Solstice Trailer

jon72vega · 2022-03-23T19:55:47-0400

4501 Safari said:
Jon,

Looks like you found a great deal on the temp spare. Not much on the Saab 9-5 on eBay when I just looked but nice 9-3 choices. So...I looked up lug patterns for the 9-3, 9-5 and the Solstice. Here's what I found:

Model Year O.E. Wheel Size Bolt Pattern Stud Size Hub Center Bore Offset

9-3 99-UP 5x110 14x1.5 65.1 H
9-5 99-UP 16x7 5x110 14x1.5 65.1 H

Solstice 2009 / 5x110 12x1.5 65 34 to 45

Sorry about not getting the columns to all match but they do in my original layout. Important thing to me would seem bolt pattern and center bore size for the temp spare. I'd not use it on the street.

What do you think, 9-3 OK?

Richard

The info I just googled says the center hub diameter is 65.1 on both the Solstice and the Saab wheels.
I know the spare is a snug fit on the hub.

The lug nut's taper seats and torques against the taper of the hole in the wheel, so does it matter if there is a difference in stud diameter between the Solstice vs Saab?
(You're locating on the hub, and tightening down with the lug nuts.)

ennonne · 2022-03-23T20:02:57-0400

I checked something:

The 2008 9-3 Aero in the driveway has M12 wheel bolts. So the M14 noted is probably wrong.

And still need to check:

The Saab wheels I run in the racecar (How big are the holes?)
The Ion wheels I run on the racecar (How big are the holes?)

Edit... checked.
- Bolt holes in the Saab and Ion wheels are larger than 12mm, close to 14 even, but not big enough for a 14mm stud/bolt. I'm confident they all use 12mm.

JohnWR · 2022-03-24T08:26:46-0400

4501 Safari said:
Post #31, down to photo 5 temp spare on trailer with rims and new tires behind trailer. Following Jon on this trailer adventure we know the attached spare is a full size wheel /rim. Mark caught the temp spare in that photo and I noted it as well. That's what I am mentioning. Would be handy as Jon used it, when the car is stationary and/or we are doing work as I mentioned. Sure beats horsing around another wheel although I have two sets plus one extra. I also have a special tool for removing wheels and remounting with ease and it's not the OTC piece. Keep learning to hopefully work smarter.

Richard

Ah, yes, I see it now. But why bother with a space-saver? Does it really save enough effort to make it worth changing out?

jon72vega · 2022-03-24T08:46:04-0400

JohnWR said:
Ah, yes, I see it now. But why bother with a space-saver? Does it really save enough effort to make it worth changing out?

It gives me peace of mind on a longer trip.... Of course if you have to use it there is no way you will get the factory wheel and tire in the trunk.
The space saver spare will fit in trunk and trunk will close with top up.
That's how I brought it to the Nationals in Bellaire last year.

Here is a thread on the space saver spare from our forum.
Note on page 2 one of the pictures (not mine) shows the spare in trunk.
Spare Donut Tire

cammerjeff · 2022-03-24T09:12:10-0400

John, no worries on the center caps, they are available if you do end up needing them. And thanks for the offer on the hitch riser, but I did purchase one with the jack as it wasn't much more $$$ and didn't affect the shipping costs.

JohnWR · 2022-03-24T09:19:14-0400

jon72vega said:
It gives me peace of mind on a longer trip.... Of course if you have to use it there is no way you will get the factory wheel and tire in the trunk.
The space saver spare will fit in trunk and trunk will close with top up.
That's how I brought it to the Nationals in Bellaire last year.

Here is a thread on the space saver spare from our forum.
Note on page 2 one of the pictures (not mine) shows the spare in trunk.
Spare Donut Tire

Between the plug kit I carry, my phone, and a fair amount of ignoring the possibility, I do not have that peace of mind issue, but I understand it. The fact that there is nothing that can be done with the full-size tire, along with needing the trunk space when on a longer trip, has kept me from even considering carrying one in the Sky. I have even removed the space-savers from my Equinox and Encore, but on out-of-state trips we carry a full-size spare.

4501 Safari · 2022-03-24T14:30:05-0400

I believe I said I like the temp spare for removing a wheel on the property, for whatever reason, and being able to move the car if I need to, regardless of having extra wheel/tires. I'm at the point where saving strength counts, hence the wheel support dolly for removing and installation. By the time we read everyone's contribution we are well informed, mostly, on whatever the subject and have a buffet of options to do pretty much anything that comes up for discussion.

I'm in the process of compiling information I will use from threads and posts on this and other forums. Great resources when I can remember where I put the information.

It's like a 10mm socket...

Richard

RedOne07 · 2022-03-24T16:16:52-0400

Not to derail this thread, but had to share this . . .

Biggest Solstice trailer I have ever seen . . .

I had some more unretouched images too, but dang, can not find them

jon72vega · 2022-03-27T19:49:40-0400

An update on my work this weekend on the trailer.
I worked on sealing the transition from the wood to the original surface in the trunk.
Before.

Trunk closing off pass side by jon72vega, on Flickr

Trunk closing off pass side by jon72vega, on Flickr
After.
I will make removable covers for shock access.

Both sides done. by jon72vega, on Flickr
I will end up using Kilmat on all the wood and the transition, but not the entire trunk.

Kilmat by jon72vega, on Flickr

I also started removing the clear film on the trunk lid.

Clear film removal by jon72vega, on Flickr

Clear film removal by jon72vega, on Flickr
One side done.

