63 cat tow bar
 

Getting closer to completion on the 63.
What was the “go to”way the tow bar was attached on the cats. Trying to make my old cat period correct.
Also the type tow bar, anyone have any pics would share? Plan on pulling cat to local shows.

I have a couple thoughts:

1) We always made our own "tabs" (the vehicle side bracket) to fit the tow bar we had.

You can see the double clevis is on the tow bar; the single tab extends through the bumper opening after attaching to the bumper bracket/end of frame.

2) There are/were products available commercially, like from Lakewood or from a company called "NMW" for example. Usually applied to Camaros and Novas, I did not prefer these aesthetically as much because having the double clevis on the vehicle looks so much more massive and clunky to me. Of course, painting them orange or yellow probably didn't help.

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...highlight=tabs

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...highlight=tabs

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...highlight=tabs

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...highlight=tabs

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...highlight=tabs

K

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...1&d=1546448623

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...1&d=1566917247

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1651524589

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...0.jpg~original

(I had a guy rip me a new one for leaving those on there, saying it really wrecked the design of the car)

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...l?t=1308502262

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...DSC0 0654 .jpg

That has got to be a gutsy Corvair in the first picture!

People are so nutty on the roads these days that there is no way I would flat tow to a show, with no brakelights or no brakes on the towed vehicle.

Sure as shootin' you'd get rear ended by some soccer mom texting in her minivan, or a kid doing burnouts in a Mustang.

I get both cars there separately and then set them up for display only.

K

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...DSC0 0641 .jpg

Yep. She was a good runner.

K

Thanks Keith for pics and links.

Good point on driving both to shows and then hook up.

I’ll take some pics of them in future

Ha! One more pair of photos:

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1651673594

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/... 0695 .jpg

.....
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=171964

I have a old tow bar from my 62 SD Catalina and the car still has the tow tabs on the frame.
I will post a couple of pics when I get to the tow bar. It`s behind a bunch of tires & rims.
KC

62 Catalina tow bar from the 70`s.

I was going through my files looking for something else and came across this photo of Frank Rediker and Mr Wangers with the Royal swiss cheese car:

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...5&d=1654521719

That's not the typical setup for the '63 car but I'm reminded that I've seen pictures of the '62 racer with this tow bar configuration (ie, the tow tabs containing little trailer hitch balls).

I don't prefer (visually) it but it would be period correct if a person wanted to go in that direction.

K

What you really need is a trailer hitch like this one that I removed from my '63

That would look cool on my Safari! Might have to fab one up. Thanks for posting.

No need to fab, this one's available.

i could never get my lemans to flat tow straight back in the day what a nightmare i gave up