Trailer hitch on C3?
03-25-2009, 05:16 PM
#1
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Trailer hitch on C3?
Have a '69 ragtop, and thinking about putting a hitch on to tow a bike trailer (<700# total, <150# tongue weight).
Anyone done this? Where did you get the hitch, and how does it work?
Anyone done this? Where did you get the hitch, and how does it work?
03-25-2009, 05:29 PM
#2
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I'm pretty sure there is/was one that tied into the bumper brackets. My Mom had one on one of her Vette's back in the 70's. Not sure the rating, but for a bike trailer it should be fine.
03-25-2009, 08:11 PM
#4
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Yes you can. I had one installed on my '77 in 1977 and towed a 14' with 55hp Merc approx 95km or 70 miles to cottage and back numerous times. I got it from the dealer where I bought the car and installed it myself, had to drill a couple of holes into the frame, and it was very stable. Just make sure your tongue weight is on the light side approx 25lbs or less, the item you're trailering should be balanced on the trailer. Good luck, Hope this helps.
Domer.
Domer.
03-25-2009, 08:37 PM
#5
Team Owner
The frame on your Corvette is sturdier than most; and you have more torque than most family sedans, I'm sure. If you can work up some kind of frame mount which allows you to remove the entire tow-bar and hitch (so it doesn't show when you aren't using it), it would cut down on the sarcastic comments you might hear.
03-25-2009, 08:42 PM
#6
Instructor
I'm gonna take heat for this but...
I always thought that the height of the rear deck on c3s would be perfect for putting a fifth wheel hitch on. Never seen or heard of anyone doing it but i always thought that it would be funny. The weight would be centered over the rear axle.
I always thought that the height of the rear deck on c3s would be perfect for putting a fifth wheel hitch on. Never seen or heard of anyone doing it but i always thought that it would be funny. The weight would be centered over the rear axle.
03-25-2009, 09:20 PM
#9
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I'm gonna take heat for this but...
I always thought that the height of the rear deck on c3s would be perfect for putting a fifth wheel hitch on. Never seen or heard of anyone doing it but i always thought that it would be funny. The weight would be centered over the rear axle.
I always thought that the height of the rear deck on c3s would be perfect for putting a fifth wheel hitch on. Never seen or heard of anyone doing it but i always thought that it would be funny. The weight would be centered over the rear axle.
Consider yourself flamed. Someone posted a pic. of a C3 wrecker. Yeah as bad as your idea- but best wrecker.
03-25-2009, 09:29 PM
#10
Safety Car
Not that I'm a fan of C3 with a hitch but i know years back they made a hitch with receiver. Being the car is solid frame it can tow more than you think. I would not tow off the bumpers. Check with the uhaul or a hitch store for boats.
03-25-2009, 09:39 PM
#11
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No problem for a C3 to pull a trailer w/ a good hitch. When I moved to Calif., I pulled into a U-Haul to rent a trailer. The lady (in shock) says nothing to me & yells at a man in the back something like "Can a Corvette pull a trailer?" He yells back "If it's got a hitch!".
It was possible to get a 200 tongue 2000 capacity hitch which I had bought. Worked to move to CA. & back though the trip back got the FE-7 rear spring. Wild over 80.
Do a search incl. C3 General.
It was possible to get a 200 tongue 2000 capacity hitch which I had bought. Worked to move to CA. & back though the trip back got the FE-7 rear spring. Wild over 80.
Do a search incl. C3 General.
03-25-2009, 11:28 PM
#13
Le Mans Master
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CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 Vet
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09
I'm gonna take heat for this but...
I always thought that the height of the rear deck on c3s would be perfect for putting a fifth wheel hitch on. Never seen or heard of anyone doing it but i always thought that it would be funny. The weight would be centered over the rear axle.
I always thought that the height of the rear deck on c3s would be perfect for putting a fifth wheel hitch on. Never seen or heard of anyone doing it but i always thought that it would be funny. The weight would be centered over the rear axle.
03-26-2009, 12:18 AM
#14
Drifting
Back in 75 or 76 my dad had a hitch put on his 1973 and towed a 21' ski boat around. Seems like it was connected directly to the bumpers, but it has been a while. I still remember the trailer hitch guy sticking the key into the alarm and trying to open the trunk. 
03-26-2009, 04:18 AM
#15
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Few years ago I had a shop weld a hitch to the frame on my 76 , towed several cars and a 18 ft boat. Rear ended by a honda, it (the honda) had to be towed , no damage to vette !
03-26-2009, 09:57 AM
#16
Racer
I too am interesred in a hitch for my 81. The ones I have found are quite pricey as I will only be using the hitch once to pull a small trailer for Hot Rod Magazine Drag Week then remove it from the car. A small trailer to pack stuff in for drag week will be so much nicer than trying to get everything needed in the car. If I come up with a hitch and build me a small trailer I will be able to have a passenger ride for the journey this year.
If anyone has any info on a used one or has something (even if mangled somewhat) and would like to get rid of it I would be interested if LT2300 doesn't want it. I do not want to hijack his thread and it would only be right for him to have first call on anything generated by his thread.
If anyone has any info on a used one or has something (even if mangled somewhat) and would like to get rid of it I would be interested if LT2300 doesn't want it. I do not want to hijack his thread and it would only be right for him to have first call on anything generated by his thread.
Last edited by HBZ_81_C3; 03-26-2009 at 02:48 PM.
03-26-2009, 10:10 AM
#19
Le Mans Master
Looking through my "Catalog of Corvette ID numbers" book, the first mention of a trailer hitch option I could find was 1977. Option code ZN-1 "Chassis Equipment, trailering".
