159 Views
Someone Needs to Bring Back This Roof-Mounted Fifth-Wheel Trailer for Hatchbacks
by
Mark Stevenson
(IC: employee)
Published: August 28th, 2016
Share
In 2016, if you towed a camping trailer with anything other than a heavy-duty pickup, Mike Rowe and Denis Leary would take you out back and shoot you repeatedly with Blue Oval masculine marketing tripe.
But in 1974, if you were the proud owner of a Volkswagen Beetle, you could head off into the wilds confident in knowing that you and your loved ones would be safe sleeping in this fifth-wheel-style camper attached to the Teutonic compact’s roof.
It’s ingenious, and it needs to make a comeback.
Mark Stevenson
More by Mark Stevenson
Published August 28th, 2016 2:00 PM
Comments
Join the conversation
Other issues notwithstanding, how in the world did a VW bug with what? 50 hp? manage to (safely) pull such a rig when the car itself barely had power to get out of its own way? I disliked VWs back in the day - although they were fun to drive at times - and feel no different about them now. I'm amazed this was even offered as an option! How many did they sell and how many actually used this feature?
Modern versions of this have been built(find it on youtube). Also, a trailer like the one in the video has been found in a field somewhere and is being restored: https://youtu.be/OfHCnwVZqow
What a delight this would be to see heading up I-70 west of Denver to Vail. You would of course have plenty of time to see it, as it would most likely be traveling at walking pace or perhaps a light jog.
This old chestnut again =8-) . FWIW , Super Beetles had larger brakes , they used the rear brakes off the heavier Typ III on the front of Super Beetles . I can't say this getup is a good idea unless you never exceeded flat ground and 45 MPH . I'm one of those dolts who every few years , tows something as heavy as my light duty short bed 1/2 ton pickup , I always use secondary or tertiary roads and don't exceed 40 MPH because I too have seen up close and personal , what happens when things go sideways . HAVE A GREAT SUMMER ! . -Nate in green as grass Grants , NM