Homemade car hauling contraptions.

"Not For Hire" are great words, but I know for a fact that they mean sweet FA to a Virginia cop. Then again, not much does mean anything to Virginia cop except writing as many tickets as possible.

Virginia cops just suck. After Hurricane Katrina we sent busloads of cops firemen and medics down south to help. Everyone got a ticket for something in Virginia.

If you're hacking up the truck anyway, there's no reason to use a 4WD trans at all. Just move your engine to the front of the new "bed" and point it backwards, then run the driveshaft into the front dif. Poof, mid engine and FWD. Add some tool boxes on either side of the motor and either a sleeper or tire storage above and call it a day.

the front diff might survive running fwd only, but the transfer case might not last long at highway speeds. i've been told that even running in 4hi at anything over 50 for very long will severely limit the life of the tcase bearings, etc.

that said, i've done it and nothing blew up in the 2-3 years i had my ranger

If I had pics, I could post them of my old wrecker with not for hire stickers on the sides. You just can't do it in TX. The laws also just got a lot more strict and a few guys I know have gotten rid of their wreckers.

All I'm saying is before you build something to haul cars on make sure you can insure it.

Dan, do you still have that old pickup?

Running 4WD with no center diff on high-traction surfaces does cause a problem. I suspect that's why people think you can't run FWD only without damage, because if there's no center diff then you'll potentially cause damage by engaging the front axles on pavement. But in many trucks, the front driveshaft is spinning all the time whether it's powered or not, so the bearings aren't going to have a problem with it.

But running one axle only shouldn't be a problem. If you have a center diff, you'll have to lock it somehow.

Wally wrote: Dan, do you still have that old pickup?

That's an awful lot of truck for a 1600 lb. car.

If you have a Goldwing, you might consider somehting like this:

Old UHaul service trucks come up for auction occasionally. Awesome for smaller cars:

Some Bondo, some Paint and you could have this:

I've been looking at the older stuff, actually know where there's a '48 COE. Again, big vehicle for a 1600 lb. load.

I think a 3/4 ton would do the trick, I'll keep looking.

pinchvalve wrote:

berkeleyin sweet.

I think that this has enormous potential as the cool hauler of a 1600lb race car:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=335823

You know, back in the 80's they made a few Centurion Cruisers, part van/part pick up. I always called them "Van-Ups". Pretty cool for what they are, take the bed off and make a hauler.

I did some searching, and what little I could find was on:

www.fourdoorbronco.com

which in itself is a cool site regarding pre-Expedition and Excursion Fords.

Seen at the PVGP a few years ago. (by the way, a Mini will fit in my StepVan between the wheel wheels).

[edit-sorry for the bad link before. should be viewable now]

Woody wrote: I think that this has enormous potential as the cool hauler of a 1600lb race car: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=335823

There's an annual Antique Truck Show in town every September. Last year a guy had the same thing in a Chevy, it ran, had a later model OHC straight six and no box or deck out back. $2500. That one has been on my mind.

Whatever I end up with will have to be able to maintain highway speeds from NY to Fla.

Twice.

Dan

Woody wrote: I think that this has enormous potential as the cool hauler of a 1600lb race car: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=335823

Dangit, that's local to me...and so very tempting

JFX001 wrote: You know, back in the 80's they made a few Centurion Cruisers, part van/part pick up. I always called them "Van-Ups". Pretty cool for what they are, take the bed off and make a hauler.

There's one of those thats been sitting on the backlot of a little used car dealerhip down this way for a few years now. Wierd looking but very useful looking.

I've seen a neat idea. Wrecked modern motorhome with an old COE cab grafted on. Moderm mechanicals, old timey style. Lot's of room for flatbed. Get it titled as a motorhome, since that's what it started out as, and insurance should not be an issue.

There was a pretty cool one at the $2002 Challenge. IIRC, it was a regular 3/4 truck with a slightly longer than normal flat/stake bed. The cool thing was that the removable stake in bed sides were the ramps. Just lift the bed sides off, lay them on the back of the bed and drive a car right up onto it.

I have a 1-ton Dodge crew-cab long bed truck that my father is in the middle of converting to a standard cab. Should have just at 12' for the bed when he's done, perfect for Opels, MGs, and small race cars.

Actually, I have 2 more crew-cab long bed Dodge frames as well. Sachilles, what year is your current Dodge truck and where are you, we might just need to get you a frame to lengthen your current truck?

pinchvalve wrote:

Wow. I want that. Now.

bravenrace wrote:

pinchvalve wrote:

Wow. I want that. Now.

K turn?

aeronca65t wrote: Seen at the PVGP a few years ago. (by the way, a Mini will fit in my StepVan between the wheel wheels).

I nearly pulled the trigger on one like that. It was a Cab-Over-Van RV, that had had a tree fall on the rear portion. They cut it off behind the side door and put up a new rear wall, and then made a nice diamond plate flat bed behind it. It still had the over-the-cab bed, and basically became a two person RV.

bravenrace wrote:

pinchvalve wrote:

Wow. I want that. Now.

I wonder what it is. It looks like it started life as a OTR long wheelbase big rig. Then lowered. The cab was dropped over the frame a fair bit. The top chopped. Custom flat bed. old school front clip and additional front fenders in the rear.

Here ya go: http://public.fotki.com/VincePutt/drag_racing/race-car-haulers/

Shawn