Vintage Auto Transporters

So, I was over at bringatrailer.com and today they featured a 53 Mercedes truck set up as a car hauler. They also included a link to an old Unimog Transporter along with their five favorite vintage transporters.

I decided to do a blog on vintage transporters and downloaded their top five into my library, only to realize I had previously seen all but two of these elsewhere on the web and had already downloaded images into my library. So with credit for the inspiration and two of the Mercedes flatbeds going to bringatrailer.com, the others I am not so sure where they came from but none of them are original to me.

Anyway, here they are:

The four black and white photos immediately following are of the original Mercedes SLR Transporter built back in the 50's by Mercedes to transport their factory racing SLR to races around Europe. Stirling Moss gained fame by campaigning that SLR to several victories. I also have his autograph on a Goodyear cap, secured by thejeepjunkie some years back.

This is a reproduction of that old transporter, also built by Mercedes several years ago to commemorate something or another. It ranks as number 1 in my opinion.







The following two images are the ones I got from bringatrailer.com. The first one features front wheel drive and a hydraulic bed that lowers to allow for the loading of the cargo vehicle. Pretty damn cool, as least I think.

This one is a vintage 53 with a fixed cargo bed. Nice.

This is a pretty cool old shot of a modified VW Type I with a custom trailer.

But not nearly as cool as this customized Samba. Probably couldn't carry much more than that old Porsche on it. Would love to have this, or even just a plain old Samba flatbed.

This is a custom version, made stateside and features an Oldmobile Toronado chassis and drivetrain.

This Fiat custom was used to transport Scarabs all around Europe, back in the day.

Another view of it, this time at the Concours d' Elegance out in Monterey California.

And now for the MOPAR section.

As noted, this is Tommy Ivo's transporter used for hauling his top fuel dragster around the US. Note the Corvette on the second level.

I spotted this old Dodge A100 and had to include it.

Then there is this hoon up in Ontario who built one out of a Dodge Caravan.

Creativity abounds everywhere.

Hope you enjoyed seeing these.