- Joined
- Jul 16, 2020
- Messages
- 261
Nope, no caption ideas. I'm at a loss.
Redneck Flatbed
- Thread starter kschauweker
- Start date
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
Back in the 70s I used to go to a junkyard where the owner had converted a Catalina into a towtruck. He said the 428 was a torgue monster.
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Just needs mud grips, bruh
In the 1940s, this was done with a lot of 1930s vintage Packards - converted into tow/pickup trucks.
The 4 speed in the Packard had a very low first gear (so low, that I don’t use it in ordinary driving) which, along with a great deal of torque from the 320 cubic inch straight 8, made for a great tow truck.
The ladder frame and interchangeable bodies (along with simple electrics) made it easy to remove what wasn’t needed and install a tow hook, or flat bed.
It pains me to think of all those classic cars being chopped up for that use, but back then, a 10-15 year old car was a worthless heap, nobody thought of keeping them when they could be bought for a song, and turned into a work vehicle.
The 4 speed in the Packard had a very low first gear (so low, that I don’t use it in ordinary driving) which, along with a great deal of torque from the 320 cubic inch straight 8, made for a great tow truck.
The ladder frame and interchangeable bodies (along with simple electrics) made it easy to remove what wasn’t needed and install a tow hook, or flat bed.
It pains me to think of all those classic cars being chopped up for that use, but back then, a 10-15 year old car was a worthless heap, nobody thought of keeping them when they could be bought for a song, and turned into a work vehicle.
What's the base vehicle? At first I thought early-'70s Ford, but I see potential elements of GM and Chrysler too.
I think I'm going with '74 - '78 Chrysler.
I think I'm going with '74 - '78 Chrysler.
dnewton3
Staff member
Is it wrong that I kinda like it? It's so ugly that it's growin' on me.
And yes; that's an early 70s Ford.
And yes; that's an early 70s Ford.
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Perfectly normal for ex CV folks - all my early Company cars were CV’s
The 1985 took that body style (ahead of my time in CV’s)
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4wd
$50 site donor 2026
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4wd
$50 site donor 2026
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4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Yep, LTD Crown Victoria was the origin …
I've heard that during ww2 that trucks got a larger gasoline ration. I would bet that some were converted for that reason. A friend of mine had the remains of a Bantam that was crudely hacked into a pickup.
If you like that, google "cars of WalMart". LOL
