Whats a good vehicle to tow a 16ft trailer with a Z on it?

[josh817]

Well thats good news.

 

I was actually seriously looking into Ford F100's. I found some nice ones within the $3000 range. 5.0L V8 with a T5 tranny, 1968 or something.

 

My father informed me that the used car market is pretty good right now, which is exciting. Hopefully I can get rid of this Honda without any hassle.

[BLOZ UP]

What kind of Honduh?

[Two80z4me]

Well, I understand this is totally out of your pricerange, but my 2008 Toyota Tundra Crewmax 5.7L (soon to be supercharged) v8 is more than enough to tow my car, plus another car over the burly passes here in MT. It tows my 4 car horse trailer full of horses just fine as well. Here: and the old dog in the bed was included

 

I think Im going to sell my Tundra so I can go to film school and buy one of these to tow:

 

and yes I plan to lower it.

[josh817]

1998 Honda Civic LX. Pretty good shape, 110,000 miles, only cosmetic damage like a little dings and a scratch on the bumper. We just put in a new tranny and exhaust manifold. Figured it should fetch a solid $3000 if my dads '98 with 250,000 miles, no a/c, Honda sold for $2100 in ONE night on Craigslist.

[sticky280zx]

LAWLS i have a 68 F100 360 v8 2brl (better milage) with an auto 85 bronco trans...love it, just got a month ago and have been tinkering with the interior along with a new radiator with a coolant and tans flush

 

 

hiding in the back over there...

Edited December 28, 2010 by sticky280zx

[josh817]

Do you find all the interior switches work, being a '68?

 

I think the one I was looking at was a 302 with all sorts of trick **** done to it and the manual 5 speed. Two things I'm concerned with, 1) don't know if I want trick **** because it will just lower the fuel mileage? 2) Dad doesn't like the idea of a manual 5 speed in a truck but then again, he always brings my little step brother everywhere so he's constantly kicking the shift lever. Figured 5th overdrive would be nice for highway driving. I think the question I have for that now, is it safe to tow in 5th. I've heard a lot of no's and a lot of yes'.

 

I have one more long trip in this Honda and I'm done needing it.

 

Sticky, I'm seeing a lot of tranny options. Do they all pretty much bolt in or something? The 5 speed I was looking at is one from a Mustang. How is the mileage, not towing, in your Ford?

[ModernS30]

I think Im going to sell my Tundra so I can go to film school and buy one of these to tow:

 

and yes I plan to lower it.

 

I was going to buy an 88 4 door long bed Chevy dually with a 454 but the 9800 bucks just wasn't there to back such a purchase. Get a Subaru forester, lower it, attach hitch, have a super sweet towing machine to tow the z to the track. Plus a fantastic winter car.

[Jeremy82zx]

i love my duramax. I would invest in a diesel if i was you fun to drive and great mpg.

[sticky280zx]

Do you find all the interior switches work, being a '68?

 

I think the one I was looking at was a 302 with all sorts of trick **** done to it and the manual 5 speed. Two things I'm concerned with, 1) don't know if I want trick **** because it will just lower the fuel mileage? 2) Dad doesn't like the idea of a manual 5 speed in a truck but then again, he always brings my little step brother everywhere so he's constantly kicking the shift lever. Figured 5th overdrive would be nice for highway driving. I think the question I have for that now, is it safe to tow in 5th. I've heard a lot of no's and a lot of yes'.

 

I have one more long trip in this Honda and I'm done needing it.

 

Sticky, I'm seeing a lot of tranny options. Do they all pretty much bolt in or something? The 5 speed I was looking at is one from a Mustang. How is the mileage, not towing, in your Ford?

 

 

Ive got the stock 360...they came 360 or 460 that year and only manual option is the "three on the tree"...remember alot of these have been many peoples "projects" and the closer to stock/one owner the better. I bought mine for $1,300 and have roughly 2k into it now, it was running and driving when i bought it but needed tires as they were dry rotting (still have the same ones on it lol), also the radiator had been "fixed" by the PO (which was just getting it braised since it was brass) on the ride home it popped that weld pretty easy and so i just bought a $200 aluminum replacement and havent had any issues yet.

 

Brakes are a HUGGGGE factor in these things, most are drums all around or disk front and drum rear in later models, at any rate they need to be gone through thoroughly or swapped for the early 70s disc fronts, having a standard i would see as a positive hinestly (engine braking, easier shifts/gear selection for towing, etc). The truck gets anywhere from 12-15mpg just driving, probably 8-10 towing (in town) add 2-3mpg to each if its highway miles (and i have the 3 gear auto with a 4th OD), alot of **** swaps with these old trucks (just like our datsuns) trans, brakes, etc...

 

I love my ford because it was cheaper than alll of the chevys but the chevys already have 350s which are cheap and very plentiful, but i like the bumpside body alot better and ive already had a swb chevy and i wanted a long bed for towing/my other job (decorative landscapes, hauling mulch, rock, car parts, etc) and this was going to be my WORK truck not a pretty/fast truck, or i wouldve just gotten another sqb chevy. Just depends on what you want but since the 302 has already been swapped in you can either keep it mild and use it as a work truck or throw a turbo, nitrous, etc onto that 5.0 and have a good ole time, either way make sure the body is in good shape and dont worry too much about rusty panels as you can find cheap doors, fenders, hoods, tailgates, etc for $50-100 alllll day long and not much more for new repros.