MTFCA Forum

A couple of years ago I posted a request for information about Enclosed Trailer for hauling an 87" high early Touring car. I got a lot of responses for which I appreciate very much. Freighter Jim provided detailed information and from that and the others, I have formulated a list of what I would want for order one built. The list is attached. I am asking for any comments from folks that have experience especially regarding the length and whether it should be a coffin front or V Nose. Suggestions for anything on the list would be helpful and greatly appreciated. Thanks[/size][/b]

Enclosed Trailer Construction:

Size: 8.5 ft by 18’ (box) Enclosed Car Hauler, Ceiling Height = 8 foot

Coffin Front or V Nose?

5200 Pound Torsion Tandem Spread Axles
16-inch ST Radial Tires rated at 12 Ply with Highway tread

Four Wheel Brakes

Roof, sidewall and floor all 16” on center

¼” minimum thick x 6-inch minimum full tube construction full perimeter frame with sidewalls built on the frame.

Full welds

One piece roof with no roof vents or skylights

Adjustable sidewall vents at front and rear of trailer, Four minimum

Minimum 0.30-inch aluminum exterior siding attached at every side structural member with screws.

Center tube from tip of extended minimum 36-inch trailer tongue to first axle

Removable adjustable bulldog coupler in 4” channel rated at 12K minimum. 2 5/16” ball
¾ inch treated plywood floor screwed to each floor crossmember at 12” minimum intervals

No D Rings- Install surface mount Etrac at custom intervals

Minimum 88-inch door clearance at rear door (this will accommodate an early car with

36” wide x 72” tall flush mount door, hinge n the front side of trailer and lock side on the rear placed at least one foot in front of the interior trailer wheel well box.

Fold out steps centered under door with grab handle on the inside and outside.

Junction box at tongue separate from batter box for 12 VDC breakaway battery at tongue.

30-amp 12VDC charge line ran to inside front of trailer to charge12VDC battery at front of trailer (for winch)

Floor mounted Winch at center front of trailer

12 VDC LED trailer lights at interior of side walls to adequately light the interior at night, feed from 12VDC battery at front of trailer.

Trailer light switch at rear & front door.

Exterior LED combination clearance and hazard and turn signal lights at fender wells

Rear adjustable 12 VDC flood lights installed on either side of rear door controlled by switch at doors.

Howdy Daniel,… I commented on your similar post a few years ago. Still researching ? I mentioned I also asked Freighter Jim for advice and he basically said ~ don’t spend less than $20 K. We’ll, I designed and had built one at TRex trailers for half that and am very happy with it. Comment about the winch: I bought a top of the line winch at TSC and asked a local Lockhart trailer technician to mount it. He bid $1 K for the job so I found a heavy duty 4’ chain in the junk pile / cut it in half and bought 4 adjustable chain links from the local hardware store ($24) and attached 2’ chain to either side of the winch and anchored them to my forward 2 D rings. Perfect ground ! I have 4 D rings in my trailer for hauling T s And TT s. Been successful over multistate hauling…

Well, I have an 18’ box with a V nose. That’ll give you an extra 2’ to build a shelf or storage. I don’t know if fuel consumption is less but it makes me feel like it
Your length, height and width is like mine so you can carry a TT or a ‘09 touring with top up.

I have one V nose trailer and one coffin nose trailer and if there is any difference in mileage I don’t see it. If you go with the V nose make sure the tongue length allows enough clearance to drop the tailgate or hatch back on your tow vehicle. The extra space you get in the V extends over the tongue reducing the space between the front of the trailer and the coupler . The hatch on my Suburban cleared it but the hatch on my Expedition did not.

George House wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 12, 2025 3:19 pm

Howdy Daniel,… I commented on your similar post a few years ago. Still researching ? I mentioned I also asked Freighter Jim for advice and he basically said ~ don’t spend less than $20 K. We’ll, I designed and had built one at TRex trailers for half that and am very happy with it. Comment about the winch: I bought a top of the line winch at TSC and asked a local Lockhart trailer technician to mount it. He bid $1 K for the job so I found a heavy duty 4’ chain in the junk pile / cut it in half and bought 4 adjustable chain links from the local hardware store ($24) and attached 2’ chain to either side of the winch and anchored them to my forward 2 D rings. Perfect ground ! I have 4 D rings in my trailer for hauling T s And TT s. Been successful over multistate hauling…

Can you share your spec sheet you used?

