The Watts link also needed some bracing in the fore/aft direction. This was something I knew from the beginning, but wanted to wait until everything else was added.
Another item I’ve been waiting to build was a trailer hitch. I have a small Mullins style trailer that I sometimes use for car shows since it allows me to carry a canopy, ice chest and a small gas grille. I pulled it everywhere when I drove the T-bucket. In that car, without the trailer, I would have been limited to not much more than a pack of chewing gum for cargo! At least the Healey has enough room for a suitcase or two, but I still want the option to pull the trailer.
I wanted the hitch to be hidden when not in use and I made most of it bolt in so that I could remove the gas tank. The hitch and Watts link bracing work together. The Watts brace transfers load back to a plate that supports the hitch. Any load on the plate is absorbed by the trailer hitch. This way any load on the Watts mounting plate ultimately is transmitted to the main chassis.
The Watts brace also serves to protect the fuel pump sump on the gas tank. I was concerned with it hanging down so far. I may add a small skid plate for even more protection.
I bought a spring loaded folding license plate mount off of EBAY. A rubber plug goes in the end of the receiver for the license plate to rest against. The receiver will be hidden behind the plate and most people will never know it’s there if they don’t get on their knees and look.
The tubing cross bar is not connected to anything in this pic. Like the sway bar, I'm going to have to wait until the body is removed to add the frame connectors. They will drop down on either side of the tank and bolt to the hitch crossbar. I left the crossbar a lot longer than it needs to be. I'll trim it to length when the frame supports are added.
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