Towing with the P6

1396midget

1396midget

Well-Known Member
Hi all

Anyone got any experience towing with their P6? As part of the latest blue-ness and all round tidying up I painted the towbar black so it looked nice, and in the process welded it up at the bottom where it had squashed a box section.

My bar seems to be joined on to the back underside of the bumper, plus a MASSIVE plate that seems to go somewhere up inside the rear valance for quite some distance, plus a strengthener that goes down under the boot.

I've towed a half ton trailer with it, and a boat, but nothing bigger. I know the PO used to tow caravans etc - I'm looking at towing the Midget to track days on a small car trailer.

Any thoughts? Cheers!
 
my only thought is that towing a souped up midget to track days with a p6 is pretty cool... nothing to add beyond that :)
 
Hi, back in the day I've towed things heavier than a midget, in fact a lot heavier than I should
have. But they didn't care back then, not like they do today. So all I will say is watch your weight.
I don't know how old you are or what licence you have, but do your homework.

Colin
 
My grandfather used to tow a 6x4 trailer full of wood, so probably about half a ton of firewood plus the weight of the trailer on top. Did it for years every winter without a problem.
 
No experience here but the "touring advice" in the 3500 owners manual states maximum 1250kg (trailers with brakes), towbar loading weight (nose weight) is 25kg minimum 55kg maximum and it classes a fully laden vehicle being 4 people 80kg each, 50kg of luggage and a full fuel tank which I think gets deducted from the all up trailer weight??? If vehicle fully laden.
 
Ah, thanks for that number Scott. Is that across the board for auto/manual? A midget on a trailer should be less than that.

I'll be OK with weights, the only thing I've got to comply with is train weight less than 3.5 tonnes. There used to be a rule that said you couldn't tow a trailer with a MAM heavier the car, but that's gone now.

Cheers for insight everyone. Wonder what it's like to tow with?
 
When I moved from Brixton to Berlin in 2003 I towed all my worldly goods with me in a hired trailer. Roadworks (actually a great number of cones and a noticeable absence of any workers or work being carried out) delayed me on the way to the ferry terminal at Harwich, so I had to push the pedal to the metal for the last few miles. Frankly, my 3500 didn't even seem to notice that it was dragging a load along, up hill and down dale! I won't forget the expression on the face of the fellow at the on ramp, who'd been watching my approach with a mixture of horror and admiration.
I bought wing-mounted towing mirrors which made it all a bit easier when I got to the continent. I only discovered years later that the towbar set-up was actually missing a strengthening bar running under the boot and attaching at the back of the boot floor.
 
I have trailered a 2000 automatic with a 3500 automatic. Took the cars about 60 miles like that for some repair work on the 2000 auto.
 
I towed caravans back in the late 1970's (when they were heavy) with a 3500S and never had any problems providing you get the nose weight right and don't drive like an idiot.
 
Even if you are thinking small, and lightweight, don't go single axle like a boat trailer, twin axle is far less sensitive in any situation.
You could try hiring a transporter trailer for a few hours, load up the Midget and see how the whole thing feels, compared to the lighter loads you have experience with.
Most hire trailers are rather larger than anything you would be likely to buy, assuming you're looking at a 12ft bed, so you'd get a "worst case" demo!

John
 
I also towed a fairly heavy 4-berth caravan in early 80s with a 3500S, as did a friend of mine. No problems whatsoever.

Mine had an extra electric fan fitted, not specifically for towing , with a manual override switch, which was useful. I'm not sure whether it's recommended that an auto should have an additional gearbox oil cooler fitted.

The P6 V8s were certainly much better than many other cars of the era that were also used as towcars, such as Cortinas etc..

I also recall someone who towed a small dinghy with a bumper mounted towbar, but that wouldn't be my preferred option!
 
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