Hi everyone. Does anyone offer a tow hitch solution for a 914? Ideally, I'd like something that's detachable/not permanent/that won't uglify the car when not in use. Doesn't have to be super heavy duty. Basically, I'm looking for a way to tow a very small trailer, to take a shifter kart to and from races.

If there isn't an off-the-shelf solution, what would be the best way to custom rig something? Or is this totally inadvisable? The Emory Special (pix attached) can tow a baby Airstream, so I'm hoping a 914 can be made to tow a light trailer...

Is anyone's 914 setup for towing here? There's gotta be someone! I'd appreciate any insight. Thank you.

-duc

Garold Shaffer has one on his car. I believe it is of the homegrown variety though so no cut and dry pattern. It is awful neat if I recall...

(Awful neat? Why do I feel like Beaver Cleaver all of the sudden?)

I just read about that Emory Special, hardly a piece on it that isnt custom. After installing one on my truck, I would think cutting a premade one up and welding it to a custom attachment could be pretty easy .

Gee Eric, that's swell!

Would you happen to know if there's a thread on this? Is Garold a forum member? It'd be awful neat to see some pictures!

-duc


EDIT: Oops, I was lazy. Looked under the member's section, and lo and behold, Garold Shaffer's username is..."Garold Shaffer"!
Will ask him to share his experience, if he hasn't already.

You are from Utah after all Golly Eric, you sure are swell.

Eric,
I think everyone is just giving you the buisness.

Yeah, that car is incredible! You should see it in person; it is jaw-dropping gorgeous! And with a Polopolus engine, it's my dream car (one of them, at least). The minute I make my fortune, I'm heading to Emory Motorsports for a clone. I don't even want to ask how much it would cost; I'm sure if I do, they'll politely tell me that if I'm asking, I can't afford it

This is what I've found so far:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...c=46182&hl=

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...c=42321&hl=

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...c=18938&hl=

Talk 'bout some slick solutions!

Thanks, Garold! Your solution is even slicker than I had hoped.
Looks like I'll be copying you - I hope that's OK.

Do you limit your towing to smaller trailers? Would you feel confident towing something bigger than what you have pictured? What would you guess is the tow weight limit? Any gotchas or advice?

That's a good-looking car you have, btw!

-duc

You might want to call David Lee at Rennenmetal. He may have an option that will work for you.

Having recently seen some of his stuff - it's very well done.

http://www.rennenmetal.com/

-Rusty

thanks, rusty. will go look right now.

-duc

Thanks.

The trailer tows just fine behind me. As for a bigger trailer, well I guess it would be fine, but I don't know the limits. I can say with the little autocross trailer behind it I don't even know it is there. No real gotchas. Only thing I had was working out the wiring for the lights. Nothing major, just was in a rush and I couldn't get them to work until i fixed a ground issue.

Hitch and tire trailer are on the long list of winter projects for me. Bought the standard cheepo red frame trailer, need to add the plywood, box, and tire mounts. My Keizers are 7" wide, and j u s t barely won't fit stored vertically like Geralds skins.

For the hitch, as I have the turbo set up going on, I can remove the huge and heavy heat shield under the back trunk. Exhaust goes straight out the turbo, so no muffler back there either. I picked up on evilbay a couple yrs back, a universal reese hitch kit, which uses a flat stock piece for the receiver/hitch. As I still like my pretty chrome bumpers, the plan is to remove the heat shield, weld a bracket to the underside of the trunk and cut a notch in the black valance below the plate for the receiver bit to slide into. Might have to re-mount the rear plate slightly, but when the hitch is out, you'll hardly notice the opening in the valance under the bumper, it'll be maybe 1/2" tall and 2" wide. The flat receiver bar slides into the receiver section and secures with pins, so its easily removeable. I forget exactally what the hitch kit is supposed to be good for capasity wise, but for 300 pounds of trailer, tires, tools, it should be fine, as long as I don't go trying to drag any more parts cars home or pull the boat with it.

I used my left over class 1 hitch from my 91 MR2 Turbo by Dalan.
The reciever portion is vertical behind the bumper, and the ball plate reaches under the valance, behind the bumper, and pins up into the receiver.
This is all out of view when not used, and there are no hole in my bumper.

My car is conversion car, so my muffler is is not in the stock location.
On the hitch, I shortened the overall width, and welded plates on the ends to bolt up at the old 76 bumper shock locations.

I can get some pics this weekend if the rain lets up.

Kevin, your set up sounds pretty ideal. Please do post photos! Thank you.

-duc

Check this out, This guy lives in Boise, his licence plate is spring loaded to expose the hitch. he attaches the custom camper with one hand. He does have a V8 to get him up the hills when towing a big load.
Click to view attachment

Duc, here is one of my former cars and my track-trailer (Jet- ski trailer modified, old Sears Aluminum roof-top carrier mounted, Porsche Cookie-Cutters) behind it. I never felt the trailer when I pulled it. My hitch was home made - cheesy compared to Garolds

T.C.

Click to view attachment

Here is another:

another shot

T.C.

Click to view attachment

I never get tired of Garolds hitch. That thing is so badass!

with Mark!

I had an aftermarket hitch set up several years ago, and I sold it to a guy that was going to try and build a 914 rear clip trailer like the white one in the pic, but without the roll bar. Garolds set up is the way to go. The aftermarket deal was kind of hokey with braces going under and around the transmission, and bolting to the pan of the rear trunk.