I have a 62 Champ 259 V8, AT, 3:31 rear end and would like to pull my 63 GT Hawk with a 2 wheel tow dolly. Is this advisable? Need your comments.
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There are certain topics that I defer to the experts on, towing with a dolly is one and used a rented Impala to haul Packard parts is the other. Our own BAMS 50 is "da man" to talk to on this.
My personal take is that I would want more weight and braking power than a Champ could provide as a tow vehicle.
Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful"
Studebaker horse drawn buggy; 1946 M-16 fire truck; 1948 M-16 grain truck; 1949 2R16A grain truck; 1949 2R17A fire truck; 1950 2R5 pickup; 1952 2R17A grain truck; 1952 Packard 200 4 door; 1955 E-38 grain truck; 1957 3E-40 flatbed; 1961 6E-28 grain truck; 1962 7E-13D 4x4 rack truck; 1962 7E-7 Champ pickup; 1962 GT Hawk 4 speed; 1963 8E-28 flatbed; 1964 Avanti R2 4 speed; 1964 Cruiser and various other "treasures".
Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.
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There are certain topics that I defer to the experts on, towing with a dolly is one and used a rented Impala to haul Packard parts is the other. Our own BAMS 50 is "da man" to talk to on this.
My personal take is that I would want more weight and braking power than a Champ could provide as a tow vehicle.
Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful"
Studebaker horse drawn buggy; 1946 M-16 fire truck; 1948 M-16 grain truck; 1949 2R16A grain truck; 1949 2R17A fire truck; 1950 2R5 pickup; 1952 2R17A grain truck; 1952 Packard 200 4 door; 1955 E-38 grain truck; 1957 3E-40 flatbed; 1961 6E-28 grain truck; 1962 7E-13D 4x4 rack truck; 1962 7E-7 Champ pickup; 1962 GT Hawk 4 speed; 1963 8E-28 flatbed; 1964 Avanti R2 4 speed; 1964 Cruiser and various other "treasures".
Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.Comment
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I don't know about the Studebaker pickup, but I pulled my 52 Commander from Minnesota to Virginia with my 96 Dodge Ram. The only problem I had was when I got into a situation where I had to back up. It is impossible to back these things up with the car on it!
Leonard Shepherd, editor, The Commanding Leader, Central Virginia Chapter, http://centralvirginiachapter.org/
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I don't know about the Studebaker pickup, but I pulled my 52 Commander from Minnesota to Virginia with my 96 Dodge Ram. The only problem I had was when I got into a situation where I had to back up. It is impossible to back these things up with the car on it!
Leonard Shepherd, editor, The Commanding Leader, Central Virginia Chapter, http://centralvirginiachapter.org/
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I pulled my Daytona from Lake Tahoe to Detroit, and the from Detroit to Central Florida. I used my Ford Ranger with a 3.0L V-6, auto and 3.73's. The truck came with a trans cooler and front disc brakes. U-Haul probably wouldn't agree with it as they advise that the towed car and dolly be no more the 75% of the weight of the towing vehicle.
I have exceeded this without a problem (towing a Dodge minivan). But here's few things I would suggest.
1) Pull the drive shaft on the Hawk.
2) Have a trans cooler on the Champ.
3) Keep speeds to no more than 55 MPH.
4) You have to make the decision on the braking system of the truck while going thru WV and VA.
5) That 3.31 will not make this a peppy package; leave lots of room when merging and for stopping.
Good luck.
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Tom - Lakeland, FL
1964 Studebaker Daytona
Michigan Speed - www.michiganspeed.com
Club Hot Rod - www.clubhotrod.com
LS1 Tech - www.ls1tech.comTom - Bradenton, FL
1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed (Cost To Date: $2514.10)
1964 Studebaker Commander - 170 1V, 3-Speed w/ODComment
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I pulled my Daytona from Lake Tahoe to Detroit, and the from Detroit to Central Florida. I used my Ford Ranger with a 3.0L V-6, auto and 3.73's. The truck came with a trans cooler and front disc brakes. U-Haul probably wouldn't agree with it as they advise that the towed car and dolly be no more the 75% of the weight of the towing vehicle.
