LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 (edited) We have some vintage motorcycles and a nice open single bike motorcycle trailer. I would like to have the option of trailering a bike behind our Buick when we go to local car shows. As a young man we used to rent a hitch from U HAUL that clamped to the bumper with chains and universal brackets. In those days most cars and trucks had bumpers like our old Buick or at least metal bumpers. As the years went by the bumpers became cheaper and flimsier and finally just plastic. In a past article I showed how I made a tow bar mount for the front bumper of our car. It has worked great and been problem free. Today I mounted it on the rear bumper which just happens to have the same contour as the front bumper. Next week another bracket will be made that holds the trailer hitch ball and mounts to the two brackets you see in the picture. The motorcycle and trailer weigh under a 1000 pounds total and the tung weight will probably be under 200 pounds so the Buick should pull it fine around town, especially since the car has an overdrive in each of its three gears if needed. I am wondering if any one on here has ever pulled a trailer with a pre war Buick. Edited November 26, 2017 by LAS VEGAS DAVE spelling (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Frazier Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Nice looking setup. I've been thinking of looking for something like this so I can pull a small teardrop trailer for occasional overnight camping. My '40 Century has the 3.90 rear end. Think that'll work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 (edited) Great idea; have fun with it... I sometimes see these old bumper hitches on Ebay & Craigslist... Keep your eyes peeled! https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Antique-Clamp-On-Bumper-Heavy-duty-Hitch-Travel-Trailer-Rat-Rod-Truck/312010202164?hash=item48a541dc34:g:71QAAOSw3WxaGEUF&vxp=mtr Edited November 27, 2017 by Mark Shaw (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Nice job Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted November 26, 2017 Author Share Posted November 26, 2017 3 hours ago, Rod Frazier said: Nice looking setup. I've been thinking of looking for something like this so I can pull a small teardrop trailer for occasional overnight camping. My '40 Century has the 3.90 rear end. Think that'll work? It all depends on the weight of the trailer. You have the advantage of having the big motor with more torque. I am just planning pulling the motorcycle trailer around town and not on freeways or high speed highways. You will probably want to go at least 50 mph for longer distances than me and on highways. I would guess that it would be fine but have never driven a CENTURY or felt what 3.90 gears feel like. Nice car, have fun. Dave 3 hours ago, Rod Frazier said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937-44 Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I have no experience pulling a trailer with my 1937, but I parted out a 1937 Special that had a homemade hitch fabricated to the bumper. Either it was built to pull a heavy load or it was seriously over fabricated. I'd be willing to pull anything that I thought the bumper mounting bolts could support to the tune of a few thousand pounds with the fabricated hitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted November 26, 2017 Author Share Posted November 26, 2017 2 hours ago, Mark Shaw said: Great idea; have fun with it... I sometimes see these old bumper hitches on Ebay & Craigslist... Keep your eyes peeled! Mark, the part that clamps to my bumper is also my tow bar hitch when it is on the front bumper. I have used it and it is stronger than any commercial universal clamping hitch I could ever find. It was made to only fit the contour of our 38 and out of 5/16 steel and 3/8 steel plate. Where it touches the bumper it has rubber sheet cut to size and glued so that it doesn't scratch the bumper. The piece that contains the ball will be 7/16 steel plate and mount to the piece shown in the pictures. It will have a fixed ball height as it will only be used to pull our motorcycle trailer. Its always fun having a project for the old Buick. This project insures that we will drive the car even more than we do now. We have already driven over 4000 miles. The overdrive made it so that we have driven it many times that we wouldn't have if it did not have the overdrive. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted November 26, 2017 Author Share Posted November 26, 2017 1 hour ago, DonMicheletti said: Nice job Dave Thanks Don, having more fun again since having another new project. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuickBob49 Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I recall seeing a black 1937 model 61 at the BCA National in Portland in 2014. It had Montana license plates and was pulling an open trailer that contained a vintage motorcycle. I believe that the trailer had fenders that matched those on the rear of the car. You might contact the BCA national office for the owner's contact info to learn more about the hitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 3 hours ago, BuickBob49 said: I recall seeing a black 1937 model 61 at the BCA National in Portland in 2014. It had Montana license plates and was pulling an open trailer that contained a vintage motorcycle. I believe that the trailer had fenders that matched those on the rear of the car. You might contact the BCA national office for the owner's contact info to learn more about the hitch. Or, just look up the car in The Bugle issue with the Portland meet coverage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuickBob49 Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Page 16 of the October 2014 Buick Bugle notes the car and its antique Indian motorcycle in-tow on the trailer. I will try to dig up some photos tomorrow that I took at the meet. Meanwhile, you might search the most current BCA directory. I suspect that from it you can deduce the name of the owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 Any info on the guy pulling the Indian is appreciated. