sorry for the dissertation - just some observations on what I went through last year.

 

Andrew,

 

Excellent points all around. Thanks for sharing . . . and for taking the time to do a bit of 'trailer' bench racing. :cheers:

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It's sort of a custom build. It's one of the Montrose standard designs, but I had them narrow it a bit as I had a width clearance challenge on my driveway.

 

They will make pretty much anything you want, though. It's all aluminium (except for the floor) so quite light - maybe 1,400 lbs empty (working from memory).

 

Steve

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