Apex Collective Designed Trailer

[lowside67]

those tarps only stay on because the trucker stuff has the tie downs sewn into the tarp. I doubt if you could seriously get much life out of any fabric cover costing less than several hundred dollars.

To be clear, I was suggesting a proper cover - was thinking marine canvas personally. The goal here is fuel efficient and lightweight, not to be the cheapest possible build I don't think.

-Mark

[jrh3]

Clint Brawner had a really neat trailer. Low profile, single axle, tow dolly at tongue , rounded aluminum with a clamshell top that opened to access the car. I used to see it at AZ sports car races years ago. Always wanted to have it! If the lock down continues I may have to build it.

[Rick Iverson]

Gents;

Actually, the incipience of this thread was to collectively design a trailer that would tow safely, have a low CG, light, and relatively easy to build.

There are dozens of books on this topic, but my idea was to use in-house knowledge and ideas to build a minimalist open trailer. As suggested, open trailers promotes our passion to the gawkers. Thoughts?

[billtebbutt]

One of our formula ford competitors in the Toyo series tows on an open trailer. He gets more people stopping him at gas stations, restaurants, etc asking him about the car, what it is, how fast it goes, and "HOW DO YOU GET INTO RACING".

With all of our cars locked up in enclosed trailers, are we doing the sport a disservice? I'm not about to ditch my 28' Haulmark, but maybe a small open trailer for autocross is the ticket to publicize what we do?

True story. My pal Steve and I are loading up for the first race weekend at Mosport earlier this year. My neighborhood has large lots, long setbacks, etc - you rarely get a chance to speak to neighbors casually. So, since it is a combo VARAC/Toyo weekend, I am taking the RF 90 and the Lola 492 (thank heavens for my daughter and her girlfriend Sha-Sha - my crew for the weekend!). Steve is parked around the corner, and we've got to wheel the 492 down the street to load it (we're stacking the FF's in my trailer). With the 492 almost in the trailer, an older woman walks out of her house to talk to us. Crap - she's probably pissed at the trailers, etc clogging up the street - i i s that kind of neighbourhood....

Nope. Despite having lived in the house for 11 years, we've never spoken (I almost never see them out). She comes up and asks us about the 492, so we tell her what it is, etc. She is THRILLED that we are racers. She wants pictures (of us, and the cars!)! Turns out, her husband was a Formula B and Atlantic racer in the 70's. He comes over the next day and we chat a little - I expect we'll see him in the shop soon enough!!!!

I'm liking the open trailer idea more and more.....

cheers,
BT

[t walgamuth]

When I towed the Reynard on the open trailer I had a lot of conversations at the gas stations. both men and boys climbed in and did pics in it.. girls too!

[stonebridge20]

1989 I think it was. One hot Sunday night coming back from Bridgehampton with my RF81 on the snowmobile trailer it came with behind my Datsun pickup truck, I missed my turn just over the Throgs neck Bridge and ended up in the Bronx. Lot's of locals were out in the streets that night. After I stopped for the first stop light, the rest of them were irrelevant. I really couldn't tell how many locals I had on the trailer that night riding shotgun because I was too busy fighting for my life to get out of that circus and on to the Bruckner expressway.
My God I loved my first enclosed trailer !

[EricP]

1989 I think it was. One hot Sunday night coming back from Bridgehampton with my RF81 on the snowmobile trailer it came with behind my Datsun pickup truck, I missed my turn just over the Throgs neck Bridge and ended up in the Bronx. Lot's of locals were out in the streets that night. After I stopped for the first stop light, the rest of them were irrelevant. I really couldn't tell how many locals I had on the trailer that night riding shotgun because I was too busy fighting for my life to get out of that circus and on to the Bruckner expressway.
My God I loved my first enclosed trailer !

I like sharing but this is why I have a modest enclosed trailer and not a single sticker on it to tell what’s inside. People actually think it’s a camper and that’s fine with me. I’ll do outreach in other ways (which I do think is important).

[TimH]

Keeps the rain and dirt off but still excites a lot of questions.

[stonebridge20]

1986 on our way to my first drivers school at Pocono. My step-dad standing next to the trailer we built from a clapped out horse trailer and steel from a scrapped water tower. Dulon MP15-B he loaned me for my first year racing on top and his new to him RF80 on the bottom. The whole mess towed with his V6 Nissan pickup.
Our lift system was a combination of different length 2X4's and a floor jack.

[DaveW]

1989 I think it was. One hot Sunday night coming back from Bridgehampton with my RF81 on the snowmobile trailer it came with behind my Datsun pickup truck, I missed my turn just over the Throgs neck Bridge and ended up in the Bronx. Lot's of locals were out in the streets that night. After I stopped for the first stop light, the rest of them were irrelevant. I really couldn't tell how many locals I had on the trailer that night riding shotgun because I was too busy fighting for my life to get out of that circus and on to the Bruckner expressway.
My God I loved my first enclosed trailer !

On our 1st trip to Bridgehampton in the '70's with my FF Z10 (open trailer) behind our V8 Powerglide Nova, the AAA "triptic" we got routed us through Times Square. I don't remember folks climbing onto the trailer, but the congestion and crowds we drove through sure made us nervous. We chose another route on the way home.

[DanW]

Wish I had photos...

'61 Ford 1Ton pickup with ramps made from surplus PLS (perforated landing strip) and 2" posts that inserted into the stake holes in the bed. It took 6 of us to roll it up on the ramps. Then the same 6 to roll it back down when realized we forgot to put the rollaway tool box in first... Then back up and lash it down.

Eliminated the need for a trailer at all and the Kalifornia 55mph speed limit for trailers.

[billtebbutt]

[Rick Iverson]

Mike;

My very first experience with the SCCA was 1971 upon my return from overseas. A tandem open trailer such as yours, with two Lotus Type 61 FFs pulled by a new Winnebago Chieftain. Up Hwy 61 from Winona MN to the Cities, through several towns on a Friday night. SHOWSTOPPER.

1986 on our way to my first drivers school at Pocono. My step-dad standing next to the trailer we built from a clapped out horse trailer and steel from a scrapped water tower. Dulon MP15-B he loaned me for my first year racing on top and his new to him RF80 on the bottom. The whole mess towed with his V6 Nissan pickup.
Our lift system was a combination of different length 2X4's and a floor jack.