I felt this deserved it's own thread and not buried in the other thread in case someone else is thinking of doing this. I'm taking the back half of the donor car and making it into a Track Tire Utility Trailer. So many ways to go with this. But my plan is to put the tires out in front in the open air, and box in the whole back half as a utility trailer.

I'm still looking for suggestions as this build is in process.

WWYD!?! (what would you do..)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7TqXKUAsbM

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Isuue is the empty engine compartment, could you put your tow hoop frame inside the engine compartment, cutaway the firewall and hide the tires/wheels between the sail panels? Not sure if you have enough room for your wide ones...

What did you do for the trailer hitch?

Great Dan

I saw your video earlier today. I recall you're lowering the trunk floor.
I took advantage of below deck space on my P hualer by adding an onboard air compressor system and water tank to rinse off my cars.
Dual 12V batteries too.Click to view attachment Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment


Keep your videos coming

Oscar

I really like that thought. It is really long with this setup. My original thought was to use the engine area to store a large portion of the tires with a little sticking out. Heck I might even still do that, but I would have to limit my tire width a bit. I really want to go with 10" wide all around but that will depend on what wheels I can find.

I think I'm going to gut the trunk area and see how much room I get. The thought is to box in the engine compartment for additional storage, I even though of making doors in the firewall area to make for easier access.

On the car side it is a custom made rear trans mount, cable shifter management, floor jack spot and of course receiver hitch.

It barely sticks out from behind the bumper, the exhaust sticks out more. But it seems to work.

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I like that. I was thinking battery, more for weight but also for other uses. But the water holding tank could be nice, Maybe I'll do a mist setup for hot days...

I like the total use of space, I think there will be areas that could be used for this and still have a ton of storage space.

Thanks for watching!

I have a back half I am thinking of making a track trailer out of too.

Rear trunk floor is in another car, so taking the whole thing out and extending the cab floor to the bumper and up. Couple bins to hold tool bags & such. Tires might go in front with a hinged cover. Still a ways off so haven't put much thought into it yet really.

Those are good ideas. I hadn't thought about making a cover for the tires, but it makes sense. Love to see it when your working on it.

914 half trailer build thread!

I agree this deserves its own thread as this will be a whole trial and error saga

Love the onboard compressor idea Oscar! That and maybe an onboard jumper with power/charging spot. Maybe cut a large access panel in the rear quarter in front of the wheel with a piano hinge and mount a thin all in one unit?? Do the same for the other side for a onboard tool box?

Trial and error... Yes. too true.
It looks like @infraredcalvin and also my original thought might be the way to go.
After adding 4 tires and wheels to the front, the tongue weight is more than this old body wants to deal with. I think I can move them back at least a foot maybe more. I will loose storage space, but I will just make it work.

The basic problem is the location of the rear tires. They are just too far rearward. So anyone thinking of copying this idea, check back with me in a month or so.

BTW. tongue weight is about 124# and that is with 2 car batteries in the back of the trunk! I can deal with it with a rolling tongue jack, but I'd rather do it right and save my back.

I think you should name it 914/2

I like it @PanelBilly

Well, I pulled the batteries out of the back and weighed the tongue again. 154# No wonder it felt heavy.

So I got to work on a redesign. The tires will move about 14" closer toward the rear. Any guesses on tongue weight (keeping the long nose still at this point).

What's the weight of the tires and total distance to the center of the wheels the tires will be at now?

Maths can solve that answer

Thanks @infraredcalvin for moving me back in this direction. I was able to trim off enough of the frame to get 4 12" wide tires to fit. And I'll still have plenty of trunk space.

I have a new wish list.
-- DS Tailight lens all red. Or a pair of euro. Cracks ok. (you have to see my duct tape and spray paint lens I'm using to be legal.
-- Rear Bumper, anything I can pound out and paint.
-- Rear Shocks. These are seriously wasted. So anything cheap.

Here's the 2nd video in the trailer series. Well, it will still take me some time to clean it up and do the trunk, but I'll be using it next weekend.

https://youtu.be/EpONHPNj5eI

Trailer looks good! For the tires I’d lock-them in like the open trailer racks do by sliding a bar though the wheel centers. That way you can keep the side bracket and maybe have them pivot down out of the way so you're not fighting with the taper of the sail panels. I might leave the firewall cause you’ll sill need side to side brace, especially when you cut out the brace in the trunk to lower it. I’d do something like Oscar shows and put battery/compressor in that area, I know it’s still wrong side of the wheels For that much weight, but a separate compartment for that kind of stuff would be cool. Again, to help with weight, try to shorten the tounge. I still think that hoop out front could be in the spot where the tires rest, that’ll put more weight closer to the trailer wheels, and eliminate a cross bar...

The bar thru the door should work fine, It looks like there is clearance at the door jams. I'm trying to think ahead and make it work for different sized tires and wheels. Like if the next owner runs 15s or 16" wheels. Or if it's for some car that runs 28" tires.

I like the way you think, I want to explore other possibilities like a movable front bar that would accommodate different sizes.

I can add a brace to the trunk area that will support it side to side as well as provide support to the new trunk.

If we shorten the tongue, it will reduce the leverage and increase the tongue weight, But I can maybe pull it back a little and reduce the material that is overkill thick and heavy. I have some smaller tubes that would be strong and lighter.

Lots of ways to go with this. Now I get and idea of what Chris Baker goes thru. Without the OCD... This is FUN!

Leverage... duh

But you’ve got it, what bugs me visually is what looks like a lot of heavy stock in the hoop and triangulation bars so far out from the pivot point.

Admiring your work from afar! Keep it up!

I'm sure there is a better way to use metal to make a tongue. I was using scrap laying around the shop. But, I have lighter crap.