Ambitious towbars

[Ian_Fearn]

I towed my new* mower yesterday. I did weigh it on the scales beforehand at just under 350kgs so 100% legal! Towed fine.

[phil_lihp]

Photos are long gone but my Nova 1.2 had a tow bar fitted, simply bolted to the boot floor.  I'd not have wanted to put a bike rack on it, never mind tow anything!

[loserone]

That's how my 205 tow bar fits.  I've only towed an empty trailer with it..

[goosey]

Also when I was a kid, I remember when my dad towed a triple axle trailer loaded with a land rover 90 csw using a Series 3 Land Rover swb powered by a 2 1/4 petrol engine that burned more oil then petrol . 
An iron fairy crane overtook us on a dual carriageway going uphill, I just remember the driver pissing himself laughing at us 😂

 

[artdjones]

About 10 years ago I towed a Berlingo van on an Ifor Williams twin axle dropside with a DW8 engined Citroen Dispatch for 25 miles.  Not very fast up the hills.

[Isopon]

Saw this at the weekend, it  is towed by a purple Kia Picanto; but what caught my interest was the hubcaps- my best guess is Rootes group.

[Barry Cade]

9 minutes ago, Isopon said:

Saw this at the weekend, it  is towed by a purple Kia Picanto; but what caught my interest was the hubcaps- my best guess is Rootes group.

Ford corsair 2000e / Zephyr/Zodiac hubcaps..

[808 Estate]

On 5/8/2021 at 1:43 PM, Barry Cade said:

All trabants had a towbar fitted from the factory. 600cc 2 stroke.

At the front?

 

[sheffcortinacentre]

Yep Corsair 2000E if 13's, MK4 Zodiac if  14's.

[davidfowler2000]

On 5/7/2021 at 10:50 PM, loserone said:

What manner of towing arrangements are attached to this? I have a towbar there to go on my 205 but it says in the instructions that depending on how high or low I want the ball to be mounted, it'd have to be detached when not towing.

[R1152]

14 hours ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

Yep Corsair 2000E if 13's, MK4 Zodiac if  14's.

Definitely - the family conveyance having been a "Flying Pig" for 15 years, I'd know them anywhere. You also used to see them on Transit-based camper vans. 

[Yoss]

On 5/8/2021 at 1:43 PM, Barry Cade said:

All trabants had a towbar fitted from the factory. 600cc 2 stroke.

My first thought was it's probably structural. 

On 5/8/2021 at 4:28 PM, Barry Cade said:

Seemingly it was law for all cars in the DDR to have a towbar in case they needed to be commandeered in an invasion.. 

But that makes far more sense. 

[loserone]

6 hours ago, davidfowler2000 said:

What manner of towing arrangements are attached to this? I have a towbar there to go on my 205 but it says in the instructions that depending on how high or low I want the ball to be mounted, it'd have to be detached when not towing.

Yeah, I can see why.

 

It's about six bolts through the boot floor, and that's it.

[davidfowler2000]

Probably different from what I have. It's 5 bolts that go sideways into the "chassis rails" and the bracket for the ball can be mounted in two positions to give you a low or high ball height.

[wuvvum]

I don't have a photo, but round these here parts there used to be a 50cc Piaggio Ape truck with a towbar.

[loserone]

5 hours ago, davidfowler2000 said:

Probably different from what I have. It's 5 bolts that go sideways into the "chassis rails" and the bracket for the ball can be mounted in two positions to give you a low or high ball height.

That sounds much better than mine.

[yes oui si]

This absolute hero spotted en-route to Retro Rides Weekender at Goodwood three years ago. 

What you can't quite see is that there's a mounted tow ball on the front as well. He's had this outfit for 50+ years in all likelihood. 

[PhilA]

4 hours ago, yes oui si said:

This absolute hero

At a glance that could easily be the States. The trees, the color of the grass, the width of the road...

In this kind of vein though, with smol car tows trailer much larger than it...

[sdkrc]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bond-Bug-1971-Fantastic-Condition-Fully-re-built-one-of-the-best-available-/304003974120

[loserone]

17 minutes ago, Isopon said:

This has got to be worth at least a mention

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304003974120?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200818141841%26meid%3Ddb238cb42d4940bd8bad0acc6bf5073b%26pid%3D101111%26rk%3D7%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D174781523274%26itm%3D304003974120%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2563228%26algv%3DDefaultOrganicWithAblationExplorer&_trksid=p2563228.c101111.m2109

Yes, in the post above yours.

[sdkrc]

[Talbot]

On 5/18/2021 at 8:21 PM, loserone said:

Yeah, I can see why.

I'm sure many people on here can remember seeing the odd 309 and 205 back in the day that had clearly failed the MOT on rear number plate obscured by towbar, so rather than detaching the towbar every time they needed to use it, the number plate had been re-located up onto the bumper, or sometimes even higher onto the tailgate, with the use of a caravan number plate lamp.

Looked very odd, but was functional.

[davidfowler2000]

Ahh yes going back to that...

As I mentioned before, the towbar I have (to be fitted) for the 205 has a raised or lower position for the hitch. Seeing that photo, yeah in the upper position it'll definitely foul the reg plate, however in the lower position it may be TOO low.

So I have (perhaps) found a solution in the manner of the NATO hitch I was going to put on the bus before it went on fire. I actually though I lost it in said fire.

So hopefully I can use the hitch mount in the raised position and remove the ball and pin so as not to obscure the plate.

[Faker]

I recall there was a chap from Greyabbey, County Down, N.I. Who regularly pulled his car transporter trailer with his 4x4 Panda!

And!!! To give you all a giggle.... I towed a fiesta on a really ropey - floppy angle iron transporter way back (late 90’s) with a rascal van!

 No photos of either unfortunately 

[sutty2006]

16 hours ago, davidfowler2000 said:

Ahh yes going back to that...

As I mentioned before, the towbar I have (to be fitted) for the 205 has a raised or lower position for the hitch. Seeing that photo, yeah in the upper position it'll definitely foul the reg plate, however in the lower position it may be TOO low.

So I have (perhaps) found a solution in the manner of the NATO hitch I was going to put on the bus before it went on fire. I actually though I lost it in said fire.

So hopefully I can use the hitch mount in the raised position and remove the ball and pin so as not to obscure the plate.

That’s not a nato hitch, it’s a just a standard ball and pin hitch. See a lot of vans towing plant machinery with them. NATO hitches are huge and hurt like f**k when you bash your shin on one! 

[Stuew]

[sdkrc]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-POLO-1-0-/144148127031

[Tommyboy12]

I've towed with my little 998 Mini a few times. It's not quick but it tows nicely. Admittedly I only tow a plastic camping trailer that weighs about 80kg empty!

I also made the towbar myself!

[groovylee]

 

needless to say, i didn't actually attempt this on the road lol

[chris667]

I once towed an MGB GT on an A frame with an Austin Maestro 1300.

Tail wagging the dog, literally.

I know that you could also get a factory towbar for a Romahome.

My Romahome was a 1200 petrol when I acquired it.  I can't imagine.