[VAC] Re: another tow vehicle question

["Kevin D. Allen" <kallen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings Amanda!

I don't think that you will have much worry about towing capacity with a C20
Chevrolet pickup with the 402 c.i. big block.  My family purchased a 1969
Chevrolet C20 pickup for towing a 5,000 pound travel trailer new in '69.  It
was a 350 c.i. with automatic and all of the heavy duty pieces.  It averaged
10 to 12 MPG solo and about 9 MPG solo so you will appreciate the auxiliary
fuel tanks as the standard fuel tank only had a range of about 175 miles
when towing.  You might realize a modest improvement in fuel economy with
the addition of a cab-height topper - - that addition added about 3 mpg solo
and 2 mpg towing on my 1995 Chevrolet K1500.

My main concern in today's environment would be with the valve train.  I
would want to be certain that the heads are fitted with the special hardened
valve seats to prevent rescission that can be caused by pre-ignition using
even today's premium grade fuels.  It is possible that the heads may have
come from the factory so equipped as I believe 1971 was the first year that
GM passenger cars had the hardened valve seats - - I am not sure when this
transition may have occurred with the trucks.  I tried towing with my 1965
Dodge in the late 1970s, and ended up having a very expensive valve job
including installation of hardened valve seats due to burned valves and
rescission caused by the motor's incompatibility with unleaded fuels.  The
retrofit and valve job on my 1965 Dodge back in 1979 ran almost $1,200.00.

Good luck with your decision!

Kevin Allen
WBCCI/VAC #6359
1964 Overlander International/1999 GMC K2500 Suburban
1978 Argosy Minuet/1975 Cadillac Convertible (Towcar in Training)