Hammer's trailer build thread.

Hey Guys,

I've been tossing around the idea of building a trailer for the bronco for a while now. I recently sold my pickup and my new daily driver is a '95 FSB. So now that I don't have a pickup a trailer is now becoming more of a necessity and less of just a cool thing I want. So my inspiration is coming from a trailer I saw 10 years back a town over from me. The guy took 2 bronco tubs, cut them at the top of the rear wheel well and then welded them together. He then did the same with 2 hard tops. So he had a trailer that matched his bronco with functioning tailgates and liftgates on both ends.

It was pretty cool and I've always wanted to build one. I'd like to do it out of a '64-'66 truck box though. Get a long box one. Saves me finding 2 bronco tubs and gives me 3ft more trailer. I wouldn't have functioning tailgates on both ends but I would have functioning liftgates on both ends. I'd narrow the truck box to the bronco width. I have a spare bronco tailgate that I could use already. I'm sure I could find 2 hardtops that had the front lips rotted out that I could use for cheap enough.

So that leads me to the question in the title. My dad's buddy has a '66 mercury pickup. He just became the mayor of Abbotsford so he's making some decent coin now and picked himself up a cobra mustang convertible and he's looking at selling the pickup. I was at his place to borrow his car dolly a few weeks back and at the side of his house he has a bunch of spare parts. One of which is a box off of a 3/4 ton. From what I can see it looks to be in pretty good shape although I haven't seen inside it or under it as its sitting atop a utility trailer and has a canopy on it. What interested me about it was it had a storage hatch in front of the wheel well. I hadn't seen one like it before. That option would work great for my trailer!

Easter Sunday rolls around and he's at my parents place for brunch. He tells me he's selling all his mercury stuff. So I told him I want first dibs on the box. I tell him what my plan is for it and he says it should work out fine as the only part that's bad in it I would be cutting out when I narrow it. He's excited to get rid of it and gives me the, "make me an offer, I just want it gone". He's also the type of guy who thinks all his shit is made of gold so I know its not gonna be a freebee.

What would be your offer?

here's a pic of the type of box I'm looking at;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclegal/2891777176/lightbox/

I would have flipped it with a "what ya take?"

NYLES said:

I would have flipped it with a "what ya take?"

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Yup probably woulda been smart.

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Since most people pay to have their yards decluttered....let him know that...you will not charge the dump fee!!

Offer a $100 bill and see what he comes back with. I've seen those beds already converted to trailers w/ frame, axle & hitch go for $200-300 & I've been tempted several times! Would be an awesome project!

fungus said:

I've seen those beds already converted to trailers w/ frame, axle & hitch go for $200-300

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Good to know thanks. I couldn't find anything local to me on craigslist to get a gauge of any market they might have.

Okay well This will turn into my build thread now. I have the box and one hardtop. Keeping my eye open for a second cheap hardtop. Screwed around a bit today with paint and came up with this as a concept;

Looks like a roof top tent might be part of this as well. As long as I can sell the wife on selling the tent trailer and going with this as our exclusive camp trailer.

I'm up in the air on wither or not I'll put glass in that top. One option I'm thinking about is having hatches that open up on each side instead. That way you can have access to each side and you could air it out.
In order to do that I'd have to eliminate the middle bars on my over the canopy rack. Do you think a rack without the middle supports could handle the weight of a roof top tent and and its occupants? Or just ahve one middle support and two hatches on each side?

Is there a way to make a two piece sliding window? That way you could keep the post and still access your stuff. I really like the pic you have posted. I am subscribing to this thread. Good luck with the build.

Henry

Spent a couple mornings before work this week and a good 6 hours today getting the bed cut and narrowed. Took 8 3/4 inches out of it. Tomorrow will be the start of welding back together. Very pleased with how its going. All my measurements are looking good and it should go back together nicely.





Hopped across the border earlier in the week to pick up these two 3500lb torsion axles. Hopefully going to sell one of them to fund the majority of the purchase.

What a cool idea. I can't wait to see it come together.

Looking good. I was thinking roof top tent. Hand a line on one, looks like it sold. I may look into a slide out shelf?

Rc

ehumaui said:

Looking good. I was thinking roof top tent. Hand a line on one, looks like it sold. I may look into a slide out shelf?

Rc

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If I was to put a tent on your trailer I would be looking at these - http://www.kakaducamping.com/bushranger250.html

Not an option for me as I want the hard top. Mounting will be too high for me.

I did get it all welded up today. Pretty happy with it. Going to start working on replacing all 4 corners of the floor now, infront of and behind the wheel wells. Will pick up some sheets tomorrow.

Hopped across the border this morning and redtail hooked me up with a bunch of stuff that i needed. Tailgate hinges, supports, latches as well as tail light buckets and a set of rear flares. Got home, welded in the two pieces of the floor that I made, mounted the tailgate and popped the roof on to make sure everything's working and to get some measurements going for cutting it.

This how I'm making out, tomorrow I'm going to grab my other hardtop from my storage locker and start cuttin 'em up and hopefully have something done by the end of the day;

Debating what I want to do with the windows. I'm pretty sure a one piece window is not going to work. Top will have to much flex for a window that big. If I want to use a roof top tent in the future I think a one piece window is a bad idea. So I'm debating either a two piece window;



Or no windows at all and use the area for two drop down shelves. This way I can use it under an awning for various purposes, storage for cooking utensils/products, etc. Or two piece window on one side and shelf on the other? What do you guys think?

Looking great. Projects like this are fun. I built up and M416 trailer once and had a great time doing it. Keep up the good work.

Henry

fixed all the pics. reorganized my photobucket albums and messed it all up

Looking good hammer


1966,351w,m5od,205....3.5" lift, 2" body, 38.5's

One of the locals here told me about this thread, had to check it out. This is pretty dang cool, looking forward to you progress hammer.

BronCowie said:

One of the locals here told me about this thread, had to check it out. This is pretty dang cool, looking forward to you progress hammer.

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Thanks, glad to have ya along;D

Got both of the hardtops cut yesterday and started cutting the fenders for flares. Pretty happy with the cut on the tops. They should weld together nicely. I have 1/2" between the window seals on the outside.

A couple pics of the hard tops awaiting union;