i'm not getting something right in my search query - but i'm sure there's at least one thread. Q: how did we tow in 1940 [give or take a few years] mostly interested in hitch & receivers as well as trailer construction. thanks s.e.
Good idea, reminded me i had a few up in the attic. Just found them and made a few photos. These are 1950s . Built to last.
With that long handle for leverage when closing it it almost doesn't matter how worn it is, you won't need a hammer like a modern stamped coupler. Shame it only attaches with two bolts though, that really limits it.
ha ha - that was going to be my next question, too. RV History: The evolution of the trailer hitch - RV Travel Tow hitch - Wikipedia
Hello, In our towing days, the 1958 Impala got a sturdy towing bar and ball attached to the rear of the car, under the bumper. There was plenty of sight of the license plate and our teenage friend’s dad was the local CHP resource. So, he gave us the approval of the ball bolted to the solid 2x4 bar welded under the bumper. There were cross members supports also welded into the frame. (Not an empty square hole receiver attachment with no ball present, like today's popular set up. ) It was sturdy and we decided to leave the ball on all of the time. The tow bar we had made fit the bumper brackets of the red primered 40 Willys Coupe. Jnaki Yes, we got ribbing for a tow hitch sticking out of the rear of the Impala where ever we drove the fast sedan. But, it served its intended purpose as a tow hitch any time. We moved a small longblock 283 SBC motor and full accessories from a small speed shop to our house to get started in building the motor. The small trailer was handy to move parts that were too heavy and bulky to lift them over the 58 Impala trunk opening. Who drives a fast, custom 58 Impala with a solid tow hitch and ball in the cruising grounds? YRMV Note: After we were out of drag racing and my brother was now fully recovered from his accident burns and all, we started to make interior set ups for surf vans of all kinds. Paneling, seating, refrigerators, sinks water supply tanks, etc. I was now driving the Impala and yes, using it for fast encounters of another kind on the Cherry Avenue Drags location as well as our other hot spots late into the night. During one Easter Vacation (now called Spring Break) my friends and I drove down to Newport Beach and Laguna Beach for some cool cruising. We stopped at the famous Merle’s Drive-in Rrestaurant on the corner of MacArthur and PCH in Corona Del Mar. It was the hotspot for all cruisers and folks that liked outdoor dining in their hot rods and old sedans. The parking spots in the front row were the prime spots. Right behind the front row was another row of spots on a slight hill coming down from the MacArthur curb side toward the building. So, those folks were on a sloping grade in their cars. We, in the front row, were able to see all of the hot rods, station wagons, cruisers coming by clearly. Those in the back row could see the cars, but through the cars parked in the front row. When the cruising night or finished dining was over, a car with a teenage girl driving was parked behind us. She started her car and before she could get backed up, the car rolled forward with the sloping grade. “BANG” was all we heard and felt. Now, I thought someone had rammed the whole back of the 58 Impala. But, it was the girl, now standing and crying about how her car was damaged. What??? She rammed into the back of the Impala and was crying about her car? The bumper hitch and ball that was always on the 58 Impala saved the rest of the sedan from any damage. But, now it was stuck in her dented in grille. Over the bumper. The angle had pushed her car into the Impala and the slope forced it into the trailer hitch and ball. It acted like a battering ram and saved the Impala from any damage… Yes! Note 2: We could still utilize the small trailers to move stuff around that was too large or heavy for the trunk of the Impala. A simple two wheel trailer with wooden slat sides was very handy. We even used the trailer to haul two desert racing motorcycles, a tool box and supplies to the local desert for our new adventures. The Impala handled ok, with the heavy small trailer behind us for a hundred miles out and a long tiring hundred miles back home, from the desert courses.
I think this was pretty typical for most people, at least through the 1950s. I remember the hitch on my dad's 1961 Catalina fastened to the bumper with two bolts, plus one bolt to the rear frame crossmember. He used a regular 120vac home electrical plug for the trailer light connection.
i actually found some stuff in my saved links: c1.jpg (600×788) Jockey Wheels | Vintage Caravans OLD TOW COUPLINGS | Vintage Caravans OLD TOW COUPLING INDEX | Vintage Caravans towards the bottom: Vintage & Classic Caravans
The hitch that Stuart in Mn showed in post 8 was very common when I was young to tow small trailers with. They also were very hard on rear bumpers. This is one spot where "period correct" may not be advisable and Simple, strong and discrete should be the consideration. A receiver hitch tucked back under the rig so you use a bit longer tube to get out past the bumper can work. With the bumper I am running on my 48 this time I am mounting the hitch so that the licence plate will mount on a piece that slips in the receiver that can be pulled out and replaced with a hitch that sticks out past the bumper and has a place to remount the plate. A bit mickey mouse as far as the plate goes when pulling or I might come up with something else for that but no hitch hanging down below the bumper when not towing. I don't know what they fit but they do sell hitches that have the ball mount goes in vertically under the car. They don't handle much weight but don't show and clear flimsy back bumpers on the new stuff. A Curt 4411499 is one ball mount used with that setup but one would most likely have to create their own ball mount to use with system like that. here is one of the hitches just for show and tell to show how it works. https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts...-hitch-with-1-1-4-adapter-with-3-4-hole_11713 Just don't be like the guy who had a scab welded hitch break in front of my house and rolled his horse trailer killing his horse. The drop hitch was made out of metal that was .120 or lighter yet to boot.
i inadvertently neglected to add [scale model research] to the title. i appreciate your caution and whole-heartedly agree that safety should come before 'period-correct' in some (this) instance. that being said, if anyone has a picture of something which would transport a jalopy to the saturday night race, i would appreciate seeing same. i am still coming up dry with my internet searches. thanks, sid
Not the best photos for detail but the So-Cal Plating Special built by Frank Kurtis and George Du Vall
Those balls that have a bolt thru the center are not legal (to my understanding) as they have a bad tendency to break under load
For my champ car, I decided to make a single axle period correct looking railer, instead of towing it in my more modern closed race car trailer. I purchased an old house trailer frame to chop up, but erred on the side of safety with a modern 25/16" ball. Wide five rims, fold-up ramps and open center compliment the single axle look.
The Jalopy Journal
