Your towing rigs and trailers

[Renze]

Those 400 motors in the early days of EPA regulations didnt do much more than 180hp and had probably less usable torque than my 140hp 1st gen (VP37) TDI.

As for stability, low ratio tires and a decent tow bar make a HUGE difference. I will never own a trailer with 195r14 tires again, 195/50r13C have the same load rating but track a dozen times better, and the lower height saves wind drag as well as ramp length...

All in all i am extremely happy with the rebuild and re galvanising of my trailer.

 

[ultrarunner]

Just did a quick search...

The 1970 Buick 455 is rated at 350 hp...

It is true that after 1970 the hp started to drop as most vehicles and GM especially were redesigned to run on low octane fuel... I think the 71 455 dropped to around 300 hp

 

[Travelover]

Those 400 motors in the early days of EPA regulations didnt do much more than 180hp and had probably less usable torque than my 140hp 1st gen (VP37) TDI.

As for stability, low ratio tires and a decent tow bar make a HUGE difference. I will never own a trailer with 195r14 tires again, 195/50r13C have the same load rating but track a dozen times better, and the lower height saves wind drag as well as ramp length...

All in all i am extremely happy with the rebuild and re galvanising of my trailer.

Renze, why don't Europeans use electric brakes or weight distributing hitches? Regulatory or cultural?

 

[DavesTractor]

Just did a quick search...

The 1970 Buick 455 is rated at 350 hp...

It is true that after 1970 the hp started to drop as most vehicles and GM especially were redesigned to run on low octane fuel... I think the 71 455 dropped to around 300 hp

In 1972 they went from gross HP to net HP in how they rated. So as the compression was reduced for lower octane and HP really did dropped, the way they rated also changed giving the appearance of an even larger drop. 1970'ish was sort of a pinnacle for high performance that during the 80's we thought we would never see again. Flash forward and I test drove a Hellcat last week and 707 net engine HP makes those 60-70's muscle cars just sort of "quaint". I had a 1969 SS 4-speed Camaro and I was sure it was the fastest thing around. I also had a 1969 Olds 442. I'm not sure it was very fast in the quarter, but it would spin the tires most of the way...and those were G60-15 or something like that. Now a new V6 Camaro might just outrun it. And a new Z06 will get upper 20's mpg on the highway. Amazing.

Now back to towing...

 

[ultrarunner]

I had a mint 1968 Camaro Z28 and confess to never pushing it... did drive it coast to coast... sold it to raise money when I bought my first home.

Also had a 72 Olds 442 Convertible... it was a nice driving car...

Never towed with either.

Back in the 60's and most of the 70's were used large passenger cars and wagons for tow vehicles... it was very unusual to see many pickups at the SCCA track events in the 1960's... the cars were either driven or trailered as was the Lotus Super 7.

I remember parking cars at a country club one summer for special events... pickups were not even allowed... my how things have changed!

 

[hawkeye08]

Baling alfalfa today at Wiley Farms and... - Sara Yates Wiley | Facebook

 

[two_bit_score]

Baling alfalfa today at Wiley Farms and... - Sara Yates Wiley | Facebook

How big is that hay barn?

WOW!

TBS

 

[dieselcrawler]

11 wagons, about 100 bales each, 1100 total.... we did that much about 2 weeks ago.... impressive Train none the less.

 

[woody]

So max capacity is 9200lbs. That should cover all three of your listed machines. Sounds like a good photo op to me...

hopefully any vehicle that I have to go get, I have already got that phone call. Pawpaw will come get my truck I'm broke down!

 

[civilian]

Baling alfalfa today at Wiley Farms and... - Sara Yates Wiley | Facebook

Try backing that one! Jon