Dave,
My towing choices are almost exactly the opposite of your plans. I
have a 1-ton dodge van with a fuel injected 360. I bought it used, and
since it was 12 passenger I took out the rearmost seat and put in a
wooden shelf from the remaing back seat to the back door. This is just
about big enough for double bed sized futon. I can not tell you how
handy that futon has proven on road trips, late drives home, parties
and other occasions. If I go to the track, I've got an indoor place
to keep my stuff in inclement weather, I can take the whole crew to
dinner in the van, and I can take the seats out and carry full sheets
of plywood, though I usually just toss lumber on the trailer.
My van gets 13-14 mpg commuting over the santa cruz mountains and
15-17 on I-5 with the cruise control on. It barely even notices the
added weight of the trailer and car. Towing with it is a dream. I have
towed with a frightening array of vehicles, or is that an array of
frightening vehicles?
1) You want your tow vehicle to be in good shape, and reliable.
2) In a tow vehicle, bigger is usually better.
3) This is what power steering and automatic transmissions were
invented for.
4) Don't even think about tow dollies.
5) Electric brakes, lest you find yourself being pushed through a wet
instersection against a red light. Yes, this is the voice of
experience.
6) I paid $13K for a very, very nice used van. I have never regretted
it.
7) You cannot build a trailer as cheap as you can buy one, everyone
tries, noone succeeds.
--
I've found something worse than oldies station that play the music I used to
listen to. Oldies stations that play the "new" music I used to complain about.
lrc@red4est.com http://www.red4est.com/lrc
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