Trailering an E30

#1

I am looking to get out of the business of renting and borrowing trailers and finally get something permanently mine.

I have managed very well for the last 9 years of E30 ownership and 23 years of general HPDE’s, Time Trials, Autocrossing, Racing and general car-hobby-ing without a trailer. But.

That being said: I’m getting old enough to want to stop driving the race car to the track, pulling my tire trailer and borrowing/renting and reinventing how to tie the race car down for each event on every different trailer.

I would like the lightest most efficient trailer, the smallest possible length and width with the least expensive price.

Ideal solution would be:

  1. All Aluminum short as possible
  2. dual axel
  3. electric brakes
  4. 3,500lb axels
  5. large ball

Any advice on trailers that work with the e30 would be appreciated:

#2

This guys isn’t far from me:

#3

Check out an 18 ft Kwik Load. The roll back design and low ramp angle makes it very easy to load and unload a Spec E30 or any other lowered car. I have one and love it, tows great. It is well built and all steel. I’ve added a tire rack and winch. Kwik load offers option of aluminum deck. Used kwik loads are hard to find.

#4

OK that looks great! YouTube

#5

I looked at Kwik Load as well, and really liked the design. Could not really find one other than new, so I wound up scouring the Craig’s List, Racing Junk, et al., sites until I found a lightly used all aluminum ATC open car hauler. Love it, and while its a conventional dovetail with ramps, the ramps are 7 feet, which is longer than most, and allows easy loading if you add race ramps, which makes it even easier. Also weighs 1400 empty, torsion axles with brakes on both, loaded I am at about 4K or so, so east to tow.

#6

I have what you need KG…
18ft solid dec x 8.5 wide with beaver tail.
All Aluminum open with Aluminum ramps
Lockable ramp storage
driver side fender is removable
Duel 3,500 axles
Electric Brakes
Diamond Plate tongue box
Clip on safety chains
Break away protection
Big ball

#7

Only 3-4 years old and is pretty nice!

#8

I have seen some folks use winches to load their cars. Seems like it might be a useful idea, especially because in my trailer, it’s actually easier to climb out the window of the unopened driver door than to open the door partially and climb out over the cage, since the door actually gets in the way in that case.

I have been looking for quality, affordable (to me) yet adequately powered winches, and found a Superwinch Terra 45, which is rated at 4500 lbs. Estimating that my car doesn’t weigh more than 2600-2700 lbs, isn’t that plenty? Or should I be looking for dynamic headroom for some reason?

Also, it doesn’t obviate the need to drive the car out, since the winch obviously only pulls, so maybe the whole winch idea is stupid in the first place?

#9

Damn, I wish you’d have told me sooner! I just bought a new featherlite 18’ car hauler.