pull or push

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Flatbed is highly recommended.

Use best judgement where to hook up.
Don't pull from the tow hooks.
Use two pull hooks
Pull slowly.
Inflate the tires.
Double check car is not in gear
Unlock steering column with key
Be present when the car is picked up and dropped off, if you can
Secure doors, Hood and trunk before the truck leaves. -I forgot to, so I made the driver stop twice so I could secure the hood. Once on the freeway. He wasn't happy but I didn't care.

If you don't know how to tow, then just act really concerned and paranoid about having the car towed. The driver will usually be more carefully. A $10 too usually helps too.

I actually directed the tow driver what to do and even hooked up the car myself. He initially hooked on to the tow hook which would have ripped right off. The only place where I could hook up was on the rear axles, but he pulled slowly and all was well.

From experience, tow drivers often have a tight schedule and sometimes don't care if your car gets damaged.
 
Lenoxx said:
View attachment 86342

Flatbed is highly recommended.

Use best judgement where to hook up.
Don't pull from the tow hooks.
Use two pull hooks
Pull slowly.
Inflate the tires.
Double check car is not in gear
Unlock steering column with key
Be present when the car is picked up and dropped off, if you can
Secure doors, Hood and trunk before the truck leaves. -I forgot to, so I made the driver stop twice so I could secure the hood. Once on the freeway. He wasn't happy but I didn't care.

If you don't know how to tow, then just act really concerned and paranoid about having the car towed. The driver will usually be more carefully. A $10 too usually helps too.

I actually directed the tow driver what to do and even hooked up the car myself. He initially hooked on to the tow hook which would have ripped right off. The only place where I could hook up was on the rear axles, but he pulled slowly and all was well.

From experience, tow drivers often have a tight schedule and sometimes don't care if your car gets damaged.
Click to expand...
By experience I mean that I've had a lot of cars towed over the years and learned by watching.
 
Lenoxx said:
You can use a come-along to get it up the ramp. And you don't want the car rolling back down the ramp either.
Click to expand...

If you do that, put a heavy towel on the come-along cable. If the subframe tab fails (which they do) that cable will go flying. A throwback to your jeep days, watch videos of winch “fails” on youtube.
 
You can also go to home depot and have a sheet of $25 plywood cut to the approximate shape of your windscreen. Drill holes in both sheets at the same location, one above the passenger seat and one above the driver. Run all thread feom one sheet to the other and sandwich them tight. Use large washers on the wood with a lot of surface area. You will likely need to buy four pieces of all thread, four washers, four nuts, and two couplers
to make two long all thread rods. After that you can flatbed it without stuff flying around. Lastly, it wouldn’t hurt to buy two aluminum spacers. Cut them in half at the windscreen angle. That will help the nut sit square against the wood.
 
The best/safest way is to winch it into a trailer. That goes for both open and enclosed type trailers.

We have guys in our area that specialize in moving classic cars around town. Typical limit for them is 2-3 hours away. They use the typical enclosed race car hauler. They are familiar with restored cars, barn finds and partly completed projects. They charge about the same as local flat bed haulers (sometimes less). I’ll bet there are some down in your area.

Because they use enclosed car haulers, loading/unloading is easier on the car and they can move piles of parts with the car.

I am NOT a fan of the typical American flat bed service. I’ve personally seen them bend and/or rip off tow hooks pulling a car up that step/high bed. One time I saw a 7 series where the whole front bumper was slightly twisted because the tow driver cranked down too hard on the chain attached to the emergency tow hook (rather than put on the wheel/tire tie-downs.
 
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bfeng said:
The best/safest way is to winch it into a trailer. That goes for both open and enclosed type trailers.

We have guys in our area that specialize in moving classic cars around town. Typical limit for them is 2-3 hours away. They use the typical enclosed race car hauler. They are familiar with restored cars, barn finds and partly completed projects. They charge about the same as local flat bed haulers (sometimes less). I’ll bet there are some down in your area.

Because they use enclosed car haulers, loading/unloading is easier on the car and they can move piles of parts with the car.