Thank you Russ for pointing out about the tailgate clearance. That is very important and may have saved a lot of trouble.

Jim,

I will be happy to share the spec sheet once I have it finalized. Should be soon.

SurveyKing wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 12, 2025 11:30 pm

Jim,

I will be happy to share the spec sheet once I have it finalized. Should be soon.

Thanks but I was looking for George’s to see what he purchased for about $10k. I’m thinking of a trailer for occasional use but not looking to spend $20k. Just for personal, occasional use to take my T places for rides.
Would also like to see what your spec and quote is.
Thanks,
Jim

I have a 16 foot twin axle with a V nose. I too am skeptical as to any improvement in fuel economy over a coffin nose, but it gives me a little more space inside the trailer. The V nose is not included in the 16 feet, so it's a sorta free extra. Mine has the external fenders for three reasons - I have a better view of what's going on behind me, I think the narrower trailer body will improve highway fuel economy a bit, and any time I have used a trailer with the internal wheels there has been an issue with banging the doors of the vehicle inside the trailer into them. I know that the trailer is overall narrower then the enclosed wheel unit, but I am more conscious of the available space. I too have the e-track hold downs and would not even consider going back to D-rings.

Jim, I bought my T Rex trailer from Lone Star trailers in Lacy-Lakeview north of Waco, TX. I’ll go get the specs for you and post later, but want to say something about John Codman’s trailer description. DO NOT buy a 7’ wide trailer if you want to haul a ‘26-‘27 T ! I had a 7 X 14 V nose and enjoyed hauling my ‘19 centerdoor and ‘14 runabout in it with the top up. But when I drove my ‘26 Tudor in….. I was trapped in the sedan!!….my research revealed trailers came in 14,16 and 20’ + lengths. I rightly figured the shortest that would also allow a TT is 18’ so that became part of my specs…. more later…

George, Why not a seven foot wide? My T is a '27 and it fits into my trailer just fine. I have no problems getting out and walking to the escape door in the right front. Actually, my trailer is a hair less then 7' wide.

Daniel, I would seriously consider NOT using a bolt on tongue hitch of any kind.

IF YOU can take it off, So CAN THIEVES. It might be OK if you use some type of unique nuts and bolts to mount the hitch that thieves would not have a tool for.

GET A QUALITY TONGUE LOCK AND QUALITY LOCKS. Get a tongue lock that completely encases the tongue and it's mounting hardware.

I have and like PAC Locks. If you purchase one special model line, YOU can re-pin the locks so they all use the SAME key. I did and I'm so happy I have just one key for all my locks.

Just one comment, Stiffer springs is not necessarily a good idea. Put a light car in the trailer with >10,000 total spring rate will bounce the car badly. Add the trailer weight + the heaviest car that you plan to transport and size the spring rate with that info. I had a friend with an enclosed 20" trailer with 6000# axles that damaged a fully restored 1904 Stanley Steamer transporting it to Hershey Pa from New England. He asked his father in law to go 3 miles down the road with him riding in the Stanley. It scared the crap out of him. He changed out the springs to 3500# springs

I bought my tall trailer used and already built so no choices to start. Have done several long hauls with the Torpedo and others and have these couple of comments to add.

I will never have another 7' wide trailer! I would certainly recommend very strongly that you consider an access door on Each side. For just a few bucks more you'll be very happy and thankful when you travel and end up in tight locations and parking spots.

I second the tip about over weight springs..

Good Luck

John Codman, I mighta misspoke. I wouldn’t own a 7’ wide trailer if I wanted to transport a ‘new and improved’ CLOSED CAR. They’re wider than tourings and roadsters and their doors open further than the open T s.

Currently I have a 26 Roadster pickup. My thought was to go 8 or 8.5 wide by 16 or 18. From what I’ve read on sites most people don’t see a difference in coffin style vs. vee nosed as far as mileage goes, but I don’t know about handling on the road. I need some input from people who have trailered both. It seems to me that the wider and taller the trailer would increase wind resistance and affect mileage, but I can’t say how much as I have no real world measurements. An excellent point was bought up about going too heavy on the springs. I know from trailering boats you don’t want to put a light load on heavy springs as it will beat up a fiberglass boat. Seems to me same would apply here. I would prefer torsion axles (dual) and means to mount a winch. Looking forward to see what people are using. I want to buy decent but reasonably priced as it will not be used commercially- just to go on trips and maybe getting onto some tours in the future.

mtntee20 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 13, 2025 1:51 pm

Daniel, I would seriously consider NOT using a bolt on tongue hitch of any kind.

