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#1
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What is Big Enough?
Hey Everybody,
I am getting the trailer thing closer to being figured out. For a 72 GTO going racing - is a 20 foot big enough - or 24 foot needed? How big a truck do you need for a basic '20 or '24 is needed? Thanks Again, CraigG. |
#2
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At least a 24’
I have a 28’ and I can put my golf cart in through the double side doors. And my 65 which is a little longer has room in the front and the back. A trailer is like a garage, you always could use a bigger one.
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First Pontiac powered street car in the 7's 7.940@170.84. 3460#s |
#3
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I agree at least a 24'. Yeah, your car will fit in a shorter trailer, but you won't have room for anything else. I have a 28' now, and while the space inside is great, those extra 4 feet make maneuvering in tight spaces a lot more difficult- especially small town gas stations.
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1966 GTO 1969 Lemans Convertible- F.A.S.T. legal family cruiser. 12.59 on G70-14 Polyglas tires. 1.78 60' 1969 Bonneville Safari- cross country family cruiser. . 1979 Trans Am 400, 4-speed, 4 wheel disc. View from the drivers seat racing down Atco Raceway- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhYDMdOEC7A Ride along in the other lane-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIzgpLtF_uw |
#4
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Well I have had one 24ft and 2 20ft I love my 20ft I need to travel 8-10 hrs to get to a track so I did not want some big trailer plus it will pull easy behind a motorhome. in and out of gas station not a problem..
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#5
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Well my friend if the race track is 15mins from my house I would have a 32ft trailer. If you need to travel long distances a big trailer is a pain in the ass..JMO
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#6
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I have a 28ft ATC, can fit my 66, and Yamaha Golf Cart with rear seat. I have cabinets in the front and a Generator Compartment
I wanted a 32ft, but I pull mine with a 35ft Super C Motorhome and am already at 68ft total length. If you can swing it go All Aluminum, I went from a 24ft steel/aluminum to a 28ft All Aluminum and it saved about 1,000lbs even though it was 4ft longer. And definitely get a 7ft tall trailer!!
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66 GTO Nostalgia Super Stock/Street Legal Car 421 CID, stock block, Wenzler Intake, 2- Carter 750 AFB's, 3.90 Gears, Full Factory Interior, Full Exhaust, Stock Suspension 3750LBS 9.77@136.99 Multiple NSCA/NMCA World Champion 66 GTO 389 3x2, 4 speed, 4.33 gear, Montero Red 33K original Miles 67 GTO 2dr Post, 428, Tri Power, 3.55 Gears 80 Trans Am Black SE Y84 W72 WS6 |
#7
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Quote:
Can't hide $$$$!
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First Pontiac powered street car in the 7's 7.940@170.84. 3460#s |
#8
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IMO you need at least a 24' trailer. My Ventura in the trailer gives 6'ish foot on the front. I have cabinets and a tool box in my trailer that gives me plenty of room. If you're looking to haul a 4 wheeler or golf cart you're looking at a 28' or longer.
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#9
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You have more in your heads than I have in my whole engine!
PlumberMoneyTTFMF!
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66 GTO Nostalgia Super Stock/Street Legal Car 421 CID, stock block, Wenzler Intake, 2- Carter 750 AFB's, 3.90 Gears, Full Factory Interior, Full Exhaust, Stock Suspension 3750LBS 9.77@136.99 Multiple NSCA/NMCA World Champion 66 GTO 389 3x2, 4 speed, 4.33 gear, Montero Red 33K original Miles 67 GTO 2dr Post, 428, Tri Power, 3.55 Gears 80 Trans Am Black SE Y84 W72 WS6 |
#10
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Thanks Guys - keeping it basic and on a tight budget is where I am at - especially when looking at the pickup needed. I could load the pickup with a topper? Thanks for all the input - please keep it coming.
Thanks Again, CraigG. |
#11
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For budget reasons, find a GOOD used trailer.
For size, I agree with the 24’-28’ suggestion. I bought a 24’ trailer with a 4’ “V-nose”. Keep in mind if you get one with a V-nose, the size is the actual box. The guy I bought my trailer from advertised it as a 28’ trailer, and he believed it was one. I had to explain and show him the trailer tag which clearly identified the trailer as 24’.
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Matt 70 GTO 400 4-speed "Turbos make no noise and leave the line like Baby Diarrhea!" - GTOGeorge |
#12
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The trailer topic has been covered well, Aaron’s post is identical to my opinion on trailering a door car. As far as trucks go you need a 3/4 or 1 ton truck to do it safely. My 2005 Duramax 2500 crew cab short bed has been a great truck for towing. I’m sure a Ford or Dodge with similar engine transmission options would work as well. Some prefer a dually, but I prefer a single wheel rear, and both were rated the same as far as towing capacity. Anyway, don’t skimp on the truck!
