First tow - success

Claff

New member
We got our 4Runner to tow, and yesterday was our first chance. The trailer was new last Saturday and yesterday we went down to Mooresville NC to pick up a Sunbeam Tiger project for my dad. Got the car on the trailer just fine, then started piling parts and junk on as well. The rear of the wagon sagged a little but drove home just fine. Learned a lot about how to secure the car and parts so when we start doing this semi-regularly with our Miata we'll look like we know what we're doing.

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Just what we need, another guy advertising that 5th gens can indeed tow... once the 4th gen v8 guys find out about this they are really gonna be pissed.

On an actual serious note, that project looks fun... Any plans? and specs on the miata? SCCA?
 
Not 100% sure on the total weight, but we were probably pushing the 5000 lb limit. Steel trailer with full wood deck (1500 lbs?) Sunbeam Tiger (2500?) plus lots of spares including a complete rear axle with springs, transmission, bumpers. The Tiger itself was also full of parts and stuff. Inside the wagon: three big tubs full of odds and ends, hood, trunk, a door, etc. I doubt we'll ever tow as heavy a load as this, aside from taking the Tiger to its final destination.

Hawkdog: The Tiger is actually my dad's. He lives in Massachusetts and bought it (in NC) last summer. He had been trying to figure out how to get it home including some very expensive transportation companies or UHaul rentals. When we got the trailer last week I volunteered to at least get the car, even if it meant he had to make a separate trip to get the parts that came with it. Turns out we got it all done in one trip with the 4Runner, so he's happy. He plans a semi-extensive restoration to make it into a nice driver, not a show car, and figures he's in for two years of work to get it to that point. I think he's a little optimistic about that timeframe but he's made very good cars out of worse starting places so it can be done.

The Miata is a SCCA autocrosser with basic bolt-on stuff (coilovers/exhuast/intake) to run in a street tire class. I won't post a pic since it's very ugly right now (prepping for paint this summer). We're not terribly good drivers and the car isn't prepared to the max allowed by our class rules but that won't stop us from going to some uber-serious autocross events this year, including the SCCA Solo National Championships in Lincoln Nebraska in late August.

We actually have four Miatas here at stately Claffie Manor, ranging from nearly stock to track-ready street car. The autocrosser is pretty mild right now but that could change down the road.

But I digress.
 
Good story. Ah, a Sunbean Tiger - Ford 289 as I recall. I wanted a new one of those so bad... driving a Triumph TR4 at the time. That'll be one sweet little driver when your Dad's done. Boy do they sound sweet.
 
I think this Tiger is a 260 c.i. Ford (car's interior is full of parts and stuff, and on the trailer I can't get the door open far enough to reach the hood latch). Dad had a Tiger back when they were 'current' as well as a '65 Mustang 289, and swapped the engines between the two. From what he told me, neither car worked very well after that. He's learned a lot since then. I hope.
 

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