Vintage Tow Vehicles

[safari57]

Originally Posted by firefly007

This is what I use for my Bambi II

Steve

What a neat TV. What do you have for powertrain? How is the interior laid out? We'd have one heck of a car show alone if we put all the vintage tow vehicles together on one lot with our trailers.
Barry

[scottanlily]

Hello firefly007,

Grumman olsen ,the best they made ! thats the coolest stepvan I have seen.
those use the best aluminum ,solid rivits ,very well engineered.You might
look at the rear wrap around bumper and notice that it is the SAME as most
60s airstream trailers,difference is the airstream bumper does not wrap
around inward ,but stops in half curve.I bought a brand new one from
grumman on long island NY for 75 dollars and just cut the wrap arounds
used the old bent buper as a perfect template.Now the van almost always has the (kidneys) those curved boxes on each side as grumman calls them .
You can order the bumpers plain ,just the main piece as I did .Those stepvans could be international drivetrains ,chevy and ford.Don't think dodge
used them .What a great ride ,make you smile!

Scott of scottanlily

[firefly007]

Originally Posted by safari57

What a neat TV. What do you have for powertrain? How is the interior laid out? We'd have one heck of a car show alone if we put all the vintage tow vehicles together on one lot with our trailers.
Barry

Thanks Barry, Currently it has the original Ford straight six with a 3 spd standard running on propane. Sitting in the shop is a new Goodwrench 350 mated with a fresh rebuilt t700r4 4speed auto with overdrive. I also swapped the 3/4 ton rear axle for a Chevy 1 ton. The Ford axle did not have emergency brakes. Might go 4WD some day.

Originally the Grumman was a fleet vehicle. It came from the factory as an 8' short bed and it was chopped 4" in height. Grumman says that this is a unique vehicle. I actually talked to the guy that riveted it together.
The inside was built as a mini camper. Fold down bed and side goucho plus cabinets. I can haul 2 Vespas inside.
I also used the same eng/tran combo on an 86 CJ7 that I also use to tow the Bambi II.

Steve

[firefly007]

What a great ride ,make you smile!

Scott of scottanlily

Thanks Scott. Of All my vehicles, the Grumman is the most fun to drive. Because of it's short length it is very nimble. It also floats like a cloud. Florida tends to be Big truck country, mostly Pick-ups. Can't hardly stop anywhere without answering questions.

BTW, Grumman has the best Parts support. Because they were fleet vehicles almost all parts are available off the shelf at a low price you would not believe.

steve

[Globie64]

Hey

I've been looking at tow cars, looking at '63-64 Chrysler convertibles, but thinking that maybe a '68 Dart with a 318 and automatic would work to tow the '64 Globetrotter, 2850# dry. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience towing with the smaller Mopar cars, Valiant or Dart. What ever we get, it'll be upgraded to dual circuit disk brakes if they aren't present already.

thanks

Peter

[scottanlily]

Hello Globie64,

Thats some food for thought ,I would say a 68 to 74 dart ,318 for sure ,
disc brakes only ,no drum forget it .power brakes only .I think it would be
fine .I would try to find some heavy duty sway bars (for the car) front and rear for the best stability .The globetrotter would be the biggest I would
pull .would be cool really ,you need a proper wd hitch also so you have the
best stability on the road.I believe a custom setup would have to be made
to fit the dart but thats ok also .In those days you had to have the heavy
duty hitches custom made most of the time .

Scott of scottanlily

[wkerfoot]

Originally Posted by Globie64

Hey

I've been looking at tow cars, looking at '63-64 Chrysler convertibles, but thinking that maybe a '68 Dart with a 318 and automatic would work to tow the '64 Globetrotter, 2850# dry. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience towing with the smaller Mopar cars, Valiant or Dart. What ever we get, it'll be upgraded to dual circuit disk brakes if they aren't present already.

thanks

Peter

Peter,

Make sure that you locate a good hitch fabricator, these Chrysler products are unibody and not body on frame. Not impossible, just more difficult.

Bill

[Road Ruler]

Our family had an RV sales business back in the 60's. My dad towed many of the companies TT's and Pu's with his 1964 Dodge 440, 2 door hard top. It had the Canadian made 313ci and the auto tranny. Custom made, welded on hitch. Worked well for many years with no drive train issues. He later had a 1964 Valliant convertible with a slant six, auto. The car was a former drag car but the turbo charger (from a corvair) had been removed before my dad got the car. He never towed with the Valliant.

For a short time I owned a 67 Dart GT. Didn't use it for towing though.

At that time our friends towed a Bambi and then a 27' International with their 1965 Plymouth Fury 2 door hardtop, 383 auto. Custom welded on hitch. With 4 people in the car, and 27' Airstream in tow it would easily burn rubber when starting out from a stop. That would put a smile on our faces. They pulled that rig to Florida and back many times.

[tincanalley]

Glad to hear someone else tours with a really vintage vehicle. We purchased a 1977 24' Argosy last fall. We have finished most of the restoration on it and love towing it with our 2006 Tundra...but we are really excited about finishing the restoration on our 1957 210 Chev wagon. It only has 97,000 original miles on it but we still have a ways to go. I think it will have to wait until retirement in 2 1/2 years. Happy trailering!

