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12-04-2015, 11:30 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 14
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Retro Towing?
I was in the doctors office today, reading National Geographic. On the last page was a retro picture of some ice fishing from 1958. In the background was a 42 ft Travel Trailer being towed .... by a BUICK.
So now I am looking for a '58 Buick that I can remove the trunk in order to tow my fifth wheel. 
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12-04-2015, 11:54 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 26,820
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12-05-2015, 12:03 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Retired Fire Service RVer's
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 343
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Okay, where's the "like" button x2.
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12-05-2015, 06:43 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Home on the hill in Georgia
Posts: 2,742
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They just don't make cars like they use to.
Check out the rig used by Desi and Lucy in the Long Trailer
__________________
Jerry Potter, Taz
1999 Coachman Catalina Sport
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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12-05-2015, 09:04 AM
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#5
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: HillBilly country, Smokey Mtns
Posts: 4,171
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Yep, up until the OPEC Oil Crisis in 1973, most American "full size" sedans had huge engines with lots of power, and they could tow a large travel trailer with no big problems, provided the driver knew what he was doing.
My 1965 Olds 88 had 7-liter (425 CID) engine that ran on premium gas, and got 8 MPG on the highway. Hydra-matic automatic tranny was stout. Heavy duty frame that could handle the hitch weight of a 24' TT. No problem with enough power for dragging that TT up into the Rockies. I did have to upgrade the shocks to stiffen up the soft ride of an ordinary Olds 88.
But in 1973 I had to wait in line to buy gas - sometimes for hours at a time. After that, American cars were "downsized" and even the big cars had smaller engines and lighter frames, no longer suitable for dragging a heavy trailer.
__________________
Grumpy ole man with over 60 years towing experience. Now my heaviest trailer is a 7'x16' 5,000-pound flatbed utility trailer, my tow vehicle is a 2019 F-150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost SuperCab with Max Tow (1,904 pounds payload capacity). 
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12-05-2015, 09:15 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 362
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My 78 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham had a 440.
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12-05-2015, 12:49 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 232
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My 68 Dart with 383 had enough power to pull the frame tails right off the car if I hooked a trailer to it which is likely a safety feature since I would have likely only made it about 10km before the frame collapsed or the rear diff completely diconnected. Drittal's New Yorker was the Bismark of luxury cars. Likely more stout than a lot of 2500's of today. I'm only old enough to read about the glory days (and rebuild one or two as I can) I will have never lived them like some of you folks.
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12-05-2015, 01:43 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 26,820
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wizard
They just don't make cars like they use to.
Check out the rig used by Desi and Lucy in the Long Trailer
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Even 'Hollywood Magic' had it's limitations.
Look closely and you can see the 'tongue dolly' used to support the tongue weight
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12-05-2015, 02:06 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 362
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smurfsofwar
My 68 Dart with 383 had enough power to pull the frame tails right off the car if I hooked a trailer to it which is likely a safety feature since I would have likely only made it about 10km before the frame collapsed or the rear diff completely diconnected. Drittal's New Yorker was the Bismark of luxury cars. Likely more stout than a lot of 2500's of today. I'm only old enough to read about the glory days (and rebuild one or two as I can) I will have never lived them like some of you folks.
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My new yorker was built the same month and year I was born.  $1250 and a bucket full of smiles.
I drove it as a daily driver for a few years then pulled the motor and Trans when I stumbled across my 68 barracuda roller. Took 15 months to make this...
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12-05-2015, 02:47 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 232
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drittal
Took 15 months to make this...
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This puts a lump in my throat. Beeeeautiful! Looks like a lot of heart went into that.
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12-05-2015, 04:07 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 362
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smurfsofwar
This puts a lump in my throat. Beeeeautiful! Looks like a lot of heart went into that.
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Thank you. I learned a lot in the process. Did everything but apply paint and upholstery.
Try telling people you are painting your classic mopar plum crazy purple from the body line down, Opal gray metallic above that, with a sublime green stripe between them... you swear I farted in their face by the look on it.
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12-05-2015, 08:00 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Tiffin Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Byhalia, MS
Posts: 3,368
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit
Even 'Hollywood Magic' had it's limitations.
Look closely and you can see the 'tongue dolly' used to support the tongue weight
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On a side note concerning those older cars. Back in the day, convertibles were built on a different frame than the sedans - it was much stouter. Probably better for towing larger TTs.
jt
__________________
2019 Tiffin Phaeton 40IH
2005 Newmar Kountry Star Gas (Sold)
2022 JL Wrangler 4xe or 2017 Harley Ultra in tow
JT, Em & the boys, Kong & Baxter (rescued grey tabbies)
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12-06-2015, 10:57 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Nowhere, now here. Freedom!
Posts: 4,602
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit
Even 'Hollywood Magic' had it's limitations.
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Yup. Look at the bushes. The image has been obviously tilted.
__________________
ORV 19B Full Timer from '15 to '20, '14 Ram 2500 Diesel and a GSD. Vancouver, WA
de K7NOL 146.52Mhz Safety? (CLICK ME!)
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12-06-2015, 01:50 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 66
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My toy.
This car has a unit body with front and rear sub frames, the rocker panels being the load bearing members that connect the two. Not the most rigid system but it has survived 50 years.
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