Trailering Model A

[trulyvintage]

Common Sense

The only reason anyone would transport
any vehicle on an open trailer - let alone
a freshly painted one - is because they are
too cheap to properly transport it in
an enclosed trailer.

The only reason anyone would wrap
plastic around a vehicle being transported
on an open trailer - let alone a freshly
painted one - is because they realize
the fresh paint can be damaged by
transporting it on an open trailer.

Wind gets under plastic wrapped
around a vehicle being towed
which moves the plastic and rubs
the paint.

Putting plastic on a vehicle being
towed on an open trailer subjects
the vehicle to a greater risk of
damaging the paint.

Enclosed car hauling trailers exist
to protect a vehicle during transport.

If wrapping a vehicle with plastic offered
the same protection - you would see open
multi vehicle car carriers loaded with
vehicles wrapped in Saran Wrap
driving own the road.

Jim

 

[LeonardS]

Re: Common Sense

The only reason anyone would transport
any vehicle on an open trailer - let alone
a freshly painted one - is because they are
too cheap to properly transport it in
an enclosed trailer.

The only reason anyone would wrap
plastic around a vehicle being transported
on an open trailer - let alone a freshly
painted one - is because they realize
the fresh paint can be damaged by
transporting it on an open trailer.

Wind gets under plastic wrapped
around a vehicle being towed
which moves the plastic and rubs
the paint.

Putting plastic on a vehicle being
towed on an open trailer subjects
the vehicle to a greater risk of
damaging the paint.

Enclosed car hauling trailers exist
to protect a vehicle during transport.

If wrapping a vehicle with plastic offered
the same protection - you would see open
multi vehicle car carriers loaded with
vehicles wrapped in Saran Wrap
driving own the road.

Jim

I don’t disagree with your explanation of the plastic flapping and ruining the paint, but how does the plastic work on new Corvette’s and several other high end cars? They come completely covered. If that damaged the paint, they wouldn’t do it.

 

[ModelA29]

Re: Common Sense

I don’t disagree with your explanation of the plastic flapping and ruining the paint, but how does the plastic work on new Corvette’s and several other high end cars? They come completely covered. If that damaged the paint, they wouldn’t do it.

They have been shrink wrapping boats and other types of equipment for transport for at least 30 years without problems. Imported cars have done it for 20+ years to protect from sea air and acid rain. In the 80s Nissan gave a few acid rain damaged cars to the local Sheriff's dept to use on their EVOC course.

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Re: Common Sense

I don’t disagree with your explanation of the plastic flapping and ruining the paint, but how does the plastic work on new Corvette’s and several other high end cars? They come completely covered. If that damaged the paint, they wouldn’t do it.

Leonard, the product I suggested (plastic wrap) works when it is installed correctly. The plastic wraps are held into position due to the elastic nature of the product. When it is stretched during installation, it conforms to the surface below, and each subsequent layer further compresses the substrate plastic it is covering.



Jim, as to your many comments, I agree with others here that many of your opinions seemingly appear to lack merit and/or factual foundation. In the scenario of the plastic, I honestly stated what has worked for me and our customers, ...and even provided pictures that substantiated my suggestion. Since you often choose to make your public posts as an industry professional with proven experience with what you speak of, I trust you can (-i.e.: will) provide first-hand documentation or pictures that corroborates your statements about insurance coverages, collector automobile values, reasons for using an enclosed carrier, plastic wrap, et/al so we can all learn from facts -and not potential fabrications or inaccurate hearsay.

 

[LeonardS]

Re: Common Sense

Leonard, the product I suggested (plastic wrap) works when it is installed correctly. The plastic wraps are held into position due to the elastic nature of the product. When it is stretched during installation, it conforms to the surface below, and each subsequent layer further compresses the substrate plastic it is covering.



Jim, as to your many comments, I agree with others here that many of your opinions seemingly appear to lack merit and/or factual foundation. In the scenario of the plastic, I honestly stated what has worked for me and our customers, ...and even provided pictures that substantiated my suggestion. Since you often choose to make your public posts as an industry professional with proven experience with what you speak of, I trust you can (-i.e.: will) provide first-hand documentation or pictures that corroborates your statements about insurance coverages, collector automobile values, reasons for using an enclosed carrier, plastic wrap, et/al so we can all learn from facts -and not potential fabrications or inaccurate hearsay.

