Owner's Gallery
Click on image to enlarge
Larry Adams of Lima, Ohio at Double Venon Spring Fling June 2004
"Just towed my new "Serpent Express" trailer back from Tennessee last weekend... although towing empty at 75-80MPH it pulled like a dream. The FFR loads very easily with the low ramps, tie down is easy once you get it figured out. (Tie hoops welded onto the front of the 4" tubes makes it a snap) I am extremely impressed with the quality of both the trailer, the rail structure & the heavy vinyl canvas covering. I have just finished putting graphics on it & will pull it down to Columbus for the Fling. Although I am not a seller of the trailers, DV is excited about it & has graciously offered us a spot at all the venues. We'll have it parked where everyone can take a good look at it. I am more than pleased with my purchase." Update 9-01-04 "I am really happy with the trailer... low ramps, easy to load/unload & at 1800# it pulls like a dream even with a smaller truck or SUV." Update 9/8/4: "Towed the trailer to VIR over last weekend, 1325 miles, towed great at 75-80MPH all the way there & back, only dropped my gas mileage 3 1/2-4MPG."
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Bob Potter of Las Cruces, New MexicoUsing 04 Jeep Cherokee Limited
For 1965 427 S/C Roadster Superformance Anniv. Model
Ready to head homeSept 11, 2004 "The SE towed like a champ. No problems at all and the Jeep is a great tow vehicle. The '04 has a 5 speed automatic tranny and I didn't use OD lockout. The vehicle is very smart and down shifts automatically to 4th or 3rd as required. We got 15+ mpg with the A/C on running in 100+ degrees of heat. Not bad. Of course 2500 lbs of car will change that some but I expect no problems."
April 15, 2005 after 7 hour trip from Phoenix: "Couldn't be happier with the SE. Did all I ever expected and more. The 2004 4.8 liter Jeep Grand Cherokee pulled it just fine- through the mountains in and out of Globe, AZ and then uphill for 300 miles to the continental divide near Lordsbug, NM and then home to Las Cruces, NM. Tracked well, even in some stiff cross winds. Brakes on both axles and the Tekonosha brake controller are the way to go. I thought I might need to add a load leveler package to the Jeep but the tongue weight is balanced so well, I think not."
April 18: "The Jeep pulls the SE just fine. It is a 2004 4.8 V8 4 wheel drive. When the trailer is empty you don't know it is there. With the car loaded, acceleration on the flat is OK- keeps up with traffic no problem, The auto tranny is smart. Kicks down a gear or two when it needs to. Took the Cobra back from Phoenix up through the mountains of Globe with out a problem. Then 300 miles of uphill to the continental divide. Got 11 MPG towing with AC on uphill most of the way. Usually get 22 MPG wo the trailer. This is our third Grand Cherokee. Not one problem. We use it for 4 wheeling in the desert sand as well as grocery shopping.
I was told that the short wheelbase of the Jeep might be a problem. It was not and we had some heavy cross winds. The Jeep does not come with load levelers and I had some lined up- about $500 installed. I don't think I need them. The SE is balanced so well that even with a full gas tank the Jeep remained level and I did not feel the front wheels to be light. That is with about 325 pounds of people in the front seats only.
The 2005 model with the 5.8(?) Hemi V8 would be an awesome tow vehicle. I do have the tow package with the tranny cooler and (I think) oil cooler. We ran thru 90+ degrees and the temps remained normal."
==================================== Don Choura of West Linn, Oregon
2004 Ford Ranger XLT (4L V6 207 HP, Class III towing Pkg. 5980 Max Trailer Weight)
To haul a 1966 427 S/C Roadster by ERA
Received SE on Dec 31, 2004:
"Planning on starting the 2005 trips in April:April 8-11 - Phoenix
June - Columbus, OH (DVSFV)
Sept - San Jose & Carmel
"Very pleased with the way the SE handled on the (Oregon to Phoenix) trip. Could have used about 50 more HP for the Ranger climbing over Tejone and past Mt. Ashland, but other than that a very smooth trip." DonC
Oct 24, 2006 Update
"Very pleased with my Serpent Express.
Towing history:
Portland, OR to Phoenix, AZ & return (~3000 mi)
Portland, OR to Columbus, OH & return (~5800 mi)
Portalnd, OR to Sacramento, CA & return (~1300 mi)
Local towing of my and other owners cars to 8-10 local events.