I am NOT a fan of the typical American flat bed service. I’ve personally seen them bend and/or rip off tow hooks pulling a car up that step/high bed. One time I saw a 7 series where the whole front bumper was slightly twisted because the tow driver cranked down too hard on the chain attached to the emergency tow hook (rather than put on the wheel/tire tie-downs.
Click to expand...
Yup. Some drivers don't give a damned. That's why I always try to be present when they load and unload my car. My freshly restored 66 mustang had to be towed once and it showed up with a bent tailpipe. Another driver couldn't figure out how to put my 750il in neutral and I caught him dragging it up the ramp. i made him stop as soon as I got there. It's easier than towing it yourself, but you definitely want to be there to watch them.
 
I need to find the equivalent guy in my area that @bfeng referred to. That sounds like the perfect balance of care and someone else doing the heavy lifting. Meanwhile, I will endeavor to get her tuned up enough to drive it into the eventual trailer.
 
autokunst said:
I need to find the equivalent guy in my area that @bfeng referred to. That sounds like the perfect balance of care and someone else doing the heavy lifting. Meanwhile, I will endeavor to get her tuned up enough to drive it into the eventual trailer.
Click to expand...

Try calling some local restoration shops for a referral. They need to move bare metal bodies from their place to the paint shop.
 
Lenoxx said:
View attachment 86342

Flatbed is highly recommended.

Use best judgement where to hook up.
Don't pull from the tow hooks.
Use two pull hooks
Pull slowly.
Inflate the tires.
Double check car is not in gear
Unlock steering column with key
Be present when the car is picked up and dropped off, if you can
Secure doors, Hood and trunk before the truck leaves. -I forgot to, so I made the driver stop twice so I could secure the hood. Once on the freeway. He wasn't happy but I didn't care.

If you don't know how to tow, then just act really concerned and paranoid about having the car towed. The driver will usually be more carefully. A $10 too usually helps too.

I actually directed the tow driver what to do and even hooked up the car myself. He initially hooked on to the tow hook which would have ripped right off. The only place where I could hook up was on the rear axles, but he pulled slowly and all was well.

From experience, tow drivers often have a tight schedule and sometimes don't care if your car gets damaged.
Click to expand...
Why not from the tow hooks?
 
So what’s the best practice?

I ran to a similar problem a few days ago on my 911. The hook was missing. I attached a 1inch tie down strap to the front Suspension mounting point #mcgiverminute (semi similar issue) I had the tow driver pull it while I shadowed the brakes. I figured the strap would snap before damaging any metal as long as there’s no jerking.

not sure what the rolling weight is, but I would think that tow hook should do the job and not cause any damage as long as you use a piece of strap between the car metal loop and the tow truck driver hook. -Dampen the jerking load.

on that note. I need to replace my loop (tow hook):D Are we just bending some half inch rods and welding them? Has anyone come up with a bracket system to accept a race inspired and visually acceptable tow hook?
 
autokunst said:
I need to find the equivalent guy in my area that @bfeng referred to. That sounds like the perfect balance of care and someone else doing the heavy lifting. Meanwhile, I will endeavor to get her tuned up enough to drive it into the eventual trailer.
Click to expand...

I would contact local classsic car clubs. Here are some ideas (based on how often these Marques need to be towed).

Jaguar
MG
Lotus
Alfa Romeo

Next idea: race support shops. Most of them aren’t very busy right now and most have a stable of trailers of varying sizes. Here near Boston shops like this charge about $1/mile.
 
I used a flat top with tilt tray several times during my restoration. Only way to go. Cost me $80 Aud each time to go about 25 km (16 miles).....well worth the money and job done properly. Car winched on front or rear first. ;)

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There wasn't an enclosed trailer for rent in all of Wisconsin, it seemed. I ended up renting a truck and trailer from U-Haul. I don't think you can find a more robust DIY trailer, and it was reasonable. The truck was a bit spendy due to the miles we traveled - about 120 miles each way. But the equipment worked well.
EDIT: This was after getting the Raven running again so it was easy work to drive her up onto, and back off of the trailer. Time well spent.
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