You tow what with your vintage van?!?

Inspired by my own van and trailer towing adventures and pictures posted by the likes of EconoCarl and CorvanMan, I thought I would start this fun post. What do you/have you towed with your vintage van?

I have towed a variety of utility trailers, vintage boat trailers, and campers with my van and truck. I do not have pictures of everything- but here is a sampling. More to come...

1962 Corvair Greenbrier with Reese Backpacker trailer in dirt-moving and camping mode:





1961 Corvair Rampside (before paint and bodywork) towing the in-laws' 1987 13' Serro Scotty camper:



Greenbrier and Rampside towing our 1961 13' Serro Scotty camper:





Rampside towing the 1964 Airstream Bambi II (not far-only up the driveway...):



So- what do YOU tow with your vintage van?

I actually put tiny 7" electric drum brakes on the trailer. Really need to upgrade to discs on the '66 A100.
Interesting after the trip, I drove the unloaded van out of the driveway and underestimated how much power the 318 put out. Maybe some carbon got blown out?

I would not recommend this for a corvan

Here we are returning from the Mid-South Econoline Meet in Arkansas this year, right at 1000 miles round trip.

If I own it and it can be towed. At least one of my vans has pulled it!







Heck, I've even pulled my 66 panel with my 65 Sportvan!!!

Here is another one of the Greenbrier with a 1962 Serro Scotty under reconstruction. This trailer went to my buddy once I had it completed:

[quote="DanTheVanMan"]If I own it and it can be towed. At least one of my vans has pulled it!



Dan-

What kind of trailer is this? U-Hail? Casita? Burro? I love the old fiberglass egg trailers. Parents-in-law almost bought a Boler one time.

Ben

EconoCarl-

What make is your trailer? Looks European to me...saw one at a campout one time shaped kind of like yours.

[/quote]

[quote="bensbus"]

DanTheVanMan wrote:If I own it and it can be towed. At least one of my vans has pulled it!



Dan-

What kind of trailer is this? U-Hail? Casita? Burro? I love the old fiberglass egg trailers. Parents-in-law almost bought a Boler one time.

Ben

Ben, It's a 1972 Cloud. The mold were bought a few years later by Burro. I found it on Craigslist for $1300. Invested about $200 to make it safe and sold it six months later for $2800. Been kicking myself ever since! Really should have kept it!!!

Dan

[quote="DanTheVanMan"]

bensbus wrote:

DanTheVanMan wrote:If I own it and it can be towed. At least one of my vans has pulled it!

Ben, It's a 1972 Cloud. The mold were bought a few years later by Burro. I found it on Craigslist for $1300. Invested about $200 to make it safe and sold it six months later for $2800. Been kicking myself ever since! Really should have kept it!!!

Dan

It is a sweet trailer, Dan. I bet it was good and light- and watertight for camping. I have sold things I later regretted. The Greenbrier was my first car- and so I won't sell it even though we sometimes have a love-hate relationship!

itruns wrote:I actually put tiny 7" electric drum brakes on the trailer. Really need to upgrade to discs on the '66 A100.
Interesting after the trip, I drove the unloaded van out of the driveway and underestimated how much power the 318 put out. Maybe some carbon got blown out?

Really sweet rig! I wish I had 318 power. Corvairs are not known for that! Towing is a good way to blow the motors out.

Dad used to tow pop up trailers with his '66 and '69 Chevy vans and then upgraded to a 24' Airstream which he towed for years with the '69 camper van. I would love to see pictures of that rig! Unfortunately, they were not big into pictures back then.

scarlin wrote:I would not recommend this for a corvan

No- I wouldn't either! I am actually considering putting in some form of water cooled motor in the Corvair van- with much more power- so I can tow bigger trailers. All in the pipeline right now, but it could happen!

Sweet rig! Ben

bensbus wrote:EconoCarl-

What make is your trailer? Looks European to me...saw one at a campout one time shaped kind of like yours.

It's a 1964 Mobile Scout, manufactured in Arlington Texas.
The inside is very similar to a Shasta.
Best $300 we've spent!

Carl’s canned ham has been an inspiration for us. but I don’t think I’ll be able to find a ham in that same price range. been looking at vintage shastas. we are thinking a few years down the road.

[/quote]
It's a 1964 Mobile Scout, manufactured in Arlington Texas.
The inside is very similar to a Shasta.
Best $300 we've spent! [/quote]

THAT PRICE IS RIGHT! I, too, have gotten some good deals on small, vintage trailers. This one (a fiberglass 1973 Compact Jr.- about 800 lbs!) was found at a yard sale at a local upscale cottage town. Price- Free:



This one, a 1962 Serro Scotty, was bought for $100 as a unique puzzle. The owner was being transferred to Alaska and needed to get rid of it. He had begun reconstruction, although quite blindly and a lot of things were not done correctly. I spent an entire Summer fitting all the pieces together, correcting the mistakes, and eventually sold the camper to my buddy Rob:



Both looked great being towed by the Corvairs...

Ben

Think these are all posted on here else where but Ill post em here also.

'60s Heilite single wheel tent trailer





'57 Sears Allstate single wheel trailer. I started stripping it and treating the rust, havent gotten much further, gotta get to that. lol Thats not rust on it in the pic, its the residue from the phosphuric acid.





Also have a '67 Apache pop up. I towed it around the block, but it realy is to much for a Corvair to be pulling.



Got a vintage two wheel Allstate also, trying to sell it before winter comes, but havent realy towed it with the van, dont realy want to, it needs to find a new home. Someone come give it a new home.