New Toad (I hope)

rodknu

rodknu

Active member
Jan 20, 2021
221
87
28
Thompson Falls, Montana
At the risk of having myself appear to be the Village Idiot...

I keyed off Matt Colie's post saying that most of those who tow are on this net vice the "other" forum. I purchased my current 75 Eleganza II in Dec
2020. My previous GMC I owned for 12 years back in the eighties and early 90/s. We occasionally towed a jeep with it just fine. For the last ten years
we have been traveling and "wintering over" in Newmar Diesel Pushers always towing our daily drive.

Now that we have downsized to the GMC, I decided to outfit a toad for the GMC because our non Covid lifestyle was to spend five months or so down
south in CA living in our RV. So, a few weeks ago I bought a 2016 Volkswagen Beetle with a 5 speed manual tranny for the express purpose of towing it
behind the GMC. I expressly selected the Beetle because its weight is only slightly over 2900 lbs, we had owned one in the past and enjoyed it as a
fun car. I installed one of Blaines great through the bumper hitches on the coach in the last few days and have ordered the Blue Ox Towing Bracket for
the Beetle and expect it to arrive in two weeks when I will then install it on the Beetle. As you can tell the cost of this project has mounted up..

So, the reason for this post is to see if anyone else has ventured down this road and whether anyone else is towing such a Toad. My coach still has
the 455 engine with a 307 final drive which I will change to a 3.42 or 3.55 or a 3.70 if I feel that is necessary. Total original miles on the coach
is about 49K and it has not been overhauled. The coach was renovated by Cinnabar in 1998 and is beautiful, rebuilt carb, HEI ignition, rebuilt front
end and new brakes around (of course, 22 years ago). Then used very VERY little by the owner for 22 years (6,891 miles) and was stored in a modern
garage all this time. Because of the Montana winter, I have not driven the coach except for the 100 or so miles to deliver it home but expect to be
out there on the road soon. New tires, new alcoa wheels (recalls), new hitch, new batteries, new oil new fan clutch, etc.

I welcome any comments, criticism, advice, or "other"... I am just trying to assure myself I am not going down some road to disaster.
Thanks,
Rod
1975 Eleganza II, 455, 3.07
2016 VW Beetle
Thompson Falls, Montana
--
Bandit
MONTANA
 
I see them being towd. Usually on a tow dolly, but if you are 4 down, that is even better.

I would still recommend a gear change. it is nice to have a car in tow, but even 2900 pounds, is still a drag. I tow 3500 pound car with a 3.21
gearing, and it is better, but not ideal at all. a 3.42 minimum would be my opinion. gearing behind a 455 will get you lots of different opinions.
I would also recommend installing a temp gauge in the pan of the tranny, and a tru cool 40,000 gvw tranny cooler.



--
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
 
I would also check the VW manual to see if there are limitations on it being towed 4 wheels down. Just incase.
Scott.
--
Scott Nutter
1978 Royale Center Kitchen, Patterson 455, switch pitch tranny, 3.21 final drive, Quad bags, tankless water heater, everything Lenzi. Alex Ferrera
installed MSD Atomic EFI
Houston, Texas
 
Several of the GMC CASCADERS tow late beetles 4 down, as well as VW
"Things". Most change final drive gearing.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

> I would also check the VW manual to see if there are limitations on it
> being towed 4 wheels down. Just incase.
> Scott.
> --
> Scott Nutter
> 1978 Royale Center Kitchen, Patterson 455, switch pitch tranny, 3.21 final
> drive, Quad bags, tankless water heater, everything Lenzi. Alex Ferrera
> installed MSD Atomic EFI
> Houston, Texas
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
 
Towing with a dolly can present issues when you encounter a siuation where
you need to back up some.
With 4 down, one can push back even in a turn limitd amount.
There are lot of exits and hidden parking places that trap you.
As far as Lower gears, if you do not want to tax the transmission, 3.70 is
the way to go.
We find that we provide 20 of the 3.70 versus 1 of the 3.55.
People tow definitely do better with lower ratio as you speed drops, you
get out of the torque curve.

> Several of the GMC CASCADERS tow late beetles 4 down, as well as VW
> "Things". Most change final drive gearing.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem, Oregon
>

>
> > I would also check the VW manual to see if there are limitations on it
> > being towed 4 wheels down. Just incase.
> > Scott.
> > --
> > Scott Nutter
> > 1978 Royale Center Kitchen, Patterson 455, switch pitch tranny, 3.21
> final
> > drive, Quad bags, tankless water heater, everything Lenzi. Alex Ferrera
> > installed MSD Atomic EFI
> > Houston, Texas
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.gmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502
 
My 23' had the stock 3.07. Neither the Kia Soul or the hotrod Ranger made any difference to it except ~~ half a mile per gallon.Wwith proper cooling
it walked over Monteagle and US 23 into Silva. My 26' has a 3.7 final, and looks like it will haul anything you put back there.The PO hauled a
trailer full of Harleys without problems in N Ca. I'm not a great fan of new beetles, I like the hatchback better but it lacks the 'cute' factor.
Mechanicals are essentially the same, and rock reliable if you keep them up at all.

--johnny
--
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
 
I still tow a Suzuki Samuari. I call it my trailer because I load it with stuff, sometimes a canoe on the roof rack, but for sure with many plastic
boxes filled with specific items for the "camping" experience. With the Sammy I am starting with only 2,100 I have a plain old cheapo tow bar, no
fancy Blue Ox (which I DO use for my Jeep Wrangler which I also tow four wheels down). I do not use a Brake Buddy for the Sammy but I do for the
Wrangler. I use magnetic lights and I am good to go. On the Sammy, there is a "stop and run the engine every 200 miles" restriction. My Samuarai guru
in Marshalltown IA told me to simply remove the rear driveshaft and drive it in 4WD high as a front wheel drive vehicle. This is what I do, I unlock
the hubs for towing and carry the driveshaft in the vehicle. I could re-install it in 10 minutes should I want to "climb a rock".
--
Larry Nelson Springfield, MO
Ex GMC'er, then GM Busnut
now '77 Eleganza ARS WB0JOT
 
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