Should I get another truck as a TOW RIG?

[fishmunger]

Hey guys, need some advice.

So right now I have a 64 short fleet that is pretty much a rat rod. It's lowered with a c-notch, has PS, P discs, and a built 350/turbo 400 with a lopey cam. It's fun to drive, handles pretty good, everyone likes to look at it, but it gets ****ty gas mileage and doesn't tow very well. But it's fun, and I love it. I got it in high school, and I think I'd regret it if I were to sell it. I daily drove it for 3 years, but in the last 3 years I've been daily driving my 2003 GMC Sonoma (which looks lame). Kinda sucks to see the '64 sit but it just isn't practical to drive around.

So now I'm at a crossroads. I'm thinking of getting a new (as in different, not "new") truck for my towing needs. I recently built a boat for my business (commercial fishing). The boat is 20' long, fairly tall (has a stand up cabin-so it catches wind when towing), and weighs about 3500 lbs with the trailer. Now, my Sonoma is rated to tow it, and does just fine for the most part, but I'd like to go to a bigger 3/4 ton truck. My theory is that a bigger truck would get pushed around less by the boat and stop better. I'll be towing quite a bit, at least once a week, anywhere from 30-200 miles round trip. So I need something reliable, sturdy, that stops good. Do you think an old truck can meet my needs?

So I'm thinking of selling 1 or both of the trucks I have now and getting something else. I don't have the space for 3 trucks, so adding another is not an option. My sensible side says I should sell the Sonoma, and buy a mid 90s silverado for cheap and use that for towing my boat, but I hate looking "normal". I want to look COOL!

Would I be crazy to sell my Sonoma and have 2 old trucks as my daily drivers?

I've been considering making my 64 into a daily driver by putting a more efficient motor/trans into it...but I wonder if that is worth the time and money? And maybe I'd be sad down the road if I didn't have a "hot rod" to play in?

If I were to get a 3/4 ton LB, would a 4x4 be better or worse for towing? I sure would like to have 4x4 too...

Well, I'll stop for now...thanks for reading...anyone care to humor me?

[Clyde65]

Consider putting an LS motor in your 64, with a 4l60e. you could do a cam on the 5.3, build the 4l60e to handle the torque and pull a stinking house down with it. it would be most reliable and very fuel efficient when not towing the boat.

[fishmunger]

I think you're steering me in the right direction Clyde, but I wonder if I'd be better dropping the LS into a 3/4 ton truck? Worried I'd do all the work to my truck then find out I still don't want to tow with it...just afraid the short wheelbase and lack of ABS will be a little sketchy...

[narx66gmc]

yep, cammed 5.3/4l60 combo. keep the FI though for ease of driving and starting. buy it complete w a/c and your set....

a good patina with your business name on the door of a long bed 2wd wd be cool. do the roof and scallops in the same color boat flake as the lighter color on your boat... match the wheels on the truck with the trailer wheels...

[fishmunger]

i like where you're going with that narx...am I wrong in thinking that a long bed would really help me out towing?

[BR3W CITY]

it allows for a longer wheelbase which would make you more stable loaded under braking imo, plus would spread the load over the rear axle better.

Nothing crazy about dd'ing an old truck, especially if you live somewhere like cali where the weather allows it.

If you get another old truck, and put an LS into it, you will have the greater power and economy that the late model engine offers.
Honestly if you want a 2500 series type of truck, but want to have something older to keep out of pocket costs down....look for an old D250. Sure they were boxy, but they came with great axles, a cummins and they can usually be had for under 7-8k. The diesel will tow anything and the larger brakes and suspension would help with load and braking.

[fishmunger]

The only thing I'm really worried about is the braking/handling. Since I've never driven an older 3/4 ton chevy...I wonder how old, non-ABS drum brakes would compare with power discs and ABS (albeit on a much smaller truck)? I guess, does SIZE really MATTER? I'm thinking, it does...

I've been thinking about a Dodge...because I could convert it to burn WVO which would be sweet, BUT

I just really like 60-66 chevys. Maybe I could eventually get both, then put the cummins in the 64.

Does anyone know what a 3/4 ton LWB 64 is rated to tow from the factory?

[Clyde65]

What about getting the 64-66 3/4 ton and swap brakes from a square. it should easily tow 4k#. the disks would help a bunch. the 5.3 would have plenty of guts to move the weight and go up hills.

