[VAC] Re: Vintage tow vehicles benefit

["Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer" <geraldj@xxxxxxxx>]

Unless you can find a vintage tow truck from the south or California
where its never seen salt, the bed will be rusted out at the wheels, and
the cab rusted at the supports and a lot more. I have a '65 1 ton dually
with all the cab rust problems, but that 390 with a 7.5:1 first gear in
the transmission and 5.13:1 rear axle gears will pull a lot. I don't
know its limit, I've not had more than 13,800 pounds behind it. It is
definitely limited by traction and the wooden floor in the flat bed does
not add a lot of weight. It has power only in the engine, not steering,
and not the brakes. It has only a 15 gallon gas tank (in the cab) and so
can't pass many filling stations when running unloaded or loaded. Gas
mileage goes down rapidly when run over 45 mph. Its not been one of my
best investments.

Gerald J.