BuzzBomber

My Feedback: (4)

Well, the title pretty much says where I'm headed here. For the past several years, I've been driving a Ford Ranger with a cap, the proverbial jack of all trades vehicle. Consequently, I never had to worry much about how to get my stuff to the field. However, I needed a change of pace for a few years, so I just bought a 2005 Mustang convertible, and the truck is up for sale(too expensive to keep the mustang, the ranger, and my wife's car, AND a motorcycle insured in NJ[X(], besides, the only "truck" duty it sees anymore is carrying a cargo of airplanes). Now, my question is this: How do those of you with smallish cars get your stuff to and from the flying field? My biggest plane(disassembled size) is currently a 63" one-piece wing trainer with a 50" fuse, and I have mostly stuff in the 36" to 50" span range, but several are a pain to disassemble and reassemble, like my Pacific .30 Tiger Moth(50" span, 41" length). Any tips on how to transport planes and field gear in a small sedan or convertible would be appreciated. I'm mainly concerned with how to avoid hangar rash when carrying more than one plane(if there's even room). FWIW, the rear seat in my wife's car, a Toyota Corolla, does fold, so some stuff might actually fit in there, but I think the Mustang's pretty much limited to parkflyers and 1/2A transport duty.

FenceMagnet

My Feedback: (2)

I've tried getting a slimer into my 2004 Convertible, and decided that my wife's minivan is much more convenient But that is due to be replaced soon, and besides, when I use the minivan my Mustang often ends up in the mall parking lot !!!! Sacrilage! I've been eyeng the build thread on a low-profile trailer..... HiddenHitch does make a custom-no-drill bolt on for the convertible and apparemtly it scoots under the rear bumper....

[:-]

BuzzBomber

My Feedback: (4)

Yeah, I'm starting to think along those lines, but methinks the hitch might be going on the Corolla. I just can't stand the thought of the mustang towing a trailer...

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Several thoughts--

I can see why you bought the Mustang, the new ones are gorgeous, reminds me of the '69 and '70 models (as Ford intended). You could have a hitch put on it and find a lightweight trailer, OR--

If you bought the car for muscle and power more than for looks, trade it in on that hotrod Dodge pickup with the Viper engine. Roll the windows down, and you can burn rubber, have the wind in your hair, and haul ass AND planes.

Seriuosly, I'm not sure how the pony car is set up for towing, most will pull a small pop-up camper-sized trailer. A guy at our field found an old pop-up that the canvas was bad in, stripped it down, and made a super plane-hauler out of it, the low profile doesn't have as much drag as the regular utility trailers do.

BuzzBomber

My Feedback: (4)

Well, the truck hasn't sold yet(not surprisingly, it's just sitting at the end of the road with a for sale sign--I really need to place an ad), so I'm holding off on the trailer/hitch research until I get some money back from that. However, I did learn last night that the .30 size 50" Tiger Moth will indeed fit in my wife's Corolla with the back seat folded. It was so tight though, that I had to take the main wheels off the axles to gain an inch of clearance under the trunklid struts. I had room for a transmitter, my fieldbox, and a roll of paper towels, and that's it!

Paternguy

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah I like the new Mustangs too.

But this what you need to do, go trade it in on one of those new HEMI Magnums, and thus the problem will be solved. LOLOLOLOL

BuzzBomber

My Feedback: (4)

Funny you say that--the Magnum was my second choice. I really like them, but I just HAD to own a convertible for a few years, hence the Mustang. We'll probably replace the Toyota with a used Magnum when we wear it out, but......it's a Toyota, and it's only got 90,000 miles on it; it'll probably last another 5 years.

hooliganflyer

try a bus... ha ha LoL

mikeboyd

Have some friends that manage to get some .46 to .60 sized planes to field in Miata's and BMW two seaters, so what's the problem with that great big Mustang. Where there's a will, there is a way. You now aslo have an excuse to buy some new planes that have wing tubes and will allow you to get them into the Mustang.

I saw a guy with a small convertible haul a Gene Soucy GP Extra 1.60 to the field. It has wing tubes, so he has small wing bags for the wings and set the fuse nose down on the floor of the shot gun seat with the seat rest tilted way back. He made a small field box that got strapped into his tiny trunk, put the radio in a metal brief case, wing bags in the back seat and came flying, with an almost quarter scale plane.

Like the Marine Gunny says, adapt and overcome. Enjoy that Pony car, I miss all the ones I had, and really regrete parting with them in a weak moment for something newer.

voyager_663rd

Well, I DID get the magnum with the hemi. It's smaller than the Sable wagon I did have. But gawwwwwwwd, I love the power. And can still carry my 82" ryan wing (although it does have to squeeze between the front seat and door post.

