Vintage Tow Vehicles - Page 32

safari57 · 05-20-2008, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StreaminGuy

SG - none of your pictures showed up on my screen. Not sure what is happening but please retry to post them.

Barry

biggoofball · 05-20-2008, 04:27 PM

I love the one picture that did show though!!!

Globie64 · 05-26-2008, 02:15 PM

I really like those late full size GM wagons. They are so W I D E from the rear, it's kind of surreal.

biggoofball · 05-26-2008, 05:10 PM

You're right G64. No one ever wants to be behind me.

autotronic · 06-19-2008, 10:34 PM

Hi, I'm new to this forum and thread; fascinating reading.

My name is Rich Truesdell and I am a Contributing Editor to more than 20 publications and the Editorial Director of Automotive Traveler, an online-only magazine and companion web site. I hope that you'll click on the links above to take a look at the magazine and web sites. As we're dedicated to the proposition that every drive is an adventure, I think that you'll find content that will be of interest to many of you.

This past weekend at a car show I shot a 1956 Chevy Nomad that was displayed with a small 1956 Shasta trailer, both painted in a matching ivory/light blue color scheme. The combination was quite impressive, which was confirmed by my editor at Cars and Parts, who immediately commissioned a full feature based on the preliminary photos I submitted to him.

(I drained the color saturation out of the image to get the vintage look, in case you're curious.)

You can take a look at a few of the photos of the Nomad/Shasta combination in an album I've posted of the images.

I have two requests. First, I would like to build a database of publication-quality, high resolution digital images of vintage vehicle/trailer
combinations. I anticipate that shortly I am going to start working on a feature on those enthusiasts who tow vintage trailers with vintage vehicles, more often than not, where both vehicles are the same year or from the same era, and where everything, with the exception to safety systems -- upgrades to disc brakes as an example -- are done in a period-correct way.

If you think that you would like to contribute to my project, here's what I need. At a minimum I would need your name, E-mail contact information, year. make, and model of your tow vehicle, year, make, and model of your trailer, and a photo of the combination (similar to the ones in my album of the Nomad/Shasta combination).

If you would like to contribute more, I'd love to see individual photos of the exterior and interiors of both vehicles (I have just posted a detailed "how to" feature on car photography), images of your combination on location, vacation and trip photos, and some written details on your various adventures over the years. I'm also looking for scans of old vacation photos of cars and trailers when they were new, such as was seen last year in Airstream Life when they showcased Ardean Miller's classic Airstream photography.

My second request is for suggestions on purchasing a vintage Airstream trailer for myself. I have three possible tow vehicles, a compact 1969 AMC Rambler American 440 station wagon equipped with a small V8, a 1969 Mercury Colony Park 10-passenger station wagon with a 2V 429 V8 already set up with a factory towing package, and a 1969 Jeep Super Wagoneer with a Buick 350 V8, which is the way Kaiser built them back then.

I would like to purchase a trailer from that era, prefer a 1969 obviously (I've never owned a trailer so I am a complete novice on the subject but especially after seeing the Nomad/Shasta combination it really appeals to me), one that would be small and light enough to be towed with the Rambler after suitable upgrades, like disc brakes, better tires, UD shocks, trans cooler, but big enough to have a bathroom/shower, even if not originally equipped that way.

To answer either of my requests, in addition to posting here, could you E-mail me directly at autotronic (a) aol dot com?

Thanks for any help and suggestions.

Richard Truesdell
Editorial Director, Automotive Traveler

59tradewind · 06-20-2008, 08:07 AM

I cant believe i haven't seen this thread prior to today!!!!

Anyways, i have a 1959 Airstream Tradewind. My first tow vehicle was a convertible 1974 Cadillac Eldorado.
We ended up replacing that car with a 1959 Cadillac Coupe Deville.

cameront120 · 06-20-2008, 08:59 AM

I think your Coupe DeVille needs new axles.

overlander64 · 06-25-2008, 07:15 PM

After years of trying, the 1975 Cadillac Eldorado/1978 Argosy Minuet combination is finally on its first long expedition. We arrived at the Bozeman KOA about 3:50 p.m. this afternoon. The trip has been an adventure, but well worth the few problems. The photo below was taken this morning while departing Yellowstone National Park.

