Doubling up FV's in a 20' Trailer

[jtgb]

Just in case you're looking to carpool to your next event... here's how my brother-in-law & I made it to Road Atlanta this past weekend with our two cars loaded in my 20' trailer with a couple of feet to spare. http://www.gentechinc.com/FVstack

We borrowed the idea from Jim Brookshire, who has a very similar setup made from wood. I had some box tubing laying around getting rusty and wanted to practice welding, but the wood boxes got my & Jim's car to Daytona last September just fine too.

When not in use, the ramps lay against the side of the trailer flush with the wheel wells.

[brian]

Nice and simple, I've incorporated your design in my 35mm file.

[jtgb]

Hmm, I double-checked the link & it seems to be working... Hopefully you can see the images below...

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[flat tappet]

Great idea! How are you getting the top(red) VEE into position up that ramp?

[jtgb]

We walk the top car up the ramp with a person at each front wheel, keeping the tires within the side walls of the ramp. The ramps' inside braces are spaced alternately from one another so that one tire is almost always sunk down enough to keep the car from rolling back down should one or both persons lose grip. With the rear of the car staying on terra firma, it doesn't take much more effort than pushing the car into the trailer.

Once the top car is in place, we run straps around the top turkey legs and rear axle tubes to hold it in place. It's probably overkill since so much weight is trapping the front wheels of the bottom car, but we also strap the bottom car's rear axle tubes for psychological comfort, if nothing else.

[butchdeer]

Mike Jackson has a similar setup he uses for his vintage cars. The use of an electric winch makes it possible to load with one person.
Butch

[FVartist]

I was wondering what the overall length is from end to end?

[jtgb]

The cars fit in just under 18 feet end to end.

[snookwheel]

Great idea! Looks solid and like it works great. I have been wondering how to fit two in my trailer if my wife really gets into driving too. MacGyver has nothing on you.

[jtgb]

The only credit I can take is that I know a good idea when I see it, and copied the wooden version of Jim Brookshire's stackable ramps.

[jpetillo]

The cars fit in just under 18 feet end to end.

Are you sure it's that long? It looks/seems from the pictures like it should be shorter. Our cars are only 10' 7" long (127") at most, so two cars nose to tail would be 21' 2". It seems like you have more than a 3' 2" overlap, but perhaps the pictures are deceiving. Nice job, though! John

[dric53]

GCR Section 9.1.1 C.2 minimum length 123" includes exhaust, maximum length 127" includes exhaust.

[jpetillo]

Thanks for catching that mistake. The sad thing is that I looked it up to make sure. I saw 127 in the GCR and then proceeded to write it wrong.

[Dave]

Mike and I ran two cars out of a 20ft. trailer for years. Just be careful not to over load the trailer! Remember most 20fters are entry level trailers and have about a 3000lbs cargo capacity. Most come with 205/75-14 or 15 tires that have a 2150 lbs capacity at full pressure. So 2 vee's @ 850lbs each, 4 sets tires ( 2 rains, 2 slicks) 100lbs per set tools, spares, canopy, ramps and guess what you can't go to the track because there is no capacity for your BEER COOLER.

Dave

[caracal76]

Neat! I didn't get a chance to check that out when I was there. BTW-did you find out the engine problem? The post-race autopsy of my steering issues turned out to be the replacement box I put in. It re-affirms my ability to tighten a bolt, but not my ability to choose spare parts!

[jtgb]

Hey Dave, Good advice - I'm running a pair of transom axles rated at 3500lbs ea, so luckily I've got a few pounds to spare for the beer.

Hey Anthony, I lost an intake valve seat on Cylinder #1 - fortunately just a small piece broke loose and didn't cause any further damage to the head, piston, etc. It couldn't possibly be the older-than-God parts we run at twice their original tolerances... I blame the Arctic temperatures.