Mercedes Sprinter. I've actually sold this one because it was a bit gutless, it was a 308. I bought the ENAC on Ebay and then the french policeman owner offered me the '57 as well. I trawled Autotrader for the cheapest Sprinter chassis I could find. Tis came up, it had done about 400K miles and I picked it up in Staffordshire as a bare chassis. 5 days later it was in France towing a trailer, I hadn't even found time to de sticker it. It ran absolutely lovely, the previous owner had really looked aftter it, but hit a steep hill and it was down to 30mph. I also tow with my Volvo estate. I did A frame a Dyane once with a Rico van, but I can't say it was a lot of fun. It did manage it though.

I want to build another one, I actually have the chassis cab, but this time its an intercooled 3 litre turbo.

Louis' old '97 312D LWB high-top van was certainly not gutless. 80mph with one in the back and one on the trailer was comfortable. Allegedly, Officer.

I've got a '96 312D flatbed to build another transporter out of. I also have a 312 panel van. I took that to Sweden last year and was a bit late coming back. It hit 159 kmh fairly effortlessly on the autobahn according to the sat nav.

The 308 was only 2.3 litre though and lacks a turbo.

As an alternative to towing with a 2cv, how much weight could you hang off the back of it? As in this, what I've just copied off of 'cool pics'.




I have a motorbike to move across the channel, and ferry prices for a trailer are silly.

A proper bike, rather than a slowped?

Back seat out, passenger seat out, bootlid and roof off, ratchet straps or bungees.

Ah Ha, just spotted this bit, i presume you mean me Jon

Urm, dunno, sometime or another.

How big's the bike? I carried one of these:



home in the dyane by taking taking the rear and passenger seat out, and taking both wheels off the bike. Had to open the window to poke one of the handlebars out though!

Anything heavier, and I think you'd be pushing it. We mounted our fairly lightweight trailer chassis to the back of the car, with the box on the roof, and all the stuff in the car, to avoid paying extra on the ferry, but it was right on the bumpstops, and nearly undriveable. Admittedly, that was with 3 people and *lots* of camping stuff in the car, but the killer was definitely the chassis, which I can carry by myself quite easily, stuck out that far behind it...

Yep I think I remember that, but this is a 'proper' bike, 600cc 4-cyl. I've put smaller bikes in bigger cars on a few occasions, and I don't think the weight would be the issue once it was in, it's about 190kg the same as a couple of fat blokes, but I'm not sure how I'd get it in and out. I had discounted the idea as too silly, but I might go and measure it up just to be sure. (I have a habit of doing things that would normally be considered silly!)

so suggestions,

could i make my own (well, get someone to fabricate me a frame)
and what design etc

sam did you fit your own hitch etc?

thanks

Hmm, I'm saying that isn't going to go.

James, I was hoping we might get some different tow bar designs posted in the towbar thread you started. There's the H style like Tim was selling, but I don't know if that would suit all chassis, my frome has box section rear legs with no lower flange, so I don't think it could be bolted on. I think the ones ECAS sell also bolt to the lower flange so wouldn't help me either. Has anyone got any other designs to contribute?