Trailer Size?

[JLPurcell]

I am considering selling my open car trailer and buying an enclosed trailer for my 1972 Z. I don’t want a trailer larger than I need. I am considering the 8.5’ X 20’ V nose. Does anyone have experience with this size for the 240Z? Good fit? Other considerations?

Thanks for your valued input.

Jerry

[Zedyone_kenobi]

BRE sells a slick new trailer... not sure if it is open or closed.

[SteveJ]

It's a closed trailer, but it's also $24K.

[Carl Beck]

Hi Jerry:

I currently have a 20' V-nose. I've been pretty happy with the trailer itself - but pulling it down the road is like pulling the side of a barn though the air. Given the experience I've had with it - I'd like something smaller, lighter and lower profile.

BRE has the right idea, and Peter has designed a very attractive trailer. Low profile with about 16.5' interior length. For the limited use I have - personally I just can't justify putting $24K into a trailer. {although the thought has crossed my mind several times}

I may either build my own custom design - - - - or perhaps just go buy one. In either case it will be all aluminum, no longer than 18' and have a low profile. I don't want the top of the trailer any taller than the top of my truck.

I looked at a couple of these at various car shows - and owners seem to be pretty happy with them.

16' deck length - 82" wide deck, torsion axles, electric brakes, aluminum wheels, 62.5" interior height, 10' load ramps. They can be made to your spec.'s if you want one longer/narrower etc.

See pictures 33 though 36

http://www.montrosetrailers.com/gallery/automobile_trailers/MVC_004F

This trailer is made in Mich. - retail as shown for a 16' is $9454.00 at the factory. Shipping can be $1.25 per mile if they ship it - or you can arrange your own pickup..

However I feel that they could be made far more aerodynamic with a little effort. A big PLUS with this unit is that it has great access to strap the car down, as well as ease of entry/exit from the car. It also has smooth surfaces - no exterior screws/rivets, which makes it far easier to clean/maintain.

The typical 20' V nose, in steel frame/aluminum exterior , wood deck and interior - will run anywhere from $4500.00 to $6500.00 depending on exact type of build and interior finish. In good shape used around here they aren't much less either. Add about $500.00 for a weight distribution/anti-sway hitch.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[gnosez]

I do like those montrose trailers, Carl. Nice find. Wish we had seen this last year before getting the new trailer for the race car. My thoughts are for a standard trailer that allows you to raise the roof to load and unload and to lower the roof for travel. This would give you access while allowing for a smaller aerodynamic shape in the tow mode. A "pop-up" car trailer if you will.

[Kathy & Rick]

I am considering selling my open car trailer and buying an enclosed trailer for my 1972 Z. I don’t want a trailer larger than I need. I am considering the 8.5’ X 20’ V nose. Does anyone have experience with this size for the 240Z? Good fit? Other considerations?

Thanks for your valued input.

Jerry

Jerry, you need to contact Rance Aluminum Trailers "right up the street from you" in Elkhart. (574) 266-9028.

Tell them Rick Morgan in CT sent you and they will surely slam down the phone. LOL LOL

In 2011, we also decided upon an enclosed trailer. We did a LOT of shopping around, comparing, and analyzing;

then came up with the conclusion that Rance was not only the best QUALITY, but also the best VALUE. I

define VALUE as: how much QUANTITY and/or how much QUALITY am I receiving per dollar spent. And I'm

not ashamed to DEMAND value, because (I'm retired now) I always made it a point to GIVE it.

First, the acquisition cost of an aluminum trailer is going to cost quite a bit more than the steel trailer right

from the get-go. But a lot of this will be amortized over the ensuing years by (1) less maintenance of the

trailer itself being required; (2) offering a great deal less weight to be pulling around; and (3) a higher resale

price should you ever decide to sell it.

One more advantage is that if you have, for illustration purposes, a trailer with 7000 lb gross vehicle weight

(GVW), and the trailer itself weighs 5000 lbs, you can safely only carry 2000 lbs of cargo. Whereas if you

have 7000 lbs of GVW but the trailer itself weighs only 3000 lbs, you could carry 4000 lbs. Now with a 2300 lb

Z Car it wouldn't be a problem in either case, but if you ever wanted to carry something heavier, it might.

