I was asked if I knew anything about this car, I don’t but thought it deserved to be seen. We’ve seen a small trailer being towed before… I think years ago Dick Hile from Arizona? but never saw one hauling a caravan. If anyone has any info the son of the owner would like to know if the car is still around…
pauls
Don’t see a good way to mount a hitch to the monocoque. Also I would expect cooling issues in a S1, even more so, as lights are blocking the radiator. Looks staged to me, bit I have been called a sceptic before…
My guess - there’s a long towing apparatus attached to the rear wheels cradle. As to cooling, it’s anybody’s guess, but it does seem compromised.
I’d be afraid to drive this rig. The chances of something going wrong here and the tail wagging the dog seem great.
I would not have expected to see such a thing either which is the reason I posted it. I too suspect its attached to the IRS. Who knows the fellow may have tried it once and realized it was a bad idea. The only other thing I know is he said it was sold in the 70s so it lived for a little while.
pauls
It can be done: with the truck engine a Jag has, it could haul quite abit!
Hardy Prentice flat-towed his TR3 to races with his E-Type,
Caravan is pointing up and the car is not squatting.
But the wide mirrors are correct …
Hi Guys,
Probably 8 to 10 years ago I met a guy with a Series 2 at an annual classic car get together at Timour Hall, Cape Town. Before long, I noticed a tow bar on the back.
Apparently, on leaving Rhodesia, many years ago, he hitched a small yacht as well as a luggage trailer behind his XKE and drove with his family(wife and two young daughters, if I remember correctly) all the way to Cape Town to start a new life in South Africa.
He had photos to prove it.
Hopefully, he is a member of this group, notice this post and responds with the said photograph.
Regards
Chris
Cape Town
That is not an especially-heavy caravan. The only significant issues would be how to attach the hitch and the engine cooling. The drag coefficient would sure take a hit!
The XK motor has a ton of torque and greatly exceeds the strength of many cars I have seen towing caravans. This one is SWB, so it won’t have the benefit of an auto transmission.
A hitch attached to the IRS, and stabilized by a possibly-strengthened trunk floor could be OK and I presume that’s what they did. A hitch with small anti-sway bars would make this fine and stable if the van is loaded properly.
In the right climate and topography this could work. This looks like the UK to me, not Death Valley or climbing the Rockies.
The real thing that’s questionable is whether the pair of mirrors is up to the task and if such an ugly van belongs behind an XKE! Rather than a caravan, I’d prefer to see a sailplane or racing skiff being towed by an XKE. That would be more in keeping with the sporting feel of the car.
Brits will find a way to tow with ANYTHING. I’m not claiming this would have been a good set-up, but I seriously doubt it’s staged.
A friend and I were driving in Tucson when I saw a pair of trailers parked in a lot. I waved him over to follow me and we got this shot:
Yea: the Sunbeam “Funwagon” comes to mind.
Painfully.
Liam, how did you determine it was a SWB. I couldn’t tell but thought it to be a LWB as the front door window seemed to arch up more than a FHC but just a guess.
pauls
Speaking of the engine cooing system’s “ability” to pull a lightweight, little caravan in the mild, English climate…I recently saw this gem here in warm, sunny Southern California.
I’m guessing both the weight AND drag coefficient were likely double that of a standard VW Bus…it appeared to be a period-built rig, proving that people in the “olden days” were a little less concerned with the perceived risks of over-taxing a vehicle’s drivetrain.
There’s no doubt that’s a fhc
Must not had any cooling issues as there are extra headlights inside the “mouth” obstructing air flow…
That bugger better have a 2180 in it!!!
…note the receiver on the back…!!!
Yes, “hopeless optimist” came to mind.
I showed that thing to a friend of mine who’s in to VW Buses, and his comment was just “I wonder how many Dead concerts that thing attended back in the day?”…all of them, I think it attended ALL of them.
You’re right, no chrome under the windows, missed that.
pauls
At least on the bus they allowed for extra cooling 
pauls
