Trailer hitches for older vehicals

Just FWIW, there used to be lots of lighter hitches made for older cars, starting around the mid-50s I think, although I've seen balls added on cars back into the '40s. Designed to bolt to the frame and bottom of the bumper usually. I have a couple that I'm not sure what they're even for. But I had one a while back that was stamped '63 Corvette (!)... that one brought a few bucks on eBay.

 

I have one of those out in the garage. Gave $2 for it somewhere to get the ball off it for my lawn tractor. The clamp looks like it would probably fit a 50 Chevy bumper. I'd trust it to pull anything you wanted anywhere you wnted. As long as I get to stay home.

 

I've pulled the whole damn Chevy by the bumper, I have to think one of those clamp-on balls would be good for a two-wheel trailer up to 1000 lbs for occasional use. Or whatever they rate the lightest hitch class for.

 

Old cars, grandfathered in. I have a hard time believing "It's been on it for 15 years" won't work.

-Brad

 

Like this?

 

Heck, I've towed cars using truck step-bumper hitches before. I'm sure it's more than one is rated for, but in an emergency you gotta do what you gotta do... and that's what the extra chain around the whole works and up into the frame rail, is for, the next emergency.

 

I sold the truck but I know the part number of the hitch I used. I believe it is a drawtite 75034 but will check for you. As far as the license plated the receiver part of the tube should more than likely go under it and the crossbar of the hitch behind it, you may have an issue with the fuel cell you spoke of though. I will post tonight for you. Joe

 

These are Draw tite part numbers that fit 34 inch frame
40050 boxed 3 piece hitch 6k
41001 1 pc 6k
41547 1 pc 6k
41903 1 pc 10k
41927 1 pc 12k

These may or may not hang to low and may or may not fit you tank straps though. Hope this helps, Joe

 

I don't tow heavy loads with my 34, so I fabbed up my own using 1 x 2 tubing. Welded it together then bolted it to the frame. I use a custom hitch that is inserted into the 1x2 tubing at the rear and held in place with a hitch pin. Works well for my needs, but like I said I don't tow heavy loads.

 

I went to my local trailer hitch shop, because i waited till the last second to think how i was going to pull my little travel trailer. They were a little pricey, but they through in the receiver for free. It was ordered for a 90's Astrovan that the person never picked up. They did have to do some fabing to make it fit, but it is good and strong. Also they fixed some of my tail light problems, when hooking up the trailer lights. The biggest reason I went to them was because I waited to long to do it myself, but also this is my first towing experience with an old car and wanted the pros option on it. I did make sure that they bolted everything, so i can swap it to another like car, or sell it. Here is a not so good picture of my belair and my trailer.

 

Thanks for the info Joe,
I went to a friends shop today and he happend to have a class lll drawtite hitch laying around that was 34 inches wide, I put it up to my frame and it looks like its going to work. I have to take a small section out of the mount to clear my fuel tank strap bracket for each side, and since my frame has been boxed it looks like I have no choice but to have the thing welded on.
To my surprise when I asked him what the hitch came off of he told me a 82 Suburban??!!

 

"and since my frame has been boxed it looks like I have no choice but to have the thing welded on."

You could drill holes in the boxing plates large enough to allow you to put nuts on the mounting bolts.
(I hate the appearance of welded on hitches & they suck to try to take off)

 

the way to do that is to drill an access hole in the side of the frame or if the end of the frame is open, even better, hold the hitch up and mark the rear most holes on each side. Drill them to half inch then get a fishwire, it is a wire that is about 18 inches long and tightly coiled at the end which threads over a half inch bolt.
Use this to snake a half inch carriage bolt and a square or rectangular plate that has the square punched in the middle so that when the bolts drops down in the frame the plate keeps it from spinning and also spreads the load on the frame. Then put the hitch up and use flat washers, lock washers, and a nut on each side and tighten them up. Use the hitch holes remaining as a template and drill the frame 2 or three more times on each side and repeat as above for getting the bolts in the boxed frame.
The is the procedure on about half of the hitches made. Unless it is going on a truck or full size van most of the frames are boxed not channel.
If you went to a drawtite dealer then they should have the fishwires and hardware needed.
Welded hitches are not the prefered way to go.
Btw all of the hitches I mentioned in the above post are grade 5, the difference is in the 10 and 12k hitches they use 9/16 rather than 1/2. I am not sure but I think that that the grade 8 is stronger but more prone to braking where as the grade 5 will stretch before braking. I am not sure on this but the high paid engineers design them that way so I assume this is the reason. Also btw, grade five are also used in their fifth wheel hitch frame bracketry. Hope this helps again, Joe

 

When I was an Ass-manager at the parts house, I bought a run of the mill in stock "ford hitch" that fits most all trucks, and low and behold, it fit my 53 f100 too. bolted right up.

I have one off of a ford van sitting in the yard. If you drive by, you can have it for free.

If anyone else is interested, I can take some pics of the one I "bolted" on and possibly get the hitch part number off of it. Its a reese

 

On the off chance someone was still interested here are some pictures now that it stopped raining. Mine is a reese brand that fits about every listed ford truck up unto the time I bought it, which was 1991. It is 34 inch frame.