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The Utility Trailer

Discussion in 'The Antiquated' started by Ryan, Apr 7, 2021.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Ryan submitted a new blog post:

    The Utility Trailer

    [​IMG]

    Continue reading the Original Blog Post
     
    MO_JUNK, winduptoy, Ford52PU and 8 others like this.
  2. AmishMike
    Joined: Mar 27, 2014
    Posts: 968

    AmishMike
    Member

    Nice collection. One looks like old cowboy star - Jean Autry or Hopalong Cassidy (spelling). Wonder how four wheeler with widely spaced wheels/axles towed?
     
    Deuces and chryslerfan55 like this.
  3. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,097

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Man there’s some cool ones there! I can see some of those in the host parking lot of the hamb drags with feet hanging out sleeping it off haha
     
    Deuces likes this.
  4. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,032

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Bobby Green has a cool old trailer --

    581186_460427133967889_869960386_n.jpg
     

  5. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,032

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    And as far as the U-Haul trailers go, you can't legitimately purchase a used trailer from them.
    That is currently, of course. I have no idea if they sold them in the past. From what I've read and been told, they get destroyed after being 'used up' as rentals.
     
  6. Right, too much legal liability.
     
    Deuces and lothiandon1940 like this.
  7. Got one of these sitting at my place. Old Ma Bell utility box

    [​IMG]
     
    flyin-t, dana barlow, Deuces and 4 others like this.
  8. Which is funny because they always have old trucks and vans for sale. I would think the liability would be greater?
     
  9. Metal Mover
    Joined: Aug 9, 2011
    Posts: 94

    Metal Mover
    Member
    from Jamul CA

    Here's mine, early 60's Sears clam shell luggage trailer, came with 12" wheels, changed to 15" with widened dropped axle from 40 Ford. Pix pre body work and lip stick and after. 17-6-26 a.jpg 17-6-26 b.jpg 17-11-3 a to Lil Louie's.JPG 17-11-3 b.JPG
     
  10. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Totally forgot about that one... It was so rad.

    This is true... I think it's been true for a long time too cuz they are impossible to find... I want one of these so bad:

    [​IMG]

    Making my own version from a cheap utility trailer might be a kind of fun project...

    This little thing is rad.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2021
    40two, dana barlow, Deuces and 2 others like this.
  11. Curt Six
    Joined: Sep 19, 2002
    Posts: 992

    Curt Six
    Member

    Not sure if he's on the HAMB or not, but there's a Swedish dude I discovered on Instagram named Janne Lundell that built this crazy little camper to tow behind his custom Lincoln-Zephyr. He's got construction photos and interior shots on his page (https://www.instagram.com/kustomsledsofumea/) Pretty neat.

    Screen Shot 2021-04-07 at 3.47.52 PM.png
     
    Rolleiflex, R A Wrench, 40two and 8 others like this.
  12. Jr. Fueler
    Joined: May 28, 2008
    Posts: 34

    Jr. Fueler
    Member

    This one carries the slicks, tools, cooler etc. Maiden voyage was 2018 HAMB Drags. 294662600.jpeg

    Sent from my moto z4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    40two, dana barlow, RMR&C and 3 others like this.
  13. vtx1800
    Joined: Oct 4, 2009
    Posts: 1,709

    vtx1800
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    This isn't a hot rod trailer but one from the pre 40's, my grandfather, two brothers, my grandmother and my mom and her sister were in Minnesota hunting deer, the deer is on the trailer and I assume coming back to Iowa. They tent camped!! 193x Car_NEW.jpg
     
  14. vtx1800
    Joined: Oct 4, 2009
    Posts: 1,709

    vtx1800
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Here is a later model picture, Jim Archer's A fuel car out of Las Cruces NM, he worked at the same place as I did. It was a self funded racer making do with what he had. His trailer was bare bones just like the generations of racers before him. I haven't seen him for 50 years but will always remember him. I bugged him about seeing the car so he brought it by my house one day:) Jim Archer.jpg
     
  15. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,032

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    I was thinking the same.. Looks like it would be quite similar to those that build their own little tear drop camper / trailer.
     
    Deuces likes this.
  16. Nacifan
    Joined: May 19, 2011
    Posts: 289

    Nacifan
    Member

    Trailers are cool, the older (and old lookin') the better. Some Vintage Race Car trailers are AMAZING
     

    Attached Files:

  17. Garpo
    Joined: Jul 16, 2016
    Posts: 292

    Garpo

    Built this 40 years ago. Plastic T pickup bed with a lid . Amazing how much can be stuffed in.
    Recently had to tidy up the interior. And yes those wheels are 14" .
    Garpo P1020814.JPG P1020815.JPG
     
  18. Reminds me of a trailer i bought about 15 years ago. Actually swapped it for two n.o.s. classic VW beetle exhaust systems that i had swapped for something else a few weeks earlier :rolleyes:. It,s actually a 1950s German funeral/coroner trailer . Nice etched glass too. In the 50s and 60s you could do a funeral on the cheap by towing the coffin behind your own car . So i sold it for a good price to a collector. When he came to collect i had something like 40 new classic 13 inch Michelin XZX tires standing in the corner of the garage. He bought those as well and stacked the whole lot in the trailer :D. No, it,s not a mini camper:oops: Full length coffin fits .

