Dave:
Perhaps I should have finished my two cents which I mailed
instead of saving.
In the last ten years, I have done extensive towing with
three vehicles:
1) Datsun 720 King Cab, 2.2 litre 135 HP 4 cylinder, four
speed manual plus OD.
2) Chevy S10, standard cab, 7.5 ft box, 4 cylinder ISUZU
diesel, four speed manual
3) Ford F150, standard cab, 4WD, full box, big 400
something V8, 3 speed auto with OD
The Datsun easily towed a 750 lb boat or a 1000 lb. Scamp
camping trailer. The only problems, if any, were with the
Scamp. Heavy winds and some hills made it necessary to down
shift out of OD. The King cab has 2 occasioal seats and
they have been used at times for a third or fourth
passenger. Several times trips of 200 to 300 miles have
been made with a passenger in one of the jump seats while
towing the Scamp. Again there seemed to be no real shortage
of power, except as noted, or a feeling of overloading.
The Chevy S10 belonged to my brother, but I helped tow or
borrowed it to tow heavier loads. It dolly towed quite well
a K car several times, and an Escort once usually at about
55 mph. MY brother also used it to tow a 4000 lb. tandem
axle 7 by 20 something camp trailer. In that instance it
was really too much for it, and a safe speed was in the 40
mph region. Perhaps if he had an equalizer hitch on the S10
that would have improved the load. The ISUZU diesel is
really too low on HP. (I think it may have been 90 something
or as low as 75, but quite torquey). Just a few years ago I
drove it out to Miles City, MT, from Aberdeen, SD, to
retrieve him and his wife along with their 1300 cc Yamaha
and the Coleman Caboose they were pulling. The Yamaho had
blown a head gasket while coming back from Idaho. The S10
easily handled the cycle in the bed, pulled the Caboose, and
three of us. Although it was little cramped especially as
the S10 has no AC.
The 4wd F150 was used to make several trips to move an uncle
from CA to SD. It pulled a flat bed 8x20 trailer filled
with his 'toys' which weighed in excess of 8000 lbs plus 750
or so lbs. in the bed. There was an equalizer hitch on it.
Based on these experiences, and driving a Ford Ranger but
never towing with it, if I had a choice and could afford it,
I would want a S10 or Ford Ranger either extended cab or
long bed. If I thought I would need seating fairly often
for 4, then the extended cab. If there might only be an
ocasssionl 3, the regular cab. I lean more heavily
towards the standard cab to have the extra length 7 1/2 foot
box for hauling plywood, a small fishing skiff, perhaps a
snowmobile should that ever happen, etc. I would choose a
V6 (because of the need tow the MG in your instance) and
perhaps an automatic, although I really do like a manual.
The automatic is at it's best when starting up hill with a
load such as pulling a boat out of the water. The manual
gets better mileage and has a little more control over the
gears.
A S10 or Ranger should be just fine for the occasional dolly
towing a MG, smaller to fit in a garage, easier to park, get
into, more manuevalable, more suitable for a 'personal'
vehicle, and a bit better on gas mileage.
Blake
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