Towing with Classic Car?

[matt167]

Went down a back road I haven't gone down since I was a kid and spotted an abandoned '60 Buick 4dr ( Lesabre I think ). Looks like it has not moved in 20 years, but it still looks pretty nice. Paint is just oxidized, chrome appears 'ok'. I'v been thinking about getting an old car to tow the Custom Craft to shows with.. Think it would tow a little 16' Fiberglass boat around? I did not stop and look as I was driving my neighbor to pick up her car at a repair shop, and I followed her back on the main road, but I took a good enough look to know what it was..

Representative picture- actual car is black


1960 Buick LeSabre 4 door by carphoto, on Flickr

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

It would tow it no problem! But I'd highly recommend upgrading brakes... The vast majority of those old cars had EXTREMELY bad brakes, even without a load behind, its amazing they stopped at all! Undersized drums all around, with barely operational brake boosters. Although not stock, a nice set of 2 pot discs on all 4 wheels will be a major improvement.

 

[matt167]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

Brake upgrade would be in order. '60 Buick I know runs finned Aluminum drums and probably stops the best out of all the '58-'64 GM X frames, but disc brake kits are available, so I could sell the drums if they are good ( NLA/ popular for hotrods )..

I have a '51 Chevy. It came with a Factory optional bumper mount tow ball, but it's got the rare powerglide trans, and I doubt that it would pull a boat well, if at all. It also has stock 4 wheel drums, and it takes a bit to get it stopped. I can drive it around without issue, but I have to stay back 3-4 car lengths to make stopping distance

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

Brake upgrade would be in order. '60 Buick I know runs finned Aluminum drums and probably stops the best out of all the '58-'64 GM X frames, but disc brake kits are available, so I could sell the drums if they are good ( NLA/ popular for hotrods )..

I have a '51 Chevy. It came with a Factory optional bumper mount tow ball, but it's got the rare powerglide trans, and I doubt that it would pull a boat well, if at all. It also has stock 4 wheel drums, and it takes a bit to get it stopped. I can drive it around without issue, but I have to stay back 3-4 car lengths to make stopping distance

Power Glide trannys were NOT rare in 1951. They actually appeared in the fall of 1949 (1950 model year), became quite popular and they most definitely will pull a boat. They don't shift automatically so you start in low gear and bump into drive whenever you are ready. Or just start in Drive and never feel a shift. Torque converters have on the order of 2:1 torque multiplication by themselves at stall and up to about 30 MPH. If you need more grunt than that, pop it into low. You could run 45 MPH easily in low. Don't argue. I was driving those cars when they were new. In fact those trannys were quite durable. They either leaked or the reverse link would crack due to folks selecting reverse when the engine was on fast idle in the winter. Yes -- I've rebuilt them as well. Then there was the Turbo Glide. Another slick idea that wasn't fully utilized.

 

[matt167]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

Yes I know they appeared in 1950 and that they were not rare in the sense quite a few '50-'52's got the early transmission but they were more common in the Sedan type cars ( Styleline/Bel- Air ). My car is the Fleetline and I know that the Powerglides were few and far between with them most likely due to the extra weight. I'm glad my trunk ornament was in tact/ usable. At one time I misplaced it and started to seek a new 1. Found 1 correct for a powerglide and they wanted over $300 for it. Luckily I located mine..

I generally start in drive unless I need to get out of the way quick(er) and shift below 40 MPH as it states to do in the owners manual. I know it will run right to almost 50 in low, I just don't shift out of drive over 40.. Nice to know it can tow. I really didn't think it had it in it... Only thing it does wrong, is it does leak a bit of fluid, but I don't think it has ever been rebuilt. The engine leaked from the rear main until the rope seal got some oil back in it, and now it does not use much oil at all. It does get hot climbing hills, but it cools right back down going down the flat grades. Has yet to overheat. It'll keep up with traffic 60-65 MPH and runs pretty smooth at 55-60, but I'v never pushed it harder than that.

 

[JB]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

If you are going to tow with a big, heavy "classic" be sure to put brakes on your trailer as well as the cautions listed above.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

Went down a back road I haven't gone down since I was a kid and spotted an abandoned '60 Buick 4dr ( Lesabre I think ). Looks like it has not moved in 20 years, but it still looks pretty nice. Paint is just oxidized, chrome appears 'ok'. I'v been thinking about getting an old car to tow the Custom Craft to shows with.. Think it would tow a little 16' Fiberglass boat around? I did not stop and look as I was driving my neighbor to pick up her car at a repair shop, and I followed her back on the main road, but I took a good enough look to know what it was..

Ayuh,... I donno where you are in NYS, but where I am,...
A car like that doesn't have ANYTHING under it, but Rust....
Anything touchin' the ground is Gone... Frame included...

If you were to do such athing, I'd think buildin' a frame mounted hitch, oughta be a part of the restoration,...
Mod up a receiver, 'n some how hide it in the build...

a 16' boat ain't enough to worry 'bout,... can't weigh much...