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1969 Firebird, Tx3-455/468 machined by CVMS E-heads by Dave Wilcox/Comp Cams 300B-6 flat solid 850DP on E-85 by Eric Niefert/T2 1" plastic spacer T-400/PTC 4000/390's/30x9 Hoosier radial slicks,#3400 1.38 60' 6.32 @ 108 MPH at Northeast Dragway NC 5/23/15 (9th pass on new engine) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ePCu2v...ature=youtu.be 1.37 60' 6.26 @ 109 half track, 9.86 @ 136 1/4 mile, #3350 11/26/16 at Richmond Dragway (125th pass on new engine) |
#13
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Mines a 20' with cabinets in front. Pic in the "awning" thread.
I haul my 68 Firebird with a pit bike in front of it. Every inch of wall is used for storage, finished interior with coin rubber floor, has power, heat, AC and fridge, sometimes I even camp in it at the track. Given my driveway and parking situation I like the 20' since it's easier to deal with. 20' also makes you take only what you need, not the entire garage. For me 22' would be ideal but were hard to come by. Bigger isn't always better, sometimes it's just bigger. Yeah I'd like a 34' 5th wheel with living quarters, but I've done ok with this one for almost 10 years.
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https://www.facebook.com/Outlaw-Vint...7899333725868/ |
#14
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When looking at 20-24ft trailers, play close attention to GVW "rating". Five lug wheels almost always means a 3500lb axle, which means two axles = a 7,000 gvw trailer. Six lug wheels are 5,000lb axles and a 10,000 gvw. Most all of the cheaper 24 ft trailers have the 3500# axles. The unloaded weight of the trailer plus a car can have you at 7,000lbs very easily. Add in a golf cart, toolboxes, etc, and there you go. If you buy a 7,000lb GVW trailer, plan on keeping spare hub/drum assemblies and wheel bearings with you.
You'd be surprised at how many private individuals selling trailers have no idea what the GVW rating of their trailer is. When I went shopping for a 24ft enclosed, I looked at probably two dozen before I found the one I have. 10,000gvw but its pretty beat. Minus one very annoying and hard to diagnose intermittent electrical short, its been a good unit.
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Clutch Guys Matter _______________________________________ 53 Studebaker, 400P/th400/9" 64 F-85 72 4-4-2 Mondello's VO Twister II 84 Hurst/Olds #2449 87 Cutlass Salon 54 Olds 88 sedan |
#15
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It would help if the OP mentioned how much extra "stuff" he is bringing to the track. For me, I found that 26' with a wide side door is perfect. It allows enough for a work station in the front as well as a tool cab, compressor and winch. The wide side door allows enough room to drive the golf cart in sideways and take up less space.
As far as a truck goes... All the ballers with more money than brains have to have the biggest, baddest, leathered-up crew cab dually they make. That's fine if you are pulling a 40 footer with 2 cars, but many of these guys will pull a Nova, Camaro, Mustang or Vega out out a 26 or 28 footer. Classic overkill. Diesel and dually are not mandatory when pulling a trailer. IMO a 3/4 ton truck may not be a must but definitely is safer for large tow jobs. A large gas engine will do the job just fine too. However, with all that said, a fellow racer pulls a 28 footer filled with a Maverick, 2 Jr. Dragsters, Golf Cart, at least 2 pit bikes, compressor, huge tool box and a whole lot of other crap WITH AN ECOBOOST F150! I wouldn't recommend or do it but he says the truck pulls and stops very well. So take that for what its worth. |
#16
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Quote:
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#17
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I started with a 24', sold it and bought a 32' and the last one was a 26'. Like others have posted, I liked the smaller trailer better since most of my towing was usually over 100 miles each way and it sucked worrying about what stations I could get in and out of. Since selling my race car and trailer as a package deal, I'm now looking for a nice 18' aluminum open. Cutting back on my racing and don't see the need for an enclosed anymore unless I'd want to use it as a second garage to store stuff in. I'd consider a 20' enclosed if I could find a decent one with the heavier axles.
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65 Lemans Street Car - 521, T400, 3.70 9". 10.13 @ 135. 3770 lbs. Drag Week ‘14, ‘15, ‘17 63 Lemans Race Car- 8.81 @ 151, 5.60 @ 123(SOLD) 67 Bonneville ragtop 74 Firebird - 455, e heads, TK0600 in process |
#18
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Swapping/upgrading axles isn't that big a deal, especially on leaf spring trailers. But I'd go with torsion axles, which are harder to find on a 20 footer.
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https://www.facebook.com/Outlaw-Vint...7899333725868/ |
#19
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I ordered my trailer with heavy torsion axles for my 20ft ..not a big deal ..
Last edited by Mark G; 11-28-2018 at 01:57 PM. |
#20
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I just ordered a new 26 ft- inside trailer. 6 bolt wheels,9500 gvw. Local small mom and pop dealer. Found out he is in top 5 sellers in USA.I couldn't believe it just small lot.I thought long about suspension pros and cons. I liked torsion for ride but decided on springs. Simplicity and I can buy an axle locally if I need one.A friend bent an torsion axle going to York. He is having trouble getting repairs.Straighten or buy new.I d buy new. Mine is Finished inside. Looking for cabinets now. My 2cts. I looked for used, getting older tired of working on used stuff,sooo I'm paying.
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