<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <wunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> Does anyone have any experience towing with a 1950-vintage truck? I am working on a plan for my upcoming old truck project, and it may or may not affect my plans. My wife and I have been talking about trading in both our newish vehicles (a pickup and a car) for a shared SUV. We dont really need two cars right now, and the SUV would probably be more useful than the two vehicles we own. The old truck can do about the same hauling my current truck can (old truck payload 1600lbs, new truck 1350 LOL). I might not be able to work on the old truck if we dont get rid of a current car, but having a requirement of the SUV to tow 5000lbs or more significantly reduces the available field. Eventually I want to get a production race car for SCCA racing, and even if it can be street-driven, I probably should plan to tow it (in case of breakage/smashage). I realize the brakes would have to be updated, but an Explorer rear end from certain years is a perfect bolt-in for the truck and they come with disk brakes. If the front brakes need new drums, its probably about the same cost or even less to toss an IFS in it with disk brakes. If the frame was properly boxed and a good frame-mounted hitch was installed, is it possible to tow a car on a hauler with an old truck? It might be a moot issue, as I still need to have something to haul the old truck halfway across the country, so unless I can borrow a truck or pay to have it shipped Ill still need a tow vehicle I guess. I was just curious if anyone had any experience with it.
Have you looked into renting a flatbed to haul the old truck across country with ? I like that Explorer rear end with the "hatrotor" disc brakes. 4TTRUK
No reason that an old truck, properly set up, can't be a fine tow vehicle. Unless you have a lot of time, it will be less trouble to just ship it cross country. Here is my old 37 Chevy truck towing a light race car:
What kind of modifications did you have to do to get that Chevy to tow? It might be easier to ship, but it is in some pieces now so I'm not sure how that affects it. Years ago I started removing the ront fenders and so forth, and the rear fenders and bed are "somewhere" on the property it currently resides. We're going to be moving it soon to a different spot, so maybe I can just package it up ready to ship/tow/whatever. I have time, but it usually takes my wife and I 3 days each way to drive it, plus gas & cost of stopping and so forth. If I could ship it, I could maybe get it to me sooner--if I haul, it's going to have to wait until Christmas or next spring. My grandpa is talking about possibly giving me his car hauler next spring/summer. I could have my dad load it up, and pay someone to pull the trailer out to me with one of those services. My grandpa might be getting rid of his truck too, so maybe I could drive it out here and then sell the truck for him ('95 Ram diesel). I guess I'll have to look into shipping services, and see what that costs.
my 1939 Ford pickup has been driven every day for 17 years and has moved more than 100 cars, more than 100 miles each.
A 50's truck or station wagon should be able to tow an open wheel trailer and small race car just fine. They did this 50 years ago. Keep in mind one thing; Don't plan on insuring the truck/wagon with collector car policies. They frown on towing of any kind.
Well, just looking VERY briefly, shipping it might be the way to go. I was looking at a couple online shippers, and they had quotes of about $1100-1450 to ship it in an open trailer. Not sure how much enclosed would cost, or if they would ship a partially-assembled vehicle, but that was the prices for a non-running vehicle. My truck gets about half mileage when towing, according to other owners--and it's about consistent with other 4Runner owners (which is one of our candidate vehicles). That means one-way with gas at $3.75/gal (I hear it's cheaper everywhere in the US but the PNW) it would cost at least $300 more in gas than driving empty. Every year we usually drive home to see my family at Christmas, so I could bring it then, but I'm not sure I want to tow in winter. Also, if my grandpa isn't ready to get rid of the trailer until next year I'd have to procure one. U-Haul would rent one, but that would cost almost $500. Buying one would likely cost more than that. It's kind of a tangent to the original post, but means I could have a lot more leeway in what we might buy and I'd definitely want the old truck to be able to tow if our main vehicle could not. Good to know. I just kind of planned to call my insurance company and see what they would charge me to insure the truck. I already talked to my state title/licensing, and they told me as long as I keep the factory body and frame I don't have to worry about any special titling (but said I could put an IFS in it). I'm still kind of leery of getting rid of my three-year-old truck for a 62-year-old, but we can't really keep 3 cars and neither of our main vehicles are really "perfect". They are both almost base models, neither really have a usable back seat, etc. The old truck is just so cool. Modern cars seem so disposable.
1952 dodge B3B straight 6, 3 on tree. tow anything and everything with it no mods other than light hookup, receiver (all original shhhh!) pulled several vehicles from mud or ditch. when on the road its advisable to weigh the back down if tongue weight isnt much like with a dolly (I'm only 17 learned it from my granddad shhhh!)
I am building a 55 plymouth wagon as a tow vehicle.Doesnt take much,just modern upgrades, brakes,suspension,cooling and rear frame improvement.Its all good times.
I tow my Bonneville Avanti with this 1952 Studebaker Camper powered by a 1961 289 cid Studebaker V8, three speed with overdrive and a Dana 60 with 4.88 gears. I got an average of 11 mpg on the 1600 mile trip to and from Bonneville at 16,000 lbs. I went down to Anaheim last weekend and got 10.5. Freeway traffic sucked up the .5. I only tow at 60 to 65 mph but that's good enough for me. Nice thing is the few times it broke down I was able to fix it and get going again without a tow truck or major bill. I love it and the looks and thumbs up are fun too. Dan
My 50 Chevy hauling firewood.it was a 20 mile one way trip into the city to fetch the wood.235 engine pulls it ok on flatter ground with 3.42 gears.Goes up hill too ,much slower of course,and plan your stops with stock brakes.Some guys brag about how much their old truck can haul.I like to play it safer on the overloads.
One important consideration I didn't see mentioned is trailer brakes. It's crucial to have good trailer brakes when hauling heavy loads. Stopping is more important than going. You don't have to go, but if you go, something WILL stop you.
A trailer with 4-wheel electric brakes, and a brake controller in the truck. Also on the tow truck, I think you realize you do not want discs on the back and drums on the front. Vice versa, OK or disc - disc OK or drum drum OK......
Rick it was awesome to see you bring your Fiat with that vintage truck. Two thumbs up! Hope to see you next year.
Yeah, I know this thread is from 2012...However, here are a couple of photos. First is my 59 GMC that I used to tow to The Meltdown Drags and then to The Glory Days Drag Meet. It's now been replaced with my 55 Chevy Cameo.
Was there really a ten year gap in this thread or did ten years go awol? I like the old tow trucks. Ben
Hacksaw Bill on here flat tows his roadster along with his vintage camper everywhere with his daily driver, '49 pickup. No problems at all.
Well, since this has been brought back to life. "Big Blue" ready to bring my Avtar coupe home, about the right time frame as the original post, 2010 or so. About a year after these pics were taken, in Oct, Big Blue got totaled in a head on crash. The Couple was on the road the following spring, in April 2012. Big Blue hauled a lot of cars and trucks around on that trailer in the 12 years it lived.
The Jalopy Journal