Kevin

74"Twinkie" · 06-25-2008, 10:31 PM

Just one stop on our trip last fall.

FreshAir · 06-25-2008, 11:20 PM

WOW, you guys have some great rigs. The first time I attended "Hot August Night's" in Reno a few years ago I couldn't believe how many vintage cars there still were. I had thought that all those old cars were crushed years ago. Now it is the same with Airstreams. Isn't it a great time to be alive! Some of you have seen our set-up with the Buick convertible and the Trade Wind. Well on the home-front I have and need a couple of vintage TVs to move the TW around our hilly and gravel driveway. I need the help of 4WD with our '75 Jeep J20 and our son's (used to be mine) '78 CJ7. The truck is fitted with a Buick 455. I has very few miles on it. If I ever make the time to work on some 'bugs' in it, it can spell the convertible with towing the TW. But then again it is ve-e-ery difficult NOT to connect the convertible to the Trade Wind. Ah, decisions...
Neil.

OBTW...I 'hear that the Fall issue of Airstream Life will feature vintage tow vehicles and vintage Airstreams. Don't ask me how I know.... my secret...

HowieE · 06-26-2008, 08:39 AM

This goes back before my Airstream days. A 59 VW bug converted to a Dune Buggy and a 1966 Apache Chief hunters tent trailer.

We used to have to sit on the on ramp of the turnpike and wait for a UPS truck to come. Then follow it using the draft to get up to 55 mph then those 36 horses could do their thing.

When this circus showed up one campground tried to refuse us entry.

72Blazerod · 06-30-2008, 03:13 PM

My"vintage" tow vehicle isn't too vintage but it does qualify for 'Collector' insurance. It's a 1978 Ford F350 'Campering Special', with a big ol' 460. Here 's a picture of her on our first camping trip with it and the trailer - a 1986 Sovereign 29'fter with rear bedroom. It's not too fast, but it sure does pull!

59tradewind · 07-01-2008, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander64

After years of trying, the 1975 Cadillac Eldorado/1978 Argosy Minuet combination is finally on its first long expedition. We arrived at the Bozeman KOA about 3:50 p.m. this afternoon. The trip has been an adventure, but well worth the few problems. The photo below was taken this morning while departing Yellowstone National Park.

Kevin

LOVE IT
we had a red 74 eldorado convertible.
wish we could have kept it in our collection.
nothing beats towing with a convertible.

safari57 · 09-24-2008, 11:27 AM

We recently completed a 10 day camping trip to the Olympic Peninsula, staying first at Sequim and then Fort Worden/Port Townsend, WA.

There was a ton of interest in the vintage TV towing vintage RV which was good. What surprised me was the number of folks who are looking at selling off their newer TV's on which they are making large payments and purchasing an older TV. One case was a fellow able to purchase a neighbors 73 Suburban for about six months worth of payments on his '07 truck and the 'burb is in very nice condition. Another fellow had already sold his '08 TV and was using his parents late seventies truck they were willing to give him. He'd thought it was just too old but once he saw us with our '57 and our friends with their '54 he was having a lot of second thoughts. One fellow had a '69 Ford wagon, 390 and optioned out, that was given to him, he said in really nice shape, and he was wondering what the heck he was going to do with it. His wife and kids love it but he was thinking he'd sell it and his early two thousands car and buy a newer truck but his wife was all over him to at least give the wagon a try at being the family TV next year. I suspect he will do so.

I have been watching a '70 Blazer, 2wd, decent shape, that is sitting in a car port for quite some time. I've ping panged on the door and at that time they let me take a good look at it and it is in really nice shape, no rust or dents, but it needs a transmission which is why it is sitting. Last time I checked it was not for sale but I think it is time to go back and ask again. I think Donna would enjoy using something like it from time to time and it would be good to have some down time for the wagon so I can go through it once again. I'd thought I might use the '70 Chevelle for that purpose but now I'm thinking it is worth far too much money to risk having something happen when towing. The paint alone to redo is worth over 10k so damaging that would be more than painful. The wagon is rare but it just seems different. After all, it is a wagon and it is doing what it was made for.

Anyway, I thought it was interesting that so many folks were clearly rethinking their TV's in the current economic climate and looking hard at moving back to older rigs so they can continue to camp. I suspect we may see more vintage TV's on the road this coming summer.

Barry