 

[rivermouse]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

I agree with JB. Back in the day having electric brakes was very common to solve the stopping issues. Heavy wooden boats were very popular and outfitting your tow vehicle with electric brakes was just part of the experience. Trying to convert that old classic to modern discs will cost more than the boat..

 

[coolbri70]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

also, with the brakes on a car that old, if they are hydrolic,it may not be a split system, when they go, they go,find the e brake fast

 

[robert graham]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

If it's a 455 C.I. V8 or the 350C.I. V8 it should pull it no problem... If you buy it, check over the radiator/cooling system before towing. I tow my boat with a 1996 Roadmaster, 350V8, towing package...no problems at all. The older, heavier classic cars are probably a lot better for towing than some of the later V6 front wheel drive vehicles that were made more for fuel economy than any towing...folks nowadays use trucks for towing! That 1960 model Buick is a darn nice looking car!

 

[matt167]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

I would figure the frame needs work. X frames I know are notorius for rust, so if it's gone, theres nothing I could do with it, but if it's still in tact with some bad spots, I can likely repair it ( frame off resto ).. I just can't figure out if the '60 Buick frame is " X based " or not. It is supposed to be GM's oddity of that time ( '59-'60 Buick’s only ). Just looks like a weird cross, but also easier to repair if it was rotted to any degree. The car has tires/ wheels and adaquate ground clearence, so possibly it is ok.. I was thinking of adding a reciever hitch. Not sure how to hide it because the license plate is on the sail panel and not on the bumper, so a flip down plate won't work

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

My 51 two door would peak at 90 mph indicated.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

A 1960 Buick LeSabre had neither of those engines.

 

[matt167]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

Yes, GM did not adopt the dual circuit master cylinder until they had to except the Corvette, but that is no big deal. Master that will work is probably in the $40 range.. As far as Disc brakes, Scarebird has a kit listed for '58-'60 Buicks for $165 which covers the caliper/ rotor mounting parts. Calipers, pads, rotors and bearings would be extra, but still. $4-500 range complete at most.. I'll look into adding brakes to the trailer, but this car will only tow to shows, not to the launch. Not going to leave a classic car like that at a public launch un attended. Otherwise, the car will be a fun driver and attend carshows. That is providing I am able to obtain the car.. 90% of the time, the boat will be behind my full size Chevy truck

As far as engine/ trans. It should be a 364 Nailhead V8. 210-300 HP depending on model/ compression. Chance it could be a 401 Nailhead but I really think it's a Lesabre, which only came with the 364. Transmission would still be the Dynaflow I think, but a M/T could be adapted which is what I would likely do. Later ST400 trans will take extra parts from a donor 401/425 car, so it might as well go for the 401/425 if I did that.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

...folks nowadays use trucks for towing!

Speak for yourself! I tow thousands of miles with my car (a subaru), and the truck only comes out for longer road trips when I need more cargo room in the vehicle. But yeah, that a specific example. My car also has a fairly decent rear subframe that the hitch bolts to, mainly because a drive axle also attaches to a it. Most FWD cars have no need for any strength in the rear at all, so a hitch bolts to what amounts to slightly reinforced sheetmetal.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

you can tow an old 16' fiberglass behind anything, to answer your direct question. A lot of people around here go overboard when it comes to tow vehicles IMO.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

Everyone's talking about the early 50's Chevrolet autos.

With that crazy ignition that didn't require a key, they disappeared into the hands of car thieves. No wonder there are so few left.

I preferred the early 50's Pontiacs with their overhead valve engine and 4 speed automatic. My grandmother had a 56 Dodge that was also technically ahead of it's time--and the power seat allowed an 8 year old boy to drive the country roads of North Alabama.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

you can tow an old 16' fiberglass behind anything, to answer your direct question. A lot of people around here go overboard when it comes to tow vehicles IMO.

Amen. Remember the "long,long trailer" with Lucile Ball and Desi Arnaz? Now that was a classic!

 

[matt167]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

Everyone's talking about the early 50's Chevrolet autos.

With that crazy ignition that didn't require a key, they disappeared into the hands of car thieves. No wonder there are so few left.

I preferred the early 50's Pontiacs with their overhead valve engine and 4 speed automatic. My grandmother had a 56 Dodge that was also technically ahead of it's time--and the power seat allowed an 8 year old boy to drive the country roads of North Alabama.

Not a crazy system. At least on my car, just the key comes out in every position, but only locks with the key in and all the way to the left. Straight up and down is on/run. All the way to the right, you can pull the key out but it will still turn to the center on/run position so that it can be operated without the key.
'60 was also the last year Buicks were started by depressing the accelerator.

The Hydtamatics were very good for their time, and as such, GM sold them to other companies.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Towing with Classic Car?

Early 1950's Pontiacs had flat head engines, not overhead valves.