Postby Hasbeen » 21 Mar 2012 23:34
John, since fitting a tow bar to my stock 7, I have done a bit of towing of my 2 horse float. This is a twin axle, light float, weighing only 600Kg. However, as a horse float it does get heavier when loaded.
With one small horse it is about 900Kg, & puts just over 80 Kg on the tow ball, & the car behaves beautifully.
With a large horse I have something over a ton, with 90Kg on the tow ball, & it is quite OK. I would not like to put more than this on the tow ball, without fitting stiffer springs all round. If I wanted to use the thing for 2 large horses, behind the 7, I would move the front axle forward, to give 80Kg draw bar weight.
I do find all the talk of poor brakes interesting. I have never exceeded the capacity of the standard brakes, ever. I have of course never competed my stock 7. A few racing laps of Bathurst may find then a bit short.
I did once get them hot enough to smoke slightly, & even then there was no fade or other problems, & I had to drive like a prat to do it.
I was small minded enough to get annoyed at a bloke who was following me far too closely on a fast, good country road. When I slowed to encourage him to pass he wouldn't. Finally I led him, quite quickly, into a steep 4Km long twisty decent, with many hair pins. He disappeared very quickly, but with my blood up, I did my Fangio impression most of the way down.
When I stopped for a coffee at the bottom, there was just a wisp of smoke from the pads.
I will also mention that I towed a 1.4 Ton enclosed trailer, with first my Lotus 20, then my Brabham in it, for thousands of miles, on 1960s roads, with a 1966 1600cc Hillman Minx. It was lighter than a 7, with much less brake capacity, 4" wheels, with skinny cross ply tyres.
This was actually safer at speeds up to about 70 MPH than the V8 Pontiac & Chrysler I tried later.
I'd say, drive quietly & sensibly, & the 7 is an excellent tow car. Expect a lot of smiling people, & quite a few giving you the "thumbs up" as you pass.
Hasbeen
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