I'm starting to shop around for a towing capable type truck for my old vintage sprint car with a rather heavy open trailer.I am considering a Ford or Cheverolet. I'm probably looking at something in the early to mid 2000's in my price range with 2WD and modest options like cruise,tilt and extended cab. I see they both offer trucks with smaller V8 engines. Are the smaller V8's sufficient or would I wish i had gone with the bigger? Just looking for a little input or things to watch out for and stay away from. thanks, rc

I drive a 2003 Dodge with the Cummins Diesel. 3/4 ton, two wheel drive. It just hit 418,000 miles. I bought it new with 14 miles on it. I pull a modest open trailer, but I have pulled heavier trailers. I highly recomend the Cummins Diesel.

Tom Paterson

When I pulled my race car, I had a two wheel drive truck. Everytime there was a rain out, I would get nervous if my two wheel drive could get out of the pits. I had to be more cautios on my route than the people who had a four wheel drive truck. Luckily, I never got stuck, but there were a couple of times that were close.

Now that I have moved and have to drive the truck in the snow, I really wish I had a four wheel drive truck.

IMHO, a diesel is cheaper in the long run, I have a heavy enclosed trailer, and pulled it for a long while, with a Ford Van, did it OK, just not much power/torque, and the milage was 7-8 mpg, I also towed the same trailer, with an F-150, pulled it ok, mileage was not quite so bad, but the pucker factor was real high, it had a 3:70 rear gear, but it scared me bad a couple of times, so I started looking for Diesels, and ended up with an Ebay bought, 1997 F-350, with the 7.3 IH diesel, crewcab, all power, automatic and air, 2 whl drive, posi and a dually, and have not been sorry, mileage runs steady at 14-16, no pucker factor at all, engine is just short of 400k, and runs super, and the trailer doesn't intimidate the truck at all, I personally wouldn't recommend the 6.0, but the 7.3 was still available thru 2003, and that ought to get you a nice truck, the 1997 was actually in production almost 3 years, but still as a 97, I think early 1999.5 was the first official body style change. Good luck! Bob!

I've got a 2006 dodge ram cummins diesel that i bought new, now with 195,000 on it and it's not had a single problem. It is just been used to pull our racing trailer over the years but does great and get 13mpg. I have no complaints about the dodge, it's been a great truck and yanks our 36' trailer with no problem at all.

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I've got a 92 ford 350 ext cab for sale. It's in great condition and has a banks turbo with a customizing kit on it . I pulled my sprint car around no prob and my dad has pulled a 42 ft steel car hauler with it no prob . Comes with 5th wheel hitch also

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Every time I tow something different or new or tow with a different truck engine size is the least of my concern. Brakes and rear suspension are what I pay attention to. Every time I pull any open trailer with a sprintcar or midget on it I know I can get by with a half ton V8, maybe even a bigger V-6, but I sure feel a lot better about it when I have a 3/4 ton or 1 ton pickup. I always keep the halfton right around the speed limit or a bit under just to be safe and to not work the drivetrain over as hard. Plus I never use overdrive which tends to eat into the MPG. There is still some "pucker factor" in the way the truck wonders around in my lane. When I use the 3/4 ton on the same trailers I put er in overdrive and cruise as fast as I want...tranny never gets at all warm and the truck feels very stable at any speed.

You can get by with an F-150 or Chevy 1500 or the like but the ride will be much more enjoyable with a 3/4 ton. The brakes, suspension, tranny and rear end gears are much more suited for towing and with one car on an open trailer and limited tools and spares (like most vintage operations) you will be able to drive it like you would with no trailer.

As far as engines, Diesels are cheaper to operate...until there's a problem....ask around about common problems with each model...my brother spent a fortune replacing injectors in his Ford Powerstroke at 83,000 miles...my grandpas 5 year warranty expired 3 months before he had to have head gaskets put in his chevy duramax at 89,000 miles...that was 6 grand...2 months later he had to replace 2 injectors and the injection wiring harness...$$$$$$$$....I've been told that certain years of the duramax had head gasket problems a lot...other years have lots of flywheel problems...certain years of the powerstroke have main bearing problems...etc etc..

If you pull bigger trailers with heavier loads a diesel is a must...smaller operations won't see much difference between gas or diesel engines in operating cost.

Do not buy a 2003 to 2007 Ford with the 6.0 Leaker Power Joke. Personal experience here.

Yeah, most of the Forums call them "sick O's", however they were available with the 6.0 or 7.3 in 03, and some were replaced with 7.3's, by Ford. Bob!

thanks for all the replies and info.I have been told some of the ford engines are experiencing spark plug problems....actually blowing out and if they are in the head any length of time (100,000 mile lifetime nowaday)are a B**** to remove. anyone have any problems related to this?