towing with a flathead

[RC Drown]

Here is an old photo of a flathead towing a camper

[PlymouthSpDelux]

Travel trailers have been around for decades before your '49.  There's a few 1937 clips on YouTube that would convince you it's OK to haul yours with the flathead.  I heartily agree with the comments about checking your clutch and cooling system, as well as having electric brakes on the trailer.  What would worry me is the brakes fading, which would be minimized by having the electric brakes on the trailer.  I have enough idiots jumping out in front of me and then slapping on their disc brakes, I would be concerned about the ability to stop while pulling a trailer.  Another nice side benefit of having electric brakes on the trailer might be the ability to minimize roll-backs while starting from a stop on a hill.

[CHS]

I see no reason why you can't tow a trailer with a flathead. Think about it, they used the same engine in trucks. As a matter of fact they continued to use the flathead engine in farm equipment as well as construction equipment for may years after the slant 6 replaced the flathead in cars .

[Wm Steed]

If your '49 is in good mechanical shape there should be no reason why you can't pull the camping trailer shown in your pix. If the trailer does not have brakes it could be a good idea to put electric brakes on it. The new style of electric brake controllers don't need to be cut into to the tow vehicles hydraulic system like the old ones.
A equalizer type hitch attached to a receiver hitch, in lieu of a bumper hitch, would also be a good idea.

My father pulled a camping trailer behind his '40 Chevy from Los Angles to Idaho in 1940 & 41. In 1953-54 he pulled a 35' house trailer behind his '52 Ford F-1 V8 between Idaho and Nevada.

Sometimes we forget just how tough the old cars were.... They did not set speed records while doing their daily work of transporting people and goods... they were like the well known watches... "took a lickin and kept a tickin".....Bill   

[36 Ply]

It's been about 30 years since I pulled a camping trailer. Off the top of my head, I'd think if your clutch is in good shape, and there's not too many hills, you'll probably be OK.
I'd also consider the outside temperature, and if your cooling system is in good shape.

Regards,
Pat O'Connor

[TodFitch]

I have a '49 flathead. 97 horsepower. can I tow a small travel trailer short distances? as in about thirty miles? the trailer is a '55 13 ft cannedham

Don't know how much weight you are looking at there but that looks like a trailer that could well have been pulled by a car like yours back in the mid-1950s. Don't see why it can't do the same now. Allow plenty of room for all maneuvers, especially braking!

I towed a small utility trailer filled with all my spare parts, including heavy things like a couple of transmissions, from Maryland to California using my 70 HP 1933 PD. Granted that was probably a lot less weight than you are looking at and I wasn't making any speed records, just poking along. These are tough cars to really hurt.

[mrodady]

I have a '49 flathead. 97 horsepower. can I tow a small travel trailer short distances? as in about thirty miles? the trailer is a '55 13 ft cannedham