Towing a small box trailer just under 1k lbs, another 500lbs or so inside the car, including occupants. So 1500 lbs over curb weight. Looking to head south out of the maine winter. Possibly florida, possibly arizona, possibly the mountains of south appalachia. Might be a long trip. Here's a pic of my rig
Car is my 88 ltc, 3.27 rear, 119k miles. Been towing locally, boats, tractors, snowmobiles, some weighed over 1500 lbs and did fine. I have coilover Monroes in back to replace the blown air shocks.
More on the car. Owned it for 2 years, put 10,000 miles on it. Trans rebuilt 6 years ago by a local shop, has a brass tv bushing so i'm guessing they knew what they were doing. Shifts fine, i've done 2 trans fluid/filter changes and it came out clean. Put around $3k in catchup maintenance into the car, new radiator, water pump/t-stat/hoses, steering gear, all fluids changed at least twice, brake/fuel lines as needed, front brakes/rotors/bearings, etc etc etc. We have annual safety inspections and good local mechanics. Thing runs like a top and has been super reliable. Previous owners were also older and took care of it, car was never thrashed or abandoned.
My concern is long distance breakdowns, particularly the aod, as well as being generally down on power on hills, at least with the old vacuum cruise control. I have a bad leg and need to drive on cruise 95% of the time. On the bigger hills i have to pedal it to keep the speed up.
My other concern is the rat's nest of eeciv wiring, vacuum lines, servos, etc that i'll never fully comprehend and most mechanics in bumfuck alabama wouldn't be able to figure out either if something goes nuts. I did fix a crazy idling/dying/racing problem with a new iac, carb cleaner, tape, and general good luck but not sure how long i can count on dumb luck. Shows a code 34 but it runs fine and gets 18mpg+ all year round.
One advantage to my car is it's spent all its summers in coooler maine so the plastic and rubber bits are all still working, tho for how much longer who knows, especially once i start pounding it 400 miles a day for weeks at a time...
So, how far would you trust your box Panther to haul 1500 lbs, and for how long?
Not really looking for general towing theory, i know the basics. I want to know should i trust this car to push it hard, or should i be looking at a 4.6 panther with the 4r70? With my wicked arthritis it has to be a Panther, no other car or truck will do. otherwise a motorhome but i know nothing about that lifestyle other than big bucks and parking problems.
Most of the 4.6 cars i've found locally in decent shape i.e. not all rotted out or thrashed, have a 2.73 or at best 3.08 gear. I feel pretty lucky with my 3.27, the old 5.0 really cooks up the hills, even towing. I just have to goose the pedal as the vacuum leaks or sucks or whatever it does to the cruise system under heavy load.
I did bomb around the US a few years back on a loaded-down 4.6 Vic, also a 3.27 gear, and it had no issues with the newer style electronic cruise, even at 80+mph on the insane big city interstates. I know my 88 won't do that but still need to stay ahead of the majority of cops and idiots with no breakdowns.
My concern with getting a 4.6 car are the plugs blowing, intake cracking, hidden maintenance issues, dumping another $4k into a 20+ year-old ride to make it reliable, etc. Usually i spend a year or more shaking down a car before trusting it cross-country, but i don't have that luxury right now with winter here and my arthritic ass all froze up, crying for palm trees.
so, should i trust to my badass 5.0 or roll the dice on a 96-down aero? 98-up whale seats are no good for me either and the newer "big brake" suspensions pound my back. thanks for any specific experience input.
one final consideration is an old 460/c6 tank with a 9" rear so i can tow an actual ton+ camper, but again the whole deferred maintenance issue comes up. as well as the vacuum system cruise control. if anyone ever did this i'd be interested to hear that, as well. If this is the ultimate tow rig i can wait to fix up one of these and just hug the wood stove for another year getting it ready, if need be. The old 70s boats come up for sale near me from time to time. but 8mpg sucks as well. who knows. thanks for any help
Car is my 88 ltc, 3.27 rear, 119k miles. Been towing locally, boats, tractors, snowmobiles, some weighed over 1500 lbs and did fine. I have coilover Monroes in back to replace the blown air shocks.
More on the car. Owned it for 2 years, put 10,000 miles on it. Trans rebuilt 6 years ago by a local shop, has a brass tv bushing so i'm guessing they knew what they were doing. Shifts fine, i've done 2 trans fluid/filter changes and it came out clean. Put around $3k in catchup maintenance into the car, new radiator, water pump/t-stat/hoses, steering gear, all fluids changed at least twice, brake/fuel lines as needed, front brakes/rotors/bearings, etc etc etc. We have annual safety inspections and good local mechanics. Thing runs like a top and has been super reliable. Previous owners were also older and took care of it, car was never thrashed or abandoned.
My concern is long distance breakdowns, particularly the aod, as well as being generally down on power on hills, at least with the old vacuum cruise control. I have a bad leg and need to drive on cruise 95% of the time. On the bigger hills i have to pedal it to keep the speed up.
My other concern is the rat's nest of eeciv wiring, vacuum lines, servos, etc that i'll never fully comprehend and most mechanics in bumfuck alabama wouldn't be able to figure out either if something goes nuts. I did fix a crazy idling/dying/racing problem with a new iac, carb cleaner, tape, and general good luck but not sure how long i can count on dumb luck. Shows a code 34 but it runs fine and gets 18mpg+ all year round.
One advantage to my car is it's spent all its summers in coooler maine so the plastic and rubber bits are all still working, tho for how much longer who knows, especially once i start pounding it 400 miles a day for weeks at a time...
So, how far would you trust your box Panther to haul 1500 lbs, and for how long?
Not really looking for general towing theory, i know the basics. I want to know should i trust this car to push it hard, or should i be looking at a 4.6 panther with the 4r70? With my wicked arthritis it has to be a Panther, no other car or truck will do. otherwise a motorhome but i know nothing about that lifestyle other than big bucks and parking problems.
Most of the 4.6 cars i've found locally in decent shape i.e. not all rotted out or thrashed, have a 2.73 or at best 3.08 gear. I feel pretty lucky with my 3.27, the old 5.0 really cooks up the hills, even towing. I just have to goose the pedal as the vacuum leaks or sucks or whatever it does to the cruise system under heavy load.
I did bomb around the US a few years back on a loaded-down 4.6 Vic, also a 3.27 gear, and it had no issues with the newer style electronic cruise, even at 80+mph on the insane big city interstates. I know my 88 won't do that but still need to stay ahead of the majority of cops and idiots with no breakdowns.
My concern with getting a 4.6 car are the plugs blowing, intake cracking, hidden maintenance issues, dumping another $4k into a 20+ year-old ride to make it reliable, etc. Usually i spend a year or more shaking down a car before trusting it cross-country, but i don't have that luxury right now with winter here and my arthritic ass all froze up, crying for palm trees.
so, should i trust to my badass 5.0 or roll the dice on a 96-down aero? 98-up whale seats are no good for me either and the newer "big brake" suspensions pound my back. thanks for any specific experience input.
one final consideration is an old 460/c6 tank with a 9" rear so i can tow an actual ton+ camper, but again the whole deferred maintenance issue comes up. as well as the vacuum system cruise control. if anyone ever did this i'd be interested to hear that, as well. If this is the ultimate tow rig i can wait to fix up one of these and just hug the wood stove for another year getting it ready, if need be. The old 70s boats come up for sale near me from time to time. but 8mpg sucks as well. who knows. thanks for any help
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