Jubjub

Just got a '76 98 LS Coupe from a relative. Pretty rusty but the driveline is pretty robust and it's a decent driver. I'm wanting to install a Class III hitch and see that there are no applications. Was wondering what others have done about this.

Justin

76 Regency

Hey Justin,

Congrats on getting your 98! I have 2 '76 98 Regency Coupes and have had then both for a very long time. They are excellent cars and with some regular maintenance, yours will last you a very long time and make for a very reliable ride.

There are definitely hitches that will work on these cars. I've seen plenty over the years but I couldn't tell you where to find a new one. I would imagine it's probably the same as for most of the full-sized GM from 71-76 so you may just find one in a yard if you hunt around a bit. I had one on a parts car years ago which I've always regretted not keeping but I had nowhere to put it at the time.

Along with many other users on here, I can probably help you with questions you may have about your car.

Please tell us some more about your car and be sure to follow rule # 1 on this forum which is.....POST PICTURES

Where are you and your 98 from?

John

Oldsguy

Congrats and welcome to CO.

oldcutlass

Welcome to the site, lets see it. If you have a Uhaul place nearby, they install hitches and associated wiring.

76 Regency

I actually took a look on U-Haul's site real quick after seeing Justin's post. It looks like they don't have one for our cars but they can custom make one if you to bring the car to Arizona! lol I'm sure they're are plenty out there waiting to be rescued from the crusher.


I wonder if something from a truck would work or could be made to work?

jaunty75

One of the things Olds did more than anything as far as advertising these cars back in the day was push their utility as tow vehicles. Olds often had separate brochures specifically concerned with the use of these cars for this purpose. I have to believe that getting a hitch for this car should be pretty easy. As suggested, take it to a place like U-haul that installs hitches for a living and see what they say.

I don't know if there was something equivalent for 1976, but here's a page out of the '73 trailering brochure showing a....98 pulling a trailer!





Here's another page from that brochure showing a hitch installed on a full-size Olds. Note the hitch attached by a length of metal running under the gas tank and attached to a crossmember going across the gas tank and attaching to the frame on either side.

jaunty75

If U-haul won't do it, maybe a place that sells mobile homes will. After all these guys sell trailers. You'd think they'd want to do everything they can to help a customer buy one, including getting a trailer hitch installed on the customer's vehicle as long as it's powerful enough to do the job regardless of what the vehicle is or how old it is.

76 Regency

Wow, very cool pics Jaunty! Nice to see how they mounted them. Also really nice to see the undercarriage of a brand new 98!

oldcutlass

Uhaul used to sell a variety of universal hitches that with the proper brackets could be adapted to most cars.

76 Regency

Good to know and that makes sense. I'm sure something will come up for him.

Jubjub

Thanks for all of the response.

Been looking around the different hitch manufacturers. Coming up with little so far. Guy in our shop volunteered another fella to build me one. Taking that with a grain of salt for the time being.

Cool old literature. That hitch set up is fairly elaborate, would a typical Class III that mounts to the sides of the frame suffice?. Amazing mine once looked like that underneath.

Pictures soon, just have my phone right now.

76 Regency

Still waiting on those pictures! By the way, just as a heads up. Since it's very common for these cars to need replacement filler panels at the end of the quarters, do yourself a favor and DO NOT buy the fiberglass ones that are out there! Plastic Parts in Florida sells ABS units that I helped them develop and they are a thousand times better than the fiberglass ones. Just an FYI.

76 Regency

Hey Justin,


Haven't heard from you in a bit...how's the 98? Got any pics for us yet?


John