I'm told that Ed Zink used to build a very unique trailer that he sold to transport his FVees and I'd like to know more about it, does anyone have any photos or info on them?
TIA,
Lance
Zink trailers
I'm told that Ed Zink used to build a very unique trailer that he sold to transport his FVees and I'd like to know more about it, does anyone have any photos or info on them?
TIA,
Lance
Zink Trailers
PM Bob Posner He is still using one.
Done! Thanks!Originally Posted by marchsv
Lance
Lance if you get any pics - post them - always interested to see what others are doing
Bob Stack, Hartland, WI
CenDiv - Milwaukee region
Will do!
Lance
It was a pretty straight forward design, with angle iron forming the left and right tire channels. My buddy had a Zink trailer he built from the plans (70's). I used to have a set of the plans somewhere but I think they are long gone. If I can find a picture I'll post it, but I don't remember any pics of the trailer.
If you mean one of Ed's double decker ones,yes. Two cars stacked,top several feet forward on a pivoting platform pulled up by a winch before the bottom car is loaded on a fixed set of channels. 2 axles,surge brakes. Dates to late 60s early 70's. I've got a pic Ed standing by with a C4 on the bottom and a supervee on the top. Call me if you want more 425 453 9136
I'm looking to home-build (okay, shop-build) a nice, simple, lightweight trailer capable of towing a small formula car (FV-FST-CFF) behind a small car or SUV-wannabe (RAV4 in my case). I hate reinventing the wheel and I've heard good things about Ed's design so I thought I'd research it. All suggestions and comments welcome.
One thing that I've seen and like is a trailer that lowers to the ground so that ramps (or a strong back/legs or a winch) are not necessary to load and unload the car.
Again, it's easier to improve on or copy someone else's idea than me doing the design work.
TIA,
Lance
KOOL!! I could definitely use a double-decker trailer several times a year!
Lance
I don't remember ever seeing a wench used to load the top car. They just drover it up. The channels and front wheel stops were good enough to keep the car aligned once it got on the bottom ramps. Once the car got to the wheel stops, the top deck tilted forward keeping the car in place.
I built a double deck trailer similar to Ed's design and used it for years to haul FFs and FSVs. I did use a wench. Only a FV has a first gear slow enough to load a car with.
The entire trailer was 3" x 3/16 angle and 3" x 3/16 wide strips as I remember.
Lance, the one my friend had was a single car trailer. It was pretty light. We pulled his car with a Chevy station wagon, loaded with his wife and two children, and spares, etc. It was a nice trailer but probably no better than other modern designs. It had angle iron formed inclines at the front end that the front tires pressed against, and ramps that folded up against the back tires that held the car in place. It was easy to push a Vee on the trailer.
The only issue I know of was making sure the tires did not rub against the sides. My trailer is one that my dad converted from an old horse trailer we had. The top part was modeled after the Zink design. It wore a hole through a newish tire one time where it rubbed. I had to widen the channels at the point where the tires would sit to prevent that. I'm not sure if my trailer was made with channels slightly narrower than Ed's design. It worked well enough.
That seems right. IIRC, the single car trailer was built entirely from angle and strips. I don't recall it having any suspension. Mine doesn't but it is not a total copy.The entire trailer was 3" x 3/16 angle and 3" x 3/16 wide strips as I remember
Steve, IF I could find the old Zink plans, is there any reason that they could not be shared? I'm not sure if I even have them anymore, but they might be hidden away somewhere.
Steve L. - you're right on the winch. Added later by Jerry Anderson in Seattle who built it from plans provided by Ed. I've had it for 20 years and have towed 2 vees well over 100,000 miles with no failures. Both the upper and lower sections incorporate swinging ramps that also serve to hold the rear tires in place. About 1600 pounds , too beefy for a small towcar.
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I built mine from memory. I never had plans. I still have the trailer. I built it in 1975.
Lance;
I've owned 2 or 3 of these over the years. They lent themselves to easy towing by light vehicles. I've added tire racks and storage boxes to one and it worked just fine. The limitation to these trailers is they only fit FV's. Bill Bonow built a similar trailer several years back for Tiga FF he owned. We also used it for FV & FST cars. Unfortunatley it burned in a fire.
Butch
butch deer
Bob, please scan and post the photo...thanks!
Stan Clayton
Stohr Cars
Lance, my VW TDI Golf is rated to tow 1500 lbs, and I've done it any number of times. Stills gets 40+ mpg with the trailer back there, too.
Stan Clayton
Stohr Cars
Veefan, nice pics. That's it.
Oh yeah? Well, I'm canceling out your eco-friendliness (unloaded mpg here).Stills gets 40+ mpg with the trailer back there, too.
Ouch...what is that thang!? My Excursion (7.3 PSD) gets that while pulling the boxy 24', 9000+ lb race car trailer. About 20 at 70 mph while empty.Oh yeah? Well, I'm canceling out your eco-friendliness (unloaded mpg here).
Stan Clayton
Stohr Cars
Ford Raptor with 6.2 gas motor. That's what it gets with no trailer, cargo, or passengers. Worse than the F250 diesel gets while towing a 28' trailer with combined weight of 18,300 lbs.
The construction of the veefan trailer is identical to the rails and ramps on my double trailer - clearly a Zink.
That's an Ed Zink Trailer
John,
Thanks for the photos. Ed was really a smart dude. Always kept things simple and highly functional.
Bill Bonow
"Wait, which one is the gas pedal again?"
Except for the double-tube Z-9/10/11 chassis, which are heavy and complex.
Stan Clayton
Stohr Cars
The Z9 was a FSV with an aluminum monocoque. If by double tube you are referring to the top of the cockpit bay, he copied that idea from the Brabham BT something or other. My Titan Mk 6 had the same structure. All the cars shared the same basic suspension. The Z9 resembled a Lotus and the Z10 favored the early Gurney Indy cars.Except for the double-tube Z-9/10/11 chassis, which are heavy and complex.
I must be confusing the Z9 with something else...and may have made that mistake in the past.
In any case I was responding to Bill's comment that Ed designed "simple" chassis. I'm not complaining, mind you, but it simply wasn't always true (nor should it be).
And of course, his chassis had nothing on those later Citation "Bird Cages"...
Stan Clayton
Stohr Cars
I have seen a bird cage on the track for real. Actually, the inspiration for my cars was a wire frame drawing of the Penske Indy cars of several decades ago and the bird cage.I must be confusing the Z9 with something else...and may have made that mistake in the past.
In any case I was responding to Bill's comment that Ed designed "simple" chassis. I'm not complaining, mind you, but it simply wasn't always true (nor should it be).
And of course, his chassis had nothing on those later Citation "Bird Cages"...
Ah, I too have seen a real Bird Cage...and have a nose mold from the one that used to be based out of Laguna Seca (if anybody needs a Bird Cage nose piece).
And yes, I'm confident all of us of a certain age have noticed the family resemblance.
Stan Clayton
Stohr Cars
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