Dunbar Kapple Trailer Info Wanted

Today I saw a Dunbar Kapple M-100 look-alike. It wasn't (I don't think), a M-100 because the side rails stopped immediately at the top of the rounded fenders (it didn't have the extra flare on the top that M-100s or M-416s or M-101s have). I know it was a Dunbar Kapple because it still had the ID plate (sorry, I didn't get any other info from the data plate). My guess is a post-war civilian model. I googled for an hour trying to find one similar and can't find anything.

It was blue that I'm fairly certain was original. A drop down tailgate. No lights, except for what would be a license plate light that also looks original. It's spring-over, but no shocks and I don't think it ever had shocks. The hitch is a single 36" long bar with no triangulation, and I don't think it ever had any triangulation. The bed looked original with a diamond plate pattern. It had stake pockets for wood stakes. The bed was exactly 72" by 46". It was named the "Silver Tongued Devil" (which if I buy it, I will definitely try to keep the lettering).

I've been looking for a M-100 to pull behind my Jeep, and ran across this. I'm trying to decide if it will be worth picking up, even though it's shorter (in overall height) than a M-100, so it has less cargo capacity. It also needs some work, like a new pan due to a large hole. But otherwise it seemed to be in good shape.

If I pick it up this will be the start of the re-build thread...

here's a link to my dunbar kappel
tim's m-100 project

Thanks, I read your entire thread yesterday, and it inspired me to go look at a few trailers for sale locally.

Unfortunately, the trailer I'm looking at has very little in common with yours. The biggest difference is the flare out on the top of the trailer. Imagine if the top rail was almost flush with the fender and you'll have the idea. Also, I think yours (and all other M100s) are spring under, but it's hard to tell from the picture.

yup, spring under, plan on keeping it there for a lower center of gravity

Shakey,

Please take a look at this thread on the Early CJ5 forum and see if this is like the trailer you're looking for:

http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74865

Based on your description and measurements, I suspect that it may be the same trailer. If so, it was apparently first sold by Ben-Hur, and later by Sears and Dunbar-Kapple.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Maury

I didn't buy that trailer, it was one of the Sears versions, so the sides weren't as tall as the military versions.

Fortunately as of tonight I'm the proud owner of a WWII M416. This one retired from the army and went to the Colorado School of Mines. Still has the original pintle hitch and parking break. It needs some minor sheet metal work where on the back "tailgate" area, but is in otherwise great shape. I'll make a thread for it as I do some work on it.