Technical Lets see Cars in Tow....gotta get em there somehow

ironandsteele.com​

 

I prefer to drive them, but every once in a while the trailer is required. At least the tow truck is somewhat vintage...

 

…………Transporter picked up this morning…

 

I didn't feel I needed to drag my trailer out when I went down to Oregon to pick up this Dragmaster chassis for my Dragmaster Dart Six restoration project.

Wifes 50 ford (for sale) has been moved around on the trailer a time or two. Same with my chopped 50 chrysler project (for sale).

 

@40ragtopdown

Hello,

From the time we arrived at Lion’s Dragstrip near our Westside of Long Beach house, we saw the competition race cars arrive on a single wheel trailer. The gas coupes and altered were towed with a solid bar bracket and trailer hitch on the tow car.

The above photo of Art Chrisman’s original Hustler is one beautiful FED. But, look in the background… all single wheel trailers left in the back of the pits away from the actual working reserved areas. There used to be a time when a trailer was used to haul the race car to the pits and it was parked next to the race car "work" area. But, it took a lot of workspace area and so the specific far reaches of the pits were used for "trailer parking."

As the years went by, in the early 60s, touring was a common place and now, new designs were in place. Most, again in single wheel trailers and some twin wheels starting to show up.

This You Tube film from @Marty Strode of the “Chizzler” is one of the early custom made, enclosed, single wheel trailers especially made for “The Greek.” 1963


Jnaki

The largest trailer we saw was in 1960 when Art Afrons came out West to show everyone his latest race car, the Green Monster #11. It was touted to be the quickest and fastest of all of the Allison powered, drag racing race cars.

A large twin wheel trailer for the rather large race car.


But, they still had to push it back to the pits…

NOTE:
So, who was one of the first to do a full road trip across the USA towing a FED race car? 1959-60…
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tow-cars.1240797/#post-14192963

We all wonder if this was a “gift” from local sponsorships for a well-deserved drag racer and/or a great publicity stunt. The photo below is their first road trip across the USA.

With Don Prudhomme driving the Cadillac (studio rules) and being the crew chief, they toured the USA…in the 1957 Cadillac and the Buick twin.
"Times, they are a changing..."

Note 2:
All of this single wheel trailer for old hot rods and drag race cars and this one popped up on my radar. A well built 24 Model T sedan in this day and age on a single wheel trailer. How is that?

The trailer was impressive, but, I was impressed with the 1924 Ford Model T Sedan on the trailer. The bright color caught my eye as I was driving on a cross street, one block away. Far down the street, I thought I saw a red flash as I turned on the correct neighborhood street.

Something told me to go back around the block and see what that red flash was on the other street. As I approached the correct street address, there was this wonderful red, 1924 Ford Model T Sedan sitting on a trailer hooked up to a modern, matching red truck. (not HAMB friendly) So, the photograph was taken out of the window concentrating on the old, Ford Sedan.

In a world of modern day towing old cars with dual tires, the single wheel trailer still rules true...

One day on an inland highway... the color on this newly finished truck, could be seen from a far distance... The outstanding truck has not been seen cruising around anywhere locally in the coastal region or as far inland as Santa Ana or City of Orange...

 

It's important, when towing, to have a cool tow vehicle. Otherwise, everyone thinks your car is broken, or isn't reliable.

 

reposting a better pic...before...now sitting in our back yard...

 

My first car trailer was a simple, no suspension rigid axle affair. My neighbor owned a sawmill and I asked him if he had anything I could use for planks. He cut me two 2" x 14" x 14' hardwood boards(!) and did't charge me anything for them. Thanks Mr. Barnes. RIP.

 

Good ole Mr Barnes and company.. Nice Falcon.. still own it ?

 

My 52 Mercury M1

 

This was my first FED. Got it in the mid late 70's Don't know maker, back then didn't care. Just wanted to go fast. Sold it before I drove it.

 

Picking up a second cab for current project “1948 Longhorn”
Picking up my previous truck and then saying goodbye to it two years later.

 

...

 

image by Faded Love Garage posted Jan 1, 2013 at 11:32 PM

 

The Falcon still exists - with a 460 Ford, in Canada. They kept the name.

Now back to the car haulers...

 

The day it came home, waiting for the vin to be verified by the title service. Then coming home from having the pipes installed prior to pulling everything apart to be sent to body shop hell.

 

"cars in tow'. Didnt think trailers. Thought towbars. I got out of the service in California in the 60s and flat towed a 56 chevy 1800 miles to Missouri. Didnt give it a 2nd thought. Looking back, no way i would do that. When you dont have any money you do what you have to do.

 

The ole flat tow crazy by todays standards..that's how it was done...Too many crazies on the roads now,,,cell phones and everyone rushing somewhere,,,

 

I flat towed my '64 Chevelle on a 25 mile round trip to the drags nearly every summer weekend for 3 years in the early 70's when I was 18yo. The tow bar photo was hooking it up to move 1100 miles in 1976. Dropped it off and made another trip to get my '63 Impala 409 car. Flat towed it too with an old U-Haul clamp-on bumper hitch. Had to stop 4 or 5 times to tighten everything up.

 

1963.... Enroute from Virginia to Indianapolis for the NHRA NATIONALS.
Lunch stop somewhere in Ohio.

 

factory flatbed 37 Ford in front of local building built in1937...