[safari57]

Originally Posted by tincanalley

Glad to hear someone else tours with a really vintage vehicle. We purchased a 1977 24' Argosy last fall. We have finished most of the restoration on it and love towing it with our 2006 Tundra...but we are really excited about finishing the restoration on our 1957 210 Chev wagon. It only has 97,000 original miles on it but we still have a ways to go. I think it will have to wait until retirement in 2 1/2 years. Happy trailering!

The only vehicle we tow our Flying Cloud with is the '57 Pontiac wagon. It handles the load extremely well-actually far better than our '02 TrailBlazer. The disc brakes help but were not a critical factor as we use the trailer brakes as they should be used, as helpers, but we just felt safer with the discs but we towed trailers for years without them. Look forward to pictures of your '57 Chev wagon.
Barry

[Globie64]

Thanks for the interesting feedback. I've been on some Mopar sites, and it seems like a fairly common switch to swap discs for drums, and make it a dual circuit system. It's so hilly here, I wouldn't do otherwise. The welded hitch wouldn't be a problem, either. One thing though, many times I've heard that the Valiant/Dart differential will self destruct, and those are swapped out. There is a great '65 Sport Fury convertible on eBay now, 383 and non power drums! I towed the Globie here with a V6 Ranger, and it was okay. The trailer brakes are totally new, and that was reassuring.

Peter

[safari57]

Originally Posted by Globie64

Thanks for the interesting feedback. I've been on some Mopar sites, and it seems like a fairly common switch to swap discs for drums, and make it a dual circuit system. It's so hilly here, I wouldn't do otherwise. The welded hitch wouldn't be a problem, either. One thing though, many times I've heard that the Valiant/Dart differential will self destruct, and those are swapped out. There is a great '65 Sport Fury convertible on eBay now, 383 and non power drums! I towed the Globie here with a V6 Ranger, and it was okay. The trailer brakes are totally new, and that was reassuring.

Peter

Peter, I'm not aware of a weakness with the Valiant/Dart diff but will ask friends who are deep into Mopars for their experience. The '65 Sport Fury would be a great tow vehicle. It would make for quite a sight in front of your trailer.
Barry

[Rodger with a D]

Hola Class

I have a Dealers Brochure on Towing for the 1967 and newer big Crashliers. They all say that just add a hitch and they are able to tow 5,500 lbs from the show room. Add the coolers and all the other stuff if you need more towing weight.

Since in that era they did not have the pretty pre-made tow hitches that we have today the factory brochure also tells ya how to design one for the weld shop to use.

I have a friend who does not tow, but has a 1973 Fury III two door with the 440 and OEM towing package. He has taken off the OEM hitch and stores it.

Have any of you read the MotorCade Towing test they have post on this site using the 1965 4 dr Dodge sedan ???

I can not wait until I have the 62 Imperial Crown Cpe ready for the road. One Cpe + one 1970 Overlander / InterNational = stares & thumbs up.

If any of you want more of this information, just send me an email.

Rodger & Gabby
Colo Spgs

[robandzoe]

Just like what my Grandfather towed with. Picked it up for a song... been sitting in a barn for the last 45 years. I can't wait... it even has a hitch on it!

[Sugarfoot]

Oh, oh OH, I'm SO envious! That is just too cool! I was just telling Mom today, I wish I had Dad's old 57 Cadillac for my TV. Good job, Rob and Zoe!

[NorCal Bambi]

Way cool tow vehicle. I'd like to see your rig up close some day.
Don

[JStanley]

Looks like a ’59 Buick & the body looks good. My uncle had one.
I recall seeing an old ’57 Cadillac coupe down the road from your place on the road (Rt.23?) toward Oneonta. But that Caddy needed a lot of $$$ work.
Good luck and this and all your other projects.

[safari57]

Originally Posted by robandzoe

Just like what my Grandfather towed with. Picked it up for a song... been sitting in a barn for the last 45 years. I can't wait... it even has a hitch on it!

Wow, quite the car and it looks in great shape. Redo the brakes and fluids and you'll be out stylin real quick. These are great highway cruising cars with lots of power for pulling, and a ton of room inside. Be prepared for lots of queries. Is it a '59 or 60? I can't remember the difference, it's been just a tad too long. Glad you got a super deal on it, these can go for serious bucks if the right person wants it.
Barry

[robandzoe]

It's rough, very rough... but worth saving in my mind. Who wants a Vintage Tow Vehicle... with our new to us 59 Buick, I am going a different route. Look at the Suburban for the other piece on my other auctions.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=270022497082

Rob

[safari57]

I got a call from a buddy last night who mentioned that a car lot called Campus Auto Sales in Chilliwack, BC has a 1956 Cadillac 2 dr Hdt, blue with white top, that he describes as a real creampuff, for sale for he understood less than $7,000 Canadian and so far no takers. It's a clean, complete and good looking driver. My friend built and drives a '35 Ford fordor hotrod and a '54 Ford Stationwagon, and both are tow vehicles for his SOB's, so he knows his cars (I'm working on him to move into an Airstream). There are great potential tow vehicles out there for those who do a bit of searching, and something like this caddy would add a whole new flavor to towing a vintage Airstream. If I didn't already have the '57 and '70 I'd be forced to go take a look but given I'm already maxed out with vehicles - okay, I'm thinking to myself, "who am I and what's happened that I think I have too many cars?" Is this part of the aging process? OMG, I can't believe I even thought that for a moment. If my wife thought I'd thought that she'd be taking my pulse and checking my pupils to see if I've had another stroke. Maybe I'll convince her to take me out to take a look tomorrow. B)