New guy here!

New to the forum. Never owned an early van but am wanting one now. I have built street rods in the past and currently restore and race vintage mx motorcycles.

What i am hoping to do is pull my 1972 Holsclaw 3 rail trailer with up to three bikes. Plus there will be tools, gear,gas cans... in the van. Bikes all average close to 250 with gas.

With that said I am not sure what I want? I like the look of the Fords but open. I also think I want a big 6 cylinder. Does the long wheelbase tow better?

Open to any advice and suggestions. Hoping to find something in the Pacific Northwest but???

Thanks,
Tom

Welcome to the site Tom!!! With all that gear you want a Ford Supervan or a Chevy or Dodge A100 (108 model)

Welcome aboard I hope you enjoy the ride I know I am. Bill

Hello!
The Ford super van (long body) had the same wheelbase. I would not choose that for towing, since there is so much body behind the rear axle already.


I'd suggest a Chevy or Dodge long wheelbase, although the trailer would probably work with a shorty too. I tend to be overly cautious before and during towing. I'd rather have too much power, brakes, suspension and tie-downs than not enough!

I thought the same thing about the overhang of the Ford. I really like the look of the short vans best but I will look for a short van or a long Chev or Dodge.

What are the thoughts on a 6 for hauling up to 1000 lbs. Tongue weight on the trailer isn't much but three bikes, trailer, and gear = about 1000 lbs.

I plan on upgrading brakes.

Welcome! If you go with a chevy, the 292 is a monster of a 6 and would tow anything you wanted.

Welcome fordy2dr,
I'm guessing that you are a Ford guy (might even have a '40 Ford two door!), so why not stay Ford. I agree with RodStRace, a Super wouldn't be as good as a shorty, and a shorty should handle all of your tool and spares. The phone company and others worked out of these vans for years. We've towed the camper below with two different Econolines, one had a 170 six and the other a 240 (V8's weren't available in the 1st gens). The 240 is by far the way to go! with the stock 3.0 rear gear we are able to tow highway speeds long distances without any problems. As for braking, we did add disc brakes to the front.

I don't think I would put 1000 pounds of tounge weight on any of the earlys because of the uni-body. Mabe a 1000 lb trailer with 150 lb tounge weight.

An A108 Sportsman with a 318 V8/Auto would be my choice The V8/auto where popular options on those rides.

I'll be towing a small pop-up for the first time this year and I doubt if I'll have any issues with my 90" wb. That being said, our Dodge A100/108s are basically mid-engined unit-body trucks with the fuel tank behind the rear axle, so a longer wheel base may make driving it a little less stressful if you're pulling anything tall, long or heavier than +/- 1000 lbs. We have yet to determine what the tow rating on these trucks may have been or even if they had a rating. Trailer sway can get real scary. Electric trailer brakes may be a good idea.

btw, fyi & imo - Driving an Early is wicked fun and it's even better with a nice loud peddle.

Oh, and welcome to the site I'm sure someone will find you a van listing that will make you shout "THAT'S THE ONE!"

Tounge weight will be minimal, maybe 50lbs? The bikes are pretty much centered over the trailer axle and the trailer itself is light. My 1000 lbs number is worst case scenario total load, plus a couple people. The stuff in the cargo area of the van would probably be under 200lbs.

I am looking at a short ford with the 170 c.i. I am guessing that would have to be replaced?

kookykrispy wrote:Welcome! If you go with a chevy, the 292 is a monster of a 6 and would tow anything you wanted.

There is a local long wheelbase 68 or 69 chevy on craigslist that has a 4 speed and a 6. Did they come with a 292 or were they using the 250 by then?

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/2128342247.html

This van looks really long. Is it a 108 and how can you tell if it is a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton?

Most of the 2nd gen vans came with a 250 inline 6. That one is a 108(LWB) The G-20 are a 3/4 ton,and they have 6 lug wheels. I think the G-20 were all LWB?

My 68 G-20 from Cail (Thank's Mark )[img][/img][img][/img]

If your going to get a chevy , go with a 2nd gen 108 (67-70) G20. I also have a G20 with a V8. More room , more power , and better for towing

On any trailer, the tongue weight should be ~10 percent of the total weight.
So a trailer and load of 1000 pounds should have a tongue weight of 100 pounds. A good hitch should be able to handle that easily. I agree that trailer brakes would be a good idea, even if they are not common on a trailer that light. The Tekonsha Prodigy Brake Controller is the industry standard.
Any good RV store will be able to set you up and explain how to adjust this for the best braking. They can be purchased online. The hitch should be custom built, unless you can find an original in good shape.
I doubt you will need a load levelling hitch at that weight.
With the extra stuff inside the van centered between the axles and secure, you should have no issues. I would try to avoid stacking all the van load at the rear. That would concentrate all the extra weight in the back.
That leaves brakes and power. Discs are a good addition even without towing, due to the other drivers out there, so that would be smart.
Torque is what pulls a load, and the big 6s have good torque characteristics.
I'd prefer a V8, but if you aren't pulling big inclines at freeway speed, you can go with a 6.

Welcome to the site, we are expecting pics of the ride when you get it

My 2 cents:
A six banger can pull what you want but you'll need to consider the gearing, as a dirt biker you already know that lower gears = higher rpm/less highway speed. If you get a strong six and the right gearing you can swing it, a V8 would be more comfortable though. If you are going to be pulling the passes over their you need to take that into consideration as well.

If it was me I'd be looking for a V8/Auto trans combo, the Dodge 318/Auto is a good setup

I have a V8/manual and you've got to drive this thing, no causally hanging out behind the wheel...(and no synchros on 1st gear for that matter) and don't even think about a cup of coffee or a phone call unless you have a prehensile tail like a monkey...

In short, I think any setup would work for you but some will be more comfortable than others.

On a side note, what kind of bikes you got? I have a '74 TY 250 and a '74 TY-80 trials bikes.