[aerotruk63]

Oh, don't stop there! Lowered dually with a fleetside box with the step side fenders grafted. Disks up front and on the newer rear. The duals will help the sway in the wind, they keep the truck straighter. Longer the wheel base the straighter it goes down the road, harder it is to maneuver.
My buddy has the Cummins in his 3/4 4x4. It's the older De De De Dodg model without the intercooler. Has the pump turned up on it. Now that truck pulls! Heavy everything on that truck.They call it a 6BT but there was also a 4BT that's popular in changing over large passenger cars to deisel. An adapter plate and you can hook it up to a Chevy transmission. If you've got the bucks!

[awbrown]

As far as towing with an older truck , If I had any issues with a trailer that didn't tow well I always lengthened the tongue on the trailer and it fixes it ever time...

[fishmunger]

the trailer itself tows fine, no issue there...but i will be towing a lot so I thought a bigger truck might just make my life easier. Has anyone here done a lot of towing with their older rig?

[62 Longbed]

I would look for a 60-72 Chevy Truck say a flat bed dually or ??? Do the brake upgrade with discs from a newer model .. Put some nice shiney side saddle tanks , low wood bed sides with your company logo , chrome alcoa wheels , SB or BB .. you could even set it up to haul a 5th wheel set up ...Hook up the boat , Toss in your grill , chairs , and what ever else you wanted to and head to the river or park and hang out for a few days .. Sell the Sonoma ...

[62 Longbed]

Another ....

[joemacho]

im in the same boat lol i have a 59 apache short bed fleetside and a 72 gmc jimmy was thinking which one i was gonna use for a tow rig so this oppurtunity came up for the right price i couldnt pass i scored a 1965 chevy flatbed dually and plans are to make it a tow rig with a fleetside and step fenders of course.. some thing like this.

[fishmunger]

wow that would be bada$$. Were there factory dually's?

[Clyde65]

Nope. there were trucks with duals but not like that with the fenders.

[erock805]

I think you gotta wiegh how easy to use and work with your work truck should be. I love duallys. Had a slammed 94 crew cab on semis that layed frame that was my daily driver for 3 years. I think I spent more time lowering that than I did driving...but I am very picky.

Neat to have an old truck as a deaily driver...especially towing 200 miles. Tough to pull off I think consistently and confortablly. Sell the sonoma and get a 3/4 or a dually. Just use it. Dont mess with it. Put all that time and money in your high school short bed.

[biohazardbill]

Use an old burban as a tow rig, in my opinion.

[Clyde65]

There is this truck close to me that is actually a suburban, late 80's I believe, it has a dually rear and those narrow fenders on it, looks real cool. and it is is for sale. if that is something you would like, let me know, Ill get pix for you.

['63GENIII]

Originally Posted by erock805

I think you gotta wiegh how easy to use and work with your work truck should be. I love duallys. Had a slammed 94 crew cab on semis that layed frame that was my daily driver for 3 years. I think I spent more time lowering that than I did driving...but I am very picky.

Neat to have an old truck as a deaily driver...especially towing 200 miles. Tough to pull off I think consistently and confortablly. Sell the sonoma and get a 3/4 or a dually. Just use it. Dont mess with it. Put all that time and money in your high school short bed.

^^^ I agree. If you've got room for the tow rig that's cool. In my case, my DD is my tow rig and my project (because I don't have the room). 3/4 t disc brakes up front are a must and in the back if you can pull it off. Although I like the LS for occasional towing, (we have a LQ9 in our yukon) it really can't even come close to the tame 396 in the '63 for torque and the 4L60 seems like it's out of it's element compared to the TH400. If you are not towing all the time though, I have heard great things about the 5.3LS and 3500# should be no problem for the 4L60. Our boat comes in at @ 5,500# and I do like the bigger brakes!

[fryer1979]

Originally Posted by erock805

I think you gotta wiegh how easy to use and work with your work truck should be. I love duallys. Had a slammed 94 crew cab on semis that layed frame that was my daily driver for 3 years. I think I spent more time lowering that than I did driving...but I am very picky.

Neat to have an old truck as a deaily driver...especially towing 200 miles. Tough to pull off I think consistently and confortablly. Sell the sonoma and get a 3/4 or a dually. Just use it. Dont mess with it. Put all that time and money in your high school short bed.

That's pretty much what I was going to suggest right there. Now what I would do myself.......that's a whole other thing......

[fishmunger]

yeah, you guys are kinda telling me what I didn't really wanna hear but already knew, that an old truck as a tow rig / daily driver might not be practical...