Ok stupid question(sort of) got to get my Marlin kitcar back to France and don't really want to buy or hire a car transporter as if hired would need a double channel crossing.

Thinking of a 'A' frame on the front of the Marlin, ignition key in to unlock steering and away I go - the Marlin is less than 750kg so falls within unbraked range.

Thoughts/ suggestions please!! :(

It isn't the actual weight of the "trailer" that counts, but it's "total load capacity" (I think they call it maximum weight in running order)which may be more than 750kg.

I would also suggest you check the unbraked weight allowed, as stated on the plate at the bottom of the B post. You might find that is less than 750kg.

I also understand from one of the Caravanning forums that M Le Gendarme has been taking a dislike to this practice. I know you are friendly with your local one, so it might be worth having a chat with him.

How soon do you need it, as we might be coming over in April, if it is driveable?

If the Marlind and A frame is under 750kg you should be legal.

Have you tried fitting an A frame to the Marlin before/

THey can be a pig in my experience and don't suit all cars.

BTW, the 750kg unbraked trailer weight is only on the larger power 4x4 diesels.

It varies per model with the 2wd versions being lower... the 2.0l deisel is 700kg.

Link no longer available.....damn!!

EDIT.

Not the one I was looking for but it will do:

http://www.caratow.com/legal.php

So the answer is possibly yes, BUT if the car/trailer has brakes then they MUST work, so you would need to use a braked A frame

You mean what we used to call an ambulance Graham? ie front wheels off the ground on a dolly?

I have used an a frame for HGV recovery. We always had someone in the cab, no idea if it was the law at the time. Completely useless as you had to leave the steering alone and you couldn't push the brake pedal hard enough to have any effect. But then about that time an HGV with a trailer (not by partial superimposition) had to have a two man crew.

You mean what we used to call an ambulance Graham? ie front wheels off the ground on a dolly?

I have used an a frame for HGV recovery. We always had someone in the cab, no idea if it was the law at the time. Completely useless as you had to leave the steering alone and you couldn't push the brake pedal hard enough to have any effect. But then about that time an HGV with a trailer (not by partial superimposition) had to have a two man crew.

No. Dollies are now quite specifically for "recovery only" and their use is very controlled. There have been several Court cases, including a big one in Bristol where the guy ended up losing both the towing vehicle (Sprinter) and the towed, and a big fine.

No. Dollies are now quite specifically for "recovery only" and their use is very controlled. There have been several Court cases, including a big one in Bristol where the guy ended up losing both the towing vehicle (Sprinter) and the towed, and a big fine.

Correct, you could claim that the Marlin and the "A" frame consitute a trailer, but even if it is under 750Kgs any brakes fitted to a trailer have to be operational. There have been a few cases where folks have devised A-Frames that operate the brakes on the towed vehicles via bowden cables acting on the brake pedal - I thought about doing this for my beach-buggy, but in reality it's a lot simpler to hire or borrow a car transporter...

Thanks for the input guys!

Graham will bear your kind offer in mind, have tried too get to see Johnnie gendarme today but he's back on work saturday, prefer to talk face to face as telephone conversations descend into total farce!

watch this space!

Ok, had a chat avec mon ami, answer is:-- no further forward, depends on situation circumstance, speeding and stopped by the force likely to check everything and probably a problem, but, as on UK plates if not speeding etc would not be stopped as the added 'hassle', language probs etc would cause increased probs for the force. He is however going to speak with the motorway lot!

Hey hey ho lifes a b*gger.

Continue to watch this space!

I would fly over to France and drive the Marlin back if I were you.

I would fly over to France and drive the Marlin back if I were you.

So how does that work then, when the OP needs to get it TO France !

"Ok stupid question(sort of) got to get my Marlin kitcar back to France "

Radiotwo

Edited 13 January, 201313 yr by RADIOTWO

So how does that work then, when the OP needs to get it TO France !

"Ok stupid question(sort of) got to get my Marlin kitcar back to France "

Radiotwo

Simple, drive it there and fly back, you were quick to pick up on my mistake you must be a sharp one.....

I would fly over to France and drive the Marlin back if I were you.

agreed I feel a bit uneasy about the whole idea.

Hmm.

If you look at Tony's details he lives in Finistere, which is in Brittany, which is in.................................France.

Said Marlin is currently in the UK, so Tony needs to get from La Belle Bretagne to here first, so he can then take said Marlin back to Bretagne.

Comprendez?

So how does that work then, when the OP needs to get it TO France !

"Ok stupid question(sort of) got to get my Marlin kitcar back to France "

Radiotwo

Well spotted!!

Clarification!

Currently a la Finistere, return UK in approx 2 weeks as my mum has been here over the Xmas period hence the UK return, so I have 2 options min, leave my dog chez maman, transport the Marlin either on a transporter with a consequent return 1 or 2 days later to return said transporter and then return with the dog by ferry for the 2nd time in a short period. The other is to use an 'A' frame and make just 1 return journey chez moi en Finistere - 3rd option drive it here via Portsmouth /St Malo then either plane back to E Mids or St Malo Portsmouth both create logistical probs as no flights from Brest to Mids, so Dinard(by St malo) to E Mids and then thumb back to Nth Worcs or St Malo / Portsmouth then train from Portsmouth to Kidderminster.

My head hurts just thinking about a solution!

I think I'd buy a cheap trailer and sell it at the other end.

That would be simple within the UK, BF, but selling it after it has been imported into France might be a bit more difficult, especially when all larger trailers over there have to be registered, and get their own plate,

Looks like you may be driving it then Graham.

I have suggested to Tony that if we are going over to France in April, it might be a way of doing it. At the moment SWMBO hasn't said where she wants to go and I have suggested possibly going over to see friends in Southern Brittany.

Still no nearer, think I'll be hiring a transporter and using that, oh lifes a b*gger at times!!

Link to picture of ther beast:--http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i252/stotty1111/MarlinBerlinetta_zps1fecefdb.jpg

Basically a 2.0 litre Ford Sierra!

Very pretty! I would never be able to get in, though :S

Surprisingly roomy, 6' 15 st, works for me!

Ok, couldn't get any definitive sense from anyone, so bit the bullet and drove it here, the stuffer being, on the M40 there was a van towing a car with an unbraked 'A' frame - c'est la vie!! retun uk thurs fri by train , ferry, train to Kidderminster total cost inc a bunk on the ferry £89 stupid or what!!

Car came in with a figure of 39.5mpg and that was driving at speeds near to or just above limits the engine - sohc 2.0l ford pinto lump with std sierra g/box and cosworth diff and discs - bit of a lash up, a little high geared but hey, as above well satisfied!!

Glad you got it back in one piece, Tony.