Wagons and snow

Hey, I guess I should have posted my thread in the general discussion group yesterday, but any way, here I am!
Just one more thing, when I was in high school my buddy and I were given a Corvair wagon, I think it was a Lakewood ? Anyway before it broke we had the most glorious winter playground with that thing, most of the weight was in the back, and when you understood how to swing it round it was incredibly fun. You could swing it round and drive with the gas pedal while looking out the drivers door, then let off and swing it the other way!!! What a blast, learned a lot of skill which I still have.

 

My wagon is quite useless in the snow she tends to get stuck when there is any snow on the ground and i just had to start carrying wood and a shovel with me wherever i go or i would need a pull. Basic idea is rwd = fun in snow and camry = stuck in snow

 

Was the wood for a fire, or to beat the car with?

 

Although we all have those moments when we want to beat our cars it was actually to sort of wedge it under the tires to try to get traction. Funny enough when i put it the back i didnt get stuck anymore so it was a win-win situation. (FYI i wouldnt beat my baby)

 

Rather than wood for wedges or for weiner roasting fires just add some sand bags as far back as you can, or over the rear wheels. If you do get stuck you can use some of the sand under the wheels for traction.

Fuzzy you never went to the WELCOME WAGON to introduce your self and with the little you told us we have no idea where you are getting stuck and getting bad fuel mileage.

 

The only reason i didnt do sandbags is im fwd also im gonna go introduce myself now since i forgot so thanks for the heads up!

 

And ive introduced myself!

 

Since I now live where there is no snow and drive a FWD car I could be wrong about this. I was wrong once before.
I'd still add sandbags to the rear over the axle. If we ever get moved back to Illinois where it does snow I will add sand bags in the trunk. Even if it does not give traction I'll have the sand for under the front wheels.

 

Thats a good point actually never thought of that

 

And kids these days think they invented "drifting".
Up here it was just driving to work...

 

Our youngest son, 26, has been in Florida since he was 4 1/2. So he has very little experience driving on snow and ice.
Last week at this time he drove with a friend in his '91 Blazer thru Nashville and lots of snow in Kentucky to Minn.. He saw hundreds of cars and a lot of semis in the ditches or not moving on hills. In Kentucky driving around 30-35 he got to experience sliding backward into the mediun. Lucky he has 4-wheel drive which he's used in sand and mud.
He actually laughed and said they've left muddy wakes as they plowed thru mud holes but this was the first time they were leaving white snow wakes as he went back up on the highway.
He also got to do donuts in a parking lot as a cop in his stuck car watched!
All together he drove for hours at 20-35 MPH and now respects ice and snow driving. Son said he'd rather live in Florida.

 

My wagon was built when rear wheel drive was the norm, and although it hasn't seen snow in the last decade or so, it always performed well. I even remember a friend of mine commenting on how well it took the hill to his house in the winter. His family had a new chevy van at the time that couldn't hardly make it. I agree with what others have said. I think it has to do with the proper amount of weight over the rear axle. Some cars came with sufficient weight already making them "good snow cars" others will need weight added.

 

My Dad who drove a 87-89 Caprice Estate in winter just put sandbags in the rear, it worked for him in Pennsylvania winters.

 

Hey

t
Hey, that's it exactly. Drifting. You know, as a card carrying boomer, I didn't get "drifting" now that I realize what's going on I understand how much damn fun it is. Since there's no snow, they just substitute horsepower "and rubber"!!

 

I thought a drifter was a cowboy that wandered across the country. Or is that a Rake and Ramblin man?