Hi from Germany

[2cvtear]

Hi all and greetings from across the Big Puddle!

My name's Jana (chorus: 'Hi Jana'), I stumbled across this forum while on the lookout for a small trailer that can be towed with our 2cv (later model with 26 European horse power). The legal restrictions in Germany allow me to tow a 400 kg braked trailer, even less unbraked (since I want a braked trailer anyway, I haven't researched the exact numbers for unbraked trailers). Sorry, but I don't have the lb numbers, either...

Even though small trailers are available comercially here in Germany (I saw some 2cvs towing them on several meetings), for some reasons the thought of building my own appeals to me (not so much to my partner - yet)! The trailers on sale here are too small for my taste, I have some requirements re creature comforts and hope to pull them off with a custom built trailer...

The profile I like best is the Grumman 2, although that's a big one and I haven't found weight estimates or figures yet. I think of shrinking it about 10% to fit the 2cv's width (148 cm over all - 4'8"?), and trying to build very lightweight. But I think I'll open a dedicated thread for that discussion...

Some more infos about me: I'm a social worker, dabbled a bit in mechanics and woodworking, no workshop but a tiny little yard (with cobblestones. Cute but VERY impractical), no power tools to speak of (constantly cursing them) - sounds good, eh? On the up side, we did take our 2cv completely apart 3 years ago, cleaned it from top to bottom, changed a LOT of parts (including the chassis and the gearbox), and got an inspection sticker no problem. 2cv's still running strong, too! So, some knowledge and skill's there...

Our second car is an old Opel Kadett (built 1979, same as me) which can tow 400 kg unbreaked, about 650 breaked, but doesn't have a hitch. Yet. I don't know whether you can still get a hitch for this old model, but the 2cv is in the foreground anyway since it's our holiday getaway car.

So, I'll keep you posted about our design questions and decisions, and of course about the built as soon as we start. ETA would be next July for the International Meeting of 2cv Fans in France, by the way...

[Shadow Catcher]

Hi Jana, my second degree is in social work.

A bit over 800lbs for the braked, but the question is, should you?

Were it me building to tow behind my Saab Sonett with more than twice the horse power I would be looking to ultralight construction, composites, aluminum... or you could end up with something like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HenXz9Pgg3U

[Wolfgang92025]

Hi Jana, welcome to the fun.

400 kg = 880 lbs, 650 kg = 1430 lbs.

Building a trailer with a 880lbs weight restriction will be a stretch. possible, but not real easy. there is a discussion thread called Ultra light, might have some useful info in it.

At any rate, we will want some more once you get started.

Wolfgang

PS, yes I'm German, born in Hof, Bayern and been lucky enough to have live in Kalifornia now 39 years.

[2cvtear]

We've seen quite a few 2cv towing tiny trailers at the last meetings in Sweden and the Czech Republik. Some of them looked homebuilt, too. So - I think it's feasible to build something, even from traditional materials, if you plan well.

There's even some old standies that can be (and are) towed by 2cvs, for example the Eriba Puck (which changes hands for around 5 grand around here...), which was built in the 60ies and 70ies, probably not too much fibreglass, either.

So... My creature comfort requirements are: I want something to: stop the car, open the trailer door and go to sleep - instead of putting up a tent, inflating matresses, getting out sleeping bags etc etc... A bigger bed than 4' is also a must, we hope to get a 1,40m (55"), or at the very least 1,35m (53") bed in, which must be 2m (78") long since my partner is quite tall. So, that's the dimension that the other thoughts base on. Other hopes for the trailer are: insulated for extended use in spring or autumn, ideally a galley which gives us a little working space plus storage room (most of the stuff we'll carry in the 2cv though). In case of weight or space issues we'll drop the galley, though.

I don't have any experience at all in working with fibreglass, and I don't have any ideas about its cost - but if the built exceeds 1500 Euros, we won't be able to make it, I'm afraid - social workers don't earn that much over here... probably same thing everywhere.

At the moment I'm thinking about a modified Grumman design (I just like the lines), built with thinnest ply available inside (3 or 4 mm which is 1/8", marine grade hardwood to forego fibreglassing or similar), 0.060 (1mm) aluminium on the outside. Framing and insulation of minimal thickness - I've heard the number of 1/2" which would be about 12mm - that okay or do I need to go sturdier? Temperatures to be expected are around freezing at the extreme when we're camping in early spring or late autumn, below that we won't go.

I would glue / sandwich the layers together if that adds strength (does, from what I've read), but if it's not necessary I would leave that out, too - cost, labour and weight. I've read of aluminium skins that are held in place by screws and trim, and I've read, too, that the glue bond breaks anyway because the materials and temperature reactions of aluminium and wood or insulation are too different. I quite like the look of screws or rivets on the aluminium so that's not a problem.

I've read most of the threads I've found by searching for "lightweight", "ultralight" and so on. Some techniques shown there are frankly beyond me. If you'll tell me that with plywood and aluminium I won't be able to build a tear based on a 55x78" bed, I'll slink off crying and go to bed seriously depressed...

[Richard van Leeuwen]

In Holland there are teardrops available with braked ALKO chassis. The lightest Gobanna basic version is only 255 KG (562 lbs).For more information see www.gobanna.com.