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 On Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Antique-Clamp-On-Bumper-Heavy-duty-Hitch-Travel-Trailer-Rat-Rod-Truck/312010202164?hash=item48a541dc34:g:71QAAOSw3WxaGEUF&vxp=mtr 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 My 1940 Special has a bumper hitch. Clamps right on: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 2 hours ago, Morgan Wright said: My 1940 Special has a bumper hitch. Clamps right on: Nice original era correct hitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 I like the original old hitches. I already fabricated the tow bar mount and its not much more trouble to fabricate a piece with the ball on it that will attach easily to the tow bar mount. All the original era hitches attach in or near the center of the bumper. I was worried that the bumper might twist so my tow bar mount clamps are out wide where the original Buick bumper clamps are to keep that from happening. Now that I see that where all the old era correct clamps mount I think I may have been worried about nothing. I think I might buy one of the old clamps and clean it up and paint it and see how I like it. If someone has one like Morgan Wright has in the photo above has and would like to sell it please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 I like the original old hitches. I already fabricated the tow bar mount and its not much more trouble to fabricate a piece with the ball on it that will attach easily to the tow bar mount. All the original era hitches attach in or near the center of the bumper. I was worried that the bumper might twist so my tow bar mount clamps are out wide where the original Buick bumper clamps are to keep that from happening. Now that I see that where all the old era correct clamps mount I think I may have been worried about nothing. I think I might buy one of the old clamps and clean it up and paint it and see how I like it. If someone has one like Morgan Wright has in the photo above has and would like to sell it please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuickBob49 Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 I found my photos of the 1937 Century and trailer taken at the 2014 National in Portland. Unfortunately, they don't show the hitch. I would deduce from the Flathead County plates on the trailer and car (county #7) and consulting the current BCA directory, that the owner is in Whitefish, Montana. I won't list the owner's contact info here, so that it isn't broadcasted to the world, but interested parties could consult the directory for it. What a nice ensemble! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted November 28, 2017 Author Share Posted November 28, 2017 My hunch is that his Buick is powered by something other than the original motor. Its a beautiful set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 That may belong to the guy who made superchargers for his straight 8 Buicks. He was on My Classic Car with Dennis Gage on one of the Idaho episodes.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted November 28, 2017 Author Share Posted November 28, 2017 Isn't it amazing what some people are capable of doing. Supercharges straight 8 Buick motors, wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted December 2, 2017 Author Share Posted December 2, 2017 Today was the first test, it works perfect. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 Looks great Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Hey that's a nice car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share Posted December 3, 2017 Here is a picture of the finished trailer hitch and tow bar mount combination. The mount bolts to the front bumper and our tow bar pins to it, If its mounted on the rear bumper it becomes our trailer hitch with the addition of the ball bracket shown. Our car drops about 3 1/2 inches with the heaviest bike on the trailer. I am thinking of putting air shocks on or helper air bags inside the rear coils. Not really necessary but I am considering it. It drops about the same with two passengers in the back seat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 You can lower the tongue weight by moving the bike back a few inches on the trailer. Watch carefully you don't EVER want negative tongue weight. (The most dangerous thing there is.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted December 4, 2017 Author Share Posted December 4, 2017 Today I towed the heaviest bike I have up hills and around town using all gears. The old Buick tows very well and the total sag was only 2 1/4 inches. The hitch works fine and the car actually rides nicer with the trailer on it than with it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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