    pfefferkorn 1.jpg Pfefferkorn folder.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2021
  19. Rolleiflex
    Joined: Oct 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,243

    Rolleiflex
    Member

    This guy had it going on in a big way.
    [​IMG]
     
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  20. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Hey, if anyone finds any more images of the U-Haul teardrop, will you post it here? I'm thinking I wanna build one of these with my own livery...

    vintage-u-haul-and-willys-aero.jpg
     
  21. Rolleiflex
    Joined: Oct 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,243

    Rolleiflex
    Member

    Here's a few more. Haven't come up with any u-haul ones yet though.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  22. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    The first trailer I owned was a one wheel{Dolly Wheel} type that had two bumper bolt clamps to hook to car. We used it for going camping in the early 1960s. That one can be seen in these camping photos of 63 ,a trip were we broke a axle going from Miami to Naplas on Tamemimi Trail>had to fix it along side the road. So unhooked it, for A-axle repair. The Florida State Highway Patrol had a fit about us working on it 10 hours on side of road. We used Steve Reep's Hotrod "A" as tow car on camping trips=we all fit in it. Our little diggy up/side down on trailer,covering all our camp crap,was kind of aero LOL

    After flat towing 2 race cars,I finiely did build a race car trailer in early 1960s using a 1937 Chrysler Crown front axles,found in a vacent lots weeds. I nick named it "The Borad" as it's bed was two sheets of old concreat crusted forming in a trash pile ,pretty ruff plywood. It lasted tell a few years later,about 1966 I had come up with enough steel scrap in my stack and 3 long ramps of WW2 runway strips,to build a new better trailer. This time using the front spindels an drums off a junked 57 Ford, that way the spair for my tow car 57 Ford wagon,also fit the trailer. Welded those spindels to 6x2 in "C" beam for the axles. Hauled a lot of race cars an hot rods on the trailer. I still have the trailer,but did have to do a rebuild a few years ago. Image-18.JPG 001.JPG
    The first Trailer hitch I ever had,was bumper clamp type*. I used that the first 1.1/2 years of towing. Did put a frame hitch on later. About 30 years + ago ,, I got a old 30ft. boat to play with. Only way to get into the backyard to park n work the big boat .turned out to be dig out that old bumper clamp hitch* an put that on the front bumper of my G20 van at the time> To see were I was pushing it> fence/boat/house was only 2in. extra each side to back it in.
    Keep everything,clean up is a trap !!!
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2021
  23. Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Joined: Apr 20, 2008
    Posts: 4,670

    Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Member

  24. noboD
    Joined: Jan 29, 2004
    Posts: 8,458

    noboD
    Member

    My oldest brother was involved with U-Haul trailers back in the early '60's. He said their trailers were unique and never sold. When they were used up they were destroyed. Don't know if that is still true but it seems to be from others are saying. Some are very good looking.
     
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  25. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

  26. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 23,757

    Deuces

    One of their first trailers in 1945... The teardrop came out in '53.... DJ15-04-1946-U-Haul-Trailer-2-day-300x225.jpg
     
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  27. Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Joined: Apr 20, 2008
    Posts: 4,670

    Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Member

    C929EA28-254A-43C8-9AC5-00C43F36E6AF.jpeg
    YW. So I researched that partial phone # behind the trailer and it's a U Haul location in Mass.
    600 Mystic Valley Pkwy
    Somerville, MA 02144

    Google mapped it and sure enough when you zoom in, you can see the trailer in all it's Mighty Mite glory displayed outside;

    https://www.google.com/maps/place/6...0b9822688d346d!8m2!3d42.4168481!4d-71.1280346

    Street view let me 'drive' through the parking lot. Parked cars blocked the trailer, however I was able to freeze frame a spot that shows a rear view of the trailer including the (fold down?) tailgate.

    Possibly the folks at the location can provide details. If the trailer still resides there it would be too cool if a MA area HAMBer could stop by, take a slew of measurements and detail photos along with a poster board template tracing of the side panels and roll it in a shipping tube and mail it to Boss man Ryan.

    Construction would be pretty straight forward-round tube rolled out for the side shapes, wrap the front and sides in sheet metal, then knock out a tailgate skin in a box/pan brake. Lettering and graphics look to be stencil sprayed?
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2021
  28. 25DE69CD-3398-4EEA-A118-D293FDB77337.jpeg

    The top is also a boat.

    mid 50’s trailer !!!
     
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  29. flyin-t
    Joined: Dec 29, 2004
    Posts: 1,421

    flyin-t
    Member

    Would be fun to have/build one of these.
    This shot shows how the inside of the sides were built too.

    DrfrXEYVsAA_39X.jpg
     
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  30. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,032

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    My dad's former boss (body shop) used to own this trailer and the '54 Ford Sedan Delivery that went with it.
    I was a teenager and helped dad install power steering on it and some other misc. work.
     
    Deuces, Rolleiflex and VANDENPLAS like this.

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