[VAC] Re: vintage tow vehicles/60s Dodge Station Wagon

[Kevin D Allen <overlander64@xxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings RL!

I can't comment on the 50s Buick, but I do have first-hand knowledge of
towing with a 1965 Dodge equipped with a 383 c.i. V8 with 335 gross
horse power and a 727 Torqueflite Automatic Transmission.  I towed with
the car from 1979 through 1990.  I still own the car but have
discontinued its use for a number of reasons (power is not one of them
as it had ample power for my slightly over 4,000 pound 19' Nomad).
Reasons for discontinuing its use included:

1.  Concern about the factory stock heavy duty brakes.  The master
cylinder was a single cylinder unit, and the individual wheel cylinders
became nearly impossible to replace without excessively time consuming
searching.

2.  Concern about the continued stress of towing to the age worn unit
body construction chasis.

3.  The extreme difficulty finding replacement rear leaf springs and the
excessively high cost of having new replacements custom manufactured.

4.  Difficulty getting the necessary insurance on the car if it were
used to tow a trailer of any kind.  This problem is a little easier to
solve today than it was when I first discontinued use of the '65 Dodge.

The car was quite capable as a tow vehicle, but it did require a number
of modifications including:

1.  Heavy duty RV and trailer towing shift kit for transmission.
2.  Heavy duty custom 4-row core radiator.
3.  Heavy duty transmission fluid cooler.
4.  Heavy duty variable pitch engine cooling fan.
5.  Heavy duty adjustable voltage regulator.
6.  Heavy duty alternator.
7.  Heavy duty shocks.

Good luck with your decision!

Kevin Allen

Kevin D. Allen
1964 Overlander International/1999 GMC K2500 Suburban
1978 Argosy Minuet
1975 Cadillac Convertible (towcar in-training)
WBCCI/VAC #6359