northeast trailers for sale

[bscott58]

Hello group, I am a new member in Rhode Island and will be sharing time in Florida over the winter. While on my 2 day adventure from Wisconson driving back to New England last week I quickly realized a couple of things, 1- I have no spare, 2- its freaking cold , 3-if it rains hard I'm going to get soaked . I have decided to bite the bullet and trailer down and back, I have a couple leads on 18ft open trailers in the area, does anyone have any preferred vendors for trailers close by? Im sure i will overdo the protection on the open trailer, planning on wrapping most of the car , I have a cockpit cover a dust cover and another rain cover , secured in at least 12 spots. all trailer ideas appreciated - thanks Bryan

[michael everson]

I would never trailer a car with a cover on it. You will ruin the paint. Maybe consider a Serpant express.
Mike.

[Rob T]

I trailer my 818R on a 16ft tandem axle trailer. I use E-track ratchet straps over the wheels on the front tires and crossed straps from tabs on the rear suspension to the back of the trailer. E-track must be mounted to the frame members. I built ramps to get on the back of the trailer and it is absolutely critical that the ramps don't slide and you support the back of the trailer with jacks when you are driving on the trailer (I also have a winch in case my car is "broken". Getting the tongue weight right is critical for easy trailering. The car goes in exactly the same place every time. I tow with a Honda Ridgeline with no problems. Gas mileage goes from 21mpg to 13mpg with the car. I have never figured out how to cover the car...so I don't go if there is a chance of rain. If I was going to do something, I'd build a close fitting shell over the car, almost like a closed trailer that I could remove easily. I've probably towed 30 100 mile trips and a couple of 300 mile trips with the car on the trailer.

[mrmustang]

I would never trailer a car with a cover on it. You will ruin the paint. Maybe consider a Serpant express.
Mike.

Times 2

Any movement of a cover will cause friction, friction will wear through the paint, no matter how soft the cover is.

Only other option for open trailering is to take your car to a marina and have them shrink wrap it, again, not a 100% solution, but better than what you propose above.

Finally, you did not make mention of what you will be potentially towing the trailer with, this is going to be a key element to your ultimate decision on which trailer, if any, to buy.


Bill S.

[Jeff Kleiner]

I would never trailer a car with a cover on it. You will ruin the paint.
Mike.

100%

As I’ve said 100 times, there is no cover on the body when you’re driving down the road. When it’s cutting through the air at 60 MPH it doesn’t know the difference between riding on a trailer or rolling on it’s own wheels.

Jeff

[Chopper]

One time I had a inexpensive bedframe in the back of my pickup, it started to rain...I thought "yeah, I'll bungie a tarp to it". Well, that sanded the finish off anywhere the tarp was close to touching. Lesson learned, although I should have thought "what would Jeff say" :)

[bscott58]

thank you Mike, unfortunately the previous owner had a searpent trailer which i missed, i do have concerns with the paint and that is why i mentioned wrapping the car before the covers go on, the paint does look good but does have some blemishes being 17 years old and driven 48k miles. I have no interest in a trailer queen but I do my best to keep it right.

[bscott58]

thank you Rob, I too will be purchasing a 16ft trailer for this, i will clearly mark lanes on the trailer and determine the best center spot for tongue weight. i will be using this for a back and forth to florida each year.

[bscott58]

thank you Jeff, I have no problem with letting this gem fly in the wind my issue is more with rain and snow. I also mentioned I plan to wrap before covers go on.

[mrmustang]

thank you Jeff, I have no problem with letting this gem fly in the wind my issue is more with rain and snow. I also mentioned I plan to wrap before covers go on.

Again, no to the covers on an open trailer. Worried about rain/snow, wrap the seats in large garbage bags, with duct tape to keep them tight, and leave the rest to mother nature. Airflow will dry out just about anything that gets wet. When you stop, add a temporary cockpit cover you can remove for travel, and be done with it. It really is a simple and elegant solution that I used when I was racing my cobras and using an open trailer.

Bill S.

[DW66]

You could buy a soft top and put that on while trailering. The soft top would probably get more use than the enclosed trailer.

[FFinisher]

What are you pulling the trailer with?

[mrmustang]

What are you pulling the trailer with?

He never posted a response tom that from my inquiry in post #4 in this thread. Uncertain why, unless he did not see it.

Bill S.

[bscott58]

so, after much more research and a lot of advice from this forum it has become evident that wrapping a car on a trailer is not a good idea. I will have a soft top soon and that will remove some of the stress of the weather worries on the way back and in the future. I will be towing the trailer with a grand cherokee with a 4liter or a nissan frontier also with a 4 liter, both are capable of 5000 lb payloads , the trailer and car should total just over 4000lbs. thank you all for the input.

[FFinisher]

I may have a 16 foot enclosed trailer for sale in a month or so once my new Serpent Express is Ready. but you won't be able to pull it with your tow vehicles. It a heavy sucker.

[mrmustang]

so, after much more research and a lot of advice from this forum it has become evident that wrapping a car on a trailer is not a good idea. I will have a soft top soon and that will remove some of the stress of the weather worries on the way back and in the future. I will be towing the trailer with a grand cherokee with a 4liter or a nissan frontier also with a 4 liter, both are capable of 5000 lb payloads , the trailer and car should total just over 4000lbs. thank you all for the input.

http://www.econotrailer.com/Open.html

This is all you need, I've had two of them (ET154B-102) over the years, one of which Dan (Chepsk8) is still using 15 years after I sold it to him), and they tow the Cobra easy behind mid size tow vehicles like yours.Electric brakes are a must, so you'll need a digital controller, in addition, I do suggest the addition of a weight distribution hitch for long distances.

