If you were a racer back in the 1960s, you would either drive your race car to the races and back, or you would tow it behind your daily driver, using a tow bar.

Click on the above image for an XXL-sized view (800 x 575 pixels)

Next "step up" would be a pickup truck with an open car trailer; Big Daddy Don Garlits used to tow his top fuel dragster to the track this way. Ready made, enclosed trailers did not exist back then, and only a handful of teams could afford to have one custom-made for their car.

Click on the above image for an XXL-sized view (800 x 602 pixels)

Among those teams was McLaren, whose all-conquering orange supercars dominated CAN-AM racing for years. In 1968, Denis Hulme, together with Bruce McLaren the backbone of the team, ordered a trailer like no other from Mr. Ed Trailers in Redland, California, for his then new, winged McLaren M8B car. We don't know how much it cost, but it certainly was one of the most expensive trailers of the time.
Denny kept it until season's end of 1970, when it was sold to a landspeed racer who used it to haul his Lakester to the Bonneville salt flats. Numerous other owners followed, the last one a fellow SCCA racer who used it for his Formula Ford. I bought the trailer years ago in very "aged" condition and spent countless hours, a lot of heart blood, and over $10,000.00 sympathetically refurbishing it.

A California native since new, the CAN-AM trailer is still titled and licensed to its original California black-and-gold license plate. Almost extinct, the (restored) black plate adds considerable value to any collector vehicle. DMV fees are $15.00 every 5 years.

Click on the above image for another, XXL-sized image (800 x 600 pixels)

The trailer is based on an oversized steel ladder frame, with an aluminum body built on it. There are dual axles, a weight distribution bar setup, brand new wiring with 1968 MoPar lights in various places, and new electric brakes, of course. Inside walls are engine turned and the rear gate is spring assisted. Unlike on "modern" trailers, there is no wood to be found here anywhere. Trailer walls are made from solid 0.80" Reynolds aerospace quality aluminum; polished aluminum floor sections are new and measure 1.20"!

Click on the above image for an XXL-sized view (900 x 500 pixels)

The trailer's winged body looks like an Airstream ready for supersonic travel! Now displaying a mellow vintage shine, the riveted aluminum skin could be polished to a nearly chrome-like gloss, if desired. Got shades?

Click on any of the above images for a full-size view

Handpainting on left side shows event participation and results from 1968 to 1970; right side shows his trademark # 5 and names of crew members. Irreplaceable!

Click on the above image for an XXL-sized view (900 x 540 pixels)

The CAN-AM trailer is about 22 feet long and 8 feet wide. The "garage" space is 16 feet, the storage and work space an additional 3 feet. The trailer features a 50" wide side door, as well as a large lower storage compartment in front of the actual car space. Dual gullwing doors atop of the front compartment hold a small work area on the right and a "kitchen" area to the left.

Click on the above image for an XXL-sized view (700 x 531 pixels)

All 4 bias ply 14-inch "trailer duty" tires are new, have seen less than a 600 miles of usage. Note the vintage STREAMLINE hubcaps; I paid $750.00 for this N.O.S. set of 4!

Click on any of the above images for a full-size view

From left to right:

• Lower storage compartment with generator and vintage gas can
• Work area with aluminum shelves and vintage stickers
• Both wings up, the propane burner to the left is visible. Also included, but not shown, is a vintage aluminum coffee jar.

Click on the above image for an XXL-sized view (800 x 600 pixels)

Trailer's main area holds spare with winged center nut, new deep cycle battery in aluminum box, new WARN power winch, and aluminum switch board wired with fuses for 6 circuits.
There are two aluminum wheels stops, two built-in bolt-down hooks in front, and two in the back.

Click on the above image for an XXL-sized view (800 x 595 pixels)

A special treat is the huge, adjustable rear wing, featuring 3 center lights from a 1968 Dodge Charger and huge outboard light rockets. Heavily damaged at the time I bought the trailer, I paid close to $2,000.00 to restore it to its original glory. Incidentially, one year after this trailer was built, we landed on the Moon!

Click on the above image for an XXL-sized view (800 x 535 pixels)

Custom built for a CAN-AM car, this trailer rides very low. It has hand-built, foldable aluminum ramps and will swallow a McLaren and many other purpose built race cars with the nose clip still mounted!

Click on the above image for an XXL-sized view (884 x 552 pixels)

Truly unique and of historical significance, this trailer has now become part of a vintage race car collection and is sometimes used to haul a CAN-AM or vintage open wheel race car in style. There is nothing like it out there, in the whole wide world!