IF YOU can take it off, So CAN THIEVES. It might be OK if you use some type of unique nuts and bolts to mount the hitch that thieves would not have a tool for.

GET A QUALITY TONGUE LOCK AND QUALITY LOCKS. Get a tongue lock that completely encases the tongue and it's mounting hardware.

I have and like PAC Locks. If you purchase one special model line, YOU can re-pin the locks so they all use the SAME key. I did and I'm so happy I have just one key for all my locks.

I have a 2" receiver on one car and another on my pickup truck. They both bolt to their respective vehicles, but I doubt seriously that potential thieves would go to the time and trouble to remove the receivers. Even if they did unbolt them (a major PITA on either vehicle), they still can't tow the trailer because the hitch receiver would still be hanging on to the ball on the trailer. The removable part of the receiver (the ball) is clipped to the main part of the receiver with a serious locking pin and of course the trailer hitch is secured by a Heavy duty padlock.
I realize that the locks are there to keep honest people honest - you can't stop a professional unless you guard the trailer 24/7 with a shotgun. If I'm on the road overnight, I always back the rear door up against something solid and as unremovable as possible.

Daniel, I have decided to sell my trailer. I think it almost exactly what you are looking for. You can drive you Model T in with top up. We are within
300 miles from each other. If you are still interested, I can send my build sheet, listing all features of the trailer that I had specially made.
Dale

Dale,

I would like to see your build sheet and photos. Please send via email.

Thanks

George House,

Could you please either post or email me the specs on your TRex trailer you wrote about earlier? Thanks

OK…. after lunch

Sorry for the delay. Trailer box is 18’ long w/ 2’ V nose. Interior box is 8’ X 8’. Two 3500 lb axles w/ 15” trailer tires ( they’ll add free spare ), 7’10” inside door. Walk in door on the right side locks from w/in or outside. 4 D rings fastens everything I carry. 1 tiny light center ceiling I’ve never used. Trailer is loaded to transport to Hupp 20 mechanic. Centerdoor is 6’6” tall and TT C Cab is 6’10”.
And it has tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, running lights all around top and bottom. Lastly, 2 wheel brakes

Want a photo of TSC winch fastened to trailer that cost $24 ?

T Rex Trailers out of Corsicana. Tailgate clears crank handle but don’t turn truck with tailgate down

George House wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 24, 2025 4:49 pm

Want a photo of TSC winch fastened to trailer that cost $24 ?

I have a good understanding from your previous post, but when you get a chance a picture would be appreciated. Thanks.

Sure Jim,

I’ve attached 2’ length of chain to both ends of the winch and fastened the other ends to the frame-grounded Forward D rings. The winch cable is currently taut to a Hupp front axle along with 2 nylon straps.

It definitely is always a scary thing when you order a new trailer because you are never sure you have placed every option on the build order.

I realize this is probably a different size than most people here would want, below is the prints and the build sheet for a trailer my son & I just ordered for our business, for tours, and for our racing. It has enough rear door height (8') to be able to load my '09 Tourabout with the top up, or my Depot Hack. It is setup to comfortably carry two cars along with other items.

A couple of things that others may want to consider adding to their list(s). The trend now is to have all of the trailer lighting (-Exterior Tail/Marker lights, Interior lights, and Exterior Work lights) all powered by 12v batteries. On the trailer we just ordered, there is 3 LED Work Lights (2300 lumens ea) across the back that are tied into a switch to use when working on a car at night. The cool thing is these 3 lights light-up automatically when the tow vehicle is placed in reverse which allows them to double as Back-up Lights. This, along with 2 Docking Lights on the side (4' from the rear) illuminate the side allowing the trailer to be easily/safely backed-up at night, even around corners.

Another thing we are adding that seems to be really popular with a couple trailer manufacturers now is the Furrion Vision Wireless B/U Camera system that is placed on the back of the trailer, and the monitor is placed inside the cabin of the tow vehicle It sends the signal wirelessly, and the technology (and quality) has come quite a ways over the past few years. The monitors feature 1080 pixel images and a 120°degree view. Many guys are wiring them into their clearance lights on the trailer to make connecting easy.