Clear film removal by jon72vega, on Flickr

jon72vega · 2022-04-03T20:14:05-0400

More progress.
The Kilmat application is complete.

Kilmat by jon72vega, on Flickr

AND.....My painter friend came by yesterday morning to look over the trailer.
Good news! He is willing to paint it, and has ideas for fixing the ugly.
I'm taking it to his garage next Saturday morning!!!!!

Spiderman · 2022-04-04T08:59:13-0400

I couldn't figure out this picture...until I realized that is the spare tire mounted horizontally in the front & not the left side tire with the photo taken from the rear. Guess I should feed the brain before catching up on the world.

JohnWR · 2022-04-04T09:34:53-0400

jon72vega said:
More progress.
The Kilmat application is complete.
by jon72vega, on Flickr

AND.....My painter friend came by yesterday morning to look over the trailer.
Good news! He is willing to paint it, and has ideas for fixing the ugly.
I'm taking it to his garage next Saturday morning!!!!!

It appears that you are making good progress.

Why did you line it with Kilmat?

Super Serg · 2022-04-04T10:43:38-0400

Great progress!

On a side note- from what I’ve seen, there’s 2 ways of creating these:

-one is to cut the back half of the car and use it’s frame/structure/suspension to create the trailer, like the one in this thread (I‘d call this the easier route)...

- and the other is to remove and use the rear quarter panel shells and trunk support, recreate the cars outer shell and install it onto a 6‘ trailer (this would drastically reduce the weight).

I have a parts car and I’ve always wanted to tackle this project... but once I found out about the 6‘ trailer method, I put a pause on this to gather more info.

I think I could do the 1st option (like the one in this thread), but the 2nd 6‘ trailer option might be beyond my pay grade.

Anyone here build one of these and have experience with this project?

JohnWR · 2022-04-04T10:57:45-0400

Super Serg said:
Great progress!

On a side note- from what I’ve seen, there’s 2 ways of creating these:

-one is to cut the back half of the car and use it’s frame/structure/suspension to create the trailer, like the one in this thread (I‘d call this the easier route)...

- and the other is to remove and use the rear quarter panel shells and trunk support, recreate the cars outer shell and install it onto a 6‘ trailer (this would drastically reduce the weight).

I have a parts car and I’ve always wanted to tackle this project... but once I found out about the 6‘ trailer method, I put a pause on this to gather more info.

I think I could do the 1st option (like the one in this thread), but the 2nd 6‘ trailer option might be beyond my pay grade.

Anyone here build one of these and have experience with this project?

If you want to use Solstice wheels - and I would for appearance and for interchangeability - you would have to adapt the trailer to the wheel bolt pattern. You would also have to carefully select the trailer for track width, since most trailers will probably be too wide. It could certainly be done, but by the time you sort out the details I think you would be deeper down the rabbit hole, and I am not convinved you would save that much weight.

jon72vega · 2022-04-04T12:12:28-0400

JohnWR said:
It appears that you are making good progress.

Why did you line it with Kilmat?

Kilmat for me is an inexpensive and easy way to seal up the fabricated areas to the original composite.
It also gives the fabricated area uniformity in how it looks.
If I later cover the trunk interior with indoor/outdoor carpet, the spray adhesive adheres well to the Kilmat.

JohnWR · 2022-04-04T15:21:54-0400

jon72vega said:
Kilmat for me is an inexpensive and easy way to seal up the fabricated areas to the original composite.
It also gives the fabricated area uniformity in how it looks.
If I later cover the trunk interior with indoor/outdoor carpet, the spray adhesive adheres well to the Kilmat.

That makes sense. I was just trying to understand why you would want the inside of your trailer to be quieter .......

jon72vega · 2022-04-11T20:03:48-0400

Yesterday the trailer went to Elkhart for bodywork and paint.
Since I had to move the car to get the trailer out of the garage, I went on my first drive with the Solstice this year.... It was a NICE drive!!!

1st drive April 10 2022 by jon72vega, on Flickr

When I got back from the drive, I got the trailer out, and thought this would made a good picture.

Together by jon72vega, on Flickr

The trailer doesn't look like much with the bumper cover removed, does it?

At Jays by jon72vega, on Flickr

Jay (the painter) is currently working on a '69 Dart that will get a stroked Hemi in it when he has completed the bodywork & paint on it.

69 Dart by jon72vega, on Flickr

jon72vega · 2022-05-03T20:50:09-0400

Here's an update on the trailer bodywork.
Pictures are from my painter Jay.
I'm showing mostly the passenger side to avoid repetitive driver side pictures.

He removed the plastic piece along the bottom because he wanted to trim the frame rails so they would blend better.
The plastic was not very sturdy, he is going to replace it with metal.

plastic material removal by jon72vega, on Flickr

Frame rails are trimmed, a cap welded in to keep road junk from accumulating inside the rails, stiffener braces welded to leading edge of quarter panel, and a surface to attach to the end of the sheet metal he will add that will cover up the bottom.

Supported and capped by jon72vega, on Flickr

He used Evercoat Vette Panel Adhesive/Filler over the prior owner's existing roughed-in foam/bodywork.

1st coat of Vette bond pass side by jon72vega, on Flickr

1st coat of Vette bond pass side by jon72vega, on Flickr

First coat of body-filler.

Pass side filler by jon72vega, on Flickr

Pass side filler by jon72vega, on Flickr

These are the latest pictures Jay sent me yesterday evening.
Block-sanding is getting close now.

Pass side bodywork by jon72vega, on Flickr

Driver side bodywork by jon72vega, on Flickr