<VV> new car for me - adventure

[Jim Bannister]

Sounds like there wasn't 10% of the trailer weight on the hitch.  If you tow
with the hitch too light, the tail will try to wag the dog.  Good luck
getting your new little beauty patched up and lookin' fine.
Jim b.
'66 turbovert

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of mhicks130 at cox.net
Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2005 10:59 PM
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: <VV> new car for me - adventure

Well we went out with our tow rig to pick up the convertible I bought today
and we almost didn't make it back.  To everyone who said tow with the engine
forward - you're right!!!  To anyone who said but not convertibles - you're
wrong.  We loaded the car on the trailer nose first and everything seemed
fine.  It would wiggle a little on downhill slopes but my driver (who has
towed before) thought it was fine.  Well we got going down one slope on I40
(North Carolina) and he said "we're gonna lose it!", I said "no, no" and it
started fishtailing back and forth getting worse and worse everytime it
swapped direction.  Finally the Suburban swung violently to the left across
3 lanes of traffic.  All the tires were screaching and smoking.  Just before
we rolled over (I mean JUST before) the trailer slid around and pulled the
truck back flat.  We ended up stopped on the freeway facing backwards!  Even
though we were in North Carolina where everyone thinks they're Tony frickin'
Stewar!
t, the cars behind us had all slowed down and stopped to watch the show and
we hit and got hit by noone.  Luckiest day of my life I think.

The poor Corvair did OK but the right rear corner hit the side rails of the
trailer and got a pretty good dent under the bumper.  The bumper hit the
rail too and it actually tore the metal of the bumper - guess I gotta find a
replacement.  3 out of 4 of the 1965 big wheel well trim pieces got little
creases in them.  The two rear hubcaps got a little squished.  Other than
the rear lower though, the body didn't seem to hit anything.  Whew.

We pulled of at the next exit, switched the car around, regained our
composure and continued on our way.  I looked back at the top and the flap
around the rear window was flapping in the breeze.  We pulled over again,
put some duct tape around the top/window gap and we were fine all the rest
of the way.  

Moral: TOW YOUR CORVAIR BACKWARDS!!!  

Luckily mine is a nice driver and not a concours queen.  She's still
driveable and I can't wait to get her on the road!  I saw several people
looking sideways at her on the trailer as they drove by and people came up
to us at gas stations (Suburbans drink a lot when they're towing) to ask
about the car - even with the adventure damage.  I'm telling you you hardly
see it.

Thanks to all for your advice.  I'm a Corvair (with a story) owner now!!
YAYYYYY!!!

mike (still a little shaky)

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