Interesting and entertaining responses! I'll let you all know where I come
out, but it certainly sounds like I should budget for brake upgrades, whatever
I do. This vehicle will do double duty as a bad weather daily driver and
family hauler, so I will not be going the heavy equipment route as much as
some of you suggest.
I've always wanted a 1964 Ford Galaxy 500 "woody" wagon, built engine, HD
trans, uprated/modern suspension and brakes, modern AC, etc as a custom tow
vehicle. Need to focus on more time for the race car that did not get raced
this season first. Maybe in the future . . .
----- Original Message -----
From: dos_gusanos@msn.com
To: Bill Babcock ; BillDentin@aol.com ; Herald948@aol.com ;
henry@henryfrye.com ; britcars@bellsouth.net ; s.janzen@comcast.net ;
fot@autox.team.net
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 5:17 PM
Subject: Re: Tow Vehicle Recommendations?
A guy here in Albuquerque, tows his Sprite with a 1952 Bentley. 4 wheel
drums parachute and anchor for brakes. Maximum number of style
points.................................Cheers Henry Morrison
----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Babcock
To: 'BillDentin@aol.com ' ; 'Herald948@aol.com ' ; 'henry@henryfrye.com '
; 'britcars@bellsouth.net ' ; 's.janzen@comcast.net ' ; 'fot@autox.team.net '
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 1:59 PM
Subject: RE: Tow Vehicle Recommendations?
that was part of my plan, but it didn't work that well in this
case--mostly
because my trailer brakes were screwed up. I did the same thing-replaced
the
controller and had the brand-new brakes checked out. sure enough, the
brake
shoes were touching in only a few spots. By then I'd come to my senses
and
decided to stick with more modern stuff.
-----Original Message-----
From: BillDentin@aol.com
To: Bill Babcock; Herald948@aol.com; henry@henryfrye.com;
britcars@bellsouth.net; s.janzen@comcast.net; fot@autox.team.net
Sent: 10/11/2005 10:30 AM
Subject: Re: Tow Vehicle Recommendations?
In a message dated 10/11/2005 12:12:34 PM Central Daylight Time,
BillB@bnj.com writes:
End of experiment. Brakes are important.
The next day I say an older pickup truck with way too much wood in the
bed
wrapped around a telephone pole at the bottom of my hill. Hippie-looking
driver was very upset that his brakes "went out". Brakes are important.
My experience says brakes, and also mass is important. One would think
a big old Cadillac would have the mass, but if your trailer brakes
aren't working properly, the load will push the tow vehicle.
Before I found a hydrovac for my 1950 Chevrolet one ton panel, stopping
the loaded trailer was an issue, and serious if the electric trailer
brakes were not working properly. The 1950 brakes on the old Chevy are
big enough (the whole chassis is like a five yard dump truck), but prior
to the hydrovac I could never get enough pressure on them. The hydrovac
fixed that, but when the electric trailer brakes would go astray, big as
it was, the panel truck brakes would lock up and the loaded trailer
would push me past my stops. God forbid I needed to stop at the bottom
of a hill. I recently upgraded my electric brake sensor. I like this
new one much better, and I now understand how to 'adjust and level' it
properly. I now spend a couple of minutes redoing this prior to every
tow. It makes the trailer brakes very efficient, and I can actually use
the trailer to stop the whole rig. My tows are not nearly as exciting
as they used to be.
Bill Dentinger
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