Art & Inspiration Custom Car pulling an old Airstream = Bad Idea?

Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

Custom Car pulling an old Airstream = Bad Idea?

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a bit newer...but click on the link in my signature (then click the "home" tab)

I doubt you would have to upgrade the brakes...just make sure the trailer brakes work well. A transmission cooler would be a good idea.

One problem with a 50s car is that it's not so easy to find parts, as it used to be, if something happens. So be prepared...make sure your car is in good condition, check availability of stuff that is likely to fail such as fuel pump, water pump, electrical parts. If they're not available in most larger cities, then maybe get some spares, or replace them if they've been on the car a while.

Plan on traveling the back roads, not the interstates. 60 mph was considered a fast speed for towing, when they were new. 50 was more sensible.

Beware that 50s-60s Airstreams are expensive, if you find one that is affordable, you'll probably have to completely rebuild it. Not only is it expensive, it takes an amazing amount of time. I spent 3 solid months on mine, and it still looks like crap....

 

That is a terrible, terrible idea. It can't be done. This poor old Riviera is being built to have something a little more stylish than this dumpy old wagon. The wagon has a 4.8 Vortec, 4L60 combo with limited slip, full size Caprice front frame clip. It handles and stops awful. No power. No flash. It'll only do burnouts if it's power braked a little, and then, only until it shifts into third. Disappointing. It'll only tow at 65-75 comfortably. Sad. The Riv is being ruined with an Air Ride system, 5.3 Vortec, 4L60 as well. It'll be even worse, I'm totally dreading dragging this old trailer around with it. Way too much work. People ask me, "You didn't tow that here with that, did you?" Sad. That truck is the worst. 6.0. 4L65. Dana 70, 4.10's. Only gets 10 mpg towing. Horrible. Rides rough too, like an old one ton truck. People ask me, "Did that used to a fire truck or something?" So lame. I'm going to scrap it. It is hard to find parts for. Sad. The worst. People should not use old custom cars to tow a trailer with.
Edit: And, Airstreams. So yesterday. So sad, really. People are saying, they're telling me. Too expensive, too much work. If you buy one and fix it up, you'll only be able to make twice what you spent. Terrible deal. The worst ever. Everybody has one. Nobody wants one. I would to a better deal. ;-)

 

OK, boys, stand aside. My mother drove a 1938 Ford sedan TOWING a 26' trailer from Fort Wayne, Indiana to San Diego in 1947. Her brother was stationed in San Diego and raved about the area, so my mother packed everything she could, including my grandmother who BTW did not drive, and took off. She had a waterbag on each door handle for crossing the mountains and desert (ask somebody really old why!). My mom was tough!

 

Good idea? Bad idea? Yes, and well, yes. The bad idea trumps the good idea. You're right about the brakes even if the trailer has it's own (do they?). What we have today that didn't exist back then is tractor-trailers with the ability to run 65-70 MPH. Those of you who 1/2 ton tag a small enclosed trailer, how do you like that "suck you in-blow you out gig when they fly by? Even when you try to pass them, it can be downright frightening. What would it do to that Airstream and slab-sided Safari? Even with top notch sway bars it happens, it just sucks n blows the whole rig. These days I tow with a dually and 5th wheel. Yes, a real 5th wheel like RV trailers, not a gooseneck. I'll never go back.

I think for a local gig where you're not dealing with the perils of the interstates and turnpikes it would fun, relatively safe, worth the effort. From say, Detroit to Austin, TX? Not me. And full disclosure here, yes I am indeed now a spoiled bitch, or a trailer snob, or maybe just too old to go backward. I'll try to keep this short. A client insisted he could pull a 24' tag enclosed trailer with his 75 Cadillac Fleetwood. Big brakes and an abundance of torque were his inspiration, lack of tow miles were his misstep. Driven to prove me wrong he equipped the Caddy with a Reese hitch, a brake controller, even a Shrader valve to add air to the ride control shocks. "C'mon, let's go try it out." "I'd rather not, no disrepect but..." I went along at his insistence. We hit I-94 and a semi passed us at about 65 MPH and it was all but over. And the trailer was empty! It bottomed out, swayed uncontrollably even with cam-lock bars, and I can tell you straight up, those imaginary passenger side brake pedals don't work! "Get us back! PLEASE!" I can't even fathom the effect with 5000lbs of Packard in the trailer. At 1000lbs less, is the Airstream a good idea? Maybe only if it was those little "toaster" looking versions. Safe is way, WAY cooler than fun sometimes. Good luck, whatever your choice, but a dandy old pickup might work better, say a 62-3-4-5 GM or Ford? 3/4 ton too for the brakes and suspension.

 

Glad to hear all this, we've only towed that Spartan (or the first two Spartans) across the country a couple of times and back with the '51 Pontiac wagon, or the (now sold) '48 Pontiac convert. We won't try that again! We'll try to be more like everybody else from now on!

 

I only put 5,000 miles on the Avalair last year.

 

My Dad used to tell stories of everybody that told him he couldn't pull a trailer...

