9 replies to this topic

[D-Type]

Advice required please.
​At a swapmeet I bought a racing car trailer at a price I couldn't resist, then on another stall I found a Lotus Super Seven also very affordable.  After some work with a paintbrush I now have a typical club racer's set up. I am now looking for as a tow car to complete the ensemble - also from the bargain bin.  My hypothetical racer needs a car he can use for going to work in the week and heading for Brands, Snetterton etc at weekends.  He hasn't much spare money as the Lotus takes it all.  So what might he have chosen?  Cheap, reliable, powerful enough to pull a trailer, etc.  A van would be the sensible choice, but the "paddock" shelf in my cabinet already has a Castrol Ford Transit and the Austin J8 used by Denis Jenkinson and Eric Oliver, so I really want a saloon car or estate. 
Any suggestions?

[Tim Murray]

For a lot of the 1970s a friend of mine towed his modsports car around the country behind an Austin Maxi.

[Vitesse2]

How about a Ford Zephyr or Zodiac? Either the Mk 2 or Mk 3. If it's a Mk2 it should of course be two-tone, with a sun visor. Bags of power - although as they were Dagenham dustbins, you should paint in the odd rust streak and one of the windows should be stuck part-open ...

 

Or maybe an FD Series Vauxhall Victor? That came in a 3.3 litre version, with the engine from the Cresta, so could pull just about anything (assuming the subframe hadn't rusted out and parted company with the tow hook!)

 

Both would also have plenty of boot space in which to stash tools and any other requirements; tent, primus stove, sleeping bag ...

[GazChed]

I was always impressed by a three litre Capri which towed a Triumph Dolomite Production Saloon in the mid-seventies , both in bright yellow from memory .

[Jager]

What era are you targeting ?

 

In the early 60's, early swb Land Rovers seemed popular tow vehicles, with lots of flexibility for other uses on weekends in between races. You could probably get a cheap one from Corgi:

 

http://mydadsphotos....g/T_A010_20.jpg

 

 

I know you said you didn't want a van, but in the early 1960's, Lotus also had a Thames van which has been modeled by Oxford DIecast if you wanted your "Seven" to be a factory car:

 

https://www.oxforddi...-lotus-43fde017

 

 

In 1965, the Triumph team used a 2000 as a tow car for their Le Mans entry. Vanguards have done the Triumph:

 

http://lemans-histor...965/1965_53.jpg

 

 

 

Does it have to be British ? The Belgian VDS team used a pair of Citroen DS Safari's as their tow vehicles in 1968. There are quite a few options from both Rio and several part-works series:

 

https://i62.servimg....74/arrivy10.jpg

 

 

[D-Type]

I'd forgotten about this thread.  Thanks for the useful advice. 
I found a Citroen DS19 estate with a roof rack in a bargain bin and decided my hypothetical driver might have used one.  The self-levelling suspension apparently worked well and the car has ample space for all the bits and pieces he took with him.

[Tim Murray]

Something along these lines, perhaps?

[D-Type]

That's way beyond my modelling skills.  I just painted my Citroen estate to match the trailer and race car (a Lotus Seven)

[RCH]

Citroens always good towcars with the self levelling suspension.

My historic rally Volvo currently gets towed around by my Volvo V70 estate. Good solid reliable towcars.

Back in the day Standard Vanguards were popular for towing. .

[Lee Nicolle]

Having towed racecars more km than most most of the above suggestions are at best impractical and dangerous. 

A Landrover,, if you can find one that will not break down every 500 yards would be ok but slow, drafty and thirsty. One built this century, or any at least medium 4 wd will do the job

Forget old vehicles, use a modern rear drive full size car.  Or a med to full size 4wd. Not AWD. And that means a large car for the poms and Euros. I have towed with [here in Oz] Falcons with no real issues, Commodores with trepidation. Once or twice with a  late 80s 4 cyl Pajero that used more fuel doing so than a 351 Falcon. And was not very fast,, adequate! Racecar and trailer and spares at least 1.5 ton. Even a clubby on a trailer with 4 spare wheels etc etc will be ovr a ton.

50 years ago I towed very carefully with a EH Holden,, but traffic is faster now and it would scare me. Last time I towed with a pasenger car  was with my 71 Ford Galaxie. The times I have done so is within a 100km from home. That does a decent job and has history doing so as when it was new it towed a F5000 in an enclosed heavy trailer. But the more 4wds do such a better job easier.

When I was in England a few years ago I saw sights that scared me. Caravans behinds a Focus.And similar size cars. A 2 Horse float [with 2 horses] swaying all over the place behind some front drive Opel. An empty tandem car trailer behind a smaller Toyota and a 80s Hilux with a big tandem trailer with at least 2 tons of sand on it. That may be  just ok,, but not at 75+ mph!!