Chevrolet Tahoe and Plymouth GTX: Tow of a Kind
After two days and 1,000 miles my 1970 Plymouth GTX is safely tucked in at its new home in Denver, Colorado. My Dad has room for the car in his garage, and next year I'll be attending my 20-year high-school reunion. I've had the GTX since 1986, and the pair of us were well known throughout my junior and senior year (I don't know if it was really the fastest car at my school, but I know I never lost a race). I'm looking forward to showing up with the GTX next year, as plenty of people asked about it during the 10-year reunion...
Now, instead of saying "It's out in California" I'll be able to say, "It's out in the parking lot -- wanna go for a ride?"
The original plan was to drive the GTX back to Denver, but the thought of 100-plus temperatures across the desert, with no air conditioning, had me calling U-Haul at the last minute and snagging a car trailer. Our long-term 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe handled the 6,000-pound load (2,000-pound trailer, 4,000-pound car) admirably. I'll provide additional details on the long-term blog, but suffice to say I'm a bigger fan of Chevy's full-size SUVs than I was before -- and I already liked them a lot.
- Posted by
- Karl Brauer August 16, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Permalink
- Categories:
- Muscle Car, Road Trips
The GTX looks great:)
I'm amazed how big it looks next to the Tahoe!
Great picture, where exactly was it taken? Im glad that now someone has something positive to say about the Tahoe rather than "its bulky, heavy, thirsty, slow, etc." Fullsize SUVs are built a certain way, and if one doesnt like that then there are plenty of crossover options.
Are you planning to bring it back to California after the reunion? And do you have some performance numbers on the GTX like how much power it has, 0-60 time 1/4 mile time.
I'll probably bring it back to California afterwards -- definitely if my vehicle storage situation changes and I have a place to park it inside.
The car probably makes around 400 horsepower at the wheels, at least when I have it tuned in correctly (always a challenge, especially when changing elevation by 5,000 feet!). It did a 14.0 at 100 mph 1/4-mile several years ago when Terminal Island was still open in Long Beach, and the engine is still the same so that should be close (it does have a better carb now). It was getting A LOT of attention from other travelers throughout the 1,000-mile journey.
The Tahoe was damn impressive. In the stretch between L.A. and Vegas the outside temp read 107 degrees, we had the air cranked and we were going up those long grades after Baker. The temp gauge went up to about 3/4 but still didn't get scary-close to the "red" zone on the uphill sections (it went right back to half way as soon as we crested the top of each hill). I need to do a more specific mpg evaluation, but my summary glance at the fuel log showed the Tahoe getting around 15 mpg for most of the trip while towing those 6,000 pounds -- despite the hills, temperature, air conditioning and family of four with luggage inside. Stellar!
I don't know much about classic cars (except the Golf GTI) so I can't comment on the GTX. But I'm loving that Tahoe! Wow! I think to improve fuel economy and towing performance even more, Chevy should have diesel versions of the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade. I hear that gone are the days of smelly and noisy diesels.......I read the Dodge Ram 2500 review on Edmunds.....I'm sure Chevy has a similarly capable diesel engine!
Karl, does the long-termer have Autoride and therefore load-leveling shocks?
See? When the vehicle is used for it's intended purpose, you get few complaints. Not pointing fingers, but when reading the blogs, I notice that when the Tahoe is used for it's intended purposes, the blogs contain praise, but when it's just used for running around town or doing things that a smaller or differently configured car could do, it gets picked on.
Towing and hauling people. That is what it was intended for and to get 15 MPG while doing so is pretty good too. That would be lame if it were running a trophy wife around town, but do so while towing and hauling people is pretty good.
True, and that just further points out the wastefulness of these cars when they aren't being used properly (and, let's be honest, they usually aren't by the majority of owners). The idea that I rent a Tahoe for the once-a-year tow/haul/off-road adventure I go on, and otherwise drive a sedan (or minivan if I have a big family) makes far better sense on every level. These vehicles are amazing when used properly, and wasteful when used to cart trophy wives around with their Neiman Marcus hand bags (and little else).
This one does have the load leveling suspension. When we parked at the hotel in St. George and came out the next morning the rear of the Tahoe was all squashed down. But within 30 seconds of starting it up the vehicle was pretty much level again. Very cool.
"These vehicles are amazing when used properly, and wasteful when used to cart trophy wives around with their Neiman Marcus hand bags (and little else). "
I feel the same way whan I see a Porshe or Ferrari crawling along in traffic. Wonder cars on the track or the open road but a lame wasteful status symbol when driving around the city.
Firstwagon, you're perfectly right, except for one thing. Fortunately or unfortunately, Porsches and Ferraris are very expensive so only very few people can afford them. So any wastage or environmental impact is practically negligible. (In fact, I haven't seen a Ferrari in Lubbock and I've only seen a handful of Porsches! But just about everyone in my neighbourhood has a full-size pickup or a Tahoe and only one or two of them use them for their intended use.)
Fortunately or unfortunately, many people can afford full-size SUVs and pickups and even not-so-well-to-do folk can afford a used one in great condition. Hence, when most full-size SUV/pickup owners don't use them for their intended purpose, there are huge consequences.
Depends where you live I guess. There is only one full size SUV on my street and he has a 24ft travel trailer so he needs it. Walking around the parking lot at work (400 employees) the other day and I noticed there was only a couple big pickups and not a single full size SUV. Several mid sized and crossovers but not one full size.
I don't know anyone who has a big pickup for image although I sure there are a few around.
Drive around Vancouver and you'll see lots of Porshes, big V8 Mercedes, Lexus and BMWs, even a few Ferraris and Lambo's every week..... and they all seem to be driven at or below the speed limit by people who buy them for the image.
I realize different places have different breakdowns but that's where my view point comes from.
A "normal" Porsche engine isn't that big a deal anyway, nor any other engine that's meant for high revs but been driven in traffic (eg s2000).
If it's someone's dream to own a Tahoe, I don't mind (at least not enough to say anything). But a lot of owners don't really want one, they just rationalize it to themselves and become convinced that they can't do with anything less. Arguments like "I bought a house so I need an F-250" or "I had my second kid so I need a Suburban" are common, and not very good ones, imo. Think it through just a bit more and they'll realize that a) something else will work, or b) they want it and that's fine too.
The Tahoe is really nice (my uncle has one), but if I were in the market for this type of vehicle I'd rather have the Expedition with the fold-flat rear seats.