Should I Fix the GTO to tow a Scamp?

[Otters]

Follow your dream Roger and you'll never have regrets. Set some goals to obtain your plan of restoring the GTO and purchasing the trailer that's perfect for making the dream come true. I had a '66 GTO in HS, so I understand your love afair with it and not wanting to part with it for any amount of money.
You sound like a smart guy and I'm sure you'll do what it takes to make it safe and a good tow vehicle. As for driving on the beach, friends that go down to Mexico with their Airstreams just let some of the air out of their tires and they don't have an issue with getting stuck on the beach. Works like a charm. You're definitely in the right place for advice. You'll get both positive and negative advice. Don't let it get to you. Just take what is best for you and ignore the rest. Good luck in your quest and have fun along the way.

[FRED SMAILES]

We're headed south Jan. 1 with this rig from BC Canada down the Oregon Coast and on to SoCal for some R&R.
Yes this is a smaller rig but your car is heavier and more powerful.
We have put many miles on drum brakes in the car and no brakes on the trailer without incident, I just leave my aggressive driving hat at home.
I'm sure you'll have blast, great way to travel and meet people.
Now get that GTO out of mothballs!!!
Fred

[RV NUT CASE]

Originally Posted by Adrian W

Photos from the Gallery:

Fiberglass RV - Gilda's Album: Happy Camping (and Glamping)! 2011 Scamp 13' Standard - Picture

Fiberglass RV - Ken in Philly's Album: 16' Scamp - Picture

Fiberglass RV - samcamaro's Album: Steve & Toni's 13 foot Scamp - Picture

NOT Scamps:
Nice car
Fiberglass RV - Sheila Murchie's Album: Hippie Haven - Picture

Thanks for taking the time to put all of these up! I love the GTO and love the Comet towing the Scamp way cool. I looked at every pic and really enjoyed them!
Seems used to tow this
Fiberglass RV - Sheila Murchie's Album: Hippie Haven - Picture

Hoping for something like this:
Fiberglass RV - FRED SMAILES's Album: If we had more time we'd stop!! - Picture

Fiberglass RV - FRED SMAILES's Album: If we had more time we'd stop!! - Picture

Fiberglass RV - FRED SMAILES's Album: If we had more time we'd stop!! - Picture

You can check other Trailer makes in the Gallery section & see if you can find a nice vintage car towing a trailer.

Post Edit:
By the way, 13' Scamps made after 2005 have the same inside height as the 16' Scamp.

13' Scamps have a lower to the ground stance than the 16' Scamp.

Much like what some of the cars used to tow larger travel trailer back in the day, Stinger Hitch Helper

Article on Hitch Helper

Not too many of the Lite House TTs are about, but a nice small trailer.


However, new trailers are being made from the old molds:
Little Joe or Ponderosa very lightweight travel trailers. Made in Colorado.

I towed our 16' Scamp with a Ford Ranger for the first 3 years without any problems at all. Around New Mexico, into Colorado, all the way to North Dakota a few times. Never any trouble towing the Scamp into the mountains, nor coming down from them. Equipped with a small V-6 automatic.


Went to a heavier Ford F150 in 2009. Gets a little better mpg even.

Thanks for taking the time to put all of these up! I love the GTO and love the Comet towing the Scamp way cool. I looked at every pic and really enjoyed them!

[RV NUT CASE]

Originally Posted by Marinab

Roger, I also rode a bike but gave it up for our little eggs. Do what you dream and don't let anyone change your mind. I have met the best people through my trailer and now have friends to go camping with as well as going to rallies. Welcome to the world of fiberglass!

Well if I can trade the bike for a trailer probably going for it. I just cant swing the resto on the GTO and buying a trailer., But the car has to come first. But If I can trade hell yeah I will get it now!

[MC1]

RV Nut, do you have any pics of you GTO. Really like to see. Always luv'd those Ist gen goats.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Adrian W

Much like what some of the cars used to tow larger travel trailer back in the day.

Article on Hitch Helper

FYI:
The link to the company at the end of this 2008 article is dead.

[Bob Miller]

If you are looking for a swap you might put up some information about your bike and what you feel it is worth so any interested peeps can respond. Try posting it in the classified section.

[RV NUT CASE]

Originally Posted by MC1

RV Nut, do you have any pics of you GTO. Really like to see. Always luv'd those Ist gen goats.

I will see what I can do . It doesnt run and since I have put this blog up you guys have gotten me thinking about it. I was thinking about pushing it out and washing the poor thing up. It looks terible right now its coverd with lot of years of dust. I know I really need my a## kicked for letting it go to hell. Since I moved to this town I have quit doing a lot of things. I am looking for a place to move but where do you move where its not double digit unemployment?

All of your blogs have been very helpfull to me!

[Bob Miller]

Looks like 389/348 is the callout for Tri-Power, but I didn't see any specs here for towing, not even mention of a towing package:
www.oldride.com › Library Home › Pontiac › Pontiac GTO

[RV NUT CASE]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

If you are looking for a swap you might put up some information about your bike and what you feel it is worth so any interested peeps can respond. Try posting it in the classified section.

I was thinking the same thing like Craigs list , they have a free local on line ads here Call Ruby Mountain Want ads KRJC radio has a free call in called tradio so there is some out lets for marketing.
Shame I couldnt find anybody to ride with its a sweet bike. Its only got a little over ll00 miles on it.

Thanks for the reply.

[RV NUT CASE]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Looks like 389/348 is the callout for Tri-Power, but I didn't see any specs here for towing, not even mention of a towing package:
www.oldride.com › Library Home › Pontiac › Pontiac GTO

Well maybe nobody has ever done it before . That is what makes unusual and od. I can be kind of od at times.

