Old Volkswagens- hauling right!

[itlives]

So, I'll start this thread and add to it as things progress.
I have a '71 VW single cab pick up. They are 1-ton trucks.
If I am fortunate I'll get a 1979 13' Trillium.

Now, the doin' it right part. I have a real nice bumper with a trailer hitch on it. I don't think it will pull the Trillium so I'm putting on a real ugly (for now) hitch that will pull it. Also been lurking in here and reading about brake controllers so I ordered a prodigy P3 for $110 shipped (Ebay). Then I went to etrailer.com and ordered a 7/4 pole wiring loom for $57 .

Since I like pictures, I'll take a bunch as I install this. Maybe it will help some others with older cars if there's anyone else out there!

I also have a 2.3L Ford engine and a conversion kit to install it in the VW. It will bolt up to the original transmission and have twice the HP. I'll see how the VW engine pulls first before I do a conversion. Conversions always take more time and energy than you figure they will!

Any input is welcome. This is my first time with a pull behind camper. I believe life is an adventure best lived when doing new things. The "same old same old" is just that.

Etrailer.com answered my question the same day I asked it. Customer service is great over there.

[CindyL]

Boy, I will be following this thread closely. We have a '68 single cab sitting in the garage (for years!) that is supposed to be our entry into a VW show, pulling our Uhaul. I hope this outcome for our single cab happens before I am too old to enjoy it. Right now the VW is just piled with camping equipment.

CindyL

[Mike Magee]

When you say "1 ton truck" I assume you refer to the dry weight of the vehicle? Because in common pickup truck parlance, a 1 ton truck would be a very heavy duty truck indeed (for example, Ford's F150 would be called a 1/2 ton, F250 a 3/4 ton, etc).

It has been a loooong time since I've seen one of those VW pickups, but it seems to me they were pretty carlike, right?

There have been some posts on the forum in recent weeks about hitches on (newer) VWs, with the feeling being that the bumper mount hitches from Europe were more securely mounted than the US hitches that bolted into thin sheet metal. Is your bumper hitch one of these Euro ones?

[Ed Harris]

The PU you refer to is actually a "Bus" right?

A friend pulls Jet Ski's and small utility trailers with his 80s Syncro but it is not what I would call powerful or eve adequate in any real way.

I will be watching too.

And Cindy I didn't realize you guys were holding out on us,Those are cool trucks for sure.

Good Luck

Ed

[CindyL]

Ed (and others):

Here is a picture of our '68 VW pickup, although not like it looks now. Right now, as I said, it is piled with all our camping stuff. Kevin will tell you that it runs. I will disagree; currently it has a milk jug as a gas tank (And the PO said that we could drive it home!). It has the parts needed to get it going but time to work on it is the issue.
I have been up and down the driveway once in this pickup 6 years ago.

CindyL

[itlives]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

When you say "1 ton truck" I assume you refer to the dry weight of the vehicle? Because in common pickup truck parlance, a 1 ton truck would be a very heavy duty truck indeed (for example, Ford's F150 would be called a 1/2 ton, F250 a 3/4 ton, etc).

Payload is 1 ton. These trucks were built like tanks and incidentally ride like one, too. I went and got 1,000 pounds of rock for my driveway a couple of weeks ago just to see how it handled the weight. I definitely knew it was back there but it did alright.
That load is what made me want to do the electric brakes and proper hitch. I have pictures of the hitch I'm going to put on but can't download in this (work) computer. I'll put them up later.
Here it is with gates up. The side gates fold down to make a flat bed.

[CindyL]

Oh, man! Nice-looking SC! Have you seen the DC that Rick did on this forum? He had his painted white and yellow and then painted his Uhaul to match.

CindyL

[itlives]

Originally Posted by CindyL

Oh, man! Nice-looking SC! Have you seen the DC that Rick did on this forum? He had his painted white and yellow and then painted his Uhaul to match.

CindyL

Why yes, I have, (you pointed me in his direction when I first found this site - thanks!)
I talked to him on the phone and he told me he's only towed it around 15 miles. The Trillium I'm lookin at is 870 miles away. I just sent him a PM asking if he'll post up some pics of his set-up (hitch). Hopefully, he'll get it. If not, I'll call him again. Here's a link to his Double-cab.
Uhaul And Vw On Kellys Island - Fiberglass RV Gallery

[CindyL]

I thought that all this rang a bell.

CindyL

[itlives]

Ding! Ding! Ding!
It's good to start fitting in here. I just put my "sold" '74 VW camper on the truck to California last night. Now, I'm ready/excited to move into this "new" camping life!

[Kevin A]

This is CindyL's husband checking in. I was told by an old VW guy that the frames on the pickups weren't heavy-duty enough to pull much weight beyond 800 lbs., even with a proper bolt-on hitch attached under the engine. Any thoughts on this? I'm not sure if he knew what he was talking about!

[itlives]

I think a properly bolted on-the-frame hitch would be sufficient. I'm going to post pics of my hitch after I get home.
The only real problem I foresee will be engine power. I have a new 1776cc with a cam and a Weber 40. I also have (said in original post) have a 2.3L Ford engine out of a 1985 Ranger. It will double the HP. The VW trans is geared to haul but not for the long-haul. I have sourced another trans that is a later model (091 six-rib if you know about them). Would be much better coupled with the Ford engine.
A friend has a 2.8L Chevy in his (VW bus) and a home built trailer he loads down when we go camping. I have no idea how much it weighs but he's never had a problem.

Horse power and brakes- that's all I need!

[Mike Magee]

Ok, not carlike at all!! I must have been picturing the '80s era VW pickups in my mind. Hm, I had no idea those bus-type pickups had such a payload. Very interesting. Yours looks great.

[Ed Harris]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Ok, not carlike at all!! I must have been picturing the '80s era VW pickups in my mind. Hm, I had no idea those bus-type pickups had such a payload. Very interesting. Yours looks great.

Mike is this what you are thinking of?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbj9hxPhpf4

These were neat and either Gas or Diesel too!

[itlives]

Yeah, neat in an Eighties sort of way! Very handy for small, in town jobs.

I don't think it would haul an egg, though!

I can't find this, Does anyone know, are all 13' Trilliums set up so you can add electric brakes? I've found a '77 w/o brakes. If it is able to accept them, I'll get them and put them on. It's 750 miles away.

[RICK H.]

Actually the payload rating is 2652 on my DC. It does handle my camper great, but with a STOCK engine it is under powered with the 091 trans.
My truck also has the late model disk brakes. Even with the vaccuum unhooked it stops great{with a strong leg}.

[RICK H.]

[RICK H.]

My hitch set up is very strong and solid. I bought an Allstate one wheel trailer{for swap meet stuff}, and didn't want to mount the brackets to my bumper. So I built a hitch insert that goes in my hitch and tightens down. It works like a dream, also I can use it on other vehicles, like my Jeep. The little trailer will hold 18 milk crates with room left on sides.

[RICK H.]

[RICK H.]