19-07-2018, 09:22 AM
Rope towing requires skill and coordination. It is very difficult to avoid heavy jerks. If the rope is run over it can loop around the steering and lead to real thrills.
I have always run seriously out of date cars, I did/do a lot of driving off the main roads, and never belonged to the AA. For decades I have carried a portable solid towbar (wooden) with a trailer coupling on one end and on the other a simple blade and pin with fork bracket which quickly attaches to the front of my car(s). Hopefully if not too far from home mates can be recruited. And in remote places a local or passer by would likely oblige to the nearest town. I had to retrieve the wifes modern on a couple of occasions; a rope tow would a have been too harrowing for all concerned.
A frames were popular here but now restricted to large vehicles towing small. A local has permanent brackets on his Seven. When young and less cautious I A framed a Javelin 360 miles with another. Cruised at 60 mph and uphill easily passed truck outfits of the time; performance well in excess of my Seven! But in the wet took a long time to straighten after square turns.
(A senior fellow employee was Harry Chatteris, part owner of the Rubber Duck post war. He recounted A framing it Auckland to Paekakariki Hill Climb near Wellington, 400 miles. On the Desert road it would not follow and had to be steered. When the road was unsealed and all fine pumice!)
I have always run seriously out of date cars, I did/do a lot of driving off the main roads, and never belonged to the AA. For decades I have carried a portable solid towbar (wooden) with a trailer coupling on one end and on the other a simple blade and pin with fork bracket which quickly attaches to the front of my car(s). Hopefully if not too far from home mates can be recruited. And in remote places a local or passer by would likely oblige to the nearest town. I had to retrieve the wifes modern on a couple of occasions; a rope tow would a have been too harrowing for all concerned.
A frames were popular here but now restricted to large vehicles towing small. A local has permanent brackets on his Seven. When young and less cautious I A framed a Javelin 360 miles with another. Cruised at 60 mph and uphill easily passed truck outfits of the time; performance well in excess of my Seven! But in the wet took a long time to straighten after square turns.
(A senior fellow employee was Harry Chatteris, part owner of the Rubber Duck post war. He recounted A framing it Auckland to Paekakariki Hill Climb near Wellington, 400 miles. On the Desert road it would not follow and had to be steered. When the road was unsealed and all fine pumice!)