Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Fun to Drive Tow Vehicle? 1 2

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  June 2, 2011 8:22 a.m. snipes Reader

  Okay this is a topic I have not seen yet. I have had all the normal thoughts about a tow vehicle and in the end a 1998 Suburban with 180,000 seem like my best bet (and a fun daily). But I have also been thinking of a 60-70 long bed truck with a LT1 swap. These are not that hard to find and I don't think they are going down in value. Or what about a Saab Aero 9-7 (trailblazer SS) I love saabs and the prices are lower than the SS version. I think they have one with the 5.3 V8 that may be easier to find.
  

  Those are my three "sane" ideas. Now the third is my off the wall idea. I have really been wanting a Volvo S60R. The only thing I dont like about them is the Weight 3,600lbs plus. So why not put that weight to work? I looked up the tow rating and it is 3,300# (for the non R). The porscharu is right at 2400lbs with weight to loose. So can I find a car trailer under 1000lbs? I know this is wish full thinking, but I would love to have a "nice" car and tow vehicle. I only want to tow the car 6 times a year. The clutch job on the Volvo will suck. But so does maintaining a second vehicle.
  

  I have thought about buying a 2000-2002 tundra 4X4 but that just does not sound as fun and the 2005 Tacoma's are $$$ and not fun daily.
  

  I wish we had the Toyota Hilux turbo diesel in the US. The are a little smaller than the US Tacoma (just the right size).

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  June 2, 2011 8:27 a.m. tuna55 SuperDork

  I own a 72 GMC truck. If you're planning on doing real work with one of those, keep in mind that when they say it's a half ton truck, they mean it. Those springs are dinky, and the frames are tiny compared with newer pieces. I'd almost swap the body parts onto a newer diesel pickup rather than start with those bones. They are great for light duty, though, and if you go 71/72 you get some pretty good brakes, too.

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  June 2, 2011 8:34 a.m. snipes Reader

  Hmmm. That is good to know. I think the late 60 trucks are so cool. A tow vehicle that can go to car/rod shows sounds so much better than a truck that sits in the yard. Your killing my dream, but that is the stuff I need to here. ABS and Airbags sound good coming back from the track late at night.
  

  What about boxing the frame and adding air bags to the suspension! ~Dreaming away~

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  June 2, 2011 8:35 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

  I have come to the conclusion that unless you are building your own - there is just no such thing without redefining fun.

  Those little trucks - like Nissan/Toy can be fun "for a pickup" or great for overthrowing a 3rd world country but they can't tow more than an LBC, SRF or Formula car without gagging on it.

  I finally quit trying and bought a 2500HD Duramax and it isn't fun in the slightest EXCEPT when I'm using it to do something that was previously impossible like it was nothing... like dragging 9000lbs up a mountain pass at 70mph or driving thru 1' deep mud with 2 skids of bricks in the back.

  Lord of drivel and harbinger of Floundering

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  June 2, 2011 8:58 a.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

  3/4 ton full-sized van with a bed in the back and a cooler full of beer?

  "Don't Sweat the Petty Things." Yes, and Don't Pet the Sweaty Things.

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  June 2, 2011 9:05 a.m. iceracer Dork

  My Liberty could sometimes be fun

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  June 2, 2011 9:08 a.m. DWalker460 New Reader

  Agreed- if you need a truck, buy a truck! I really have given up on the idea of having a "do it all" sort of vehicle.

  That said, back when I was in college and had very little money I used a 4 cyl SWB Montero to tow my trailer and race cars, and it did passably well by the standards of the day, was decently fun on and off road, and never, ever broke down or left me stranded. The very first time it was on a tow truck was they day the semi hit and killed it, at 199K miles. When it was pressed into tow mode it generically pulled a 16ft race car trailer with steel decking/open center and a tire rack with some form of smallbore car on top of it, usually an MG or VW creation.

  The things I look for in a tow vehicle are stone reliability and reaonable performance while towing, which to me means it is capable of stopping the trailer if the trailer brakes fail, gets reasonable milage, and can do somewhere near the speed limit. Speed is the last consideration while towing to me, because it is pretty damned stupid to be running 70mph in traffic with 8 to 12k lbs behind you. Stone reliability is the real key, because when it breaks its is not going to be cheap and you are likley not to be anywhere near home when it does. I also do not likel to buy semi-exotic tow beasts. If the 4L60E in the tahoe takes a crap when I am in nowheresville Kansas, I can get another one in any town large enough to have a WalMart and be on my way without too much delay. I now generically tow with a 1999 Chevy Tahoe or a 2003 Ford F350 SRW turbodiesel. The Ford is just ridiculously powerfull and can drag pretty much anything I need to behind it down the highway at 70mph or more. It is in no way fun to me, but it gets the job done and done well. The Tahoe is also capable, will drag my 26ft enclosed trailer with racecar and other crap down the road at 65 or better, but again is in no way fun to drive. It is a lot easier to park once you unhook the trailer and head to the hotel. Last year we got an 06 Cayenne, rated at 7K lbs towing and was equipped with the OEM Porsche towing package. Tows awesome. Great brakes and power. If I wanted to tow seriously with it I would seek out an aluminum open trailer with a tire rack and be done. It was actually cheaper than most of the diesels I have been looking at lately too.