While most people would not be interested in the rest of what we ordered, we actually had a storage loft added to the front, some storage cabinets in the front, an air conditioner, a walk-on roof, a storage well in the floor, and the side door moved to the front wall over top of the tongue. We ordered ours from United just because of the quality of their units. It is scheduled for pick-up in April. I don't have the revised prints with me now, but hopefully these will open.

I appreciate you people sharing information on your trailers. I'm looking at replacing our enclosed car hauler, with something large enough to haul the TT farm truck. We tow with a 31 foot class C RV. Ford V10.

I have my E-Trak located in the tire/wheel tracking & use wheel nets.

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:29 pm

I have my E-Trak located in the tire/wheel tracking & use wheel nets.

Same here.

Don’t let them skin the trailer at a temp considerably less than your normal ambient.

If they skin it at 50°, by 80° it will wrinkle badly. Then they will tell you their warranty doesn’t cover environmental’ conditions.

In Texas your temps vary widely (30-100).

Coffin front end - if you are going to have the front stick out - make it useful on the inside.

Consider if you are ever going to want to add a backup/reverse camera - where you will power it from at the rear of the trailer.

Consider installing a battery in the trailer, solar charged as well as from the truck when connected, so you can use the lights when not hitched.

Where are you going to mount the spare ? Inside or out ? (On the wall in the coffin nose ? )

At least one roof vent with a switched fan. They get hot sitting outside.

JMO

Looks real nice- just like mine Daniel. I know you’ll be happy with it…..gh

mbowen wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 05, 2025 11:27 am

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:29 pm

I have my E-Trak located in the tire/wheel tracking & use wheel nets.

Same here.

IMG_1340.jpeg

IMG_1343.jpeg

Do you know where you purchased these?

Another thing to consider is adding very large numbers or some sort of graphic to the roof of the trailer. If your trailer is stolen it is much eaiser to spot from the air or from a higher elevation. Criminals usually swap the license plates but never look on the roof.
The CHP around here says it really makes their job much easier and they sometimes recover trailers within a day or two.

I found this out when my boat trailer licensce plate was stolen. They said thieves take them from boat trailers as they sit around much more
than other trailers. They swap plates and take the trailers up in the hills and make meth labs out of them.

Also, consider putting a tracking device in your trailer. Take a look at this one- we have several. Very happy with them.

https://trak-4.com/

Go for 20', no such thing as a trailer too big. Mine has V-nose, space for a full floor-mounted multi-drawer tool box for tools yes, but also nearly all parts for building a new T on the road, plus machinist vise. Don't put your winch in the middle of the floor always in the way to stumble over. Mine is mounted against one wall of the V, fairlead snatch block in the middle of the floor gets the pull in the middle with far less over which to stumble, fall, and get hurt. 12v battery box next to the winch, floor boxes for oil, grease, etc; also built-in carriers for suitcase, shoes, other odds and ends. At 20' I could get in a grill for cooking, and all the accoutrements for fine dining on the road including folding table and chairs, and a small fridge. Maybe some gypsy in my background, but there is no need to forgo style when traveling with a stylish antique automobile. I did opt for a lower head space; means I have to lower the tops to load the touring cars (no way to get in the sedan) but the lowered headspace means much less windage going down the road, especially if the wind is from the side. I pull with a Ford F-250 V-8, the 150 just wasn't up to the task, especially in mountainous terrain. I started with a Kauffman trailer, 20' by 8.5' no serious complaints.

Two mote trailer options: always travel with enough folding chairs to entertain the guests that will descend, especially if you are cooking, and I don't have but wish I did have a retracting awning for those days and evenings when it is raining.

Just a question. Why do you need a 8' walls and only need a 6' Door, seams like you are pulling an extra foot of front air dam. It is a lot taller than your tow vehicle.

That's nice..

I'll back up on the 3500 axles. Unless you plan to haul heavier cars or equipment, 7k axle setup is all you need for a T. That and a 16ft is more than big enough for a T and that even leaves room in the from for storage boxes. That said, I just got dad setup with a new 18ft v nose 8.5 trailer on 5200 axles cause he wanted something that can haul the 1938 convertible sedan and the T so the 16ft is getting sold at some point.

SurveyKing wrote: ↑

Thu May 08, 2025 5:54 pm

Yes Clint, I had originally ordered a 16 foot but found that they could not do the beavertail option unless it was a minimum of 18 feet.

Hmmm… My 16-foot enclosed v-nose Dark Horse has a beaver tail.