Military/Camping trailer build

[westn11]

I picked up an old WWII military trailer a few weeks ago with the plan of building a trailer that I could drag behind my Blazer to the beach or woods. The trailer that I started with needed a lot of work as much of the previous fabrication wasn't painted and things started to rust badly.

Trailer pics after I dragged it home.

 

[hoodride]

I've always wanted to do one of those, with matching wheels/tires and a poptop tent on top. Does it have a pintle hitch?

What are your plans? Just keep it as is and fix rust? I'll be watching this one.

 

[westn11]

Tearing it apart

My original plan was to clean things up a bit, do some fabrication and paint it up. After an afternoon of drinking a few beers and looking things over, I decided to tear it apart and replace the rusted metal. At this point I started to think it may have been easier to build one from scratch.

 

[westn11]

Start cutting and welding

So my plans are to put in a wider axle, larger tires, extend the front frame, make a frame for my car-on-top tent, put a battery box up front, water tank, etc, etc.

I cut the front off of the old original frame and used some 2x3 to extend it out a bit. I also fabbed up a mount for a lock n roll hitch.

 

[westn11]

More to come tomorrow

I have more pics to share, but I'll quit for the night with a status on how it looks as of now. I'll backfill all the other pics that got me to this point as soon as I can.

 

[DR]

That looks great! What is a lock n roll hitch?

 

[badmix]

looks good.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Neat. Is that one of the jeep sized trailers? Kinda hard to tell but looks like it.

Always kinda wanted one of the 3/4 ton trailers myself. Just too damn heavy.

 

[TREA18]

That's cool. Subscribed

 

[runamok151]

That looks great! What is a lock n roll hitch?

google is your friend
http://www.locknroll.com/

 

[westn11]

more pics

I'm finally getting around to posting some more pics. I took the trailer for its first trip to the beach (Nags Head, NC) last weekend for some fishing and camping. Their is still more work to be done, but its good enough to start using.

After extending the frame out a few feet, I cleaned up the factory stuff, added a top lip to the frame. I also put a nice thick sheet of sheetmetal over the front frame section.

I also added some roll bar tubing between the frame rails to help with mounting the shocks. The axle is a new piece that's a few inches wider than stock to help clear the wheels and tires.

 

[westn11]

fix the rusty bed

The bottom of the trailer bed was pretty rusted out, so I cut it off and had a new bottom bent up at the local sheetmetal shop. After tacking it into place, I carefully welded it fully around the tub to try and stop water and dirt from getting in the gap.

 

[westn11]

frame to hold the tent

Once I was done with the bed, I started building the frame that will hold the tent, surfboard, axe, shovel, etc.

 

[cegusman]

and then

 

[westn11]

Nags Head trip

So, I loaded up the trailer with supplies (generator, canopy, lights, food, beer, fishing poles, etc) and headed south for about 300 miles to hit the beach. The trailer pulls very nicely behind my Yota. I got it up to 90 and it doesnt shimmy or get out of shape in the slightest. Attached are some pics of the trip.

 

[westn11]

Beach pics

pics from the first night at the beach.

 

[chalet2506]

Very, very cool.

 

[stoney126]

Wow very cool. how does your dog get up to the tent

 

[ryoken]

that thing is sweet..... very jealous.....

 

[original balzer]

Are you going to enclose the sides or leave it open? Did you build the cart hanging off the back? looks to hold the cooler and poles with wheels that looks pretty cool too. Is there something going on the front where you extended it or was that for towing maners?