Mini Fithwheel Foamie for S10 pickup

[PKCSPT]

Don't know if this has been posted, it has a paragraph part way down that shows the 5th wheel that was pulled by the VW bug on top of a different car. Says it was in the May 1972 Popular Mechanics

http://www.starling-travel.com/2012/01/04/tow-a-fifth-wheel-with-your-car/

[mezmo]

RE: The roof hitched "5th Wheel"

I have a brochure for them. I believe they were called the "Shadow"
if I remember correctly. I'll have to remember to scan it and then post
it next year when I start in on scanning pics and items. I need to finish
researching for a good pic scanner and then get one [I'm planning to scan
and archive the old family photos I have to share with relatives]. Once I
get that I can start in on them and then do some of the trailer pics I have
as well. I know a flatbed scanner would work "ok" but I want to get some higher
pixel density counts for the old family photos so they can be enlarged
without loosing too much detail, the same idea as using the old fine
grained photographic films for the same purpose/reason.

I also saw some pics of a French version of the design at about the same
time [~1970s], somewhere, but I can't locate it again.

[srbsmartie]

I have a Smart car, and that roof hitched Shadow looks like the kind of thing I would like to build for my car! The hitch would take some thinkin' on as I don't have conventional roof rails to bolt to. I just aquired (for free!) a 20' long boat trailer and I am starting to tear it down for cleaning and shortening to use as a base for a foamie of my own. After seeing that Shadow thing though, I may just build it into a utility and start a separate roof hitched 5er for the Smart. Subscribing to this thread, can't wait to see what you come up with!

[ghcoe]

GPW should have a drawing up soon!

[GPW]

Sorry, I have to pass on that one .... not a clue here...? Just seems to me with a roof mounted hitch , if something happened to the trailer (?) it would take the car with it ...
Funny , the more you look for something , the more you notice .... and lately we’ve noticed, everybody around here in this rural neighborhood has one ... or more .... especially the “rancher/farmers" ... Studying them , they all seem to be a flat bed trailer with a massive steel structure up front, tandem wheels (even saw a 6 wheeler the other day ) ... but they do carry a Lot of weight for what they’re used for around here... Yet to see any smaller ones .... All the smaller trailers here are hitch pulled ... Kind of makes you wonder why ?

[ghcoe]

Kind of makes you wonder why ?

5th wheels have two characteristics. One being more stable by locating the hitch above the axle. Two, by placing the hitch above the axle you can add more gross weight to the trailer without adversely effecting the driving characteristics of the tow vehicle. That is why you will see huge 5th wheels on the road but no bumper pulls of the same size. So most high gross weight trailers will be 5th wheels. I personally think a foamy would be so light on a 5th wheel platform it would not need much for a frame. It could probably be pretty close to a unibody without much frame structure at all especially if it is kept small.