1981 El Camino with 24' Alumalite 5er

OldCoot · 06-14-2013, 02:06 PM

This should give the weight police something to ponder. Notice how badly overloaded the El Camino is with the goose neck disappearing hitch and tonneau cover that had a sleeve for the goose neck. Truck with a 305cid & 3 speed at pulled the POS Holiday Rambler Alumilite just fine. Trailer was a nightmare as far as suspension, plumbing, etc. Biggest joke for a camper I think HR ever built. Beautiful interior, but running gear was horrible. Factory ended up putting a 4" drop axle under it which helped a little, but the outside dump plumbing was something else.

Picture taken @ Marion County campground in Knoxville, IA 11Aug 81 where we were for the 21st Knoxville Nationals Sprint Car Races.
BTW, our youngest boy (11) rode behind the seats if we couldn't talk him into riding the hump.

TURBS · 06-14-2013, 03:12 PM

You could darn near do a 360 under the 5er it looks to me.

OldCoot · 06-14-2013, 03:45 PM

After they put the 4" drop axle under it, I lowered the goose neck about 8" which made it closer, but still had about 105° turning. Easy to maneuver forwards or backwards. Raised the dishpan I made for the gooseneck to snap the tonneau cover sleeve to it. Had a long zipper from the gooseneck to the rear so all I had to do was unsnap the cover from the tailgate, unzip, lower the tailgate and either unhook or hook up. Sure was a conversation pc on the 5er, El Camino & tonneau cover individually and as a unit. Kept the 5er for 2 yrs and sold it and then built the popup for the Camino which is still to this day being used. Truck has around 175,000 on it and still going.

ses · 06-14-2013, 08:10 PM

Wow, blast from the past,

. We, Dad, myself, and two brothers, tent camped in the infield at CMS (Charlotte Motor Speedway) twice a year for many years. Didn't have nothing that fancy though

!

transamz9 · 06-16-2013, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCoot

This should give the weight police something to ponder. Notice how badly overloaded the El Camino is with the goose neck disappearing hitch and tonneau cover that had a sleeve for the goose neck. Truck with a 305cid & 3 speed at pulled the POS Holiday Rambler Alumilite just fine. Trailer was a nightmare as far as suspension, plumbing, etc. Biggest joke for a camper I think HR ever built. Beautiful interior, but running gear was horrible. Factory ended up putting a 4" drop axle under it which helped a little, but the outside dump plumbing was something else.

Picture taken @ Marion County campground in Knoxville, IA 11Aug 81 where we were for the 21st Knoxville Nationals Sprint Car Races.
BTW, our youngest boy (11) rode behind the seats if we couldn't talk him into riding the hump.

I always loved them cars! My dad had a 78 model. I use to love hiding behind the seats in the hole.

Very cool set-up!!

OldCoot · 06-16-2013, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transamz9

I always loved them cars! My dad had a 78 model. I use to love hiding behind the seats in the hole.

Very cool set-up!!

Bought a new 72 El Camino and the spare was mounted behind the pass. seat and the hole was for storage but we had the pop up on the back and both boys rode in the camper. Had a sliding back window and made a boot into the camper. The 81 spare tire was in the 'hole' and was a PITA to get out the one time I did just to turn it and get the valve stem in front so I could check it which was never. lol Did check it in 2000 and the damn GY was down to 20# after about 19 yrs.

Do wish they still made them as I would definitely have one provided it was rear wheel drive.

transamz9 · 06-16-2013, 08:21 PM

I think they still have a version of it across the big pond but I forget what it's called.

prof_fate · 06-16-2013, 09:09 PM

sometimes you get lucky...and sometimes you do not.
Passed a caravan (newest body style) on I 70 today pulling a uHaul trailer (dual axle box trailer). Having a cargo trailer and had several minivans I figured this was at or over the limit for that vehicle.

We stopped to eat and 1/2 hour more down the road there he was, pulled over, hood open...

OldCoot · 06-16-2013, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prof_fate

sometimes you get lucky...and sometimes you do not.
Passed a caravan (newest body style) on I 70 today pulling a uHaul trailer (dual axle box trailer). Having a cargo trailer and had several minivans I figured this was at or over the limit for that vehicle.

We stopped to eat and 1/2 hour more down the road there he was, pulled over, hood open...

And this has what to do with this thread? Just asking.

prof_fate · 06-17-2013, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCoot

And this has what to do with this thread? Just asking.

overloading your TV has consequences. Sometimes you see them, sometimes the next owner does.

I'm sure the uhaul guy was like the OP's trailer/truck salesman- 'sure, it'll tow that no problem'.

The OP claims to have gotten away with it. The guy I saw didn't.

As Clint said, "do you feel luckly? Well, Do Ya?"

OldCoot · 06-17-2013, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prof_fate

overloading your TV has consequences. Sometimes you see them, sometimes the next owner does...

It did take it's toll, "Kept the 5er for 2 yrs and sold it and then built the popup for the Camino which is still to this day being used. Truck has around 175,000 on it and still going." BTW, it is still going with the 1100# popup camper I built riding in the bed and uses about a quart every 1500 miles. Nothing has been replaced in the engine, suspension or running gear.

This was as of 2010 when we were back in Carlisle, AR.

prof_fate · 06-17-2013, 11:45 AM

??

Towing we'd all agree is harder on a vehicle than not towing. Doing proper maintenance counts. How you drive counts - on my trip from Va Beach to Pa yesterday we did 70-75 mph (car only) and got passed repeatedly - do you think a Smart Car or Fiat 500 driven at 80mph+ is going to last as long as one driven at 55mph? Do you think people that 'abuse' (ok, use hard) their vehicles do the extra maintenance, or do you think they might opt for the '7500' mile oil change and '30k' mile air filter schedule?

So how did the OP use and maintain his truck?

Still the factory transmission after 175k? Possible, but not likely. Around here 120-130k is about normal mileage for a transmission replacement. But again, how is it used and maintained? I know folks that get 90k on a clutch and others that get 20k.

Perhaps something went sooner that it would have otherwise...whose to say?

On my expy the trans (if you believe the original owner) was original at 230k miles. I put 4k some of that towing a 6600lb trailer and the trans started to slip. Had I not pulled a trailer I'm sure the trans would have not gone bad. Maybe if it had pulled such a trailer from new the trans would have given up at 120k like most transmissions, or maybe at 60k from hard use.

Having had friends with 79-82 vintage GM vehicles many with 305s in them, I'm surprised yours is doing as well as it is. You must maintain it well and not use/abuse it. The 305s were great for munching pistons in cylinder 5.

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