Would this make a good tow vehicle?

[Allan]

At Bendigo Swap meet. Australian bodied 51 Chev coupe utility.

Allan from down under.

[Kerry]

You would be right in your comfort zone Allan, shim adjustment on the bigends on the side of the road. I've never been real keen on the chev rod set up.

[Kaiser]

It is blasphemy to tow a Ford with a Chebby !
(Nice 'Ute' though !)

[Poppie]

Yes Allan, with a 6x4 box trailer to the closest tip. nice ute ....n

[TXGOAT2]

As far as I know, those were never offered in the USA. I'd love to have a 1950 Ford ute, V8, overdrive, push button radio and deluxe heater...
I doubt if any were ever built, but a 1950 Pontiac 8 cylinder car with a Hydramatic, deluxe push button radio, etc, would be great in that configuration.

[John Codman]

I fear that the Stovebolt six will be a little anemic. It has 92 HP with the three-speed manual, or if it has the automatic it has a slightly larger 235 cubic inch six with 105 HP. The Powerglide has a fluid coupling - not a torque converter, and is only a two speed. I would doubt that the horsepower at the rear wheels would be much different with either setup. I would suggest dropping in a 265 or 283 SBC, but that is too nice a car to mess up.

[TXGOAT2]

Chevy built an excellent 261 truck engine based on the 235. They can be adapted to the earlier vehicles fairy easily. I put one in a 1950 Chevy pickup. As I recall, all I had to do was shorten the later type water pump shaft to clear the radiator. The dipper rod 6's will stand up well if you use the proper, light weight oil and be sure the oil pipes in the oil pan are aligned correctly and that no one has spread the rod dippers. The dippers are designed correctly as Chevrolet made them. Don't race the engine or run it hard until it warms up, and keep RPM under about 3800, especially if you still have iron pistons. Never put heavy oil in one of these engines to quiet loose rods!! Adjust them, or perform other service, if needed.

[John Codman]

I didn't know about the 261. I did a bit of research and found that it delivers about 148 horsepower. I'll agree with Pat that it might be a good choice. The really great news is that if you save the current engine, a future custodian can put it back.

[Allan]

Pat, you are correct. Coupe utilities are 1932 Ford Australian invention. I posted this photo to show just how they look. A bit later, before I could grab my phone, a 56 Ford Mainline ute drove in. This would have had Y block OHV V8, as used in the sedans. You could have that 50 Ford V8 ute you desire. We had/have them in Australia.
When did Ford first build a Ranchero and Chev the El Camino in the USA?

Allan from down under.

[TXGOAT2]

The Ranchero came along in 1957, based on the Fairlane 300 sedan or station wagon, with a station wagon type styled tailgate rather than a more truck-like arrangement. I think the similar (car-based) El Camino appeared in 1959. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the Texas Highway Department had a fleet of base-model sedans with small pickup boxes in place of the trunk. Most were Plymouths, as I recall. I haven't seen one in years. I suspect these were built on a police-spec chassis. I don't know whether they were aftermarket modified or manufacturer supplied. Later Rancheros were based on compact or mid-size models, as were the later El Caminos.

[Norman Kling]

No. You need a bigger vehicle. Keep that one for show.
Norm

[Erik Johnson]

Instead of a six cylinder Chevy, get an eight cylinder Pontiac.

This is my father's 1949 Pontiac convertible trailering a 1920 Ford touring and cutter. Photo was taken July 24, 1952. The trailer and bumper hitch were rentals.

The Pontiac is long-gone but the 1920 touring currently resides near Mankato, MN.

[Norman Kling]

Erik,
Did your trailer fit under underpasses?
Norm

[Dennis Prince]

My 53 Chevy pick up with a 235 and a 4 speed pulls a T on a light trailer just fine, my concern is like a T it's not how fast you can go, it's how fast you can stop. I would rather not go than not stop.