From the MAKE Flickr Pool: user nickjohnson spotted this makeshift trailer in Brooklyn, made from the tail end of a minivan. Hey, if it works, it works! Got any more info on this thing? Post in the comments.
18 thoughts on “Former minivan makes new trailer”
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I’ve seen open trailers from pickup back ends, but never seen anything like that. Done a little more cleanly you could make a nice little camper from one of those.
You have to think that with the axle so far back the tongue weight must be pretty heavy. I thought that ideally the maximum was supposed to be 10-15% of the trailer load itself. This rig looks like about 40-60%. Judging by the way that Bronco II is hunkered down I’m guessing I’m not far off.
Years ago I saw a trailer made from the back-ends of two full-sized vans, welded back to back. It had doors on both ends (I don’t remember if it had doors on the sides).
I’ve seen pictures of trailers made from the back ends of any number of other vehicles.
Years ago my dad made something similar from an old VW bus (a ‘hippie van’). The sliding door had slide bolts so it could be removed. And, yes gear head, the axle was in about the same place, and when he tried to tow it, he had to use a truck rather than his OTHER bus. He wanted to shave it down and make it about half the size, but the guy he went into the project with said absolutely not and talked him into cutting it where he did: right behind the front seats. I’ll see if I can find some pics somewhere…
Reminds me of the “pickup truck” I once saw. It was a Ford Aerostar minivan that had been trimmed from the front seats back.
Uhaul rents “Sports Trailers”, which are more or less the back end of a car.
http://www.uhaul.com/trailers/
Does anyone have a set of plans for turning the rear clip of a unibody car into a trailer like this? Specifically the hitch, and tubing going to it?
I see the backs of trucks done like this from time to time. just remove the cabin leave the frame sticking out, bend, shape, and weld into a trailer mount. then lights etc
The percentage of vehicle used in this project is dangerously close to comitting a felony. A trailer made from a pickup bed has left most of the identifiable vehicle, frame, VIN, motor… intact. But this van-mod has the vehicle hacked in a way where you are removing the dash/VIN from the bulk of the vehicle which is still there… = felony! A vehicle titled as ‘scrapped’is the first step, How a private individual can then remove a VIN from even a ‘scrapped’ vehicle is flirting with a felony act. CHECK LAWS that vary from state to state.
I know your reply was a while back, but you are wrong. Very wrong. It is not a felony at all. As long as you have the title or bill of sale for the vehicle (or section of it) you are fine and legal. They have composite vehicles and state assigned VIN’s for this purpose. What you are thinking of is removing or defacing a VIN for the purpose of hiding or stealing the vehicle.