The Official 356Talk Forum

See photo.

Ive seen a 356 towing a race car on a trailer ( and I recall Dennis Jenkinson may have done this in the late '50's and early '60's but my question is did people back in the day use 356 A's as a car to pull a caravan?

Heres a photo.

Presumably they did and used the ALLSTATE one wheel trailer attachment as the tow attachment which fixed direct to the bumber bars- hence solving the issue of not welding or attaching it to the floor or to the underside due to the exhaust position.

But just a question to chase out some period photos if it really did happen...Lee

There were two cars at the Emory campout, a B cab and a C with the factory trailer hitch. The hitch is a very stout piece. A 356 towing a car trailer and another 356, though - I'd have to see it to believe it ...

Edit - I just looked more closely at your post and you say you did see a 356 pulling another 356 on a trailer! Yikes!
I have seen pictures of a 356 pulling a small sleeping 'caravan'.

I am pretty sure the Allstate trailer clamped directly to the bumper itself. I am sure it was done sometimes, but the thin sheet-metal, painted bumper would not have liked it. I used to put a bicycle carrier on my B that way, it sure didn't do my bumper any favors, and I had to bend the hooks so they could fit.

The car shown in the picture above is an emory special built by Rod Emory. It used a 4 cylinder 911 motor based on a 911 engine cut and wielded back together in 4 cylinder form. As I recall it was a 2.4 motor, plenty of power for towing. It also had a factory tow hitch installed. It hooked to chassis for stability. It was Rod's honeymoon vehicle.

Don't remember offhand if tow hitch also hooked to bumper but if it did it was not the main way of securing the hitch. Oh and Rod and his bride toured around the country for some time towing the pictured trailer.

I also think Rod recently arranged with someone to make sure the Hitches will be reproduced and available to those who want them.

Michael Foster

Martin Benade wrote:I am pretty sure the Allstate trailer clamped directly to the bumper itself. I am sure it was done sometimes, but the thin sheet-metal, painted bumper would not have liked it. I used to put a bicycle carrier on my B that way, it sure didn't do my bumper any favors, and I had to bend the hooks so they could fit.

I have a single wheel allstate trailer that I have towed behind my 356.

When I came to Columbia SC around 1967 in my 1956 A coupe
There was only a couple of other 356 around. I would occasionally see
a 1965 356 SC pulling a boat much larger than the car. I looked
at it while stoped, it had angle iron run all the way back to trans
Hoop area.
Bruce Edge
56 A coupe 62 Notchback 73 914 51MGTD

More images of 356s towing trailers.

I have a picture somewhere in my archives of the, some what unique (better known as bat sh^t crazy), "RT" towing a Karmann Ghia with a 356B Cabriolet

Regards

Jim

RT as in Richard Troy? Haven't heard his name since the old Talk List days and his "discussions" with Harry P.

Factory trailer hitch:

I towed this trailer with my Roadster for some time.
Mostly to pick up parts, or move a Motorcycle.
I sold the trailer back to the person that imported her from Germany, but still have the hitch.
If some one needs a hitch, its perfect because it requires no new holes drilled and reaches to the transmission hoop for stability.

Paul Hatfield wrote:RT as in Richard Troy? Haven't heard his name since the old Talk List days and his "discussions" with Harry P.

My old Pre-A chassis #52272

Pascal Giai

The comments regarding towing a caravan reminded me of a friends escapade.
He and his family were towing a 356 with a VW bus from the west slope to the Denver area.
Driving up Loveland Pass the bus engine gave out.
Being creative he removed the stuff from the Porsche and fired it up and proceeded to push the bus to Denver. Porsche attached with a tow bar.
This required his wife to steer and brake with signals from the kids in the back window telling him to go faster or slow, stop etc.

Creative emergency road fix.

Norm

I'm shocked - a VW van engine blew up?