TOPIC: Old car hitch

Here is the very simple hitch I made for my '62 Corvette. In my case the rear cross member is a boxed frame member where there are 4 holes in the rear cross member that has welded in 7/16" nuts factory welded in. So I obviously used them. I used 1/2" flat steel with the 4 holes drilled in to match the 4 holes in the cross member. On the rear (rear of car side) I welded a 1/4 plate 90º to the 1/2" plate to make like a angle iron. I wanted the rigidity of this angle iron type of design. In the middle went the 1 1/4" receiver, with tabs for the security chains on both sides. I can either leave it on or remove it and install at will with the turn of the 4 bolts. It is just so easy. On the left of the picture you can see 2 of the 7/16" bolts and on the left side, you can see the receiver. It is kind of hard to see with all the black. The last picture is all you see from behind. I think it worked out great, but you can be the judge of that. Like I mentioned earlier, 4 bolts and it is gone. The hitch is chose is straight back and then had a 3" rise in it, to get the trailer level and also in an attempt to hide the hitch as much as possible from behind the car. Any questions, just ask.

Dave. perfect! thank you so much for taking some photos... now I gotta go and crawl under the chevy!

Dave, I'm by no means an expert on Shear Strength or anything along those lines but if it were mine I would drill 4 holes going front to back through the hitch plate and the box beam on the car and use high quality/strength nuts, bolts, lock washers And fender washers. Maybe someone with expertise can chime in and correct me if I'm wrong. Looks great though.
Shipster

I went to 2 trailer/weld shops with my ideas and to get my steel. Both came up with the same idea as I had. Bolts are 7/16" grade 8. Of course we want a safe trailer hitch and also did not want to alter any of the originality of the car. It was discussed if we should add a plate along the back side of the hitch so that it would be a channel iron affair capping the rear cross member. Which would also offer front to back "attachment" if you will. They all thought it would be OK to do that, but certainly would be over kill, for the loads I intend to pull. No Airstream behind this car. Just the relatively light load of this rig or a motorcycle. The 2 trailer/weld shops kind of designed this off of my ideas. You make a good point with your concern.

I'm glad to hear it is a light load. The design of the hitch and grade 8 is fine. But the strength of the frame welded in bolt points I may question. What were they originally for?

They were used for bumpers on the '58-'60 Corvette mounting. They are quite large nuts that are welded into the frame. The rear frame member is a channel that is flanged outward at the top and then a plate is welded over the flanges, boxing in the rear cross member. This is all factory. Personally I worry more about the way the cross member is attached to the frame by the factory. The rear of the cross member is riveted in with 2 rivets on each side that attach to he side rails. These rivets appear to be about 3/8" dia. The front of the cross member is then welded to the same side rails of the frame. This rear cross member supports the rear spring shackles and as minor attachment, the spare tire hold down in the trunk.