First tow vehicle EVER

[HANGEYE]

1962 Chevy Biscayne Wagon.The year was 1973, just out of the Marine Corps. This little beauty set me back a cool $35. Straight six with three on the tree. Looking back she was a rose bud. A quart of oil every 300 miles, the clutch slipped making it a real joy at the ramp and it took both hands and a bit of will power to slam the doors hard enough to get them to shut. The floor boards were rotted out so it was a real joy to drive in the Wisconsin winters. The shifter linkage on the fire wall went fritz on me so I cut a hole in the floor and attached two pieces of flat iron to the linkage at the tranny. On my last venture the fuel pump went about 60 miles from home. I removed the air cleaner and on the threded post I jammed a three pound coffee over the carb and filled it with gas. Not the best fix but it got me home. Called the junk yard the next day and got $5 for it. $30 for about one year, I guess that wasn't too bad.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: First tow vehicle EVER

mine was a 63 ford F-100 straight small 6cyl. it had been dads, then mine, then went thru as a work truck, and about 10 different employees, dad finally sold it to one of them, when it was 25 y/o.

used a piece of rope for a fan belt to get the last 25 miles home from college, one weekend. it only operated the water pump and generator.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: First tow vehicle EVER

Sounds like some real fine GM stuff, Dad had a 68 C10 with a 250 and a three on the tree transmission.
Same 3 on the tree disease where it would jam up if you tried to shift it too fast/hard or if it was just going to be a PITA that day.
The 250ci 6 cylinder also burned about a quart of oil every 100 miles. Bought it for $300 and sold it for $350 ten years later, replaced just about every accessory on the engine in that time but thats par for the course with 25 year old junk.

After awhile I figured out which linkage rod needed to be yanked when the linkage jammed and that made unjamming it easier, later when I ruined dads transmission (age 16) and only a later model 3 speed was available the linkage would not work and the crappy floor shifter came forth.......
Ah the days when oil was cheap, we laughed as we joked about checking the gas and filling it up with oil, called'er "blue waves" or "the old chev".

That coffee can full of gas on the carb stud sound ingenious talk about a redneck fuel system.
Had to think of da ole yoopers song "Rusty Chevrolet" thinking about some old junk chevies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50IgzksUqpQ

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: First tow vehicle EVER

71 Chevy Kingswood Station Wagon 400ci SB Turbo 350 with air shocks.

 

[Knightgang]

Re: First tow vehicle EVER

I am a bit younger thatn you guys by the sounds of it. However, mine was a '82 Ford F-100, 300cid inline 6, 3 speed with O/D manual on the floor. Stepside bed with wood grain floor. Had installed Air Shocks to help with loads. Pulled 2 horse horse trailers all around the southeast...

 

[ziggy]

Re: First tow vehicle EVER

1st tow vehicle was a 89 chevy 20 van, 305 fuelie. later in it's life it got a limited slip rear end. probably the best one i've had due to the positrack. the 305 was a little lacking though..

when i was into pwc. i used a 87 chevy nova (corolla in disguise) for a while. worked just fine, but wouldn't maintain 75 mph up hill on the interstate....

1962 Chevy Biscayne Wagon

ahhh, the days when towing with a car was the norm.... i can remember dads first tow vehicle was a '67 olds ninety eight... it worked very well....

 

[jevery]

Re: First tow vehicle EVER

ahhh, the days when towing with a car was the norm.... i can remember dads first tow vehicle was a '67 olds ninety eight... it worked very well....

I towed my first boat with a 71 Mercury Monterey.

With a 400 V8, a pair of air shocks, and tow hitch - darn good tow vehicle.

 

[EsoxRanger]

Re: First tow vehicle EVER

My first tow vehicle (not one borrowed from Dad) was a 1978 Dodoge Aspen wagon with w/ 2V 225 cid 6 cyl and a Hurst 4 speed on the floor. Shortly thereafter I moved to a '78 Dodge Adventurer club cab, extended cabs were pretty rare back then. (I got it in 1981) It towed my Crestliner Super fishhawk/ mariner 60 like it wasn't there. I put a ton of miles on that rig, I don't think we missed a road or lake in MI, and took several trips to New England.