MGA TRAILER HITCH

I have been having fun building my hidden trailer hitch reciever for the past few weeks. I got some templates from Jim Fergerson and started from there. Instead of assembling parts with raw material and a lot of welding, I chanced upon a class 2 hitch for a 2004 to 2006 Volvo that was 36 inches long. I needed 32 plus or minus some fractions.
I first cut off the brackets that were on the ends of the 1 and 1/2 inch cross tube and started from there.
I tried Jims template first but it wasn't long enough for my cross bar to reach, so I made my own out of cardboard then 1/8 inch plywood. I used Jims template to mount to the rear bumper horn mounting bolts for the top of the plated for hole location and curvatures to clear the rear frame cross member, then added length to Jims plates. Then kept fitting and cutting until I got what would work.
Finally got some 1/4 inch plate steel and went to work with my recipricating saw and roughed it out. Then fitted it again and ground down every thing until it fit on both sides.
I bolted them in using 4.5 inch long grade 8 bolts except the rear one on drivers side. There was just barely enough room to get the plate on the existing bold and get a lock washer and nut on it.
Once I had the plates with spacers bolted in to the bumper horn mounting, I measured off the distance between the mounting plated then cut a piece of 2x 2 wood for fitting. I then centered the wood on the reciever bar and marked it to cut with my recipricating saw.
I then made end brackets out of the brackets that came on the hitch and welded them to the ends of the reciever bar.
I then put the fitted the reciever bar with its brackets up against the mounting plates and clamped them with visegrips. I adjusted this fitting untill I had the bar where I wanted it and made sure the reciever was level.
I then unbolted the mounting plates from the bumper horn mounting bolts and drilled two 1/2 inch holes throught the mounting plate and the end brackets. I bolted them together just for photo purposes
Unbolted and painted now I am waiting on paint to dry.

More photos.
http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u169/gilmga/MGA%20TRAILER%20HITCH/?start=20

Gil,
Looks really good. Now you will be ready for the road test. Glad I was able to help.

Jim

More photos for us that are visually impared.
Ron

Gil
Nice job, cant wait to see it in person with your trailer.

Ron

Ron
Forgot to say thanks. I will take photo of it installed tomorrow.

When you dont use the trailer you could always do the Tom Ball thing. Hopefully we will cross paths next year. my first outing will be the GOF in April in north Fl.

Ron

Outstanding job Gil, and of course Ron. Thanks for sharing to you both. It is a really neat installation I am sure there would be a nice niche market if they could be done commercially.

Have always wanted to make or purchase a small trailer to tow behind my C but dont have anything to put in it. Guess I will just have to buy some crap to fill one up.:devil: I already have a trailer hitch made by a PO from one of the cars I purchased years ago. Would be a fun project but is on the back burner. After looking at Gil's set up I want to turn the heat up.

Ron

Its installed added few more photos

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u169/gilmga/MGA%20TRAILER%20HITCH/?

Gil,

Really like your set up---gonna copy it! Thanks.

Got any information/pictures or instructions of how you set up the wiring harness?

Tom

Gil

Nice Job. Can't wait to see it and the trailer.

I was in the garage attic yesterday and found a trailer hitch for a MGB/C. Will dust if off and see if it will work or if I need to modify it, it does have a brace/steady bar that runs under the gas tank and up to the back of the trunk floor. Not sure about that but its gotta weigh 25 lbs already. Now for a trailer?

Ron

Gil

I will see what I can do, uploading photos is not up my alley..

Ron