|
|
Nov 19, 2013 10:16:14 GMT
|
hey everyone, as some of you may remember, I'm quite into minis, and with being into minis comes camping at mini shows! We've recently purchased a house, and with the house in the back garden was included an old caravan!! I jokingly said that if it could be pulled by a mini then we can use it for the International Mini Meet next year!! Cutting to the chase, I got bored over the weekend and googled the caravan to find out what it was, turns out that it was originally designed to be towed behind small cars in the 60's, such as the mini 850!! its a 'Thomson Mini Glen' if anyone has heard of it?? has anyone ever towed anything bigger than a trailer with a mini, and if so what was the experience like?? The mini show i plan on taking the caravan too is about 60 miles away from me, so not too far luckily! I will add some pics of the caravan on here later, i think it'll look great behind my mini pickup Alex
|
|
|
|
|
Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,537
|
|
Nov 19, 2013 10:22:20 GMT
|
!!! ?!? !? !!!!! lmgtfySorry, I was probably a bit quick there with the lgtfy link but then it would have helped if you'd have told/shown us a bit more about it. It would be advisable to check out weights as what was OK back then would not necessarily meet with approval these days. What sort of spec is your pick up? I'd have thought towing anything with an old mini would make progress fairly pedestrian and brakes would also get quite a work out.
|
|
Last Edit: Nov 19, 2013 10:31:43 GMT by Seth
Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
|
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2013 10:24:47 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2013 10:50:46 GMT
|
never had much desire for a caravan but now I very much fancy a portafold (shame as I literally just took off and got rid of the tow bar on the Cortina this weekend)
|
|
|
|
craig1010cc
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,998
Club RR Member Number: 35
|
|
Nov 19, 2013 12:32:34 GMT
|
heres a bit more info for ya, must admit I've always fancied geting a micro caravan to tow behind my mini, would raise a few smiles getting out of one given my size (6ft/18st )
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2013 15:00:19 GMT
|
i did google it, and i know that the caravan is light enough to be towed by a mini, but i was just wondering on what the experience is going to be like really! as i said the caravan hasnt cost me anything, and is in resonably good condition! the pickup is just going to be a rebuilt, pretty standard 998, but i am considering maybe some modifications on this now, or maybe even a nice road going 1293cc Alex
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2013 17:04:02 GMT
|
I towed a small caravan with our 998cc Metro without any problem. In fact it surprised me that using (at the time) my workhorse 1600cc Cortina estate wasn't any better than the Metro !
Paul H
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2013 17:56:48 GMT
|
Mate of mine tows a tiny 60's caravan with his mini van, pretty sure it still had the 850 with magic wand and then single leading shoe drums at the time! Van and breaks all serviced up well but he does 120 odd miles each way to one show every year and it'll be going to kent for the imm next year! I'll try and get a model name and weight etc. he keeps driving it so the experience can't be that bad!
|
|
Maximum signature height: 80 pixels
87 Nissan Bluebird 88 Mk2 Vauxhall Astra
|
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2013 19:29:56 GMT
|
About 20yrs ago I bought Thompson Mini Glen I found in a barn for my dad. I towed it from the Yorkshire Dales over to Lancaster behind a 1256cc Mk1 Cavalier, so the power to weight ratio 57 bhp/17.6cwt (Mini 39bhp/12cwt)was probably the same as a Mini but the Cav was heavier. It towed fine with a bit of forward planning. Your problem might be the tail wagging the dog, so a stabilizer and paring all the weight back would be recommended.
|
|
74 Mk1 Escort 1360, 1971 Vauxhall Victor SL2000 Estate.
|
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2013 19:57:28 GMT
|
|
|
Last Edit: Nov 19, 2013 20:00:10 GMT by jrevillug
|
|
|
|
|
|
So looking at those figures I'm thinking it might be better behind the mini saloon! I need to see how heavy the van is!
Alex
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 20, 2013 10:54:10 GMT
|
As quoted from the period test, it's 457kg empty, 500+ with stuff in it. Too much TBH.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 20, 2013 11:41:31 GMT
|
thats a shame, obviously got away with it then because of the lack of legialities!! back to the tent by the looks Alex
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Have you looked at rapido They do a fold out caravan called a comfortmatic not sure on weight but I had one they are easy to put up and warmer than a tent
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 23, 2013 10:43:04 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
|
|
Nov 24, 2013 14:51:19 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 24, 2013 15:19:41 GMT
|
I was going to suggest findout out weights of caravan and what a mini can tow, but if the above is correct, you're outta luck i'm affraid. There IS however a 1961 Eriba Puck on ebay at the moment at 400kg!
|
|
|
|
Rich G
Posted a lot
Keyboard Worrier
Posts: 1,059
|
|
Nov 24, 2013 20:16:47 GMT
|
Any Eriba Puck is not going to be cheap! You might think about one of these... Freedom Microlight, should be within a Mini's towing weight and they pop up on eBay quite often.
|
|
|
|