Tow vehicle - 04 Ford Ranger w/4.0L (207hp)
The package tows very nicely and, with my Ranger, cruises without strain at highway speeds of 70-75 mph. Very easy to handle when towing." DonC
==================================== James Dodson of Illinois
1965 427 S/C Roadster by Superformance
All aluminum construction, only 1200 lbs with enclosed cover! (click to enlarge)
Getting ready to go."Larry, I towed the car today and I hardly knew it was there."
June 12, 2005 James D.
"...we just got back from the London, Ohio Cobra show. We pulled the trailer and car approx. 1000 miles and averaged about 12.5 mpg with our F-150 4-wheel drive. which isn't too bad considering we usually only get 16 mpg on the highway with the air conditioning on. So it cost us about 3.5 mpg. I am very happy with that mileage. The trailer got a lot of exposure at the show and serveral guys were very interested in the trailer. I wouldn't be suprised if you get a few orders out of it. Overall the trailer is everything that I expected and more. June 28, 2005 James D."
==================================== Mark Pytko with Mark Pytko Real Estate of Raliegh, NC
1965 427 S/C Superformance Roadster w 393W
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Steve Powell of Oregon
Steve uses a 1998 V6 Explorer and went to "Hot August Nghts" in Reno in 2005; Don Newman says "Steve had no problem keeping up with everyone". Steve's V6 has 205 HP and he said it pulls great. Slows on long uphills; no problem.==================================== Scott Shurts of Oregon
1965 427 S/C Kirkham Roadster w/Alum FE stroked block
"As for the performance of the trailer, it was everything that was advertised and more. Without question, towing the SE was flawless and our LR3 (Land Rover gen. 3) rarely noticed it there. The hills required the LR3 to work a little harder than usual; however, the rest was clear easy sailing. While not a stickler for tracking gas mileage, we noticed about a 2 mpg degradation on our trip from Pdx to Las Vegas (via Provo) and back, which we are happy with. The LR3 is very heavy vehicle and I was hoping that our mileage would not be much worse than already – happily right on this. 7/12/05"
====================================Wayne Wong of Imperial CA
1965 427 S/C Backdraft Racer
"The trailer is great looking. My wife really liked it too! It towed like a dream! I got it home and put my BDR in it to make sure it fits. It did! I just need to get some tie downs and chains."
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Scott Pearce of Laguna Nigel, CA
1965 Kirkham FIA Roadster
Ready to head out from SoCal to Nebraska to pick up the roadster:
"Bob did a wonderful job on a very professional installation...The trailer tows very well, and looks good too. Will let you know about the Utah Cruise (July 13-15, 2006) and how the trip to Hastings goes. Thanks again, to both you and Bob.
Later...Scott 5/22/06"
At Fernley Track WSCB-07
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Chris Moons of Florida
1965 FFR 427 S/C Roadster
Pulled by "Expedition with the 5.4 the last one had the 4.6. What a difference. "
"It tows great I haven't gone too far, but it did fine going to Sebring. I can't tell on the economy; this is a new truck with a larger engine. I need to get a drop hitch to get it level. It tracks fine; you can barely tell it's behind you. Chris "
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Arjen Jonkhart of Utah Towed w 5.7 Hemi Durango "Drove to the Vegas vocational school to drop off my body for paint - and picked up Dave's body to bring it back. We had the luxury to use Larry's awesome Serpent Express trailer, which pulled like a dream! If you are ever considering buying a car hauler, then that is certainly the way to go:
"The trailer is very nicely streamlined - so 75 miles per hour roundtrip to Vegas, 850 miles - and I never had any idea I was pulling a trailer!" ====================================
Paul Neeld of Georgia
1965 BDR 427 S/C Roadster
Towed by black F150 w 5.4 engine
"I took the car & trailer to the London Cobra Show. The attached pic is of my rig right in front of the activity tent. I had a great trip. The trailer worked great. My 5.4L F-150 pulled it with no problems. I ran the Interstates from Atlanta to Columbus with the cruise set at 65 - 70 mph. The truck only dropped out of OD on the big hills near Chattanooga. I averaged 13 mpg. on the trip.
I spoke with a guy that had a similar truck, pulling a full-sized enclosed trailer. He stayed in 3rd gear for most of his trip & got about 8 mpg. I feel good about my decision.
The only design issue that would change is the side storage ramps. I tried a couple of times to load or unload the car with the trailer parked too close to an obstacle on the right side. I'll learn someday.
