Hello everyone,
Lately, I've been looking into buying an enclosed trailer. Whether it's to haul a restoration project to the paint shop, attend distant car shows without adding unnecessary miles to the car, or simply to pick up bulky parts and keep them safe from the weather.
While researching options, I came across this 7x16 foot model: <a class="ng-star-inserted" href=" removed link " target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-hveid="0" data-ved="0CAAQ_4QMahgKEwjkx77JkYyVAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQ8gE">makemytrailer.com/7x16-enclosed-trailer/
At first glance, it seems to have very solid specs, but before making a decision, I wanted to consult the voice of experience in this group:
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The Size: Do any of you use a 7x16 to transport your classic Chevy? I know 20-foot trailers are often recommended for larger cars, but for models from the 30s to 50s, do you think a 16-footer is sufficient while still leaving enough room for a toolbox and gear?
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Open vs. Enclosed: I know there's an eternal debate here. I'm leaning towards an enclosed one to protect the car from road debris and weather, but I'd love to hear your real-world experiences.
Any comments, recommendations, or advice on how to safely tie down and transport our cars in these types of trailers would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers and thanks in advance for your advice!
You'll never be happy with a 7x16. You'll have to crawl in and out of a window to get into and out of your car and be a contortionist to tie it down. Get the largest trailer you can afford/tow vehicle can pull. If you're not young and flexible you might need an escape hatch even with a wide trailer.
This is a Polaris in a 7 wide. Imagine adding another foot of width for a car.
7046 old site posts
Save a life, adopt a senior shelter pet
There are many good people. If you can't find one, be one.
1938 Master Business Coupe-Sold, now living in New Jersey
1953 210 Sedan
What Tiny said. I had something very close to this v-nose trailer but 8x23' and heavier (7k) axles which I used for a 1968 Mustang convertible (longer than our old Chevys). It allowed enough room to get in/out with doors over the wheel wells, and have tools/spares in a box in the front. With the heavier axles, I was also not worried about overloading with other uses (like a household move) and it still pulled very well. If I recall right, my trailer was not much more expensive and it freed a garage bay.
Randy
Way too small for an enclosed hauler for all the reasons Tiny mentioned. Need to know what you will haul to make a recommendation.
7472 old site post
I have learned to not scrimp on the size of my trailers. It is particularly important on enclosed trailers. One of my open trailers has an 18 foot long bed with a beaver tail. I have had to have the rear bumper of a loaded vehicle hang over the rear on several cars and trucks in order to balance the load and have a proper tongue weight. All my trailers have 8 1/2 foot width. Found the extra 1/2 foot was a bonus. Both of my enclosed trailers are officially 24 foot. That allows space to balance the load and also carry tools, spare parts, etc. The one with the V nose is actually 32 feet from hitch to rear of the trailer also 7 1/2 feet inside so some of my older touring cars can be loaded with the top up. We actually managed to haul a '25 Chevrolet Touring and '28 Coupe last year from Houston TX to Colorado. There was several inches between them and the walls of the trailer.
How sweet the roar of a Chevy four
Participant on Chatter since 11/22/2001
19758 posts on the former Chatter site
I agree with all the others above about dimensions and need for access to the sides of the vehicle being transported.
I have a 16x7 foot flatbed trailer that I use for Justin (1928 AB Canopy Express) and it works well. The truck is only 14 feet long, is narrow, and weighs 2400 pounds. The trailer has two axles, electric brakes, and weighs 1300 punds.
My tow vehicle is a 2001 Dodge 2500 3/4 ton pickup with the six-cylinder Cummins diesel engine and six speed automatic transmission. This rig can pull up to 11,000 pounds.
I also use a weight-leveling hitch setup so the tongue weight is distributed across my tow vehicle and the trailer's axles. I also have an anti-sway bar attached to the hitch and the front of the trailer's chassis. I learned the hard way that proper towing demands a good towing setup. Here's that sad story: Dean's first attempt at towing Lurch
As for tying Justin down for the ride, I use two chains with hooks wrapped around the truck's front axle that are looped over the leaf spring/axle intersection. The chains are anchored at the front corners of my trailer. I hook these chains up first.
Then, I loop ratchet straps (around 2 1/2 inches wide and rated for 5000 pounds each) that go over Justin's rear axle and are hooked to the back two corners of the trailer. After the straps are hooked up, I put Justin in neutral and 'pull' him back until the front chains are very tight. I then lock the ratchet, tie off the extra length of straps, and away I go.
One friend of mine who has pulled many vehicles on trailers commented on my setup that he thought if the trailer were hung upside down, the chains and straps would hold it to the trailer! 😉
When I first bought Justin and had to move him 100 miles home, I did not want to use my open flatbed trailer because I was afraid of the sheet metal and wood might tear off in the wind. Sooooooooo, I borrowed my friend Ed Archer and his enclosed trailer for the day to help out.
His trailer was originally and open flatbed hauler. He used to own a 1920 Dryer's Ice Cream delivery truck that he took to shows AND to Dryer Ice Cream events. He didn't charge anything to Dryers for these events, but he got them to pay to 'enclose' his trailer. 😉 I call it the Cinderella trailer. Below are a couple of pics of it. 😉
The moral of the story is that you can get a flatbed trailer and enclose it in angle iron and Plexiglas so you can protect AND show off your ride while you tow it.
Cheers, Dean
Dean "Rustoholic" Meltz
San Leandro, CA
3511 posts on vccachat.org
Lurch -1927 LM one ton truck - tinyurl.com/Lurch-VCCACHAT-Gallery
Justin - 1928 AB Canopy Express (1/2 ton truck) - tinyurl.com/Justin-Stovebolt-Gallery







