Getting Hitched

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
FABO Gold Member
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One of the things i have always wanted to do is get a hitch on my 68 dart because its my only means of wheels and many times i have thought to meself that it would be handy to have a proper pull point ..........rather than just hooking a chain to the bumper or something aweful like that.

i have seen in a recent thread a member had a hitch on a 71 swinger and these pics came from the "BOF" thread.

Does anyone know how i would build a mean reciever hitch for a 68 Dart.

As many know, I also have a 68 coronet wagon and i would also like a hitch on that too so if anyone knows how different an A is from a B body........any input. :burnout:

And NO i do not intend to tow other cars .....i am fixin to haul a little trailer ......like an ATV/lawn tractor hauler.

And also i would rather find plans to build my own rather than buying one because i can weld and i want it to fit like a glove....that plus i will need to makemore than one :eye:
 

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I never built one, but I bought two. $100 each from Uhaul or JC Whitney. I know you can build one Rani. You're one talented lady.

Welcome back!!!
 
If you were willing to pay the shipping and give me a few days to "get around to it" I will send you the hitch on the back of a 68 Valiant sitting out in my yard.....if you are interested let me know and I will go get a picture or two of it....
 
inkjunkie said:
If you were willing to pay the shipping and give me a few days to "get around to it" I will send you the hitch on the back of a 68 Valiant sitting out in my yard.....if you are interested let me know and I will go get a picture or two of it....
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wow mega cool.......PM coming
 
Rani, this is the 1st I have heard from you in a long time..... Nice to have you back. Sorry, cant help you on the hitch...
 
I have one for a Dart. Came off a 68. But it is not a reciever type. It bolts to the bumper and to the spare tire well. Class 1 ? Permanent ball that I think is 2 ''. PM me if it is something you might want.

Ink beat me to it.
 
I had a simple hitch on my 340 Duster. A heavy metal strap with the receiver ball on one end and two bolt holes on the other end, which was bolted thru the trunk floor where the spare tire goes. Large bolts/thick washers thru the trunk floor. I forget where I bought it; was very inexpensive and used it many years moving to new jobs, etc. Pulled cars with it across town, and many Uhaul trailers across country. The one move was in the winter, towing a trailer and had tire chains on the Duster pushing thru deep snow over a mountain pass. That 340 Duster was a good car.
 
Thread takeover alert..

My daughter is close to joining Fabo ...she thought it was just a "bunch of guys".. then I told her about you...she is now trying to decide on a new handle...Yamigrl not being MOPAR enough..

Thread Release...
 
The YouTube video is a good discussion of hitches in general and shows an example of classes 1-3.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUz9dMyASUw"]Trailer Hitch Class & Capacity Comparison - etrailer.com - YouTube[/ame]

I can't speak for the 68 Dart or your B body. For the 72 Dart, Dodge recommended a Max. GCVW (trailer and load) of 1500 pounds. They recommended trailer brakes on all that were over 1000 pounds. The recommendations did not indicate consideration for the springs, power train, and brakes equipping the car.

Good general info and pictures of hitches by different manufacturers http://www.autoanything.com/towing/50A36A185A1.aspx

Info on anti-jackknifing
http://www.popularmechanics.co.za/wheels/happy-hook-up/

Instruction on how to install a Class 1 hitch
http://www.instructables.com/id/Installing-a-trailer-hitch-on-a-small-car/

Back in the day if you went into a dealership looking for a trailer hitch, they would fix you up with something like the Swinger below.

Go to any search engine and type in "free trailer plans". You'll find everything from small camper trailers to a variety of open top trailers with and without ramps.
 

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Probably threw the hitch away that I took off my dart, but I would have given it to you.

It was kind of UGLY

Have seen some decent hitches back in the day on cars that you would never dream had a hitch. And seen some really dorky ones too.

Seems before the 70s and the truck craze that everyone thought they needed a truck lots of cars had hitches and they pulled small trailers just like Rani wants.

Now for me, I pulled a 19' fiberglass deck boat with a 6 cylinder I & O with a 70 duster slant 6 3 speed on the floor and 9" drum brakes, was I ever stupid.

It actually pulled the boat well, just didn't stop great
 
WildCat said:
Now for me, I pulled a 19' fiberglass deck boat with a 6 cylinder I & O with a 70 duster slant 6 3 speed on the floor and 9" drum brakes, was I ever stupid.

It actually pulled the boat well, just didn't stop great
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LOL I think anyone who pulled a trailer back in the day had that sort of experience. Stop signs/lights for which I couldn't stop. Don't think of it as stupidity rather a bad grasp of the situation or a faulty working definition of fear.
 
Great thread, Rani. I just now noticed your signature, Stubby for President. lol I am sorry to report that he is going downhill. He was 15 in February. He is eating and drinking right and it's comin out the other end fine, but he is still losing weight and not lookin well. He has a vet appointment comin up.
 
inkjunkie said:
Let me know if you are still interested in it.....shipping is on me.....please accept my apology for the snails pace in getting you pictures....I might just cut the rusty trunk pan around it all, between the rusty & bent bolts....

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please accept my apology for not being around the last two weeks and i thank you for the offer but i think i will build something a little different .......but thanks ....you rock, i dont care what they say :rambo:
 
RustyRatRod said:
Great thread, Rani. I just now noticed your signature, Stubby for President. lol I am sorry to report that he is going downhill. He was 15 in February. He is eating and drinking right and it's comin out the other end fine, but he is still losing weight and not lookin well. He has a vet appointment comin up.
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prayers for stubby...i know he is a good cat
 
Cool find 6pk2goDemon , added it here in this thread so its
in more than one place.

By member scatpackbee

Here's a blueprint to construct a trailer hitch from out of my '69 Dart Owner's Manual.

Should work for 1967 and 1968 Darts as well.
 

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longarm said:
Cool find 6pk2goDemon , added it here in this thread so its
in more than one place.

By member scatpackbee

Here's a blueprint to construct a trailer hitch from out of my '69 Dart Owner's Manual.

Should work for 1967 and 1968 Darts as well.
Click to expand...


if anyone has a diagram like this for 68-70 B-bodies ......i need a B-body to build a hitch for a 68 coronet wagon too :glasses7:
 
I had a hitch I pulled from my 70 dart, looked like a Mopar item and was dealer installed according to the original owner. I sold it on eBay but still have pictures, I'll see if I can find them for you.... This hitch was very good quality and was almost hidden, kinda wish I had kept it.
 
Its good to see your still around Rani! I am also looking to probably put a hitch on the wagon eventually..
 
Vintage Mopars are notoriously difficult to fit with hitches.

Gas tank, tire well, or valance panel is usually in the way, and LOTS of angles or bends are required.

There was a 73 Coronet at a local JY with a nicely designed hitch recently, but it was welded to the frame horns, and I couldn't get it to break free.

It cleared all of the obstructions and didn't look rickety or weak at all. :(

Car went to Mopar heaven before I could ask them to torch it off for me.
 
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