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08-07-2003, 10:11 PM
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#1
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1
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New to forum, but looking to making a car carrier...
I have loved the look of the Airstreams for years and looking to use one to suite my needs. I built a Shelby Cobra replica which we are looking to trailor to such events as shows and races. In the past we have just rented a 24ft by 8.5ft enclosed car trailor and it was great, but could have gotten by with a 22ft. Now here is my question, can i take a 20-24 Airstream and make an enlosed car trailor? Somehow create a ramp style door in the rear or such and drive a car inside? Gut the inside, repair/restore the floor and apply a checkerboard floor. The whole car weighs 2,000lb, and we would be looking for a dual axle trailor.
what do you guys think?
Eric
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08-08-2003, 03:35 AM
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#2
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Just a member
1978 28' Argosy 28
Lutz
, Florida
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,549
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Ummmmm,
Actually thee was a guy at the Sarasota rally last year selling a trailer that he had done this exact thing to. Cut the shell at the last rib before the end and the whole rear shell was the door.
I think it was a 29, but I don't really remember. Don't know if he sold it either.
__________________
Brett G
WBCCI #5501 AIR # 49
-------------------------
1978 Argosy 28 foot Motorhome
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
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08-08-2003, 05:06 AM
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#3
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Rivet Master
LOST
, Hawaii
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,193
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I don't think it would work as is. My 74 mh is only 92 1/2" inside, pretty narrow for a car. The floor and frame are really not substantial, no place for tie downs. They are monocoque construction. 2000 lbs is a lot of weight for these, even with the interior stripped and you are going to have tools, spares, etc. if you are racing.
If you really want to do it I would start looking for one with a bad frame. There are some that have sat for years and the steel is wasted (check this link). Build a frame suitable for the weight you will haul and put the body on it. This will also give you a chance to design a suitable structure to support the ramp and door.
John
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08-08-2003, 07:25 AM
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#4
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2 Rivet Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 88
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Do it! that would be the coolest! A mid sixties tradewind 24footer would match the era of the Cobra. The whole rear curved end cap would probably be the easiest to make into the door. like a giant clamshell. But you would have to get/fabricate an extra bow probably. The trailers are I think about 7feet at the floor there.... in between the wheelwells aboou 4foot 10 or so if you pull the insulated covers off, is that enough room? Could you ramp over them if it isnt enough? Also may I interject a personal taste whine against the checkered floor, it seems so "1992 motorcycle trailer"...
-Andrew
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04-23-2015, 07:09 PM
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#5
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3 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
Madison
, Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 172
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Go to Racing junk . com & buy a used Freatherlite drag trailer. All riveted or welded aluminum & rated to haul 10,000 pounds.
Don"t try what you are planning. If you remove the back cap, the trailer will be like an eggshell that is cracked.
Let's Roll !
Wolf
__________________
Wolf Alaska
M.S./CFI/IR/ME/CP
FMCA SKP GS GPAA NRA USN (Ret)
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04-23-2015, 07:19 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2015 30' International
2009 27' FB International
2007 25' Safari
Currently Looking...
Greensboro
, North Carolina
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,564
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If you have unlimited funds, begin with a car hauler, or an open trailer like one of these:
Diamond Floor Car Trailer for sale by Kaufman Trailers
Then purchase an old Airstream and have one of the custom shops mount it on top of the trailer and create rear flap. This will make certain you have the structural integrity of a car hauler, the looks of an Airstream.
For about $35,000 this should be an easy project.
__________________
Happy trails and Good Luck
Ms Tommie Fantine Lauer, Greensboro, NC
AIR #31871 KQ3H
www.fantinesvoice.com
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04-23-2015, 07:34 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1969 25' Tradewind
Shasta Lake
, California
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,039
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Kool IDEA ! But the Airstream chassis and floor won't cut it.
Pull the shell and mount it on a modified OPEN car trailer . Split the shell at the last rib fab a heavy frame for the body shell and rear shell create a hinge at the top so the rear shell swings up. Then the details for the operating system /support , latches .
The car trailer could extend just beyond the rear shell especially if you started with one that had a dove tail . You would end the shell at the start of the dove tail on the level part.
The beauty of this is you could get a 8' 6" wide car trailer and give your self plenty of room for the cobra between the wheel wells. The car trailer fenders would replace the Airstream inner wheel houses and you could modify the AS skin to fit the fenders.
At the front you could trim the car trailer to fit the curve of the AS or not.
I can see the car trailer as an all aluminum unit to start with.
Of course the would not be a low buck project
Gee , while I was writing this another great mind posted above the same thing
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04-23-2015, 10:47 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
2015 30' International
2009 27' FB International
2007 25' Safari
Currently Looking...
Greensboro
, North Carolina
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,564
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Great minds think alike
Ms. Tommie Lauer
Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums
__________________
Happy trails and Good Luck
Ms Tommie Fantine Lauer, Greensboro, NC
AIR #31871 KQ3H
www.fantinesvoice.com
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04-24-2015, 12:58 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2005 25' Safari
Salem
, Oregon
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,369
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Old thread.
Hi, looks like Cobra Eric only made one post and that was in 2003.
__________________
Bob 2005 Safari 25-B
"Le Petit Chateau Argent" Small Silver Castle
2000 Navigator / 2014 F-150 Eco-Boost / Equal-i-zer / P-3
YAMAHA 2400 / AIR #12144
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04-25-2015, 08:11 AM
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#10
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3 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
Madison
, Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 172
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I guess it does not matter now
Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS
Hi, looks like Cobra Eric only made one post and that was in 2003.
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Yes, that is the way it looks. Strangely, the message from CE showed up in the daily email I get from the Forum. I thought it was a new post, but I didn't look at the date of CE's post like you did.
I found him a good used trailer on Racing Junk, enclosed trailer,26ft. interstate, 2006, for Sale in SPRINGFIELD, IL | RacingJunk Classifieds
but I don't think he cares.
I'm learning more about how this forum works. Good catch, Robert.
Let's Roll !
Wolf
__________________
Wolf Alaska
M.S./CFI/IR/ME/CP
FMCA SKP GS GPAA NRA USN (Ret)
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04-25-2015, 01:13 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master
1969 25' Tradewind
Shasta Lake
, California
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,039
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So the O.P. was years ago, its still a good question and if nothing else it gets minds thinking
I even thought of a couple of other ideas on how to access the deck of the car trailer that wouldn't require making the rear of the shell to open.
One thought is to make a structural frame for the u channel to mount the shell to that would support the entire shell . Then hinge it at the front on the deck of the car trailer and have the whole shell lift at the rear to allow the car to enter.
The other thought is to have the whole shell lift straight up on a scissors type lift
Boy I can see the jaws dropping open at the car shows when this pulls in , and the gaping as the shell lifts to expose the car :0
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04-29-2015, 02:15 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
2015 30' International
2009 27' FB International
2007 25' Safari
Currently Looking...
Greensboro
, North Carolina
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,564
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I can see the green flow of money....we must be in the near $100,000 range, right?
Ms Tommie Lauer
Greensboro, NC
2015 Serenity 30 RB / 2008 Dodge Cummins 4 X 4
WBCCI #4165 AIR #31871
__________________
Happy trails and Good Luck
Ms Tommie Fantine Lauer, Greensboro, NC
AIR #31871 KQ3H
www.fantinesvoice.com
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