I have a '66 Toronado with the 385 HP engine. On a trip to Yellowstone last summer, got 14.01 MPG with high octane fuel. The doors are so big, that there is a second set of latches for the rear seat passengers! This car can be set up with four wheel disc brakes for not much money.
Still looking for the advertisement showing the car with SOB trailer hooked up and the rear wheels are removed from the car! Not much overhang on the rear end compared to even a Suburban.
very cool toro. i have a 68 and 71. i have seen that photo you speak of. would like a copy my self. my 75 airstream owners manual shows a winter picture of a 71/72? towing. they can tow but brakes are the problem. discs would help.
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" If everything is working, something is wrong ! "
Thanks for the clarification- now I understand about the importance of road hugging weight and the tow car. I guess I won't be considering the Dart. What is the issue with the rear overhang? It seems like less would be better?
I had forgotten about this thread. Regretably, we did not get the Buick. I have seen simular year Pontiac's that I too would like... I just starting thinking about that LONG trunk... the long overhang probably would be an issue.
Sure look cool though! Now a wagon might be nice too!
Marc
The mid sized GM cars from the early 60s had two speed automatics, which I think would be a disadvantage towing something? I think the Buick was a version of Dynaflow, which is like a one speed automatic with low, VERY sluggish. I saw two really cool Fords on ebay today, '66 and 67 full sized convertibles...
Your set up is just fabulous. Everytime I see your TV and trailer, I get goosebumps! We have a '58 T-bird that was given to my husband by a family member when he was just a teenager. Since I've known him, it's been in the garage and he's had all the best intentions to get it back to it's former glory. We are hoping to someday tow our Airstream with it, so seeing yours gives us motivation. There is just nothing cooler than a vintage car dragging a vintage Airstream!
Cheers,
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Meredith
You say I am an airdreamer, but I am not the only one
It has been a few years but I remember driving several 1960's tow cars back when they were common tow vehicles.
The most memoriable for me was a Hemi Cuda towing a 27' Airstream. 318 darts and 283 cheves were common. The 2 speed powerglides were not very good for towing and it was important to have a heavy duty radiator. I don't remember ever changing fuel pumps etc. but that may have been a problem in hot climates.
Suspension linkages were not very sophisticated so the lateral stability from Chrysler's leaf spring suspensions made them the most stable tow vehicles. On full frame cars we would weld solid spacers in between the back end of the frame and the body so the body could absorb the pressure from the torsion bars, the ends of the frame were pretty light untill 5 MPH bumpers came out in 1972.
My Fathers combination was a 1966 Chrysler Windsor with a 383 2 barrel and a 1965 30' Airstream that we had until 1973.
For many years it was a requirement that Airstream delivery drivers and caravan leaders had to tow with a car and the Toronado was a favorite for many of them.
We had several customers with Cadillac's and Lincolns I also remember seeing a Rolls Royce towing at one of the internationals in the early 70's.
Your T-Bird is gorgeous. My buddy just popped the 312 out of his 57 Ford retractable and put in a 428 and C6 tranny. He pulls a fiberglass trailer with it and got tired of not having enough steam in the mountains we tour/live in. He stuffed the original 312 under the bench. Otherwise his car is perfectly restored. My goodness, if I had the 'bird in my shop it would be on the hoist and restored pronto so it could take turns hauling our Flying Cloud.
Barry
__________________ The best things in life are health, family, friends and enjoying your Airstream in a campground. Wally on Bro
Barry & Donna Life is short - so's the door on an Flying Cloud (ouch)
Neat photo. You are right with the powerglides, they are not the transmission for towing. Anyone buying an early sixties GM needs to know that they will want to replace the transmission with a new one and kits are readily available. If you can't do it yourself transmission shops do the work in under a day usually.
Mopar seemed to be the typical TV in the later sixties, and Caddies have always been popular. The bigger GM's, Fords and even some of the other brands for sure. The Ford wagons are great TV's, look great, and are still very plentiful and reasonably priced.
It is definitely not the same, though, as hooking up your next to new truck and hauling down the road. With the vintage car you are never anonymous.
Barry
__________________ The best things in life are health, family, friends and enjoying your Airstream in a campground. Wally on Bro
Barry & Donna Life is short - so's the door on an Flying Cloud (ouch)
I've seen two vintage Airstreams on highway one in the last week or so, towed buy recent SUVs or trucks, and you just want to see a Country Squire or T-bird or something in front. Andres, I love the picture of your father's Chrysler- Canadian Windsor is like the US Newport?
It looks like either a Boler of the 70's or the later version that Bigfoot made in the 90's. Most of my friends tow those with their hotrods. I'm working on converting them to Bambi II's and Caravel's.
Barry
__________________ The best things in life are health, family, friends and enjoying your Airstream in a campground. Wally on Bro
Barry & Donna Life is short - so's the door on an Flying Cloud (ouch)
Now that you mention it you are right. The Canadian ones were Windsor's and the U.S. Models were New Port's.
I have a 1961 Pacer that we have almost finished restoring, I think you are always almost finished arn't you. We were thinking a 280 SL would be a great match for it but you have to find one that is a good driver without rust but not show car quality.
We had a 1976 Camaro with a 305 engine that we towed with. It was very stable and a lot of fun we used it for Airstreams up to 23 long, a few customers used them as well after test driving ours. It had no trouble handling the 23' in fact it was the most stable car we had in those days but it was only a 2 barrel 305, 135 HP I think so the 23' was about the max for it power wise.
I wonder if a first generation Mustang would be neat with your 64 19' I think it would tow it easily enough.
We had a 1976 Camaro with a 305 engine that we towed with. It was very stable and a lot of fun we used it for Airstreams up to 23 long, a few customers used them as well after test driving ours. It had no trouble handling the 23' in fact it was the most stable car we had in those days but it was only a 2 barrel 305, 135 HP I think so the 23' was about the max for it power wise.Andy
Stable due to the low centre of gravity and those long rear leaf springs, like the 1960s and '70s Chryslers?
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