Or, if you wanted to carry the Z PLUS a literal ton of stuff for your tailgate party, you would still be within

spec. An additional thought: if you carried a 2300 lb Z in a trailer weighing only 3000 lbs, you're asking the

engine in your prime mover to work a lot less by having to pull nearly a ton less. How much is fuel nowadays?

Back to Rance. We took delivery the evening before the morning we left for the National show in Nashville.

I wanted to install the load leveler/sway control package that Carl talked about (above), but there was

barely time to load the car, lash her down, and hit the highway. So we decided to take our chances on a

trip in excess of 1000 miles each way, hoping (or should I say praying) for the best. Great decision (I make

those occasionally, sometimes as often as 3 times per year.) The trailer didn't "dog-track" (trail so you can

clearly see all of one side in the mirror, but can't see the other side at all); didn't yaw (sway back and forth

from side to side); and pulled so effortlessly that if I hadn't looked in the mirrors, I wouldn't have known it

was even there.

More testimony upon request in this thread. Or anyone can call me at home to discuss: (203) 484-7850.

All Z Best,.........................Kathy & Rick

[Kathy & Rick]

Jerry, Rick again.

I wanted to address your question re: optimum size of an enclosed trailer.

Since the Z is only about 13-1/2 feet long, a 20-footer would give you plenty of length, with

about 3-1/2 feet both fore and aft (you want to get the car over the axles; that is why I

didn't say 6-1/2 feet on one end (with the bumper against the rear door or the nose)). In a

V-nose trailer, you get not only a better aerodynamic effect, but also some extra length up

in the nose since the V-nose extends forward over what would otherwise be exposed trailer

tongue. This space can be utilized for any number of purposes. In the case of a 20-foot

trailer, the 20 feet refers to the rectangular box, to which is added the length of the V nose.

I wouldn't go too short, however. We bought a 24-footer, and now I wish we had gone 28'

or even longer. Maybe even a gooseneck. We designed our trailer with various living conven-

iences to minimize motel expenses, sort of like a living space up front. A 28-footer would

have given us another 4' for the purpose; or, the ability to carry TWO of our Z's at a time

if we ever wanted to do so.

Up till now all I have addressed is LENGTH. By all means, don't forget about the WIDTH. The

inside of the trailer is about 8' wide. The trailers are designed with the wheel wells up into the

cargo area, but still low enough that one can open the door of a Z above them. No problem

there. Let's see... 8' inside, minus about 5 or 6 feet for the width of a 240Z leaves at best

1-1/2' on each side. How many of driving age are still shaped like a pencil? Certainly not I !!!!

Load your Z too far to the right, and you scuff your Z's paint. Or worse. Moreover, the bal-

ance of the trailer will be skewed: excess tire wear on the right side tires, excess weight on

the curb side (right side) resulting in poor handling, and the propensity to "yaw" (sway back

and forth from side to side, sometimes violently). BAD decision.

So now that I've driven the Z into the trailer, how do I get out through that tiny available

space between the Z door and the trailer wall? I DON'T!!!! Crawl out through the rear hatch?

I don't think so!!!! Haven't figured out how to release the hatch from inside yet (only 41 years).

And I haven't even addressed the matter of agility! Are you thinking, "climb out of the sunroof?"

Don't even go there; we don't tolerate those types of things in old original Z's!!! Aha!! How

about an ESCAPE HATCH???? Yeah, that's it!!!! A wide side door in the trailer that allows the

driver door of the Z to open as though the wall of the trailer weren't even there! GO FOR IT!!!

All Z Best,................................Kathy & Rick

[Richard Oben]

I have a Pace Explorer and have not spent any money on a Hotel in a long time. It is heavy so you need a lot of truck to pull it. It is a toy box, car in the back convenience in the front is it 26 ft with 17 ft of car space. To sleep you need to pull the car out which is fine.

I would choose the trailer that my vehicle can pull not that has the most room or has the right space for the car. Serpent express is a soft side enclosed that is really a nice comprimise. Or get an all aluminum trailer that is low and easy to tow. JMHO, YMMV, Richard.