Bill S.

[Hacksaw84]

Buy this:

http://www.clubcobra.com/classifieds/showproduct.php/product/7812/cat/6/date/1165004102

[Hacksaw84]

unfortunately the previous owner had a searpent trailer which i missed.

Sorry that was me. :)

What part of Florida you coming down to? I am in the Orlando area.

[bscott58]

I have purchased a 16ft (14+2) dovetail big tex trailer , seems like it is pretty similar specs but with a wooden floor it weighs about 150pds more.It has electric brakes and I added a controller to the jeep. I have all of the straps to configure as you suggested. My cobra is a mk2 i am not familiar with the different models but mine has 2 round front to back frame tubes about 3.5 inch in diameter, my plan is to put a small strap around front end of each tube connected to a ratchet strap pulling straight forward, in the back of these tubes I have a galvanized eye bolt secured to the end of each tube ,I plan to crisscross these ratchet straps to the stake openings. My next hurdle will be the 4 inch clearance this car has, thought 1 i'd find an inclined road and load from there. do you have any suggestions on loading ? I'm not sure if your familiar with the dovetail trailer it was new to me, the last 2 feet are on a down angle and ramps are only about 42 inches so less than 6 ft of ramp.

[bscott58]

We have a place in Englwood, still waiting for power to get turned on before I head down for a day or two

[Jeff Kleiner]

bscott58,
Michael “hacksaw84” and I both know the car you bought!

With my trailer I use a set of Race Ramps in addition to the trailer ramps to flatten out the angle. Works great.

https://www.jegs.com/i/Race+Ramps/101/RR-TR-5/10002/-1?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvvO1jajK-gIVgY5bCh2FbQIpEAQYEyABEgK22vD_BwE

You’re scaring me with mention of a “galvanized eye bolt.” Is it a load rated lifting eye? If. Or I suggest that Use choker straps over each lower rear control arm then connect your ratchet straps to them.

https://www.amazon.com/Keeper-512kg-Premium-Strap-D-Ring/dp/B000CO9QNQ/ref=sr_1_26?crid=WQYTSZUJ0318&keywords=tie+down+straps&qid=1664481215&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI2LjUzIiwicXNhIjoiNi4xMyIsInFzcCI6IjU uODIifQ%3D%3D&s=automotive&sprefix=tie+down+straps%2Cautomotive%2C116&sr=1-26

Good luck and enjoy the car!

Jeff

[bscott58]

Jeff, thanks for the ramp suggestion. are you saying that the eye bolt is not a factory five design ? I know the previous owner had a trailer for this car .

[mrmustang]

I tie my Cobras (along with every other car I tow) down as follows (all using 10,000lb rated tie downs, ratchets, and axle straps as you can never be too careful/cautious):

Front: Short padded axle strap around the outside of the lower control arm closest to the wheel assembly. Front left to Front left tie down loop, front right to front right tie down loop.

Rear: Short padded axle strap around axle tube as close to the center section as possible. Crossed in the rear to prevent movement of the car once strapped down. Left rear to right rear tie down loop, right rear to left rear tie down loop.

On IRS cars I use the same pattern on the front, but use a long padded axle strap around and through the rear wheel, also in a cross pattern as stated above.

Also, Once loosely tied down, I take the car out of gear and take the handbrake off. Once tied down tightly, I reset the emergency brake just to be on the safe side, but still leave the car out of gear as the rocking motion/movement of the car on the trailer will cause unnecessary wear of the internal gear set of the transmission over time.

Unless welded on to the main frame rails (FFR MKIII and above), or designed into the brackets on the suspension (ERA/SPF/Kirkham), you do not want to tie down to other points on the car, as it can create stress and fracture points, or worse, fail in an accident where the stresses are magnified ten fold.


Bill S.

PS: As Jeff pointed out above, your mention of eye bolts above appears to have been something the previous owner installed, I personally would not trust them, nor use them, as they were not designed, nor engineered for that use and could snap under load.

PSS: With the all wood deck, you might consider having "E" track installed and use over the tire straps, or wheel bonnets. However, you will need metal backing plates for the "E" track installation for safety.

[bscott58]

update to the trailer questions,
THANK YOU for all the help and suggestions. I left on Sunday evening from Rhode Island 23 hrs later I was in Englewood Fla., I followed most of the suggestions offered here and all worked out perfectly. I had to use one of the eye hooks on back end of frame as a brake line was in the way of wrapping the axle housing, when i go back this winter I will address that. Encountered some rain for about 10 mins. about an hour from destination and surprisingly all was dry when I took it off the trailer.

[bscott58]

173706

[Blitzboy54]

I rented a Uhaul car hauler. It worked great and cost me like $200 over several trips

[65 Cobra Dude]

BScott58, now that you made it down here, take a look at the Deep South Cobra Club for activities with like minded people. I alsoknow Craig’s old car and I live in Port Charlotte if you want to stop over. I currently have a few cars here to steal ideas from.

Henry

[bscott58]

looking forward to it, I know of the car show on dearborn in englewood , open to new ideas. we will be down around nov 18 for a couple of weeks and then back a couple of days after xmas for 3 months.

[bscott58]

Hello Henry, We have finally made it down for a couple of weeks, leaving again tuesday the 29th. we will be back the 28th of dec. for a few months. I would like to get together some time and and see some new ideas. I also have lots of questions . I have tried to reach out to deep south but have gotten no reply. I am in Englewood and they have a little car show on wed mornings at winks restaurant, i will be checking that out tomorrow. do you have a shop ? i see the napa link ?