I have exceeded this without a problem (towing a Dodge minivan). But here's few things I would suggest.
1) Pull the drive shaft on the Hawk.
2) Have a trans cooler on the Champ.
3) Keep speeds to no more than 55 MPH.
4) You have to make the decision on the braking system of the truck while going thru WV and VA.
5) That 3.31 will not make this a peppy package; leave lots of room when merging and for stopping.
Good luck.
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Tom - Lakeland, FL
1964 Studebaker Daytona
Michigan Speed - www.michiganspeed.com
Club Hot Rod - www.clubhotrod.com
LS1 Tech - www.ls1tech.comTom - Bradenton, FL
1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed (Cost To Date: $2514.10)
1964 Studebaker Commander - 170 1V, 3-Speed w/ODComment
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I just finished pulling a 1963 lark standard with a tow dolly behind my Villager van about 100 miles.
It was very easy and did not appear to tax my van at all, except on some very steep hills. I turned off the automatic's overdrive, so that it just used the three gears.
I highly recommend the use of wheel straps. If the Hawk is automatic, you will also have to disconnect the driveshaft.
Good luck. PaulComment
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I just finished pulling a 1963 lark standard with a tow dolly behind my Villager van about 100 miles.
It was very easy and did not appear to tax my van at all, except on some very steep hills. I turned off the automatic's overdrive, so that it just used the three gears.
I highly recommend the use of wheel straps. If the Hawk is automatic, you will also have to disconnect the driveshaft.
Good luck. PaulComment
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A number of folks have responded about the use of tow dollies behind modern vehicles. The real question that Mel is asking is whether a Champ pickup is up to the challenge. Did anyone that went to Omaha possibly pull a trailer behind their Champ? If that can be done I think the dolly with its limited weight would then be doable.
Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful"
Studebaker horse drawn buggy; 1946 M-16 fire truck; 1948 M-16 grain truck; 1949 2R16A grain truck; 1949 2R17A fire truck; 1950 2R5 pickup; 1952 2R17A grain truck; 1952 Packard 200 4 door; 1955 E-38 grain truck; 1957 3E-40 flatbed; 1961 6E-28 grain truck; 1962 7E-13D 4x4 rack truck; 1962 7E-7 Champ pickup; 1962 GT Hawk 4 speed; 1963 8E-28 flatbed; 1964 Avanti R2 4 speed; 1964 Cruiser and various other "treasures".
Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.Comment
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A number of folks have responded about the use of tow dollies behind modern vehicles. The real question that Mel is asking is whether a Champ pickup is up to the challenge. Did anyone that went to Omaha possibly pull a trailer behind their Champ? If that can be done I think the dolly with its limited weight would then be doable.
Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful"
Studebaker horse drawn buggy; 1946 M-16 fire truck; 1948 M-16 grain truck; 1949 2R16A grain truck; 1949 2R17A fire truck; 1950 2R5 pickup; 1952 2R17A grain truck; 1952 Packard 200 4 door; 1955 E-38 grain truck; 1957 3E-40 flatbed; 1961 6E-28 grain truck; 1962 7E-13D 4x4 rack truck; 1962 7E-7 Champ pickup; 1962 GT Hawk 4 speed; 1963 8E-28 flatbed; 1964 Avanti R2 4 speed; 1964 Cruiser and various other "treasures".
Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.Comment
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I have logged somewhere around 50,000 miles towing with a tow dolly... but not having any Studebaker experience, I couldn't say how your Champ would do...
I will offer a few general tips:
1. Make sure your brakes are in no-expense-spared top condition!
2. ALWAYS leave a LOT longer stopping distance.
3. When you are towing, be patient on hills- don't floor it trying to maintain speed- get in the RH lane and let her seek her own speed going up at around 2/3-3/4 throttle.
