Strange Tow setup

[Doug Arthurs]

1973? Chrysler Newport. (link)
My Mom had the 4-Door Sedan, her's had a 401 V-8

My Father ran the local Chrysler dealer when I was a kid. He always drove the Town and Country wagon as a demonstrator. I still remember when the stopped making them and he had to switch to a van.

[Bruce Thomas]

Crash waiting to happen.

I doubt that things ever gonna crash.....cars plenty heavy enough to keep the skamp from causing much trouble...it's built as tough as any of these puny overseas trucks everyone tosses a fifth wheel at, that includes ranger, S10's etc.

[Bruce Thomas]

BTW., I'm not saying the s10 or ranger is japanese....just that they're kinda small also and noone would hesitate to use one. I also know they are making import trucks bigger and bigger each year . I'd guess that "accident waiting to happen" would embarrass alot of the offerings nowadays on any climb...........I'll drive it for the braking test to make things more equal for those thinking thats their edge now.
Bruce

[Bryan L.]

Andrew,

Do you know of any interior pictures of the Toppola? That thing alone makes me want to get a Subaru!

Which of course is what Saab did for their molded fiberglass Toppola camper (because it was a hatchback):


Attachment 29550


Jalopnik: The Saab Camper is the Ultimate Trollhattan Touristmobile

Andrew

[Matt in SV]

Try google image search on the keyword Toppola. I got a floorplan and a couple interior shots

Andrew,

Do you know of any interior pictures of the Toppola? That thing alone makes me want to get a Subaru!

[Bryan L.]

Hmm, took a bit to find actual interior shots. That's a nice looking unit inside. I like it. Searches on Craigslist turned up nothing!

http://www.tiny-house-living.com/toppola.html

[CliveAlive]

Hmm, took a bit to find actual interior shots. That's a nice looking unit inside. I like it. Searches on Craigslist turned up nothing!

http://www.tiny-house-living.com/toppola.html

Great! That site's a good find. Perhaps more pertinent to this one though is the history of the Saabo
http://www.saabhistory.com/2006/11/30/saab...o-toppola-tent/

[Time K]

I though it was a Dodge Monaco Custom Sedan..

In any event what the hey! Every now and again somebody breaks the paradigm and we evolve because of experimentation.

Good for them....it looks sound.

Yee Ha!

[Matt in SV]

Hmm, took a bit to find actual interior shots. That's a nice looking unit inside. I like it. Searches on Craigslist turned up nothing!

http://www.tiny-house-living.com/toppola.html

According to the Saab forums, they were really only seen in Europe. The photos on your link all had Euro plates. If you type toppola into google and then hit the images link, the first page of photos has floor plans and interior shots.

Regards,

Matt

[Lyndon Laney]

Is the fuel tank below the trunk or foward of the axle on imperials?

Below trunk

[Jon Vermilye]

I can't seem to find it, but there was a video hanging around a few years back of a 5th wheel connected to a post sticking out of the center of a VW (or another small car). The video shows the car was able to do a 360° so that it could drive facing the 5th wheel.

[Chester Taje]

I can't seem to find it, but there was a video hanging around a few years back of a 5th wheel connected to a post sticking out of the center of a VW (or another small car). The video shows the car was able to do a 360° so that it could drive facing the 5th wheel.

This One.

[Jon Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Chester Taje

This One.

You got it, although there was a video showing it driving around a parking lot.

[Chester Taje]

Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye

You got it, although there was a video showing it driving around a parking lot.

I could not find the video.

[Michel, Bouchard]

Talking about this one ?

YouTube - 1974 Volkswagen Beetle & Camper - road test

[Jon Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Michel, Bouchard

Talking about this one ?

That's the one!

[Keith Williams]

I do know that the term "5th wheel" came from the first tow / trailer setup like that. See this link: Glenn Curtis Fifth Wheel RV

I saw one of those somewhere in a museum, or a book, or both. Cotton pickin memory is going fast. But that's the origin, so the guy shown here in this thread isn't all that far off base.

EKW