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View Full Version : Impala SS as a tow vehicle



1BadAction
04-04-2004, 04:00 PM
Do you think an 1995 impala SS would be ok for towing a 1500 lb total trailer? the impala that i am looking at has the 300 horse lt1, and 13.5" disk brakes on front 12" discs in the rear. I have seen plenty of caprice wagons (600 lbs heavier, and 75 less horsepower) haul decent sized stuff without a problem. I think the impala will be better than this 178,000 mile wore out v6 blazer that i have...

jim

Laker
04-04-2004, 05:12 PM
Oh ya!
Why not!?
Full frame, good brakes, Strong rear end and Tranny similar to a C1500. And of course more power.
I towed my ventrua with a 2000 Mustang Gt 5speed for 3 years and Zero problems.

Rickracer
04-04-2004, 05:55 PM
I towed all kinds of stuff with my V8/700R4/9" S10, from 3000 to 3700lb. race cars, my 21' Daytona, even a 26' twin IO cabin cruiser one time. I was sweating the brakes a bit on that last one though. I had an electric brake setup, but the brakes on the trailer didn't work. When I got to the shop with it, I found out it had about 15" of water in the bilge. No wonder it was a bit sluggish accelerating, and slowing down. :eek: :D

1BadAction
04-04-2004, 08:18 PM
KEWL! the sad thing is, i gotta get rid of my 2000 WS6, :mad: cause if i do that it will give me NO car payment and 3 grand in my pocket. :D yay i might say F it and keep them both and be broke for awhile...


but then again, there is so many un molested trans ams out there...

j.iverson
04-04-2004, 11:47 PM
That would look cool towing a boat!

Ted Stryker
04-05-2004, 06:23 PM
As long as the cooling system ( engine and trans. ) is what it needs to be you'll be just fine.. Everything else under the car ( 350 c.i., 700r4 - 4L60, 8.5" 10 bolt ) is rated for at least 6000 lbs. towing capacity.. Mechanically it's redundantly strong, just make sure it stays cool..

Massbasser
04-16-2004, 10:54 AM
I wanted to do the same with a 1993-1996 Fleetwood. Same car basically minus the big brakes and suspension. Might want to consider a air leveling system.

Tom D.
04-29-2004, 09:09 PM
I would put a transmission cooler on it.

Tom

Sinister
05-22-2005, 02:10 PM
I tow regularly with my Mercury Impalla :D:D:D and I live in hill country. I am towing at least 3000#, it feels more natural than using my truck. The last of the body-on-frame cars are trucks. Don't waste time/energy second guessing this decision.

BTW: Unfortunately, I smashed the Chevy version years ago.

NNT
05-25-2005, 05:49 PM
Do you think an 1995 impala SS would be ok for towing a 1500 lb total trailer? the impala that i am looking at has the 300 horse lt1, and 13.5" disk brakes on front 12" discs in the rear. I have seen plenty of caprice wagons (600 lbs heavier, and 75 less horsepower) haul decent sized stuff without a problem. I think the impala will be better than this 178,000 mile wore out v6 blazer that i have...

jim

ok,i am a serious B-body enthusiast(caprice,roadmaster,etc) and let me clear you up a bit.The Impalla SS had 260hp/330lbft tq and the wagons are 300-400 lbs heavier depending on options.the 94-96 wagons have the same exact engine as the ss.there are also plenty of regular caprices with that same LT1 engine out there for much cheaper,also roadmasters,fleetwoods.I believe the SS was rated for 2000 lbs,but i have heard of guys towing much more than that.I put 2.5" lowering springs on my wagon and have towed a 3000lb 21 whaler with no problems.my wagon runs low 14's and gets over 22 on the highway with the 3.73's in it.the ss gets all the glory but is'nt that much better than a regular old caprice with the LT1.shop around,plenty of good deals on these things out there,don't get hung up on having the ss.You can add all the ss stuff to the reg caprices,which is what i did to my wagon.good luck
http://img83.echo.cx/img83/3841/shagwag3nx.th.jpg (http://img83.echo.cx/my.php?image=shagwag3nx.jpg)

1BadAction
05-25-2005, 06:00 PM
werent the Lt1 vettes 300hp? Im sure I just looked at that figure when I posted... LOL, whatever, I dont screw with Lt1s, its Gen3 for me. :D

BTW Im hauling with a 2000 frontier now (this thread is a year old), and If I really got picky, my goat would haul all day and not have a problem. tee hee.

NNT
05-25-2005, 06:02 PM
shoot i did'nt even look at the date lol yea the vettes were 300hp,the camaro's were275+ and then the iron head's in the ss's were 260.my wife is going to get a 05 goat soon,should be wuite a upgrade from her 93hp mazda lol so what did you end up getting?