I saw 3 other S.E.s at the show. I spoke with a guy from MD that just bought his. We compared notes on how to tighten the tarp. He asked me if I'd seen the "Black one over by the tent" and started raving about how good it looked before I could tell him that it was mine. Needless to say, that made my day.
Thanks for your good support through this project.
Paul Neeld - "Speedysnake"
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John Foyen
Scottsdale, AZ.
CFX 427 S/C Roadster
"The Serpent Express is a great alternative to a heavy enclosed trailer. It's so light you have to keep reminding yourself that it's there. It will be making trips to the midwest and back twice a year and the gas savings should pay off in a big way. Thanks, Larry for a great product."
John Foyen, 1/4/08
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"I pulled a Serpent Express with our 1965 427 S/C Roadster by FFR inside over 250 miles, including around Mt. Hood, with an Explorer V8. No control problems at all."
Near Prineville Reservoir, July 24, 2004===============================
Anthem Motors of Phoenix, AZ
Hauling a 54 Vette
Feb 2005===============================
Dick Sheehan of Meridian, ID
Loading up. (click to enlarge)"I own a "Serpent Express" and really like it for several reasons. It is light weight while still covering my car. I can remove the cover and haul my Ford 8N tractor as well as other stuff. My Dodge 1500 only has a 318 engine but can still pull the trailer and car with no problems. On the way to the WSCB in Reno there was a 20 to 30 MPH head wind and the cruise control kept the truck and trailer cruising right along at 75MPH easily. (I was in a hurry to get there) On the way home at a more reasonable 60MPH and no wind we got 15MPG. In addition to all of these reasons Larry is a nice guy and great to work with." Dick Sheehan 6-1-05
1965 427 S/C Roadster by ERA===============================
Steve Courtwright of
Expert Automotive in Elk Grove, CA
1965 427 S/C Roadster by FFR
Heading to Knott's Berry Farm Car Show 4/26/05"I love my Serpent Express! I bought the steel model with wood floor. I found the trailer tows extreemly well and get better milage than the hard-side I used to use. I was towing with a short bed, standard cab Chevy half ton pickup(4.8) and never had a problem-even over the Grapevine into L.A.. The Serpent is easy to load and unload and kept my car bone dry, even in a couple of downpours. Check Larry's web site; he is a nice guy and easy to work with. Steve
3/13/06"
Brad Berger of Tacoma, WA
05 Land Rover V8 Tow Rig"She pulled like a dream - no poblems at all."
1965 Daytona Coupe by Superformance
Fresh out of the container===============================
Save for Doug Shapiro Lake Oswego, OR
1965 Porsche Coupe Vintage Race Car
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Todd Hinckley of Lehi, UT
1965 427 S/C Roadster by FFR
"Super Size" ready to use 5/25/05"I just towed my Cobra from Utah to California and back, a total of 1700 miles, in a Serpent Express and all I can say is WOW!! The tow vehicle is a Ford F150 Super Crew 5.4L and it will tow all day at 75 mph. The trailer is lightweight and even with the Cobra on board it tows like a dream. This was the first trip for this SE and it was outstanding, I can not say enough good things about it!" Terry Stapley 6-2-05
=============================== Chuck Robertson of Las Vegas, NVLas Vegas Performance Roadsters
Award winning 1965 427 S/C Roadster by FFR
Conversion of Carson Lite Car Hauler 16 footer.
"We did make a trip to Palm Springs last week with the new Serpant Express. It tows like it's not even there and I was suprise how dust free the car inside stayed. I also saved $80.00 in fuel costs compared to using our big trailer for the 600 miles trip." Chuck Robertson 5-31-05
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Gary Huwa of Wilsonville, OR
Rented a Serpent Express to get his new Superformance in Reno. He said on July 6, 2005 "The trailer is a very good piece of equipment. It was an easy pull loaded and unloaded."
