VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions travel trailer

Has anyone pulled a vintage travel trailer or tear drop trailer
with a stock 216 c.i. car. Mine is 1940 master 2 dr sdn .I'm sure this may require changing to 12 volt system. How much tongue weight and how much trailer weight. I got to believe these old cars must have pulled some small camping trailers.I remember old trailer hitches camping on to the bumper.My Dad took us camping w trailer in tow full of tents and gear ,but that was a 1952 Buick lot more powerful car.

The stock 216 engine with a 4.11 axle ratio will pull a trailer with ease. I would say it will hold 50 to 55 MPH up hill and down.
Tongue weight should not exceed about 150 pounds I would guess and a 2000 pound trailer would be no problem.
Should also do it with the 6 V system. The 1940 generator has enough output to handle extral lights etc. Not too sure if you could find 6 V trailer brakes.

Chevnut, Thanks for the reply - Serro Scotty make a new trailer
retro - to the old design . Wouldnt I have to change the bulbs in the trailer to 6 volt - some trailers have led lights .

What kind of trailer hitch would you use? I would like to pull my tiny (~1500lb) farm tractor with my truck, but I was having trouble thinking up a good trailer hitch system.

Quite a few years ago there was an article by Dave Longmuir in the G&D about how he prepared his '35 for a cross Canada trip pulling a Bolens or Trillium trailer. His car is factory stock, but I recall he may have made some improvements to the cooling system due to the mountains and hot weather in the prairies. I will have to take a look and see if I can find the article... it may take a while though!

In the late 40s my father pulled a 16 foot Mobile Sportsman travel trailer with his '46 Chevy. Don't know the weight but was not light as it had metal skin and wood structure. Also pulled that trailer to Wyoming and Montana later with a '51 Chevy Sedan w/216. I know that the '51 had helper springs added to the back. It did okay on the level but was slow climbing hills with three adults and two kids plus luggage. Climbing hills or mountains in the rain was a real treat as it did not have the vacuum fuel pump so the wipers would stop until my grandfather let off the gas, they would wipe like crazy for a few seconds until he pushed the accelerator again. Going down narrow twisty mountain roads in the rig was an adventure also.

Chipper, mine does that exact same thing... Swapping out the factory rear end for the Powerglide rear makes the hills even worse! I live in a valley, and am always sure to warm the car up first because it's a scream up the hill either way I go in second, as third bogs it down good! Throw in windsheild wipers that don't want to work, and it makes the first couple of min. on any trip in the rain exciting!

Trying to get power gives you this equation. No vacuum = no wipers.

Bob

Trailer hitch that would be the next question ? Like I stated back in the 50's my Dad used a clamp on hitch ,drew down on the rear bumper as I recall a heavy monster. I would believe you would need at least a class II hitch for a camper and for sure class III for tractor and trailer. Then the wiring for lights and trailer brakes like Gene said could be tough to find 6 volt electric brake module. Serro Scotty makes the trailers they made back in the 50's and 60's the Sportsman weights 2000 lb dry weight and has 245lb of hitch weight . Most all new trailers have 7 wire plug . Lot to consider before starting out camping.

Have you thought about adding a vacuum canister as a booster for your wipers? Beamer

I remember seeing an old promotional film about 1937 Chevies showing a 37 pulling a small travel trailer. Can anyone help pin this down more specifically? Thanks, Charlie

the airstream owners club has a website. you could try them. good luck,mike

Charlie - what you are looking for is 2 minutes, 47 seconds into a movie clip titled, Chevrolet Leader News (Vol. 3, No. 1) (1937), but watch the whole 9 minute clip.

Go here click

Roger

Roger, that was the one. Thanks for sharing. Now if Steve can find the right caravan all he'll need is the hitch. Best, Charlie

BTW: Weren't the babes just as eye-popping back then even without having to reveal almost everything as they do nowadays. Mystery has its appeal.