Like I said earlier I would have a receiver custom built that would bolt to the frame add a brake controller and a seven prong plug in and I would install and after market tandum master cylinder. It is already plumbed for Air shocks so that is no brainer. The only thing I cant do it change it over to disc brakes . I guess I am old school and don't want to modify it that much. Even though the engines not original and built up. I do realize this would require a lot of testing and adjusting. I am used to towing with a 3/4 ton pick up not a car. Totally different beast to say the least. I also realize I have a lot to learn and this would be a learning experence to say the least.

[Bob Miller]

Can't figure out what the "Tandem master cylinder" would be for. Trailer brakes are electric and brake controllers sense vehicle deceleration rate speed to apply proportional braking to the trailers brakes.

It's very, very hard to even find a decent FGRV, finding someone to swap for your bike might take a much wider search. Our classified ads are seen world wide.

[RV NUT CASE]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Can't figure out what the "Tandem master cylinder" would be for. Trailer brakes are electric and brake controllers sense vehicle deceleration rate speed to apply proportional braking to the trailers brakes.

The GTO came out factory with a single master cylinder brake system. When the master cylinder goes out you lose both the front and rear brakes. With a tandum master cylinder if you lose the front or rear brakes I.E. to broken brake hose or wheel cylinder etc you still have a back up. Also by having a decated system to each set up brakes your braking system is a lot more efficiant sorry spelled that wrong. I have drove it for years with just the single master cylinder but towing a trailer changes everything. It does not have power brakes either. With the high lift cam you have poor vaccumn at idle so the power brake booster wont work unless you install a vaccumn canister to hold reserve vaccumn when applying the brakes.

It's very, very hard to even find a decent FGRV, finding someone to swap for your bike might take a much wider search. Our classified ads are seen world wide.

Well if I cant find a trade I just wont be able to do it. I just cant swing restoring the car and buyig a 5 thousand dollar plus trailer. If I can trade great if not well I guess I tried.

[MC1]

RV Nut.... Here is some interesting talks from guys who are towing with vintage vehicles.... Vintage Tow Vehicles - Airstream Forums

[Bob Miller]

Now I understand.... You want to improve the original system on the TV. I thought that the tandem master cylinder had something to do with actuating the trailers brakes.

FGRV owners that have a trailer for sale and want/need a bike might be uber-hard to find.

Are you ruling out just selling the bike and buying a FGRV with the proceeds?

[RV NUT CASE]

Originally Posted by MC1

RV Nut.... Here is some interesting talks from guys who are towing with vintage vehicles.... Vintage Tow Vehicles - Airstream Forums

Wow that is cool ! You really hit pay dirt on that one. It's nice to see I am not the only weird one out there. Thanks for sending that is so cool!

[RV NUT CASE]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Now I understand.... You want to improve the original system on the TV. I thought that the tandem master cylinder had something to do with actuating the trailers brakes.

FGRV owners that have a trailer for sale and want/need a bike might be uber-hard to find.

Are you ruling out just selling the bike and buying a FGRV with the proceeds?

I am finding out like everybody eles that in this economy nobody has any disposable income. As more people lose their jobs and the price of living keeps going up with the price of fuel nobody has any cash anymore. Trying to find sombody with cash to buy my bike is going to be a hard sell, literly. I spent almost three months trying to sell my boat that I have been restoring since last year. After putting it up on craigs and on the Ruby mnt want ads and in the paper for a lot of money to adverstise I never got one call on it. And we have some jobs here with the minning. I dropped the price a grand and finally got one call on it and he bought it.
He was the only call I got in three months just saturatiing with marketing. I restored a Honda out board four stroke been working on it since last year ground up resto its worth about 1200 I brought it down to 750 and cant even get a call on it. Its a turn key motor.

So I dont think I am going to have any luck selling the bike. Maybe I can find sombody that doesnt use their trailer anymore and trade. That is the only option I have. But nothing is selling.

[Bob Miller]

Try putting your ad in the Reno & Las Vegas C/L's, it's just as easy as the local one, and you might have a better chance of success if you broaden your market area. They also have a heading for Barter/Trade deals.

When you put an ad in C/L there is always the possibility that other consolidator sites will repeat the ad. I have I.D. 5 other places my last FGRV ad appeared after I placed it on C/L in SoCal. And the phone kept ringing for almost a month after I killed the c/l ad.

At least in SoCal, the economy is doing a lot better and selling FGRV's is almost like an E-Ticket ride dealing with the phone calls, lookers and buyers with cash in hand until it sells.

Just last month I put my 2003 GMC (150,000 miles) Sonoma up on C/L for $5000 and have a buyer, with cash in hand, at my door in less than 8 hours.

I remember waaaaay back when we used newspapers for selling stuff..... no mo!

[Mike Magee]

Nevada might not be such a good market for boats (where are all the lakes?), but I could see a motorcycle selling pretty quickly if it were priced fairly. Can't hurt to try, at least not when the ads are free.

[RV NUT CASE]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Nevada might not be such a good market for boats (where are all the lakes?), but I could see a motorcycle selling pretty quickly if it were priced fairly. Can't hurt to try, at least not when the ads are free.

I originally thought of sell or trade then I have both options going. I do know Reno's economy is extreamly bad but if you can run a free ad what the hell? About 5 or six years ago My ex's gf lives there and she said that Reno housing sector was 50% in forclousure. I dont know how it is now but its still not good. .

You both have brought up very good valid points.