On Tue, 24 Jul 2001 21:04:09 -0500 "swillis" <swillis@premiernet.net>
writes:
> I have a Nissan Pathfinder and I want to pull my 59 MGA to distant
> places. I
> am worried about transmissions. Anyone had success pulling trailors
> with a
> Pathfinder? How bout renting pick-ups or the like? Where can someone
> get the
> best set up for distant shows?
> Thanks for any insight.
> scott
>
We just went through a "tow vehicle" thread on the vintage-race list. Is
your Nissan a manual or automatic transmission? If the former, it is
rated at 3500 lbs. If the latter, then 5000. Read your owner's manual
carefully and pay attention to what it says about towing. Whether or not
you can pull the MGA depends upon the weight of the trailer and the
distances you plan to travel. I would not tow anything for long
distances that would be at the limits of the capacity of the vehicle. I
know someone that tows an MGA on a relatively small trailer behind a
Tacoma pickup, also rated at 5000 pounds. He says it works pretty well,
but he doesn't go very far. He hasn't tried climbing any mountains with
that setup.
Remember, with tow vehicles the bigger the better.
You can rent heavy duty pickups for towing (in Houston, anyway), but not
usually from the major rental companies. Your best best there would be
to rent something like a Ford Expedition from Budget. Read the rental
agreement carefully, however, often they forbid towing anything.
I tow my racing Midget (about 600 lbs lighter than an MGA) on a
lightweight trailer behind my Ford Ranger. I've got an automatic
transmission and the largest engine available (4.0 liter) and it is rated
at 5900 lbs. Even though my total trailer load is only about 2300 lbs, I
wouldn't feel comfortable towing much more than that over long distances.
David Littlefield
'62 MGA MkII
'51 MGTD
'74 MG Midget vintage racer
'88 Jaguar XJ-S
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