Old Car towing pictures

treessavoy · 03-05-2009, 02:38 PM

I was at Atlanta when Jerry Stein's '64A/SA max wedge car came in be being towed by a matching '64 plymouth wagon.

Rory McNeil · 03-05-2009, 04:59 PM

Back in the early 70`s, a racer I knew, Kerry Rawlick , used to regularily tow his heavy SS/OA 396 65 Impala station wagon from BC Canada to California with a 67 Impala wagon with a 275hp 327. And he always made it home afterwards!!

Bob Lasko · 03-05-2009, 05:07 PM

Back in the early 70's I flat towed my 67 Chevy Nova SS with my COPO Chevell, That I wish i still had. The Chevell had a 427/435 engine with a 4 speed and 411 gears.

Rich Biebel · 03-05-2009, 05:29 PM

Flat towing was an adventure to say the least. I have many stories that had to do with incidents related to flat towing and most of them sound funny now but they were'nt back in the day.....One of my favorite combos belonged to John Thropp I think....he had matching 57 Pontiacs... a 2 dr racecar and a Safari wagon that was the Pontiac version of a Nomad.....My partner and I had a 57 sedan delivery and we also had a 57 wagon for a tow car for a while. We were kind of low buck so we used to have to take a couple parts off the tow car for the race car when we got to the track. The tow car had a hotter engine in it than the racecar.....Duntov solid lifter cam......was a real chatterbox under the hood on the way to the track.......

Ed Fernandez · 03-05-2009, 06:12 PM

Being the high buck racer that I am I flat towed my original Gremlin (1973,bought brand new) from 1977 to 1990 when I finally bought a new open trailer.Flat towing had some advantages,if my tow vehicle had side clearance so did the car.I towed with a 1975 AMC Matador S/W,1979 Jeep Cherokee Chief,1987 Pontiac
Safari.Disadvantage,stopping.Lucily only had one accident.In 1980 a woman stopped on the Long Island Exp. because there was a muffler in one of the two traffic lanes.There was no one else within 5 miles of us.I hit her and knifed and spun 540 degrees before hitting the inner guard rail.Almost went to jail for choking the dumb *itch.
Still have the NMW tow hubs in the basement in case times get really bad.
Ed F.

Sean Haning · 03-06-2009, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Being the high buck racer that I am I flat towed my original Gremlin (1973,bought brand new) from 1977 to 1990 when I finally bought a new open trailer.Flat towing had some advantages,if my tow vehicle had side clearance so did the car.I towed with a 1975 AMC Matador S/W,1979 Jeep Cherokee Chief,1987 Pontiac
Safari.Disadvantage,stopping.Lucily only had one accident.In 1980 a woman stopped on the Long Island Exp. because there was a muffler in one of the two traffic lanes.There was no one else within 5 miles of us.I hit her and knifed and spun 540 degrees before hitting the inner guard rail.Almost went to jail for choking the dumb *itch.
Still have the NMW tow hubs in the basement in case times get really bad.
Ed F.

LOL, thats an awesome story. Well at least the choking a bitch part.

Ed Fernandez · 03-06-2009, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Haning

LOL, thats an awesome story. Well at least the choking a bitch part.

To expand on the story,the local vol. FD came and shot foam into my wagon's gas tank.Needed two tow trucks to local yard.Gremlin had hood,bumper and right front fender damage.Wagon hit in three corners.
The nitwit woman was an insurance agent and her Monte Carlo was hardly damaged on the left rear corner.My insurance paid for her damage.That's what really boiled my hide.

Travis Miller · 03-05-2009, 11:29 PM

Here's one for you Red. In late 1969 a friend had a '55 Chevy we sat up for B/MP. Since we were racing it locally we did not see a need for tow hubs. Started off flat towing the '55 with his brother's '53 6cyl Chevy. Across the river from Louisville was Harrison County dragstrip. To get to the track we had to pull a steep hill on Hwy 211 in Indiana. We would get a run at the hill but the 6cyl would run out of steam part way up the hill. Thats when we would fire up the 427 and push the '53 the rest of the way up the hill.

Travis

(Disclaimer: Opinions and old stories expressed by me on this forum are exactly that, my opinions and my old stories.)

chris3racing · 06-11-2009, 07:12 AM

I will not try to tell the story like the man himself, but if you ever have a chance to talk to Hubert Platt ask him to tell you the complete story about how he flat towed a Ford Thunderbolt to Person County, Roxboro for you younger folks. Hubert is out of Georgia. One Sunday morning, yes we match raced on "Sunday, Sunday" back in those days, he came through the back country roads and his tow truck broke down. He unhooked the tow bar from the Thunderbolt and drove that race car though the small communities up there to get to the race track.

At racer reunions these stories usually draw a crowd and if Hubert is telling them this story in particular. As some one else has already said those were the days and the stories are priceless. These types of sites can bring back a lot of memories and the young folks can get a good laugh.

OLD INJUN · 06-11-2009, 12:28 PM

In 1967 i was flat towing a 65 chevelle with a 57 chevy wagon that had a 275 hp chevy crate engine in it .we were going from sioux falls s.dak. To sioux city to a race running along at 100 mph and these guys in this outfit passed us. THE GOOD OL DAYS, RIGHT ?

