'62 vehicle weight and winching

[fordraised]

Hello everyone, I have a 2 part question and hoping that someone could give me the answers. Has anyone weighed a '62 hard top? reason being is that I have purchased a trailer for my '62 and would like to have the information available if I get pulled over. I do know what all the books and other tech. notes say for the weight but I would like to know the actual weight. Having asked that, my next question is; what rating winch should I be considering....1500lb, 2000lb, 3000lb.....etc. I'm would like to install an electric winch onto the trailer but have no idea on what size I should be using. Thanks

[YellowRose]

'62 vehicle weight and winching

Hi Joe, never having owned a Bulletbird I can't give you a weight figure for one. Only what is recorded for it's weight when it left the factory. 4,132 Pounds (Hardtop). Someone who owns one who has actually weighed theirs perhaps can give you a better answer, but this is what Automotive Mile Posts says a '62 HT weighs.

[simplyconnected]

...what rating winch should I be considering....1500lb, 2000lb, 3000lb.....etc. I'm would like to install an electric winch onto the trailer but have no idea on what size I should be using...

It depends on what you are winching. Is it a car, a boat, or what? Does it have wheels? How high are we going (what is the lift) and what does it weigh?

If you are hoisting a 4,000-lb car, will you drive it up and lower it with the winch?

[fordraised]

Yellowrose, I'm well aware of the information available on the internet. That's what I'm trying to prove, if the weight advertised is the actual weight of the car.
simplyconnected, the winch would be for the '62 which does roll, on a 18' trailer with a 3' beaver tail plus the ramps. As far as the weight, well that's what I'm trying to find out.

[jopizz]

That advertised weight is a base weight, without any options. If your car has AC, power windows or power seat you can add a few pounds to that. It's certainly over 4000 pounds.

John

[cdhowell]

In the off road world we rate our winch at 1.5 x gvw or 6000# for a 4000 # vehicle. But you are obviously not stuck and a roller will not require as much pulling power. A small ATV winch in the
3-4k range should be sufficient to pull a roller up a trailer.

[cdhowell]

Forgot to add that the use of a snatch block will double the pulling power.

[simplyconnected]

I'm curious to know what kind of truck you will haul this car and trailer with...

The snatch block makes sense because you aren't lifting the car straight up. Most of the weight is still on the wheels so you will lift half of the car at a time. Like a shopping cart filled with 200-lbs weight; it doesn't take 200-lbs to push it. Once it gets going, some men have pulled rail road box cars with their TEETH! (Don't try this with your Thunderbird.)

I hope you have a loooong heavy-duty pushbutton cord and a good brake on the winch. The trailer will need two axles and electric brakes to haul that much weight. Be safe and good luck. - Dave

[fordraised]

simplyconnected, I have done all my research before I bought the trailer and it's all good. The trailer is a aluminum, dual axle with brakes on both axles and a break away system. The trailer is rated for 7000lbs. The vehicle I will be using is my Lincoln Navigator which is rated for 9000lbs. Installed is a Primus electric brake controller.

[simplyconnected]

It does sound good.

As a side note, I would like to say that I have had several cars from Ford's Oakville, Ontario plant and every one of them were very high quality builds. None of them ever went back to the dealership after purchasing. I never trade my old cars for new. Instead, I keep my cars in the family and we use them as long as possible. Here's a picture of my good friend, Howard Prout, standing in front of my '89 Tempo (an Oakville car):

The red '98 Escort (in the street) is mine too. This picture was taken nearly two years ago. - Dave

[fordraised]

Not to get off topic Dave, but the Ford plant is within walking distance of my home and I was raised and still own Ford's...................hence my username Ford Raised!