your first outfit
I read with interest a recent thread regarding the Ford Mondeo as suitable tow car. It got interesting towards the end, (before the moderator closed it) when some were reminiscing about their first outfits, when we, most of us anyway, we're blissfully unaware of towing weights. You had your car, then hitched your van. Was it really that unsafe?
My first outfit was a Fiat Mirafoiri 131 with a 14ft Swift.
It's probably just as well that whattowcar didn't exist then.
What was yours?
1980 Ford Escort 1.6 Ghia mk1 (956kg kerbweight) towing a 1983 Ace Globetrotter 5-berth (650kg net, 800kg gross) - it was an 84% outfit with 39bhp/tonne power-to-weight ratio.
That's a small family saloon towing a mid-range 5-berth caravan from 3 decades ago that meet (more or less) the current recommendations for beginners, ie 85% towing ratio and 40bhp/tonne.
AND we were limited to 50mph on all roads although that was increased to 60 shortly afterwards.
Swift Utopia 530 pulled by a 2002 Vauhall Omega 2.6 V6 auto.
Steve W
Our 1st outfit was a 1986 Swift Dannette Diamond and a 1997 Rover 620Sldi Excellent car, and a nice little van, that was back in 2005,
hi all,
our first outfit back in 1971 was a 1965 ace airstream 12ft towed by a 1300 hillman avenger. fitted with a home made towbar (bed iron)
it towed very well untill we went to north wales and the clutch burned out. the car was changed for a 1600 cortina (same bar with different holes drilled in it) as the family grew the van was changed in 1975 for a 18ft bessacar that weighed more than the car did.
god knows what vospa would have made of it but back then no one knew any different and no to my recolection is was not dangerous or problamatic the outfits were stable and one never saw a van on it's side.
Thats right,they were,nt unsafe.I can remember my father making his own towbars for his cars,Piece of 2 x 2 angle iron and some brackets to mount to the boot floor.A damn sight stronger than todays offerings,mines held on with 6, 8mm bolts.Wasnt the type approval just to fall inline with europe?
We had a 5berth abbey piper with a citreon zx 1.9td in 2002 absolutely brillant i even put the engine cooling fans on a switch!
1984 Marauder 3.80/2 towed with a 1985 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6. The rear suspension on the Cavalier wasn't up to much as hitching the van made the back of the car drop alarmingly... I probably hadn't thought of noseweight back then. The car weighed around 1000kg and the van was around 800kg laden from what I recall. It wasn't a bad van either for its time, double glazing, gas heater, electric lighting, hot water, gas operated fridge etc.A cheap but light van like this would probably still suit many people with small cars, so it's a bit of a surprise that no one seems to be making anything like it.
My first was in 1972 when i towed with 1600 Ford Escort and a new Sprite Alpine 4 berth( a brand new van then for £ 575) . Gas mantel lights, water by footpump and an optional extra free standing gas fire.Van weight 750kg.
My first outfit was a 1971 Ace Diplomat which I towed with a 1977 Ford Granada 2.3 GL, both bought in 1982. The first outfit my parents had (so technically, my first!) was a new 1968 Sprite Major which was towed with a 1960 (ish) Standard Vanguard estate.
First outfit was an Opel Manta Berlinetta towing a Monza 1200.
Our first outfit was a 1988 Fleetwood Colchester 5 berth, towed by a 1985 Renault 25 GTX 2.2 petrol. We had the Fleetwood just a couple of months and got a 1989 Avondale Leda Pentland, the Renault 25 coped very well.
�Run silent - Run deep. HM Submarines Conqueror, Churchill, Renown, Ocelot, Porpoise, Onslaught.
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