Boat tail project based on a single wheel trailer...

[freebeard]

I never got past cutting up a useable towbar. But with it looking like the 58 Beetle might get a drive train, there's an opportunity there. Think of a '30s fold down luggage rack on a Baja Bug back bumper. Then I won't have to draw a picture. I'll let BamZipPow have the thread back now.

[BamZipPow]

New gap covers in place...time to go fer a shake down run.

[aerohead]

Backwards thinking
Rear guard
War on Turbulence
Sky Harvest
Get Rich Slow
Slowsilver
Vacuum need not apply
Wake Petroleum Company
Voodoo Economics
Power Play
Rooftop Savings
Bernoulli's Bargain
Don't Wake Me
Curves Slowed Down
Emperor's Old Clothes
Calm after the Storm
Booty Nation
Laughing all the way to the gas station
Spare Tank
Trick Rider
Honk if you have a Small one
Greased grease
Transparent Trailer Technology (T3)
Safe Curves Ahead
Unlimited Time Offer

Get some rest.Travel safe! Thanks for sharing.

[BamZipPow]

Just got back from my quick run. High cross winds buffeted and pushed the truck and trailer around just a little. Top sustained speed was 80mph fer about 5 minutes. Nothing ripped off, shook off, or fell off. I only had to stop once to fix the upper gap cover horizontal flap on the right side as it had popped up during one of the gusts. I don't think it will be an issue on the upcoming drive.

I did find it interesting that the upper gap cover stayed flat on top of the trailer this time around. I guess cleaning up the aero cap and all the gaps from the rough build helps.

I do want to have the hitch rebuilt as the original angle iron they used is twisting out of shape. I need to find someone to build the crossbar out of 2" square tubing like I wanted in the first place. Time to go shopping again.

[BamZipPow]

Loaded up, hitched up, checklist all checked off...ready to hit the road.



Gap cover door opened.


I strapped down all the luggage in the trailer this time around to minimize the amount of shifting because of the bumps in the road. We'll see how well it does this time around.

[BamZipPow]

Got to our destination safe and sound. Had issues with the side gap covers coming unlatched. The only way I knew that was happening was fromnthe flashes of light frome the taillights. I ended up ziptying them in place after about the third stop.

Heavy rain gave me the opportunity to see if the added covers would keep water spray off the back glass or not. Not a drop!

[BamZipPow]

Got back Monday evening without any more issues. I ended up using a ¼" bolts and Nylock nuts to lock the panels in place instead of zipties.

Since the return trip was during the day, there were a lot of gawkers and photographers shooting away. Had one police squad car shooting piccies, one driver had to do the drive around (left, right, and rear shots). A few drivers did their best to slow down to shoot piccies...even to the extent of pulling off the road to wait fer me. I believe there were a few that drove out of their way to git some piccies and then turned back around.

The gap covers did their job without any problems. I'll be revamping the upper gap cover in the near future and see how a clear sheet will perform over the Lexan roofing panels.

Since the side panels haven't been contacting the road, I'll be looking to enclose the exterior of the trailer to the level of the side panels and see how that works out on the next road trip. Maybe a belly pan fer the trailer, too!

I did reuse some baseboard and covered the gap between the gap covers and the aero cap. I'll have to add more fer the top part.

My mileage the trip going out was 25.5mpg and 24mpg coming back. Too many stops along the way combined with small town 30mph speed limits on the way up and back was the killer. Indicated highway mileage was 27mpg going out and 28mpg coming back. This was my first trip out to Castle Rock, MO with this setup.

Strapping the luggage down in the trailer seemed to minimize the trailer bucking. Will have to experiment with this setup some more.

[BamZipPow]

Dropped my hitch off to a welder so he can replace the angle iron with 2" box tubing to the tune of $200. Hopefully it will keep the hitch from gitting bent up like the angle iron did. I should git it back by this coming Wednesday.

I'm doing more research on friction disk shock absorbers and I'll see how well that pans out. Not willing to have someone build a set fer ~$600 a piece!

I did notice that there wasn't any contact/wear marks between the clear gap covers and the front access doors of the trailer. I guess this means I can bump out the front width of the trailer to better match the gap covers.

I will be building and installing an adjustable wedge on the rear tire strake panels so the panels can be adjusted outwards to match the contour of the trailer when in towing mode.

[BamZipPow]

This is the gap where the adjustable wedge should eliminate...

[aerohead]

More fruit to pluck!