[VAC] TIRE Question/Vintage Jeepster tow-vehicle

[Robert C Townsend <rctowns@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Putting my question re:tires first, discursive reply to Harvey and the list
follows:
I'm renovating a 1950 'Jeepster' for use as a tow vehicle for the '48
'Trailwind'... Both the Jeepster and Trailwind have the same size wheels...
(15" 5 bolts on 5.5" diameter)...I'm thinking i'd like to mount the same
tires all the way around, on both the jeepster and the trailwind... wide
whitewalls. i've been perusing my own archives of this list re:tires, and
still have a couple of questions:
a) 'Tubeless' bias/ply tires are often available with optional tubes... is
there an advantage to operating these tires with tubes?
b) The jeepster has, i believe, a 'caster' axle... /-----\ ...while the
airstream appears to have a significant 'camber'.... \-----/ ...(have i got
this the right way 'round?)... would there be a problem with rotating tires
from the jeepster to the airstream and vice-versa? it seems like the
wear-patterns would even out, over the rotation cycles...
c) anyone have pro/cons re: classic-style whitewalls on a travel-trailer?
e.g. http://www.coker.com/


Harvey,
I've had a soft spot in my head for jeeps since i owned a brand new AMC cj5
in the '70's... and when someone on this list (possibly Fred 'Agrijeep'
Coldwell, our Historian) recommended a vintage utility wagon as a tow
vehicle, i was off and running. i've eschewed the utility wagon in favor of
the more sporty 'Jeepster', which is regarded as one of the most collectible
vehicles out there... (there were fewer than 6,000 of the '50 version made,
the "'51's" were leftover '50's). This was a post-war Willys-Overland/Brooks
Stevens designed jeep aimed at the returning GI, based upon the (apparently
mistaken) assumption that these guys hadn't had their fill of jeeps
overseas...
A jaunty little convertible, these great little cars have been faithfully
restored to original condition by purists, and re-powered by people who like
to drive them. For my money, the stock 4- and inline 6-cylinder engines are,
to my thinking, a bit underpowered to haul even my little Trailwind.
Fortunately, i had the opportunity to buy one at a very reasonable price
from a gentleman in California who has too many 'projects' and too little
time...
A previous owner had replaced the original drive-train with a '60's V-6/4WD
drive train - I'm about to take it down to a mechanic and have it gone
over - I'd rather bring the existing drive train up to snuff, if that's
possible... the other route (which is beyond my means, at present) would be
to install a small-block v-8, autotrans and transfer-case... and the power
steering, brakes, and in-dash A/C.
The rear seat in this Jeepster's long gone, leaving a wonderfully large
space for traveling 'extras', I'm thinking this might actually work out
quite well as a tow-vehicle.

Tuna
'48 Trailwind
WBCCI#8862, VAC
Reno, NV