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Flat Towing '49 Plymouth


squirebill

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Anybody have any suggestions for long distance towing of '49 Plymouth Station Wagon (Suburban). Purchased the car and now have to get it home. It's currently in southern California and I'm in southeast Pennsylvania.  Have contacted a car transporter and he has failed at three different scheduled pick-up dates.  Am going to try another transporter next week but if that doesn't work out am thinking I may drive out and pick up the car and tow it home.  Have seen vehicles towed with all wheels on the ground using a towbar and at highway speeds. Figure this would be least expensive.  Have also seen vehicles towed on dollies, with two wheels on the dolly and two on the road.  Have looked into dolly rental in California but seems cross country dolly rental with U-Haul can only be done if you rent the tow vehicle from them. Third option would be a car hauling trailer and winch car onto it. Probably safest but most expensive.  So I'm looking for thoughts and recommendations especially from folks who have experience doing similar towing. If tow using a dolly, is it better to put the front axle or rear axle on the dolly.

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Unless I knew the condition of all tires, wheel bearings,  rear axles, and differential a flat tow, or a dolly would not be my choice for a tow of any great distance.  Even then I would be hesitant.

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Depending if you have a heavy enough tow vehicle I'd look for a used 2 wheel two wheel tow trailer. Bring tool box and grease gun.

 

When at the purchased car, I'd remove the drive line and check the rear end oil, grease  the zerk fitting on the rear end on top of the housing (see repair manual) just inside the back wheel on top. New/good used tires put on rear wheels?

 

Enjoy the trip. Sell the tow trailer when home!

 

Cheaper than a transporter?

 

DJ

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Just picked up a car with a friend. Iowa to NY. He rented an F250 diesel pick up from Enterprise. We drove it to Iowa were he reserved a U Haul trailer one way trip back to NY. The truck got about 18 mpg empty,and 16 towing the car trail or. Don't know what it cost him with moterls meals and fuel involved.

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The problem is the cost of a rental tow vehicle. Looks like U-Haul would want close to $2000 for a truck and trailer haul. You should be able to get a car hauler non covered to do the job for under $1500. I did a dolly haul once with my truck on a 1500 mile trip and it worked well but the car was like new condition. I also did a 400 mile haul which was about the same cost as a car hauler using U-Haul truck and car trailer. Their combination  worked like a charm but the price was reasonable.

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the trip out to the west coast would be an adventure itself let alone the prepping of the car for the return trip on flat tow.  You going to be tired, and you going to be anxious to get back on the road.  You are likely to overlook a number of things and that can lead to some very large problems on your way back.  Unless you just out for the adventure and got plenty of time on your hands for such a trip...I would suggest an alternate method.  I did a flat tow from Franklin PA to Charleston SC many many years ago.  No matter the amount of thinking ahead you do...there will be a number of things come up along the way to give you grief...you are going to be dragging behind you a car that you have zero history on and have little way to prove it road worthiness prior to departure.  Good luck if you decide flat tow is your only option.

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I rented a tow bar and pulled 4 wheel drive International Scout home several years ago. Every time I had to make a sharp right turn the Scout wanted to continue turning right until I stopped, got out and turned the Scout steering wheel back to straight and all was well until the next sharp right turn. Left turns were fine. Fortunately I only had about 50 miles to go.

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A friend and I flat-towed a P15 from the Jersey Shore to Western New York many years ago.  We put 4 good tires on the Plymouth and stopped at the first gas station we saw and had it put on a lift.  The rear axle was bone dry and the oil pan was hanging off the bottom of the engine.  On the road, nearly every bump we hit caused the Plymouth to sway violently and pull the rear of the pickup truck with it.  Scary stuff.

 

I'd recommend either a car trailer (not a dolly) or hiring a transporter to do this job.

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The guy I bought my p15 from flat towed it from Wy to MN behind his motorhome. He also spotted it while doing the same thing with a 50 plymouth from CA. Spotted my p15 on the way home and went back and bought it too. He removed the front bumper and bolted some sort of tow setup directly to the frame. 

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Depending on your situation, I like the suggestion suntennis offered. Prior to buying my trailer, I used all the alternative methods mentioned  transporting vehicles. I wouldn't part with my open trailer. I've used it for hauling vehicles in all weather from southern California to Alberta and all over western Canada. (not to show and shines)..I've hauled vintage cars, trucks, motorcycles as well as landscaping equipment and had a lot of enjoyable road trips...  :)  

Edited by Ralph D25cpe
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The problem is the cost of a rental tow vehicle. Looks like U-Haul would want close to $2000 for a truck and trailer haul. You should be able to get a car hauler non covered to do the job for under $1500. I did a dolly haul once with my truck on a 1500 mile trip and it worked well but the car was like new condition. I also did a 400 mile haul which was about the same cost as a car hauler using U-Haul truck and car trailer. Their combination  worked like a charm but the price was reasonable.

which is why he went with enterprise commercial. Truck was daily charge , unlimited miles.
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Safety first - flat towing is like having a 3,000 pound trailer with NO BRAKES! I would never attempt a trip of this length without trailer brakes. At least a tow dolly or rental trailer will have surge brakes on 2 wheels.  A flatbed trailer with electric brakes would be ideal from a safety standpoint.  You don't mention the tow vehicle you'll be using, but a full size pickup or SUV would be the minimum for such a tow. 

