# Is this not the coolest trailer ever???



## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

that is an ANCIENT trailer.. going by the design late 40's early 50's matching the car's/ trucks of the era.. it would be cool to restore, but unless your pulling it with an old truck, most people would want a new one, so putting money into it would take a special person


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

It's interesting looking, but I'd be worried about the frame being rusted out. It's not what you see on top, but what's underneath.


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## EdmontonHorseGal (Jun 2, 2013)

i'd fix it up to be a cool looking tack shed or fun little bunkhouse for kids/guests. that way you don't have to put all the work and money into it to be road/horse hauling worthy. paint it up a fun bright colour and plop it next to the round pen!


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

It IS cool for the right person. How cool would it be to pull that with a one ton from the 40's?


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

NorthernMama said:


> It IS cool for the right person. How cool would it be to pull that with a one ton from the 40's?
> View attachment 531681


 That is what I'm talking about if you were going to pull it with a truck like that it would be perfect.. but most people wouldn't and wouldn't spend the money to restore it, they would just buy a new one, it takes a special person to do that


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## danny67 (Nov 27, 2012)

gingerscout said:


> ... it takes a special person to do that


Yup, the same kind a person who fixes up old rust bucket cars for a hobby and puts more money into it than the car is worth. I wonder if the body is sound enough to put on a new frame? You don't often see old horse trailers like that, so thought I would share.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I bet that was the top-of-the-line and the envy of the neighborhood back in it's day! It looks like it even has living quarters? 

I kind of want to see it all chromed up like an Airstream camper trailer. :lol:

PS. That's the oldest horse trailer I have EVER seen. I kind of assumed they just plopped them in pick-up beds back then.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

That is a vintage beauty, not so sure I would haul my horse in it, even fixed up, but man, she's a grand old beauty!


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

I'll be a guy and say it looks like the fenders off a 47 chevy fleetline


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

gingerscout said:


> I'll be a guy and say it looks like the fenders off a 47 chevy fleetline


Could cars back then pull a trailer? Because that would really make a matching set!


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

could they pull a trailer.. I would imagine.. the 40's cars like that were built on the truck chassis, and had identical engines/ transmissions, they didn't have good hitches though, you had to add it yourself if you wanted one.. I have seen many pics of people moving pulling a loaded u-haul like with a family sedan.. but the brakes and handling of a stock car of that era would be a scary drive pulling a trailer:lol:


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

that is cool.. single load two horse with a tack shed... bet that was "The" hottest trailer around.


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

well my pic disappeared.. go figure.. I thought they looked alike


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

The right person would rebuild that to horse-safe status easily. Yes, it's probably going to need a new frame and floor, but that's easy for the right person. 

Someone should email the seller and ask them to pass on a link to this thread along with its eventual new owner do they could bring us all along for the ride.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Oh I love it! 
Full rebuild and that would be slick. It does remind me of Airstream campers. 

I wonder if any modern trailer companies are making retro style trailers? Time for some googling!


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Found this one. Definitely an older trailer that someone put some money into to restore. Love the chrome and diamondplate:


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

Looking a little closer at the pictures I think this is either a mid 50'ss or early 60's era - The clearance lights are a bit of a telltale to me, that teardrop design was very popular in that era. 

And for the person that I asked if cars in that era could tow trailers, take a look back through historical campground or camping pictures and you will quickly see that almost everybody pulled with the family car back then - pick up trucks weren't actually commonly used to pull trailers at that point. It was quite frequent that people would pull absolutely enormous trailers (30-40 feet) with the cars back then, actually – as somebody else mentioned they were built like tanks and power was often the same (or sometimes more) than trucks of the era.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Why did this design go out of favor? It seems like the axels further apart would be better?


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

That's a one horse trailer, karlie. Those were built differently than two horse and larger.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Looking at old, "vintage" or "antique" trailers is quite interesting.

Another dual axle with the axles further apart:








2 horse inline?


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

karliejaye said:


> Looking at old, "vintage" or "antique" trailers is quite interesting.
> 
> Another dual axle with the axles further apart:
> 
> ...


that one looks custom built to me.. like they just threw a one horse and other parts together to make a franken trailer..lol


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Never was a fan of the in-line trailers. Apparently a lot of people felt the same way, as you don't see many of them around any longer.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

Axles that far apart require one of them to be steerable...otherwise the trailer won't corner without hopping or at least severe tire scrubbing. They're also Often inherently unstable - think of a hay wagon at high speed, if it starts to wobble on the steered axle it just gets worse and worse. 

The only benefit is little or no tongue weight is transferred to the towing vehicle. 

There's a reason you don't see this style trailer anymore.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I heard those inlines were ghastly to back especially for someone like me who is not that adept at it to begin with.


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## HombresArablegacy (Oct 12, 2013)

karliejaye said:


> Looking at old, "vintage" or "antique" trailers is quite interesting.
> 
> Another dual axle with the axles further apart:
> 
> ...


That's an old Merehow inline 2 horse trailer from the late 60's, early 70's. They never caught on because 1. They didn't haul well due to the length/stability,and width and 2. Loading up 2 horses inline and unloading was a bit difficult.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

I LOVE that trailer!!

I always wanted to have a totally restored vintage trailer. Like some of these;


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

I am no longer trailer-less! Whoo hoo!

Velma hauled it home easily, and the brake controller adjusted automatically to its weight.

Needs some minor repairs and the ramp is HEAVY, but very pleased overall with it.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> I am no longer trailer-less! Whoo hoo!
> 
> Velma hauled it home easily, and the brake controller adjusted automatically to its weight.
> 
> Needs some minor repairs and the ramp is HEAVY, but very pleased overall with it.


Post a picture of the hitch, if you could? It looks like it has a surge brake setup...?


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

If you're talking about the box on the front near the coupler, that's the emergency braking system. Since it's an old trailer it didn't originally come with one, but was retrofitted for it.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Velma, back in those days horses would jump into the back of a truck with sides maybe two feet high.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Back when that first trailer was built, it was all new steel, not a mix of old steel and new. It was when old rusted steel was resmelted and added to new steel that metal began to deteriorate much faster.


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## STT GUY (Apr 23, 2014)

Saddlebag said:


> Back when that first trailer was built, it was all new steel, not a mix of old steel and new. It was when old rusted steel was resmelted and added to new steel that metal began to deteriorate much faster.


Rusted "old" steel (aka scrap) when used in a mix is no different regarding corrosion difference than "new" or 100% virgin product. The melting process rids the impurities from the base metal.

The lead paint which was common in that period, used to make a big difference in corrosion resistance. If that's original paint on the trailer, it contains lead for sure.


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## Roadyy (Feb 9, 2013)

Is the ad still active? If so can you send me the link in a pm?


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