Vintage Tow Vehicles

zamboni · 05-12-2005, 10:32 PM

I just brought home our 1971 VW microbus...to restore and then use as our toad behind the 1979 Classic MH.

I'm not sure yet about how vintage to restore the VW. I have been wanting to re-do the VW to match the color scheme of the MH...I'll have to post pics of this project as it goes along. My wife challenged me that I couldn't have it ready for the Mid-West Rally at Moraine View. I told her I'd rather do it right than on a time schedule....only time and $$$ will tell.

robandzoe · 05-16-2005, 01:30 PM

Well, I had to hook up the newly acquired Wagoneer (65) with the 327 V8 Vigilante in it, to the 65 Caravel. Tried out a little polish today too!

Rob

safari57 · 05-16-2005, 09:45 PM

They look good together. Vigilante! Never heard that for the engine before. Now that I've seen your pics I've been keeping my eyes open as I commute to work and saw an almost identical unit, but a half ton, in the back of a farm about ten minutes from my place. I need a truck I've decided! Hmmmm. My wife will kill me if I bring another project home....

Ed Starman · 05-16-2005, 09:48 PM

only if my '57 had a v8 instead of a straight 6 with 3 on the tree..

Globie64 · 05-17-2005, 01:39 PM

Thanks for the brake info! I've recently found another hardtop to obsess about... behind a building I'm working on in Berkeley, there is a, like, a '58, Mercedes 300 hardtop, the big pillarless Adenauer one. Looks kind of forlorn but intact. Now THERE is a fabulous tow car to sink some serious dough into. In real life, our next vehicular purchase is a new Honda Ridgeline. It'll tow 5000 pounds and should handle well and be reliable. Someday my Mopar will come.

take care

Peter

**Action** · 05-18-2005, 11:35 AM

This is a shot at night.

The Merc and my Overlander.

safari57 · 05-24-2005, 08:37 PM

For those with vintage cars who want disc brake conversions these folks out of Seattle seem to have a wide range of conversion kits. Here's one example listed on eBay and from that you can get other details. It's for mid sixties Chryslers and thinking about the wagon noted earlier as in need of discs, here's an option.

1965-72 Dodge, Plymouth front disc brake conversionItem number: 7976111862

Rodger with a D · 05-31-2005, 09:10 AM

Hola

On this site there is a copy of the 1965 Motorcade Magazine's report on using a '65 Dodge sedan to pull a 27' AS. The package of the car and trailer stopped straighter and shorter with the trailer hooked up to the car. The car was not modified in any manner.

There is a booklet that vehicle dealers get called "The Data Booklet" that comes from Ross. In the booklet it shows the stopping distance of the vehicle in question and its competers. The data printed about my 1963 Coachworks Le Baron ( not an Imperial ) shows it stops way before the best Caddy and both of these cars stop about a half mile before any Linclon.

Rodger & Gabby
Colo Spgs

overlander64 · 06-16-2005, 11:13 PM

The '75 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible and '78 Minuet 6.0 Metre were finally united in full-travel mode earlier today. In preliminary tests with an essetnially empty Minuet and no towing equipment in the trunk of the Eldorado all went well with both car and trailer. Today, when the Minuet was loaded for the Wagon Wheels Caravan to the WBCCI International, the combination only made it five miles before the rear tires began rubbing on the inner fenderwell

and the front tires rubbed on the fender

whenever a tight corner was encountered.

I am beginning to think that trying to tow with this particular car was not a good idea -- it became clear after sourcing 12 wheels from salvage yards that finding a true and round OEM wheel was virtually out of the question (I needed four to replace the bent and out-of-round wheels on the car and ended up with two good wheels out of the 12 salvage yard wheels that I had inspected). The custom wheels are the only ones that could be found (after five months of searching) that were even close to the offset specifications of the originals, but the width of the wheel is just enough greater than stock to cause suspension travel difficulties when the trailer is hitched with the weight distribution bars adjusted.

The pair really garnered many stares on our brief 5+ mile roundtrip.

A set of four of these custom wheels were nearly as much as I paid for the car when I purchased it in 1995!

I guess that it will be back to the custom shop to see what, if anything, might be done to increase clearances without modifying the body panels.

Kevin

**Action** · 06-16-2005, 11:38 PM

Is there anything on the Caddie to lift it a tad?

>>>>>>>>>>Action

Silvertwinkie · 06-17-2005, 06:23 AM

Man, a thread I really, really like...those are some great cars you all have. I wish I had more real estate, cause I'd love to have a few more toys in my toybox.

overlander64 · 06-17-2005, 08:51 AM

Greetings Action!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Action

Is there anything on the Caddie to lift it a tad?

>>>>>>>>>>Action

The front torsion bars have been adjusted to their maximum height (after having a fabricator rebuild the obsolete adjustment mechanisms that had failed after 30 years and 110,000 miles). The front end has been completely rebuilt including top quality gas charged heavy duty shocks. In the rear, new Cargo Coil heavy duty springs have been installed along with new level-ride air shocks (the car has factory level ride) and Air Lift Air Springs -- the shocks are inflated to their minimum setting and the Air Lifts have been adjusted to 20 p.s.i. (15 p.s.i is minimum while 35 p.s.i. is maximum) -- with those settings, the car experienced no problem with the near empty coach -- I tried varying the settings and found that more pressure in either the shocks or air springs resulted in more problems with rubbing on the front fenders while any less pressure resulted in more rubbing in the rear.

The custom shop mechanic with whom I have been working on this project assures me that he can solve the problem, but I am becoming a little skeptical. I probably should have spent the money on restoring my '65 Dodge Coronet Convertible (383 c.i. V8 HP with 3.90 differential) for tow duty -- I don't think it would have been much more expensive than these strange problems with the Cadillac have been -- the Coronet was my regular tow vehicle until the early 1990s -- its only downfall was lack of air conditioning.

Kevin

**Action** · 06-17-2005, 11:35 AM

So there is a rub???!!!! LOL

Good luck to your re-engineering issue.

I can relate to you on the lack of A/C. I am in the market for a period tow vehicle. Even though my Merc is up for the job, I have a dream. And it's of the convertible type. I have never owned a vehicle that had a rag top. The closest I have come is moon roof. My Mark has one and my Wife's car does too. So I am in the throws of shopping for a 1966 Lincoln Continental Convertible. When I land one I will post pics.

(in a whisper --- and I am close to making a deal)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

wkerfoot · 06-17-2005, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Action

... I am in the market for a period tow vehicle. Even though my Merc is up for the job, I have a dream. And it's of the convertible type. I have never owned a vehicle that had a rag top. The closest I have come is moon roof. My Mark has one and my Wife's car does too. So I am in the throws of shopping for a 1966 Lincoln Continental Convertible. When I land one I will post pics.

(in a whisper --- and I am close to making a deal)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

Excellent, my dream tow vehicle is a 1964 Lincoln Continental Convertible. I hope you are successfull.

BTW, how hot is it in Phoenix, we are leaving tomorrow morning for Tampa and the 1954 Liner. Tell me which side of I10 you are on and I will wave on the way through. Will be back throught Phoenix in two weeks and will wave again.

Bill