 

An Airstream is as balanced as they come.They pull like a dream.Just do some weight matching and make sure the electric brakes work.Do your homework.I mean these things were built at the same time period.If it was done back then why not now????

 

I wonder why an Airstream tows so much better than a box?

 

Theres a ballzy camper guy!!!

 

got to love the HAMB...........next question please

 

The Avalair.
http://theadventuresofavalair.blogspot.com/
The 55 is getting retrofitted this fall to pull it.
I also designed a hitch into the frame on the Produce truck. Still need to wire up the trailer brake controller.
There are other options to consider besides just Airstream.

Silver Streak
Streamline
Avalair
Boles Aero
CurtisWright

 

One reason is the streamlined shape. It not only goes thru the air easier, it is less affected by cross winds and air gusts. Then there is the trailing arm, rubber sprung suspension which they adopted for stability and ride. If an Airstream is set up right and balanced right, with a tow vehicle set up right, they tow like a dream even with a regular car or mini van tow vehicle, no 2 ton trucks required.

Canada's leading Airstream dealer, Can Am, routinely picks up new units from the Airstream factory in Ohio and tows them back to Canada with a VW Passat. But they know how to set up a tow vehicle and a trailer, having been in the business for over 50 years.

 

I think that was tongue in cheek.......

 

Sounds like an adventure to me!

 

Since you have the Safari, you know how wonderful the brakes are already(NOT)
I have the Consumer Reports from 1957 and the only complaint they had was that the 1957 Pontiac could out drive the brakes!
I know that my '57 has about 3 good panic stops in a short amount of time, and then they have faded to the point of panic!
The Garden state Parkway in NJ taught me that lesson on the way to Lead East each year.
I'm sure that your Safari would otherwise tow the Airstream just fine with the couple of upgrades you mentioned.
KK

 

Look at an old Airstream ad from the 50s. Part of their smart marketing .What kind of "vehicle" is towing it???

 

If anybody discounts wind resistance of a trailer being towed, all I can offer is that this little canned ham, at half the weight and half the length of our Spartans (see above photos I posted) tows "harder". It's square edges drag wind like a barn, despite the egg shape profile. The increase drag is the only explanation, with any of our tow vehicles. Towing it at 65 has the transmission in the truck "hunting" between 3rd and 4th on slightest grade, towing the Spartan it almost NEVER downshifts. We have a 20' enclosed car hauler, this feels as "big" behind the wagon or the truck as the trailer does with a car loaded. And, we've towed it a LOT with a car inside. Our Spartan, bigger than it's Airstream contemporaries, tows beautifully, behind the wagon, the truck, or our half ton late model pickup.

 

What the HAMB is for traditional hot rods, these guys are for Airstream trailers. They even have a board about tow vehicles including vintage vehicles. You will learn more here than you could believe possible about owning, travelling, fixing, and restoring old trailers.

Airstream Forums http://www.airforums.com/forums/

Vintage tow vehicle thread http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463/vintage-tow-vehicle-47507.html

 

As was my experience as well. I was very surprised at how easily my 1966 26' Overlander pulled.

Was a little nerve-wracking pulling past or being passed by semi-truck/trailers, as the trailer would walk towards or away with the air currents/draft.

 

That happens with any bumper pull trailer. The age makes no difference. It's the truck that's passing you's bow wake .

 

Havnt read any previous replies but @travisfromkansas of Royboyproductions.com just took his behind his bellflower galaxy from Kansas to the round up and back. Check out his page for a post about how his first trip went as well as some build up features here and there.

He's planing on going on a road trip and hitting all of the continental 48 states! Doing photo shoots of traditional rods and customs the whole way and then making an nice book of the trip. Check it out!

 

Yeah, what they said. I added trailer brakes to my little canned ham and have a power master cylinder on the Galaxie now. The fronts will be changed to disc as well in the next few weeks.

I did 1400 miles with the camper on the shakedown run, everything worked well except that I need to go back from the 2.75 gear to the 3.50 in the car to have a little more guts on the hills. Other than that the car pulled well, wanted to run 70 mph in 3rd without the OD but got 8mpg.

The gear will get swapped soon and the next trip for me is about 500 miles round trip to the Stray Kat 500 next week in OK.

 

according to this documentary, no problem.

 

Just go easy on the rock collecting!

 

Yes. Due to the lightness of the Airstream- It seemed to "walk" a little more than the other heavier trailers I had pulled in the past.

 

I'm shocked 3 cars with modern drivetrains and at least one with a frame upgrade tow well. While your cars are nice and they do the job they are far from towing trailers with vintage cars. Not saying it can't be done safely but kinda apple and oranges where you are concerned.

 

I used to to16 ft camp trailer with my 48 and my old 51 Merc and both handled them ok. No problem with power and I had trailer brakes and disk brakes on the front of both rigs when I towed the trailer. A load leveling hitch helped a lot as far as keeping things level and even more for controlling those passing semi wind storm shakes.

 

Hey y'all, I did admit I'm now a trailer snob. Too comfy-cozy to go back now. I just sit there and watch the miles add up. Can it be done? Go for it, tell us about it, have fun, play it safe. Would I? Probably not.