Car Towing

I bought an antique car last fall. (1928 Essex Super-Six:-) Now I see that unless I have

a truck & trailer, I won't be going to any shows very far from home.

I am not the sharpest tool in the box, so I am need some advise on how 'big' of a towing vehicle do I need?

How do I determine this? My Essex is approx. 2500 Lbs. How about the trailer size?

I am looking at open trailer because of cost.

Is there any car rental places that rent towing vehicles?

Please help me out, keeping in mind that I am happily married (so far)and would like to keep it that way.

ChaplainLar

ChaplainLar...

My advise is to do a "Search" of "towing". The subject has been discussed at length on this forum over the years. You will find an enormous amount of useful information submitted by the AACA Forum members.

--Click on "Search" within the header.

--Left column, "all forums".

--Right column, search word "towing". "In subject". Newer than "5 years", older than "1 month". Click on submit.

As for renting a tow vehicle, a deceased friend of mine once rented a tow package equipped Chevy Silverado from United Rentals here in PA.

Regards,

PJH... <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I too suggest you do an Internet search for "towing limits". But the quick answer is to add the weight of your trailer and car to find the maximum load you will be towing. In your case it would be about 4,000# maximum with an open car trailer.

Look up the tow limit on your truck and you will know where you need to go from there. Just about any half ton pickup should tow your Essex on an open trailer.

Just be sure you do not exceed the load limit of the tow vehicle by including anything else you will be carrying...people, tools, swap meet purchases, etc...

U Haul rents open trailers around here.

I just wrote an article on trailering for one of the CCCA regions and also posted it to my website. Its geared for the heavier collectible, but still useful nonetheless.

Trailering Article

Chris

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just wrote an article on trailering for one of the CCCA regions and also posted it to my website. Its geared for the heavier collectible, but still useful nonetheless.

Trailering Article

Chris </div></div>

VERY informative article on Trailering 101. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

One thing I found very useful when it comes to safety is installing a back-up alarm at the rear of the trailer.

I have found that at many car events spectators do not always pay attention to their surroundings.

That also holds true for people at turnpike and highway plazas.

When backing up my trailer, the alarm makes people VERY aware unless they are totally deaf.

I also installed a kill switch for the alarm so as not to disturb the neighbors when

I get home late at night with the trailer.

One other addition to trailer basics would be the placement and use of Reflective Conspicuity Tape on the outside of the trailer to improve the visability of the trailer to others on the road. Use of this tape is even more important if the trailer is a dark color.

When I designed and purchased my trailer I was very fortunate to have a friend with many years of trailering

experience. I was able to learn a LOT from him and benefit from some of the lessons he learned the hard way.

I was also fortunate to have chosen a trailer manufacturer that was very willing to make engineering changes

to accomodate my needs (raise the trailer floor and relocate the escape door more forward than normal)

and not charge me an arm and a leg to do it.

BTW, I too mounted a winch in my trailer. I did it a little differently than the example in the article.

I mounted the winch to a piece of square steel bar and drilled holed in it to put a standard hitch pin through it.

Finally I mounted a bumper hitch receiver to the frame of the trailer. This setup allows me to install and

remove the winch as needed. It also gives me the flexibility to slide the winch in the receiver on

my tow vehicle and use the winch to move a disabled vehicle to the trailer or pull a stuck vehicle out of

a muddy situation.

Charlier,

If you have no objections, I'd like to include your comments to the web article.

Chris

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Charlier,

If you have no objections, I'd like to include your comments to the web article.

Chris </div></div>

Chris,

Please feel free to include my comments in the web article.

If you like, I can also email you some photos of my trailer with the Reflective Conspicuity Tape on it,

the removable winch set up and the back up alarm and where is it mounted along with the kill switch.

Let me know if you are interested.

Hey Chris & Charlie,

Thank you both for your answers here(and the others also, you all

helped!)...I would like

photo's of the trailer.

Larry

Larry@medinalight.com