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  June 2, 2011 9:44 a.m. Brotus7 Reader

  Ford Lightning?

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  June 2, 2011 9:56 a.m. RossD SuperDork

  My '06 F150 is fun, for a truck. Handles nice, for a truck.

  00100001

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  June 2, 2011 10:00 a.m. ransom Reader

  Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: ...or driving thru 1' deep mud with 2 skids of bricks in the back.

  That actually happens outside of pickup truck commercials?

  "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is." - Jan L.A. van de Snepscheut

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  June 2, 2011 10:01 a.m. Bobzilla Dork

  I actually enjoy our 06 CC. But I've been a "truck guy" for years.

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  June 2, 2011 10:41 a.m. DavidinDurango New Reader

  you forgot the cheerleader with a GT40 full of money that can . . . . .

  pinchvalve wrote: 3/4 ton full-sized van with a bed in the back and a cooler full of beer?

  I've cornered the market on old Ford stuff

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  June 2, 2011 10:48 a.m. snipes Reader

  Well I have a year of dust/heat/mountains ahead of me to dream about it, but for now I think this would cover most of my needs...

  http://www.ecarlist.com/showroom/995/photos/809523#10

  

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  June 2, 2011 10:54 a.m. Ian F SuperDork

  snipes wrote: Hmmm. That is good to know. I think the late 60 trucks are so cool. A tow vehicle that can go to car/rod shows sounds so much better than a truck that sits in the yard. Your killing my dream, but that is the stuff I need to here.

  I've had similar dreams... something that looks really cool, but has all the modern stuff under the skin... maybe a bit of new-age safety as well... In reality, what you're looking at is a ground-up restomod build. If you have the space and budget for such a thing, go for it.
  

  One's definition of fun also comes into play. My Cummins 4x4 can be fun in a way... but with a broken stereo, non-working A/C and rock-hard stock suspension with E-range tires, it can also be quite a chore to drive as well.

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  June 2, 2011 11:08 a.m. DrBoost SuperDork

  The answer is ALWAYS Miata.
  

  You know you are deep in boost territory when you get tire pressures and boost pressures confused

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  June 2, 2011 11:10 a.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

  How much will an XRunner tow?

  SCAVENGE THE SEA FLOOR FOR NUTRIENTS

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  June 2, 2011 11:16 a.m. Strizzo SuperDork

  92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: How much will an XRunner tow?

  probably not more than 3,500lbs, the truck is likely too light to pull much more regardless of what the drivetrain is up to.
  

  i'll second a 99-04 lightning, they could be had with standard duty rear leafs that gave it a 500lb (iirc) payload and 5,000lb towing capacity.

  EDIT: only available in regular cab, stepside configuration, if you want 4 door, look for an F150 harley edition, same supercharged 5.4l in a supercrew body, only problem might be the 20in wheels that were standard.

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  June 2, 2011 11:19 a.m. bravenrace SuperDork

  In reply to snipes:

  I have a '78 1 ton Dually with a great chassis and a rusty body that I am hoping to put a '55 cab on top of. Don't know about fun, but it will be interesting.

  I'm just a cheapskate playing a rich man's game...

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  June 2, 2011 11:27 a.m. DWalker460 New Reader

  My 99 Tahoe 4X4 is rated for 10K lbs with the correct equipment, and I have towed pretty close to 8K lbs with it personally and it did just fine.

  The Small Useless Vehicles are usually not rated for very much towing capacity and thier unitbody chassis are not up to the task. That said, I have a friend who has used a Trailblazer SS and he towed an open trailer with a car and parts decently well. He recently gave up on it though and bought a f250 deisel.

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  June 2, 2011 11:48 a.m. chaparral Reader

  How heavy is the load you're towing?

  The 2.5 liter Subarus are rated at 3500 lbs. They can be fun, just not in a straight line.

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  June 2, 2011 11:56 a.m. belteshazzar SuperDork

  what about some old cop car?

  spending money I don't have to buy parts I don't need to impress people I don't know

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  June 2, 2011 12:08 p.m. alfadriver SuperDork

  Buddy of mine used to tow his ~3000 package with a V8 Mustang. Now he has the S60 to do the same thing. Never seemed to complain about it much.

  Pretty funny to see a car that small tow. But it worked, and he never had a failure.

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  June 2, 2011 12:25 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

  ransom wrote:

  Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: ...or driving thru 1' deep mud with 2 skids of bricks in the back.

  That actually happens outside of pickup truck commercials?

  Yes, except there were no giant rooster tails as it was in 4 low at about 3 mph the whole 100' with two guys on each side watching to make sure we didn't rip the driveshaft off. I should have been blasting "Like a Rock" in slow motion.

  Lord of drivel and harbinger of Floundering

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  June 2, 2011 2:01 p.m. WilberM3 Dork

  

  Dave

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  June 2, 2011 2:29 p.m. Cotton Dork

  I just ordered a larger turbo and injectors for my 95 Dodge Cummins dually. I'm hoping for 800 ft lbs of torque to the wheels, which should be fun in hooligan sort of way.

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