4. I like the magnetic light sets attatched to the trunk lid better than the dolly lights.
5. Plan ahead as you approach stops- be sure you can drive in and out without backing!
6. Make turns as wide as possible.
7. Always try to tow with rear wheels down (driveshaft out if auto. trans)... if you have to tow with the front down it's impossible to completely lock the front wheels- even on newer cars with the locking columns... this means constant swaying, and a white-knuckle tow at 30-40 MPH...
8. Be sure to look at the rolling axle- make sure there's gear oil, and tires in good shape- plus a spare for it and, if possible, the dolly.
I'm a BIG fan of the dolly- hardly EVER use my trailers or rollback! I tow with a 3/4 ton Dodge Conversion van with the 318 engine- my trailers make it work hard due to the tongue weight- which you don't have with a dolly!
Good luck, and I'm betting if your Champ has all systems in good shape, it should handle the job just fine!
Robert K. Andrews Owner- IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131
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I have logged somewhere around 50,000 miles towing with a tow dolly... but not having any Studebaker experience, I couldn't say how your Champ would do...
I will offer a few general tips:
1. Make sure your brakes are in no-expense-spared top condition!
2. ALWAYS leave a LOT longer stopping distance.
3. When you are towing, be patient on hills- don't floor it trying to maintain speed- get in the RH lane and let her seek her own speed going up at around 2/3-3/4 throttle.
4. I like the magnetic light sets attatched to the trunk lid better than the dolly lights.
5. Plan ahead as you approach stops- be sure you can drive in and out without backing!
6. Make turns as wide as possible.
7. Always try to tow with rear wheels down (driveshaft out if auto. trans)... if you have to tow with the front down it's impossible to completely lock the front wheels- even on newer cars with the locking columns... this means constant swaying, and a white-knuckle tow at 30-40 MPH...
8. Be sure to look at the rolling axle- make sure there's gear oil, and tires in good shape- plus a spare for it and, if possible, the dolly.
I'm a BIG fan of the dolly- hardly EVER use my trailers or rollback! I tow with a 3/4 ton Dodge Conversion van with the 318 engine- my trailers make it work hard due to the tongue weight- which you don't have with a dolly!
Good luck, and I'm betting if your Champ has all systems in good shape, it should handle the job just fine!
Robert K. Andrews Owner- IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131
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An added point:
If you want to rent a dolly from U-Haul, know that their charts are very unrealistic! They'll take the tow vehicle and the subject vehicle and put them into a computer program, then tell you if your tow is "allowed"... they didn't want me to tow a Lincoln conv. without engine or trans. behind my 3/4 ton van! [}
] The rental place said they'd just put a smaller car in the profile to make the contract doable... I preferred just buying my own dolly... who knows if your situation would pass muster with them- or if either vehicle would even be in their database! [
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A one-ton truck behind a 4 cyl. S-10 p/u is not advisable; a Hawk behind a Champ certainly seems OK to me! The point is, use common sense in these matters, even if U-Haul doesn't!
Robert K. Andrews Owner- IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131
Comment
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An added point:
If you want to rent a dolly from U-Haul, know that their charts are very unrealistic! They'll take the tow vehicle and the subject vehicle and put them into a computer program, then tell you if your tow is "allowed"... they didn't want me to tow a Lincoln conv. without engine or trans. behind my 3/4 ton van! [}] The rental place said they'd just put a smaller car in the profile to make the contract doable... I preferred just buying my own dolly... who knows if your situation would pass muster with them- or if either vehicle would even be in their database! [)]
A one-ton truck behind a 4 cyl. S-10 p/u is not advisable; a Hawk behind a Champ certainly seems OK to me! The point is, use common sense in these matters, even if U-Haul doesn't!
Robert K. Andrews Owner- IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131
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