Towing with a Fleetwood

[atime]

Thinking of getting a !980-1993 (not sure of the exact years) Fleetwood or Brougham in later years for towing an open trailer with a Model T Ford on it.
Is the 5.0 enough for an engine or is the only choice one with the 5.7? Not sure what years had what engine?

Thanks for any advice
Martin

[wrefakis]

80 & 81 have 368 decent power,next up is 90 -92 with 5.7 93-96 have most power all other years are underpowered and i had every one of them new

[TJ Hopland]

Interesting question.   Looks like an average weight of a model T is only around 1500 pounds.   5 feet wide, 12 feet long.  You would think that would darn near fit in the trunk of a Caddy.   That isn't too bad for weight but you could end up with another 2000 pounds for the empty trailer.  Maybe something designed for a 'side by side'?  Maybe aluminum to save some weight?   I would also go with electric brakes which may not be required in all states at that weight class but easy to add and extra insurance since its not really a tow rig.  If you can find a tandem axle in a lighter trailer that will tend to be more stable too but could end up being a custom deal because you usually don't get tandems till you get over 3500 GVW.

90 5.7 was an optional engine.   91-93 I'm not sure if the 5.0 was available or if they were all 5.7's.  Those were all basically the 1/2 ton truck engines and transmissions.   94-96 was the LT1 which was the cop car and Corvette engine.

85-90 was the 5.0 Olds engine.  Not really set up for towing and not a trans that likes an extra load.
 
82-85 was the HT4100,  terrible weak engine, not great trans, and not set up to tow on top of all that.

80-81 was the 6.0 368.  ok engine but but first year electronics even if you get the carb version and not geared to tow.

77-79 was the 425 engine and good trans so decent.  really only downside is was not geared to tow.

68-76 was the 472 or 500 and good trans.  not usually geared to tow but didn't really matter much you kinda made up for it with just pure bulk and brute force.

[TJ Hopland]

I was curious about some trailer stuff for other reasons and it seems very strange that almost no trailer builders list the empty weight of their trailers.  That makes no sense to me.   If you are dealing with light weight stuff like this its important.  If you are dealing with heavy stuff its important because you often want to load as much weight as possible.

[jwwseville60]

Definitely go for a 1991 or newer Brougham with the LT1 5.7.

But...do you really want to put stress on one of the last of the big Cadillac cars?
I wouldn't.

[TJ Hopland]

Towing option in 90 and the 91-93 were the TBI truck motors.   If you want the LT1 that's 94-96.   Owing both in the past if it was just the motor to choose from I would take the 91-93 every time.  I didn't think the power was that much different between the two but the upkeep hassle and cost are quite different.    Water pump in the 91 is like $40 and can be done in an hour.  Distributor cap $20 and 10 mins.   Distributor is under the water pump on a 94 and its like a $1000 job.  Its like they just pulled that thing out of the Corvette and shoved it in other cars.  AC compressor is down along side the oil pan. Maybe in a vette it had to be there but in the full size cars there is plenty of room to put it somewhere you could actually work on it.

[Scot Minesinger]

Agree with John, The 91 thru 96 with 5.7 liter can do it, if equipped with towing option, but why?  Use a truck for that.  The 82 thru 90 are a no.

[dochawk]

. . . I would take the 91-93 every time.  I didn't think the power was that much different between the two . . .

I have the '93.

The power is just fine around town.

Mountains are quite another story. 

Lose speed on the interstate on a real extended grade, and it just can't get it back.

Its like they just pulled that thing out of the Corvette and shoved it in other cars.

it was downtuned before putting it in the Fleetwood (although I've read that nearly all the corvette aftermarket parts can just bolt on.

And it can't be much worse than sticking the starter on the northstar in the folds of the engine . . .

[TJ Hopland]

I had a 93 Roadmaster for several years and towed my 3000 pound boat with it several times.   I had also towed the same boat with my 73 Eldo, 92 Chev 1/2 ton, 83 chev 1 ton dually, 87 Chev 3/4, 95 Deville, and 3 different 3/4 suburbans all with different gear ratios.   The dually and my current burb with the 4.11 gears didn't even know that was back there.   Only car that was terrible was the 95 Deville.   Rest were alright.  Would not want to do it all the time or though the mountains. 

[TMoore - NTCLC]

Before you make your decision, I suggest that you make sure you can find a suitable hitch receiver for the car.  I have been searching for over a year for a Class III/IV hitch for my 1994 Fleetwood - want ads, junk yards, forums, you name it -  and have come up empty.  Just another item to consider as you are looking for something suitable.

[TJ Hopland]

Another reason to get an aluminum trailer, make sure you would stay under 3500 pounds and a class 2 would work but even those may be harder to find these days unless maybe its the same as a Roadmaster or Caprice.  I don't imagine even back in the day any of the sedans were that popular to tow with, the wagons yes but not so much the sedans.

[atime]

Thanks for all of the advice, lots to think about. I would only be towing 2 or 3 times a year with an open aluminum trailer. The tours that i would be going on are only an hour or two away so I do think its doable. I might be better of renting a truck but I have yet to find anyplace that rents trucks with tow options. I would not want to buy, insure and maintain a truck for just a few times a year of use and I really dont want to drive a truck everyday.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

It is not so much as the size of the engine, although this helps, it is about using the correct gears for the task at hand, to get the thing moving, and stopping as well.

I have towed heavy trailers with my old '57 Chev with the 6 cylinder and 3 on the tree, and that towed better than my '59 Ranch Wagon with the 352 and 2 speed auto trans.

As for draw bars, if I can't find one for my cars, I make my own, and fit them to all my cars.   Good for rear protection as well.

The one on my '72 Eldo Convertible works well.

Bruce.