===============================Len Wentworth of Michigan
Superformance RoadsterAll aluminum SE-16 ordered 7/12/05
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Dennis Turk of McMinnville, Oregon
used Serpent Express for the Annual Oregon Cobra Tour "sag wagon"
Using an 01 Lightning tow rigAug 22, 2005
"Hi Larry Boy did we make good use of your trailer. Seems Chuck Smiley's 427 Cobra disintegrated a water pump pulley just outside of Glenwood, Washington. This was about one third into Saturday's run. They were unsuccessful in finding a replacement though they did find several FE pulleys none was correct for the side oiler. Your trailer with cobra went directly to Bend in hopes of finding one there but to no avail. Chuck and Linda stayed for the banquet as did Tim and Shirley our sag-wagon drivers, and then early Sunday morning they headed for Albany where the Smileys live. Then Tim and Shirley took the Exploder with trailer up to my house in Mc and then they jumped in their rig and headed for Springfield were they live. I have not talked to Tim but I know was tired as he must have covered over 400 miles Sunday. Your trailer worked great as you knew it would. Many thanks as this is the first time a trailer has been used in the last five years." Dennis Turk
===============================Mike Boyd from New Mexico
Note E-Track tie down system.Getting new paint job in North Carolina.
"Larry, it's a long haul from Charlotte to central NM. The trailer never presented any problems, pulls easy and tracks perfectly. Great job."
Mike Boyd aka "Bigguy" 03 August, 2006
Brad Worsham of Virginia
"Made the round trip to Charlotte without any drama. (to pick up painted car) I probably averaged 65 mph on the way back with the car loaded." 10/27/06
Greg C Melancon of Phoenix, AZ
"...I just wanted to send a report on the trailer....IT IS AWESOME. Since I took ownership of the trailer back in December '06, I have logged a little over 7000 miles (AZ to LA to NC and then back to AZ) with the Cobra inside of the Serpent Express.
Loading a 2003 Corvette Z06
"...I also wanted to share with you that I am trailering my 2003 Corvette Z06 inside the Serpent Express down to LA this weekend. Thought I would share some pictures of the car being loaded into your creation. You may notice I had to create just a little bit of a ramp extension due to the fact that my Z06 is so much lower and has a longer nose than my Cobra, I am certain a non-lowered Corvette would not have this problem with the ramps you provide with the trailer. My F350 really doesn't even care that there is trailer hitched up to it, the thing tows like a dream! Anyway, thanks for building such a versatile, functional and light weight trailer. " 2/14/07
03 Vette Z06 fits like a glove!
===============================Chuck Young
Boise, ID
03 Vette Z06
18' Aluminum Tilt
"I made it home with no problems. In fact, I hardly noticed the trailer behind my truck. I averaged 14.0 mpg with an average speed around 70 mph. I will be loading my car onto the trailer for the first time on Saturday. I'll let you know how it works. Thanks for all your help. Chuck"
===============================Bud Keil of Tucson, AZ
FFR 427 S/C Roadster
16' Steel SE-21
"The SE pulls better with the car on it than empty but I didn't have a problem either direction. I took the 8 from Tucson to San Diego and hit blowing sand for nearly 60 miles. The blowing sand was so bad that I experienced "brown out:" conditions for a few miles. The sand pitted my windshield and blasted some of the paint off a a small section of the trailer. I kept bracing for the empty trailer to begin swaying or reacting to passing a 18 wheeler, however, it tracked right behind me without any problem. With the cobra, I came back to Tucson on the 10 through Phoenix. The ride was actually smoother and more comfortable. Truely a joy to drive.
The only problem that I had was feeding the 'hemi'. The Dodge was thirsty. Of course, it would have been less thirsty if I hadn't been pushing it to cruise at 75 MPH. Oh well, what fun would that be?
I have a few photos for you. The full moon hubcaps and the natural aluminum fenders really look good together. It looks like a Bonneville racer with those full moons. Hey, if Boyd's wife is allowed to drive, why not take a SE for a land speed record? :)
10/9/07 Bud
The Pipes Are Hot!
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Bob Cowan
Colorado Springs, CO
FFR 427 S/C Roadster
16' Steel SE-48
"The trailer is beautiful! What a nice job you guys did. We got home around midnight on Monday. When we woke up there was about 4" of fresh snow on the ground. We left Ogden in a snowstorm. We drove in moderate snow and some ice all the way past Evanston, WY. The rest of the way it was bitter cold (-10*) and fairly windy. Some pretty strong winds out of the north towards sundown. A few small snow squalls along the way, and some icy/snowy roads here and there. But mostly clear. Trailer towed like a dream. No wagging or bouncing. No problems with braking, even when we pulled into some stops that had not been plowed. Haven't had time play with the e-track yet, but it looks pretty simple. I don't think that will be a problem. Thanx for the nice job you guys did. -- .boB 1/23/08
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