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Covering a Car trasporter (DIY racebox)
dhutch - 20/8/08 at 12:21 PM

In antisipation of actaully geting around to buy a seven im left wondering where it would live.

We have a garage at home, but it wouldnt get prioraty, and i would like to have it with my at univertsity. We have a house with a drive but no garage.
I know they can live outside (coments ont hat also) but im just exploring options.

Hence i started looking at secondhand raceboxes but and rapidly coming to the conclusion that they are basicaly out of budget. Certainly far more expensive than a flatbed transporter.

However ive also been wondering if i could fabirate one of the back of a flatbed transporter.

I seven is fairly light anyway, so if i got midsized twinaxle transporter and added a lightweight steel frame and covered in something suitably light/cheep to keep the rain off.

Only possable consern is it might get a bit top heavy (im 6ft2 and it would be nice to be able to stand up) but as long as it was a heavy enough trailer to start with i cant see it being a problem?

Just wondering if anyone has ever done anything like this?


Daniel

owelly - 20/8/08 at 12:30 PM

Flat bed trailer. 25mm box section frame and a proper made to measure cover. You drive the car onto the trailer. Climb out and pull the cover over. Have the cover made with a flap at the back so you can roll it up to get the car in. And a flap up the side so you can get out/in the car. Use 'lace together' type joints for the flaps. Use the small strap fasteners like they use on curtain-sider wagons for the main body of the cover, and use good quality material (like they use on curtain-siders!). Any boatyard will put you in touch with companies who can make you a cover.
Or to be Locost, pop down the local truckstop with a stanley knife.....

TimC - 20/8/08 at 12:38 PM

U2U Wadders - I think his company do this sort of work.

dhutch - 20/8/08 at 12:41 PM

Thats a very good idea actaully. I had thought about puting a tarp over a frame to make a makeshift garage but not considered a 'curtain sided' race box.
- As you say, it could work very well if you did a good job of it. Possably in conjuction with a rigid front pannel or somthing.

Grey mater on the move!

Not sure about a stanley knife and a trip down the truckstop, but there might well an option of geting an old curtain of a lorry and cutting it down to leave the good bits prehaps?


Daniel




[Edited on 20/8/08 by dhutch]

afj - 20/8/08 at 01:50 PM

be very careful if you plan to keep the car in the trailer when not in use, i pick up a few trailers which have been nicked and a fair few had a race car or bike in when nicked

antimony - 20/8/08 at 01:59 PM

I looked into this before I got my garage. I calculated that my striker would fit in a large horse box or cattle box which can be picked up for a couple of hundred pounds, or cheaper from a farm dispersal auction.

will121 - 20/8/08 at 01:59 PM

how this for a idea of locost storage

http://www.locust.org.uk/knowlegebase/garage/garage.htm

fishywick - 20/8/08 at 02:17 PM

A friend of mine had a frame and tarp cover made by a firm in Preston. This was attached to the trailer and had proper twist fasteners, bungee cords etc. From memory it was not much more than £200 and looked very neat.

Steve

dhutch - 20/8/08 at 03:38 PM

quote:
Originally posted by afj
be very careful if you plan to keep the car in the trailer when not in use, i pick up a few trailers which have been nicked and a fair few had a race car or bike in when nicked

Yeah thats a very valid point as well!
- Obvously they car (maybe also trailer) would be insured. But it might be worth taking the wheels off it or somthing when its not being moved?

Loving the locost 'garage' as well, ive thought of doing that too and it might be the better option. Just considering all angles i guess.
- Plus it would be nice to have a trailer anyway!



Daniel

JUD - 20/8/08 at 05:49 PM

The fabrication shop at Bruntingthorpe were converting a lot of truck trailers. They had to rework all the curtains as they were raising the roof line.

They may have some spare curtains left over. This was a number of months ago, but I think it was a long term contract which may be still running, so they may still have some.

Dunno who you should talk to, Matt Walton (owners son) was working on my gear linkage in the shop during one of the track days so he may know. You can get their contact details from www.bruntingthorpe.com

Would be interested to hear how you progress as this is something I may explore at a later date.

Cheers

Martin

dhutch - 3/9/08 at 11:18 PM

Yeah intrested.
- Theres a few ive seen for sale, but all sold before i got there. Most covered (with my budget) seam to be DIY jobs, some a rougher than others.

Might have look at converting one myself.

Certianly if i cant find something i'lll have to.
- As long as i find a suitable trailer as a 'donor' i should be able to doa good enough job on the frame myself. Maybe even get it galv'ed. They possably chase some second hand tarp/curtains and get the old thread making gear out, Depending on quotes i can get.


Daniel

dhutch - 16/9/08 at 05:37 PM

Just been on the hunt for adds, missed a honey!

http://www.racedandrallied.com/detail.php?siteid=740




Daniel