Re: [Amc-list] Ramblers and camping (trailers)

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

Do take some pics with it behind the car! 

I have some ideas for a trailer for my car. They revolve around a thoroughly stripped rusty 63 American hardtop I have (rear quarters are still there and in decent shape, as is the inside of the trunk... lid needs some work) and/or a parts 65 wagon. The wagon is fixable -- it has rust in the cowl (above heater most likely, as the tops on the far left and right are rusted out where they were under the fenders), and it has rust in the inner rockers and the bottom of one of the front "frame" rails. All could be patched up to make a great driver on the wagon, and the rest of the body appears to be in great condition. I'd cut the bad out then bend steel sections myself and weld in rather than try to find a parts car and drill the spot welds, leaving as much original metal as practical -- the rusted rail would have the bottom and part of the sides cut out with a U shaped cap welded over (after treating the original stuff). The only problem is I don't see the wagon as being worth al
 l the effort. I have 65 two door that was intended to be a parts car for the wagon, but the unitbody is in better shape though it looks rougher on the outside. Just some rusted floors due to water getting inside in the rubber mat padding. Fiberglass will take care of that easily, as it's still structurally sound. 

Anyway, I have three ideas:
1) Cut the trunk area off the 63 hardtop right through the rear axle hump/at the back of the seat. The wheel opening would need to be moved back, but there's enough metal in front of it to cut the side off and slide it back. I thought about using a rear axle from a front drive car, but I think using one of the cheap small Harbor Freight trailers makes more sense, and the small 10" tires mean the trunk doesn't have to be cut as much. The inner trunk panels on the 58-63 American look like they were stuck in and "blown" around the sides, so a wheel well will have to be cut out and welded up. Might not even have to with the little 10" tires. The main purpose would be a luggage/car show "stuff" carrier, so it would never be loaded with more than 500-600 pounds, more likely under 500. HF has a 1075 lb trailer for right at $200 (12" tires) and a 860 lb for just over $150 (8" tires -- sale prices). estimating the trunk at 300-400 lbs, the 860 would work, just have to make sure it doe
 sn't get over 500 pounds in it. I can't see putting more than that in, but might spend the extra $50 "just in case". I think if I get a rear axle from a FWD car with tires and wheels (est. $60-70 from "Pull-A-Part" for all -- tires w/wheels are $11.50 each), buy steel for a tongue ($30?), then buy the wiring kit ($20 for wire and plug -- use the Rambler tail lights), and the hitch (around $30 from HF), I have $150 in it and have to use 13" tires. Weight capacity should be higher than the cheap HF trailer, but would only save $50... it's an hour to the P-A-P, and have to buy lunch, so comes up to near $200 for a DIY! 

2) Second option is to leave the wheel wells where they are and cut the body near the rear door edge (two door car), wherever it balances out. That makes a much larger trailer, but the rear springs can be used with a pipe axle. That can be made with a set of Rambler spindles/hubs/wheels. Instead of covering the front with a hard shell, leave the back seat in place and make a vinyl tonneau cover. Would be a neat place to sit at shows! My main purpose is to park the trailer and sell out of the back anyway -- the trailer itself would draw customers too! I'd make a hard front with either doors or a removable panel and blend the corners in. A "tailgate" like panel that drops forward on the tongue might work. The drawback is a lot more weight to pull around. 

3) Third involves the wagon. It could be done much like #2. I'd take the roof off and make it an open trailer, not enclosed. The front could either be made with a seat as above, leaving the wagon fold down seat in for convenience (large cargo bead), or it could be built with a full length flat bed. If I cut the wagon up to make a Budd XR-400 style car out of the 65 two door sedan (a real consideration right now!), I'll have the whole back left anyway. The main appeal for using the wagon is I could replace my standard utility trailer with it. I wouldn't want to haul stuff that would fall into the seat if I went that route, but I've got my truck and another trailer to boot. 

Heck, I could make a pop-up camper using the wagon! Tom, you need some quarter panels from a rusted 63-64 Classic now (and at least rear doors)... hang them on the sides of the camper!! 



---------
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008 18:33:14 -0700
From: Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>

Welp, I bought the 1964 Sherwood pop-up tent camper. It's in pretty good 
shape, all new canvas like the seller said. Cooktop and sink are junk, 
and needs tires and a handful of missing/loose hardware, but all the big 
stuff is solid. No rust and all the plywood, even that exposed to the 
bottom, is in fine shape.

It will look perfect behind a 1963 Rambler Classic!

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)


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