[Carl Beck]

I do like those montrose trailers, Carl. Nice find. Wish we had seen this last year before getting the new trailer for the race car. My thoughts are for a standard trailer that allows you to raise the roof to load and unload and to lower the roof for travel. This would give you access while allowing for a smaller aerodynamic shape in the tow mode. A "pop-up" car trailer if you will.

Hi gnosez:

My thoughts exactly.

I've considered a Pop-top, a Gull Wing top {where the top and a section of the sides opens from a long hinged center} and even having the entire enclosure raise up off the flat bed... Looking into using aluminum or Fiberglass honeycomb Sandwich panels - as well as a full up custom fiberglass enclosure.

The trailer pictured - came up on CraigsList a few months ago - Someone had ordered a custom aluminum trailer for his Pantera in 07, but then the customer went bankrupt in the 08 crash before the trailer was done... The trailer manufacture went bankrupt the following year. The manufacturer had about $3000.00 at his cost - in labor and materials in the unfinished trailer ... and wanted to get something back out of it. So bought it mostly for a prototype platform for $1500.00.

It's all aluminum, torsion axles, surge disk brakes etc. It was intended to have a low load height. The entire exterior frame is 3.5"x5.5" aluminum "I" beam, the cross braces are 3"x5" "I" beams. It is presently 20' long point to tail - and was going to be a V-Nose. I may shorten it to 16' deck length + V nose. Deck is 82" outside of the frame to outside of the frame.

So in the next few months - I'll be talking to a few fabrication shops and a couple of manufacturers of big fiberglass boats in the area - to see what a custom enclosure would cost... I want to keep the weight under 1700 lbs - the axles are rated at 3,500 lbs each.

Might be far less expensive to just buy the Montrose trailer and be done with it...I just wish it was a more attractive and aerodynamic body design... You really don't want 90 degree edges on a trailer and the nose should slop forward toward the truck - the more you can fill in the gap between the truck and the trailer the less turbulence you have to deal with. {aka Bubble Nose}.

BTW - with a low profile trailer there is no need to get in the car, nor to be able to stand up straight and walk about it. You load them with a two way power wench and remote control.. ease them off the same way - with the wench letting them out easily.

Of course if one is hauling a race car - you need more room for tires/tools/fuels etc. But I'm just using it for Concours Events.. and Club Meets etc.

Additionally - with a low profile - I can store it beside the garage, behind a 6' privacy fence. {legally here in my neighborhood}.

Maybe I could come up with something that Montrose could build using their techniques - at the same price point - only with a few modifications.... There would seem to be at least a small market for a single purpose car hauler - for sports cars being shown - not raced.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Zulaytr]

I have a 20' that was made by Vintage of which has plenty of room for either my 240Z or my 300ZX. I had an overhead cabinet installed which is great for storing chairs, straps etc. Here are a couple of shots for reference. If you have any questions about this model just let me know.

[Carl Beck]

I have a 20' that was made by Vintage of which has plenty of room for either my 240Z or my 300ZX.

Nice trailer - higher end model - nicely finished inside etc.

What is everyone using to tow these loaded trailers?

I was using a Chevy 1/2 ton, Crew Cab... now I'm using a Chevy 3/4 ton - 2500HD Crew Cab, 2wd. The longer wheel base and heavier truck - makes towing far less hassle. But not as user friendly in town. Most any truck will tow these things - it's STOPPING you have to be concerned with!

I'd like to go back to a smaller lighter truck - thus one of the reasons to use a smaller and lighter weight trailer. Backing these things up is no breeze for me either -

FWIW,

Carl B.

[JLPurcell]

I really appreciate all the suggestions / ideas. Makes me think???? To answer the question of tow vehicle I have a supercrew / superduty F250 Powerstroke Diesel.

I like the idea of a low profile and I like the idea of being able to set up some sort of comfort space when at events. If I make a trailer change I believe that I will be trading 2 special purpose trailers for one. I currently have a 12X8 enclosed for my construction and the 18' open car trailer. This would eliminate the idea of the low profile due to my need for head space for easy access for my construction equipment/tools. A V-nose seems to be good for numerous reasons, aero as well as storage and maybe a place to permanently install a generator and compressor. Lots of considerations, keep those thoughts coming. Jerry