Watching "Kitchen Stories" revived a notion I've been toying with for a while now, i.e., to build a Teardrop Trailer (See: http://www.knuffelcreek.com/teardrops.htm). I have hitches on my 240 wagon and 142E, so I don't lack tow vehicles, but hanging it behind the PV544 would be really neat - the lines sort of harmonize. Does anyone have have any information on how trailer hitches were attached to PVs? Were they just bumper clamp-ons (not particularly confidence inspiring), or did they actually manage to attach them to the body or the pseudo-frame?
Bob S.

When I first got my 65 PV someone had mounted a trailed hitch by drilling holes through the shelf just inside the trunk and then bolted a T-bar underneath it with the hitch sticking out on the end of the "T". Made for a whole bunch of rust repair! My only thought is that if wieght was put on this mechanism the rear of the car would be ripped out.
-Erik

That's why I like the approach taken with the hitch in Willem's picture. The pulling force is transferred all the way back to the hump ahead of the tank. The attachment to the trough over the muffler is mostly there to hold the business end up. Lateral stability is provided by braces to the sides that could go either to the trunk floor next to the tank or to the tubular portion where body and trunk floor meet, on one side, and the spare wheel well on the other. The attachment points should, of course, be properly reinforced from the inside and made throroughly rustproof. Shouldn't be to difficult to make up out of locally available parts, including a removeable bar and ball.
Bob S.

Picture of "european" trailer hitch for PV544.

Willem

I have some pictures of my 544 trailer hitch but no idea how to share them on the brickboard. Any suggestions/help?

regards
Willem

The trailer hitch is fixed on the subframe under the tank, a fixation on the bumper is only cosmetically I guess. BTW the swedish PV club sells new trailer hitches Michael

I made one recently and have one off a doner car from 15-20 years ago. I used it to tow the 122 home a couple of weeks ago. I thought about it and since I really wanted a good one I set out to make one. Took "U" bolts and placed around the axle, made from tubing some bars that come straight out from the axle and bent them up to finish just about at the trunk opening and 2" away. Bought a draw tite on ebay for $10, cut it to only have the center 24 inches of the hitch.Tap the bars and drill holes in the draw tite, allen bolts into the bars. I also used some eye bolts and chain to suspend the bars from the trunk floor... and some flat stock to make a "Y" from these eye bolts to the center of the hitch (yes, there's a small slot in the body to connect to the hitch). The U bolts "float" on the axle with delrin surfaces so the axle can move as it should up and down. I haven't taken pictures yet but I will soon. My next trick is too drill out my Stainless bumper to the same spec as the Draw tite and allen bolt it to the arms for a clean look when not towing. I'm waiting for the powder coat oven to work before I proceed with the bumper and finish the whole assembly for pictures. But I needed to get the 122 home.... so I bolted it up and used it!.

http://www.georger.com/Family%20Lintner/images/Virgil/virgil3.jpg

this is the stainless bumper on Virgil ...coming soon to V2

I don't think I've ever heard of attaching a hitch directly to the rear axle. I can understand fairly well what it is you did, but it seems a little bizarre to me! :-)

I have two pictures of PV544 hitches on my computer at home, and I will get to go home either tomorrow (Saturday) or the next day. I'll upload those pix so you can get an idea of what a 'factory' hitch would look like.

As far as clamping a hitch directly to the rear bumper; that was the common method until the 1950's. I had several pre-1950 Chevrolet sedans that came with a Chevy FACTORY hitch on the rear bumper. They were fine for pulling, but you had to watch your hitch load. You could easily put too much weight on the hitch and bend the bumper.

Considering the really light construction of the early Volvo bumpers, I'd try to avoid attaching the hitch to the bumper, except perhaps for some lightweight alignment rods.

Also, since Teardrop trailers have been mentioned, I want to jump in on that subject too. At this point, I've never owned a Teardrop, although I've been inside a few and seen many of them at close range.

I've always wanted one (no claustrophobia here!) and I've decided that buying one of those lightweight 'fold-up' 4' x 8' trailers would be a good start. I see Harbor Freight (www.harborfreight.com) has two different models, one for $179 and one for $199. The cheaper model has 8" wheels, so for $20 more you get 12" wheels. Either way, I'd find a set of at least 13" wheels so I could install better (and cheaper) tires.

I see these trailer platforms have the axle set back a little further than 1/2 way on the bed - probably to ensure that more weight gets onto the front of the trailer so it doesn't 'fishtail' down the road. The setup looks just right to me, installing the side access doors in front of the axle would be exactly right.

There are plans available everywhere on how to construct the bodies and make them solid and leakproof.

Now all I need is an empty garage to build it in!

I am interested in adding a trailer hitch to my 444 at some point in the distant future, so I look forward to seeing pics of how you built/attached the trailer hitch.

Christopher,
I should have known you had come up with something when I saw your posting with the other picture of Virgil 2 towing the Amazon. Looking forward to more detailed pictures when you get around to them because I'm having difficulties visualizing those U bolts that let the axle move freely. No rush though, that trailer is far from built.

Steve,
That over-the-muffler trough in my car is sort of weak, having been repaired by the PO with POR15 and fibreglass, but this would be a good reason to do a proper repair, putting instrategically located reinforcements at the same time.
Do you know if the hitch you have was specifically made for PVs?

Cam,
Thanks for the correction, and my apologies to you and anyone else who attempted to access that botched URL. So every once in a while the Dutchman in my subconsciousness wants out. A "knuffel" is a sort of prolonged Dutch hug -- "cuddle" is about as good a translation as any. I guess I was just in need of TLC. :-)
Bob S.

Let me clarify:

These photos are not of any hitch that I currently have. These were for sale on eBay, but I failed to win either auction (thanks to my wife dragging me all over the country!) I did save copies of the photos, though, because I fugured they would be an excellent guide to fabricating a hitch of my own if I can't find a factory one.

P

I used to have a 544 with a trailer hitch on it. The hitch attached to the body in the "trench" portion of the trunk (behind the gas tank and just inside the trunk lid). The hitch also attached to the points where the bumper bolts to the bumper bracket, just inside the vertical overriders.

There were a total of 4 attachment points for the hitch, the 2 on the bumper, and the two on the body. The 2 body attachment points were about 15 inches apart from each other to spread the load and make the hitch stable.

If your 544 is sound of body, then the hitch is pretty stout, probably suitable to pull as much weight as you'd want to try to move with the 4 cylinder engine. I had no trouble towing a small boat or a 5x8 U-Haul trailer with my 544.

HTH
Steve W

The correct URL is http://www.kuffelcreek.com/teardrops.htm Had to find that as well. Does anyone have a reference to the Swedish model used in Kitchen Stories? It appeared to be roomy and I wonder what was used as a heat source and for electricity, other than a hookup to the house.
--
Cam a.k.a. CVOLVO.COM

DON'T even THINK about trying to clamp it onto the bumper!!
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George Downs Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!