But it's worth it.

sbd-5

My Feedback: (4)

when i had my 84 gt it was the hatchback with sun roof amd with the rear seat folded down i could fit four 60 size planes in it plus the flite box and cooler.do not know what the new stang is like but it should have a trunk and most planes do come apart.usually just two screws to tighten/remove and one airleron wire to connect to the extension.if you want to talk pain in assenmbly wait till you get retracts and the have to connect the airlines also.i couls see why a bi plane could be a problem.to prevent hanger rash put a foam cushion on the floor and blanket between plane parts.if you are using rubber bands on the trainer i can understand your dislike butyou could go to four nylon bolts to hold on the wing.

BuzzBomber

My Feedback: (4)

Yeesh, thread archaeology. Well, the truck was sold back in July, and my life has proceeded merrily since. The fact is that I can fit several smaller planes(speed 400 parkflyers or 1/2A to .10 size planes) in the car using blankets to cushion everything, and if I want to fly the Kadet or the PA Tiger Moth, I take my wife's car. Frankly, I'm too lazy to spend an hour disassembling the bipe(it has functional flying wires) to get an hour flying, so it only goes when I take the Toyota. And the Kadet simply will not fit in the Mustang--believe me, I've tried. Yes, the car has a trunk(9.5 cubic feet, to be exact) but the fuselage is too long to fit in it, even diagonally. The wing doesn't even come close to fitting. If I sawed the wing in half and made the empennage removable, it would fit. Now I know for next time. The trunk is rather oddly shaped and hard to explain--easiest way to understand is to go to the Ford dealer and see for yourself. Basically, there is only about two square feet of flat floor because the front slopes up, and the roof of the trunk slopes down at the front because of the pocket for the convertible top. Not to mention the rear seats do not fold, as they have in every other car I've owned. By comparison, the coupes have an an enormous trunk as well as folding seats. To get around the trunk issues, I've even tried fitting the wing and fuse for the Kadet into the passenger compartment, and have not yet found a way to do it without entirely blocking my view out the right side of the car--I'm not willing to sacrifice driving safety for the convenience of not borrwing the wife's ride. So, like I said, it stays home unless I borrow the Toyota--no big deal, I adapted a while back.

sbd-5

My Feedback: (4)

do your seats recline?i have fit planes on the passenger seat with the seat reclined.also considered a box mounted on top of the trunk if it had luggage rack mounts on the trunk.this was when i was looking at the grand am back arount 86

Bass1

Say Hello to my little friend![sm=cool.gif]

dicknadine

Simple solution. GO SMaller planes. its a lesson learned long ago and just as much fun. dick

RVman

Hyundai Elantra hatch: funtana 90, cap 232, extra 300, rv4 all 40 size except the funtana. Still room for two people in the front.
wings go in a pvc rack and the rest of the stuff gets piled in.

shag555

Go buy a used Chev / Geo Metro... I can stuff a 27% Extra 260, Rascal 40, and my field box in it, no problem.

solafein

I was using the wife's minivan while my daughter was on summer break. Kid, Kadet Sr., and Tiger 60 fit nicely. One day my wife left for work early and I had to figure out how to get all that in my RX7. Some blankets and a little creative thinking had me at the field with my daughter and stuff. Since then I had a new challenge. I had my Tiger 60, Funtana 40, and Kadet Sr. in my Mazda when a guy at the field gives me a plane to rebuild for the club. No problem, I had my Jacket and an extra shirt to use as padding. Then my wife drops the kid off because she gave her a mocha and couldn't deal with the result. It all fit with no extra damage. I can get more into my RX7 than I can in the Windstar, Shifting is another matter, 1st to 3rd to 5th, and don't even think of reverse.

dadsdesigns

My Feedback: (1)

Hello
I build a trailer body called a "Aerolodge" in several sizes. They are designed to fit the 4x8 frame kits available from several souces. They are also designed to be towed by the smallest of cars.
Email me and I will send you a flyer.
Also I am located in Indiana.
[email protected]

DadsToysBG

My Feedback: (35)

Also you can find a old pop-up camper and strip out the insides. Makes a great hauler and any size car can pull it. Dennis

rcflyer52

My Feedback: (7)

I USED TO PUT MY GOLDBERG CUB (FULL WING), 20 SIZE STICK, FLIGHTBOX, TABLE,CHAIR & COOLER IN MY 86 MUSTANG.
FIT LIKE A GLOVE & ON A HARD RIGHT TURN I COULD CATCH THE WING BEFORE IT HIT ME IN THE HEAD.