 

To address the cost, do you know anybody in SE PA that has a trailer you could borrow?  Maybe a body shop, or a car club?  Look in the swap sheets, buy a trailer in PA, repack the wheel bearings, check the tires, brakes and lights and away to California you go.  Sell the trailer when you get home - if you lose less than the cost of a rental, you win.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I contacted UShip.com and posted my add to have the car picked up in CA and delivered to PA.  Got six quotes, reviewed them all and ended up going with the one that happened to be in the middle pricewise.  Although this company could not guarantee a pickup date they were the only one that stated they could have the car picked up within 5 days of order placement.  Today is day 6 with no arrangements for pickup.  I intend to give them til the end of the week.  Uship was quick for invoicing for their fee which I paid assuming the 5 day pickup would be honored.  I called Uship and advised of the situation and they emailed the transporter to try to expedite the situation but no results yet.  This is beginning to be a hassle.   I will be away from home for a week in the middle of this month.  If the car hasn't shipped by then may consider going out and getting it myself.  So thanks for all your suggestions on towing,  Will probably go the safe route and buy a trailer here, tow it out and bring the car back.  Note my tow vehicle is a Chevy Avalanche which I am confident will handle it.  Have talked to a trailer sales outfit here to buy a car hauler trailer and the could trade it in on a smaller utility trailer once I return.  Naturally, hoping it doesn't come to this but trying to get my ducks in a row just in case. 

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I bought my trailer used about 8 years ago. The price was $2600. I also had a suitable tow vehicle at the time. This photo was taken a few years back in Idaho. I bought the trailer to haul cars, but It has proved useful for hauling a variety of  items including construction materials. post-296-0-18654700-1470206065_thumb.jpg

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Ralph....your setup looks great and the trailer is something like what I was looking at, tandem axles and all.  What size is your trailer?  I asked about  6' x 16' that I thought would be big enough for the '49 Plymouth.  They told me it would be special order and that they stocked 6' x 18' trailers.  What size is yours?  I thought about just keeping the trailer as you suggest but I am running short on storage area (currently have a '49 Dodge B1B pickup, will have the '49 Wagon, if it ever gets here, and the trailer).  Suppose I could keep one of the vehicles on the trailer to conserve space.  That will be a problem to work out once I get the car here.  First things first.  Regards to all.

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index.php?app=core&module=attach&section

 

 

mine is a bit wider, 7 feet between the fenders as it is a special built farm edition....and the length is 18' 2"  with the last two feet in form of a dove tail for lower loading requirements and ability to use a shorter self stored loading ramp.  You will find the 18 footer more to your liking as you are able to adjust your load for proper tongue weight.  I have transported full size hearse on mine with a 13 foot wheelbase with no problems.   As my trailer is farm edition it also has provisions to install side walls (stake pockets) and center flooring and I have used this feature quite extensively this year piling on tree and limb debris to carry to the landfill.  If you have provisions to store this trailer, you will use it more than you would think.  It is easier to put a less than full load on a larger trailer than trying to fit a larger than load.  Like garages, they don't get too large.

 

 

 

 

post-19-0-57590900-1470234237_thumb.jpg

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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I've used a U-Haul dual axle car hauler .... see my icon image ..... to pull a P18 Club Coupe from Colorado to Tulsa OK and back .... it was an easy but fairly long pull.   Used a gas Suburban.    Rented the U-Haul on a "local" .... for a week.   I've also had a transport on other situations.  I'd go with another transport company first choice.  

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I recently moved an individual north and drove the large van with a U-Haul trailer with a Isuzu Trooper on the back some 450 miles....the trailer had dropped  fender for easy door opening when loading and surge brakes.  Very easy tow for sure and as a rental trailer a very effective unit.  But for ownership I do not recommend this setup unless your only purpose for the trailer is for use towing cars. 

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Ralph....your setup looks great and the trailer is something like what I was looking at, tandem axles and all.  What size is your trailer?  I asked about  6' x 16' that I thought would be big enough for the '49 Plymouth.  They told me it would be special order and that they stocked 6' x 18' trailers.  What size is yours?  I thought about just keeping the trailer as you suggest but I am running short on storage area (currently have a '49 Dodge B1B pickup, will have the '49 Wagon, if it ever gets here, and the trailer).  Suppose I could keep one of the vehicles on the trailer to conserve space.  That will be a problem to work out once I get the car here.  First things first.  Regards to all.The

The flat deck area of my trailer is 16 feet plus another 2 feet for the dovetail, (18'), with 82 inches between wheel wells. The axles are rated at 4950 lbs each and the trailer at 9900 lbs. It has electric brakes on all wheels. It was manufactured by Rainbow Trailers in Cartwright, Manitoba. As Tim mentioned you will find the trailer comes in handy for all sorts of jobs, not for just hauling cars and parts.   

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