Good towing device...

[JonE]

I'm intrigued about what the wheels/steering do on Dave's welded frame - and presumably Geoff's DIY a bracket - with no driver.

Does one bind the steering to central position, or?

[James Anderson]

HI James,
The FWD does that have the Ferguson unit, when I was working in Coventry in the 70s they were developing fords for the US army .
Cheers Colin
NZ

Yes, as does the one I think that's now in Seattle Motor Museum with its underside usefully exposed. It's has the smaller 4L engine, a 1965 Car and its configuration with 2 rear prop. shafts is different from my car where the transfer box is bolted on to an intermediate casting on the back of the 3-Speed Automatic C6 Gearbox. Allegedly, Ferguson Formula Developments (FFD) ran out of money when development costs reached the same price as the cost as the new car. Slightly annoyingly from a spare parts point of view, my unit is even different from the Jensen Interceptor FF and 'not a lot of people know' but over 20 cars were converted to 4-Wheel Drive, but in very small numbers apart from 3L Capris, (at least 2 known survivors) 17 of which were bought by the police. I've got a list of all the cars somewhere. I think I'm correct in saying that Ricardo Engineering (Shoreham) bought the patent and shelved it. I'd be interested if anyone knows of the existence of any similar units but maybe this should all be in a separate post as it is ever so slightly off-piste (there is a vague link to A7s via Bantam Jeeps!)

[Duncan Grimmond]

A frames are acceptable on trailed vehicles below 750Kg I believe. Anything over that weight is deemed to be a trailer and should have linked brakes.
The item under discussion would be fine for winching, a slow steady pull. As a towing device it may well work but the amount of slack in the system will put unexpected strain on the components with every increase or decrease of speed and in the event of an emergency stop this could prove disastrous.
I don't think "mud slinging" is an appropriate description of fellow enthusiasts' concerns about safety.
I suppose the best solution to the conundrum would be to take the device with towing and towed vehicles to a VOSA station for their appraisal. I have a feeling that they would not let you leave.

[Austin Carr]

Not applicable to the older cars but it is quite exciting when the driver (not me, I was in the tow car) of the towed car forgets to unlock the steering.

[andrew34ruby]

I'm intrigued about what the wheels/steering do on Dave's welded frame - and presumably Geoff's DIY a bracket - with no driver.

Does one bind the steering to central position, or?

No, leave the steering of the towed car free, it will steer for itself. For over twenty years as an AA patrol I used A-bars a lot. And I mean a lot! 65 mph uphill was fine, slower on the downhills. It did confuse the truck drivers! We had a bowden cable device to connect to the brake pedal of the towed car, but never used it. 200 miles was about the furthest I went with one on the A-bar.

[Reckless Rat]

Legally speaking a towed car on a rigid bar is a trailer, with a steersman. Legal responsibities relative to the Road Traffic Acts and its associated Regulations apply to the driver of the towing vehicle as he is the one that has control of speed and direction of the combination. Failing to unlock the steering on a towed vehicle which results in an accident places the onus directly on the front driver and not the steersman (who incidentally is not classed as driving and therefore needs not even be a driving licence holder). The towed vehicle does however require 3rd party insurance, a valid mot (if not exempt) and be currently taxed (even if zero rated). Just saying.

[JonE]

Now knowing how A frames work (I'd always considered they held the front wheels up somehow) and seeing that new ones aren't greatly expensive, it certainly explains why there are lots of "used once" items for sale on ebay, as I imagine they make buying a serviceable and reasonably small/light car from auction or private seller (points above taken...) far easier logistically, single-handed, if you have a tow bar.

[Steve kay]

HI James,
The FWD does that have the Ferguson unit, when I was working in Coventry in the 70s they were developing fords for the US army .
Cheers Colin
NZ

Yes, as does the one I think that's now in Seattle Motor Museum with its underside usefully exposed. It's has the smaller 4L engine, a 1965 Car and its configuration with 2 rear prop. shafts is different from my car where the transfer box is bolted on to an intermediate casting on the back of the 3-Speed Automatic C6 Gearbox. Allegedly, Ferguson Formula Developments (FFD) ran out of money when development costs reached the same price as the cost as the new car. Slightly annoyingly from a spare parts point of view, my unit is even different from the Jensen Interceptor FF and 'not a lot of people know' but over 20 cars were converted to 4-Wheel Drive, but in very small numbers apart from 3L Capris, (at least 2 known survivors) 17 of which were bought by the police. I've got a list of all the cars somewhere. I think I'm correct in saying that Ricardo Engineering (Shoreham) bought the patent and shelved it. I'd be interested if anyone knows of the existence of any similar units but maybe this should all be in a separate post as it is ever so slightly off-piste (there is a vague link to A7s via Bantam Jeeps!)

Oh those memories conjured up on a Saturday evening.  Were the 4wd 3 litre Capris not ordered fot Northants police by Cheif Constable John Gott who raced a big Healey? I recall as a tall and luckily scrawny teenager being crammed into the back of one for a couple of demonstration laps of Silverstone. It felt nothing like an ordinary Capri, absolute cornering on rails.

[Dave Mann]

I've finally managed to login, the system seemed to have lost my password. The steering is left free and just to be sure the steering box doesn't interfere I remove the drag link, then when I go round a corner the Seven steers itself around the corner.

[squeak]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Austin-Big-7-...SwQO9a6M2A

The Big 7 car currently listed for parts shows in the first and last pictures, a towing device I have never seen before .
A WOODEN TOWBAR.  Quite a lot of the rest of the car looks useful however.

no relation to the seller, just an amazed onlooker. cheers  Russell