1BadAction
05-25-2005, 06:08 PM
I have a 2000 nissan frontier... it'll haul anything I can afford to gas up every weekend. LOL- U know I live right up the road from you in LEHIGH... like 45 mins from nipples...

NNT
05-25-2005, 06:24 PM
We almost bought a house in Lehigh,but the realtor sat on his thumbs and i went looking again and found this place in Naples close to 951.I can be at the marco ramp in like 15 minutes and on the beach in5 minutes or so.I'll be up that way tomorrow,just bought a 21 whaler from a guy off exit 141.I was going to get a 15 whaler mischief,kind of thier sporty speed boat looking rig.was going to over power it with a 115 tower i have,but the 21 put that on the back burner.of course a 250 or so on the back of the 21 would have it moving right along lol

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4551388059&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

got it for less than the buy it now price.

triple dude
05-26-2005, 07:53 AM
Your boat is relatively light so why aren't you putting your GTO to work??? That would be a good looking combo!! Someone gave me a small receiver hitch awhile back off a 1970 Chevelle. Should fit my 68 GTO. Wanna get it powder coated or chromed :cool: Don't think I'd pull the boat but could tow the old bikes to shows.

BUSHWACKER
07-21-2005, 11:55 PM
Git a DODGE RAMCHARGER 4X4! :D Chevy V8's belong in boats :cool:

NNT
07-22-2005, 06:51 AM
I can't remember the last time i saw an intact ramcharger,most of them have rusted away to dust by now.:D

1BadAction
07-22-2005, 06:59 AM
I can't remember the last time i saw an intact ramcharger,most of them have rusted away to dust by now.:D

if you seen his old one you would be laughing your ass off right now...

his EFI one only needs about a gallon of bondo, the old ones gonna take at least 5. :D :p

NNT
07-22-2005, 07:13 AM
don't get me wrong i like dodges too( i have a 96 half ton i am dropping a 500 hp v10 into),but i have'nt seen a ramcharger in years.the sad part is,they only stopped making them in 93.Only 5 gallons of bondo?Back In mich we'd call that a clean southern truck lol

NNT
07-23-2005, 06:16 AM
1994 last year 1995 the RAM trucks came out & if u wanted a Sport Utility ..GRAND CHEEROKEE
BA is FOS my 83 needs l/s rocker panel & its from PA 185k MY 89 189k has 1 1/2 hole in r/s quarter it's from MD
His datsun needs 2 gal 2 fill the dents, & that's only the ones he put in it 2 more for the ones that were in it, not to mention he needs a phillips screwdriver 2 open tailgate cause he's to cheap & dumb to buy & install a working $500.00 tailgate release "DEC 7th 1941 will live in infinity forever" :p :D And my Vector is faster than his Bayliner!

1993 was the las tmodel year for the Ramcharger and 1994 was the first year the new(mack truck looking) body style Rams came out.I know because i was selling them at the time.you prove me wrong on either of those accounts and you have an entire night of cold frosty ones waiting on you :D

NNT
07-23-2005, 07:55 PM
well you could get me on a technicality,because i do think they make ramchargers from the full size body in mexico and south america.i'll google it and post a pic if i find one

NNT
07-23-2005, 08:45 PM
http://www.us-trucks.com/page3.htm


well you have to come to Naples to collect lol too bad they did'nt make those here in the US,they are pretty sweet looking

1BadAction
07-23-2005, 08:48 PM
i could collect for bushwacker, LOL...

NNT
07-23-2005, 08:57 PM
it don't take much prying to get me into a bar,it's still early tonight lol

NNT
07-23-2005, 11:19 PM
don't worry plenty of beer for both of ya.besides ain't like you two old farts are gonna drink more than a 6 pack or so between the both of ya lol ;)

1BadAction
07-23-2005, 11:30 PM
NNT- check the profile, U and bushwacker are the old farts!

[hint] you are older than me by 10 years, to the day!

NNT
07-23-2005, 11:38 PM
NNT- check the profile, U and bushwacker are the old farts!

[hint] you are older than me by 10 years, to the day!

ouch that hurts lol so i guess i'll just put a baby nipple on them for you Jr lmao :D I am getting a new place in late august slightly out in the estates,you guys are more then welcome to come to the first party i throw.i have some sweet looking single female friends too that are in the 20-28 range.you can drink all you want,crash there and maybe snag some tang for yourselves lol

NNT
07-24-2005, 12:07 AM
my father was born in 1945(also on the 18th,just january,so there will be a crapload of us there born on the 18th,kinda odd) too,so you guys can do prune juice shooters together lmao as for the 2 28 year olds,i'll need a signed realease form from your dr first :D