Cool Ford AA Car Hauler Photos

[Diogenes]

https://theoldmotor.com/?p=185439

Its interesting how the more things change, the more they stay the same. I spend far too much time on the interstates, and I see this all the time, just newer pickups hauling newer cars.

Notice the first A on the trailer has a spare wheel mounted on the bumper/trunk, but no tire--again, the more things change.... At least the A came with the wheel, now days you might only get a can of fix-a-flat and a cheap 12v air pump for a spare from the manufacturer (a former co-worker had a blowout and that is what they found in their Jeep).

[cjshaker]

And all it has is a flathead 4.  No diesel, no V8, or turbo V6, and no 10 speed transmission

Some of the comments crack me up. How did they do this, or that? How did they see to back up? Those tires have to be overloaded! etc etc...
Like everything else back then; you did it with skill and carefulness. The cars are no wider than the truck, and it's an open trailer, so the mirror likely had a straight shot to the back. No passenger mirror? What in tardation would you need one fer?

The only thing that would make me a bit nervous would be downhill jaunts with those mechanical brakes. Better have it in the right gear when you started down!

Cool picture.

[Diogenes]

The only thing that would make me a bit nervous would be downhill jaunts with those mechanical brakes. Better have it in the right gear when you started down!

Cool picture.

The photo pre-dates the interstate highway system by a few decades, but your comment reminds me of the "runaway" lanes they built into the hills along the highway through the Appalacians (and likely other higher elevation areas). You can still see overgrown remnants of these lanes ina lot of places.

My Father and Grandfather were both truck drivers, with Grandpa talking about how his first "heavy truck" almost put him in the poorhouse--a Studebaker, always breaking down. He bought a Ford and never looked back, being a Ford man the rest of his life. I've got photos hanging in my garage of him from back in the early/mid-50's proudly standing next to his new Ford truck.

[pbf777]

And all it has is a flathead 4. 
The only thing that would make me a bit nervous would be downhill jaunts with those mechanical brakes. Better have it in the right gear when you started down!

     And only 40 H.P. +/- !   

     And, one wonders the compression braking value of 201 cubic inches at 4 : 1 compression!   

     The era of the men of steel!  Or otherwise you probably just didn't survive!     

     Scott.

[RustyCrankshaft]

My first real truck had a 238HP 671 in it and I used it for years and hauled some big stuff with it until I could afford something nicer. With enough gear you don't need much HP, but don't be in a hurry! When I started hauling a bigger dozer I had to regear that truck. Top speed of 57 mph and with the dozer on going over the pass on the last 4 miles I would be down to about 4 or 5 mph.

That is a cool picture. I've seen a few early car hauler pics but don't think I've ever seen that one before.

[wowens]

Car sales industry folks da$$ sure don't dress that well anymore.

[gt350hr]

  No brakes on the TRAILER !!!!!!! Of course it probably topped out at 35-40 MPH. IIRC those tires had like a 1//2" thick side wall and could carry loads well. Higher speeds caused the tread to separate because of heat build up.

[Falcon67]

The photo pre-dates the interstate highway system by a few decades, but your comment reminds me of the "runaway" lanes they built into the hills along the highway through the Appalacians (and likely other higher elevation areas). You can still see overgrown remnants of these lanes ina lot of places.

You come down out of Cloudcroft NM heading to Alamogordo and you'll see plenty of runaway lanes that are maintained and in place for present day similar issues.  Big warning signs for trucks to use lower gears, etc.