SOT - So You Asked What Can I Tow & Camp in with My 914!?, How About an Eriba Puck? Options

[Tom_T]

In the past, several member on here have asked what they could tow for camping with their 914.

Well how about this little Pucker!?

They were designed with VW's help back in 1957, to be easily towable by VW Beatles (25 hp back then), Isettas, Minis, etc., etc.

So they're definitely Porsche Towable!


& VW of course!





... pay attention to this last one, see it below.

or with a ....



Okay, you get the idea! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

I'd always just tent camped out of my `73 914-2.0 when she was my DD 1775-85, & I don't know that I'd want to put a hitch on mine when restored - but I could & do just fine with this Puck.

Well .... we picked up another toy yesterday!

I know, I know .... it's "Repetitively Redundant" towed with a Westy full camper, but think of it as a guest house for the grandkids!

Also, since it's a 1970, it's eligible for the vintage trailer events which we go to (the Westy is too young!), we can go with this, & since it's small car towable, we can tow it with the Westy, & with the 85 325e & 914-2.0 - if I put hitches on them.

1970 Eriba Puck (German made Export mode &l finished fitting-out in CA with the CA-HCD RV/Trailer Approval Plate), 12' L (10' L box) x 5.5' W, 660 lbs empty, 70 lbs hitch wt. - sleeps 2-3 at dinette made into bed, 2 burner LP stove, Icebox (some had the optional 3-way fridge), sink & +/-10 gal. fresh water tank, center pop-top lifts for standing room & donw to fit in a normal ht. garage.

Our new Baby - mostly original:



So we'll take the Lil' Pucker for her own inaugural trip with us ]to Puck around the weekend before Thanksgiving for a group camp out with other vintage trailer buddies.

Wife is happy now! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

Cheers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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[mepstein]

These are really nice pics and I’m sure you will have fun with your new trailer.

[Tom_T]

These are really nice pics and I’m sure you will have fun with your new trailer.

Hey Mark,

These would be no problem at all to tow with a 914, & the European market had several hitches back in the day sold & approved by Germany's equivalent of our US-DOT, & IIRC one or more was a Porsche approved & dealer sold accessory (also had 356, 911/912/920 versions of Euro-hitches).

I got the longer version of your post in my email notice, & just wanted to put your mind at ease about towing these Pucks & other small Eriba trailers with a 914 or other small cars.

These little trailers have 61-62 years of experience with millions of them worldwide being towed safely by the under-powered & under-braked 1000-1300 cc Beetles/Buses/Ghia/Square/Notch/Fastbacks, Citroen 2CVs, Isetta/BMWs, BMW 700s, Messerschmidt & other Micro-cars, etc.

Eriba designed them in collaboration with VW - supposedly at VW's request to have a camping trailer/Caravan option for their owners.

These were cars with small drum brakes.

By contrast - the later VWs 1500 & up - as well as certainly our 914s with 4 wheel disc brakes & +/-78-100 HP - can not only tow their smallest Puck, but some of their larger models as well - as noted in their chart below.



The larger Eriba trailers IIRC from Familia on up come with surge hydraulic brakes - & they were an option for the smaller Pucks, Fauns & Pans too. You can tell them by the black rubber accordion boot on the tongue/tube at the front, just behind the coupler (see the pic of the Familia with the pic of the blue `58 Bug).

I suppose folks could also add aftermarket electric disc or hydraulic surge brakes to their trailers - if so inclined.

Also note that our Vanagon only has 95 HP & front disc/rear drum brakes - but is twice as heavy itself as a 914 with better engines & brakes - & we towed just fine. Not a "white knuckle ride" at all - & we had one with our bigger Avion T20 when towing "bare ball" with a Nissan Pathfinder - so I know what it can feel like (I resolved that on the Avion by adding a Hensley Cub WD anti-sway hitch before the next trip).

Of course - you don't want to be racing around with a trailer in tow, & there is more danger of inattentive drivers/bicyclists/pedestrians running into you from the side while staring at the dang little thing! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

The speed limit while towing in most states is only 55 mph for a reason, & you have to drive differently, leaving more time/room for stopping, wider swings for turns, & getting a longer run on long & steep grades, & down-gear for grades & stopping (if needed).

So folks - don't worry if your 914 can handle it - just use a hitch that is attached to the original factory recco'd points on the unibody. If racers can put front & rear tow hooks for 914s, then the chassis can handle pulling something 1/3 the 914s weight if properly installed.

Cheers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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