03-05-2009, 02:38 PM	#1
treessavoy VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Dunnellon,FL Posts: 1,103 Likes: 0 Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Old Car towing pictures I was at Atlanta when Jerry Stein's '64A/SA max wedge car came in be being towed by a matching '64 plymouth wagon.

03-05-2009, 04:59 PM	#2
Rory McNeil VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: from Vancouver BC Canada, now in Nova Scotia Posts: 1,311 Likes: 314 Liked 1,102 Times in 301 Posts	Re: Old Car towing pictures Back in the early 70`s, a racer I knew, Kerry Rawlick , used to regularily tow his heavy SS/OA 396 65 Impala station wagon from BC Canada to California with a 67 Impala wagon with a 275hp 327. And he always made it home afterwards!! __________________ NHRA 6390 STK M/S 85 Mustang

03-05-2009, 05:07 PM	#3
Bob Lasko Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Wilton,CT Posts: 628 Likes: 0 Liked 185 Times in 54 Posts	Re: Old Car towing pictures Back in the early 70's I flat towed my 67 Chevy Nova SS with my COPO Chevell, That I wish i still had. The Chevell had a 427/435 engine with a 4 speed and 411 gears.

03-05-2009, 05:29 PM	#4
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,314 Likes: 25 Liked 544 Times in 213 Posts	Re: Old Car towing pictures Flat towing was an adventure to say the least. I have many stories that had to do with incidents related to flat towing and most of them sound funny now but they were'nt back in the day.....One of my favorite combos belonged to John Thropp I think....he had matching 57 Pontiacs... a 2 dr racecar and a Safari wagon that was the Pontiac version of a Nomad.....My partner and I had a 57 sedan delivery and we also had a 57 wagon for a tow car for a while. We were kind of low buck so we used to have to take a couple parts off the tow car for the race car when we got to the track. The tow car had a hotter engine in it than the racecar.....Duntov solid lifter cam......was a real chatterbox under the hood on the way to the track....... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Stock 147R

03-05-2009, 06:12 PM	#5
Ed Fernandez Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NOO JOISEY nexta NOO YAWK Posts: 5,879 Likes: 38 Liked 100 Times in 45 Posts	Re: Old Car towing pictures Being the high buck racer that I am I flat towed my original Gremlin (1973,bought brand new) from 1977 to 1990 when I finally bought a new open trailer.Flat towing had some advantages,if my tow vehicle had side clearance so did the car.I towed with a 1975 AMC Matador S/W,1979 Jeep Cherokee Chief,1987 Pontiac Safari.Disadvantage,stopping.Lucily only had one accident.In 1980 a woman stopped on the Long Island Exp. because there was a muffler in one of the two traffic lanes.There was no one else within 5 miles of us.I hit her and knifed and spun 540 degrees before hitting the inner guard rail.Almost went to jail for choking the dumb itch. Still have the NMW tow hubs in the basement in case times get really bad. Ed F. __________________ Former NHRA #1945 Former IHRA #1945 T/SA Last edited by Ed Fernandez; 03-05-2009 at 07:16 PM.*

03-05-2009, 11:29 PM	#8
Travis Miller Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 478 Likes: 1 Liked 276 Times in 27 Posts	Re: Old Car towing pictures Here's one for you Red. In late 1969 a friend had a '55 Chevy we sat up for B/MP. Since we were racing it locally we did not see a need for tow hubs. Started off flat towing the '55 with his brother's '53 6cyl Chevy. Across the river from Louisville was Harrison County dragstrip. To get to the track we had to pull a steep hill on Hwy 211 in Indiana. We would get a run at the hill but the 6cyl would run out of steam part way up the hill. Thats when we would fire up the 427 and push the '53 the rest of the way up the hill. Travis (Disclaimer: Opinions and old stories expressed by me on this forum are exactly that, my opinions and my old stories.)

06-11-2009, 07:12 AM	#9
chris3racing Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 528 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Old Car towing pictures I will not try to tell the story like the man himself, but if you ever have a chance to talk to Hubert Platt ask him to tell you the complete story about how he flat towed a Ford Thunderbolt to Person County, Roxboro for you younger folks. Hubert is out of Georgia. One Sunday morning, yes we match raced on "Sunday, Sunday" back in those days, he came through the back country roads and his tow truck broke down. He unhooked the tow bar from the Thunderbolt and drove that race car though the small communities up there to get to the race track. At racer reunions these stories usually draw a crowd and if Hubert is telling them this story in particular. As some one else has already said those were the days and the stories are priceless. These types of sites can bring back a lot of memories and the young folks can get a good laugh.

06-11-2009, 12:28 PM	#10
OLD INJUN Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 160 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Old Car towing pictures In 1967 i was flat towing a 65 chevelle with a 57 chevy wagon that had a 275 hp chevy crate engine in it .we were going from sioux falls s.dak. To sioux city to a race running along at 100 mph and these guys in this outfit passed us. THE GOOD OL DAYS, RIGHT ? Last edited by OLD INJUN; 07-14-2013 at 06:00 PM.