Did they offer a trailer hitch for 67 Buick A-bodys? Are they still available? Repros? Most important: are there any other trailer hitchs from newer cars that had the same dimensions and could be used instead? Thanks Patrick
Yes, they offered a hitch. No...not available new or repro. A newer hhitch can be made to work by a pro.
Custom hitches easily available (Re: Trailer hitch) Dear Patrick and V-8 Buick towing guys, I looked around and couldn't find anything that would fit my 1965 Buick Special. You can probably find a used hitch if you are patient enough, but it won't be a modern receiver design. Without really trying, I found that the company putting the exhaust on my trusty wagon was also able to custom fabricate a modern class-III receiver hitch that is on the car now. Check around down at places that handle towing like RV shops. You should be able to find somebody to fabricate or modify one if that's what you want. Don't know what to tell you if you want to do it yourself. Indeed you might find a compact or mid-sized truck hitch that you could modify if you can do your own welding. Cheers, Edouard :beer
ah ok .. thanks .. if that is the case on your side of the Atlantic then pretty sure there is nothing available over here. There are companies though that offer tailor made hitches for classic vehicles including all the paper work to make it legal. They are easily asking 1000 :shock: That's why I was wondering whether 80ies G-bodies oder Chevy S10 just happened to have the same frame dimensions, exploring on cheaper solutions ...
Should still be able to find a fabricator (Re: Trailer hitch) Hi Patrick and V-8 Buick towing enthusiasts, Oops, I didn't realized that you were located in Europe. Golly, I never heard of any need to to have a trailer hitch certified to be legal. Are you required to provide documentation of that sort? Even in Europe there are travel trailers enthusiasts. You might have to hunt around for some local dealers of heavier trailers to get a pointer for where to get a hitch. You are correct, it is probably relatively easy to find a truck hitch that could be modified. However, unless you really have all the tools to do the whole thing yourself, it might be easier to find somebody who installs hitches and have them explore the options. They would be able quickly identify the possible choices and look into how much modification is necessary. In my case, the muffler shop simply ordered the hitch receiver tube assembly and then he fabricated the rest of the framework "by eye" using standard metal beams. That might also work from a mechanical standpoint. The hitch on my wagon is supposed to be as strong as the frame!! However, I wouldn't know if you need any certifications. Hope that helps, Cheers, Edouard :beer
European towbars are different, so you also need to find the correct knob. But I don't think that German TV is willing to give you the okay to use an US style hitch under your car. After all it has to be documented in the registration papers, otherwise you are not insured. It's the same with those US electric brake systems on trailers, they are not allowed in Europe. Same goes for hitches integrated in the bumper of pick-up trucks.
Hi Erik, I was about to drop you a PM. What I am looking for is the European style knob. By opening this thread I just wanted to understand whether there is an American style available for A-bodys and in particular if there are alternatives from more modern cars (availability!) that would bolt up. 90ies Caprices, S10s and Jeep Cherokees are on our junkyard, 67 A-bodys are not I understand the Dutch loved American cars to haul around their trailers. Are you aware of any company or source that offers suitable hitches. Of course I want the hitch to be legal so I need the necessary papers to get TV approval. Any ideas? @Edourd: I'd love to have things solved as simple as you guys have it in the states.... Thanks Patrick
Patrick, No such thing for sale here. So you have to build one yourself, maybe I can provide you with an official Brink tag (Dutch company, nowadays taken over by Thule) to make it legal for TV. I think I have a 1994 Park Avenue Brink hitch laying around at my mate's place, you can have it for free if it's still there :TU:
Kind offer, Erik, thanks .:TU: I'll check with the hitch-shop if they would indeed use an existing one and then customize it or rather start from scratch. Maybe my dad would be willing to sacrifce his spare 73 Caprice hitch as well. Would need to be shortened quite a bit. Patrick