Brent, I think your method of wrapping the car top is a good one. I wish I had seen this several years ago when I hauled my 28 closed cab pickup home. My issue was with the visor that wanted to flap in the wind. That shrink wrap idea would have solved my problem.

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

I notice you don't wrap tie down straps around the wheels as I've seen some haulers do - which does damage the paint on the wheels

Yes, and two addition points. If you look closely, you will see red terrycloth towels wrapped around the axle prior to placing the axle strap around the axle. With fully cured catalyzed urethane paint, the paint holds-up well to the tie-down straps.

There is no substitute for enclosed transport of a vehicle.

Jim

Intelligent Men can generally make intelligent decisions when they know all the Facts.

Jim in this scenario, the "facts" as they applied to the owner of this 'plastic-wrapped' vehicle were a better substitute for your logic. The timeline logistics of his trip with the vehicle, the places they would be traveling to, and the towing capabilities of his vehicle circumvented him from buying/using an enclosed trailer just to haul his vehicle to locations on a one-time trip.

A second scenario against your 'logic' is for most vehicles traveling to a location to receive a frame-up restoration, most people question the value in transporting in an enclosed trailer? I feel they make a great argument since it is their money they would be spending.

Additionally as a scenario against your logic, I just received a vehicle from Texas that was transported here on an open trailer. The owner did not care about if the vehicle's top became ripped, nor if the paint was getting chipped, -or if the car received water damage should he have driven thru a storm since the vehicle was about to be completely renewed. Using your logic, if the owner had towed it in his enclosed trailer, he would have used more fuel to make the trip, and he would have needed to haul the empty trailer home. Instead, he chose to rent an open trailer where he could leave the rental trailer here locally after delivering his vehicle, -and then he had an empty truck for him and his wife to use to sightsee and leisurely travel on the way home. The better fuel mileage on the return trip along with not dealing with a trailer on the trip home more than justified the rental expense for him. For him, there WAS a good substitute to an enclosed trailer.

 

[TerryO]

I have an enclosed trailer and an open trailer. I transport my concours restored Shelby (I have owned since 1970) in the enclosed trailer because I could never replace the original date coded panels and or glass if they got damaged. My very nice (not fine point worthy) Sport Coupe is a different story. I prefer to trailer it on my open trailer and if it were to get damaged I could repair or replace it. I do use a corrugated plastic panel I made to protect the radiator. I feel comfortable towing this way.


TOB

 

[Keith True]

The friction hold plastic used to wrap stuff now is NOT like the plastic Jim is referring to.That stuff has to be tied on somehow,and air gets under it and makes it move.The thin stretchy stuff,(I call it shrink wrap but it's really not)holds itself in place with no fasteners.The first time I saw it used on cars was in the late 80's,when I made a few trips between Daytona and southern N.H.hauling cars.The outfit we hauled for did the loading,strapping,and the wrapping on some of the cars.It was mostly done on the bottom tier of cars in case something dripped on them from the top tier.We would cut it off using a letter opener.The first trailer I pulled was a 6 car,and the second was a 9.

 

[old31]

Keith, do you have a site for the "thin stretchy stuff,(I call it shrink wrap)"

 

[Model "A" Fords]

Slightly off topic,
Most enclosed trailers are flat panel boxes with no aerodynamic qualities, an inexpensive build. Streamlining, costing more could be offset in lower fuel consumption and this would be a long term saving!

 

[Model "A" Fords]

[QUOTE/] Keith True;2235328]The friction hold plastic used to wrap stuff now is NOT like the plastic Jim is referring to [/QUOTE]

It's called stretch wrap and used for containing boxes to skids for transport. It can be bought from most industrial suppliers. It comes in rolls in different widths and thicknesses and is used on automatic packagers, hand held dispensers or just applied holding the roll in your hand. This material clings to itself and stretches as you pull it. No need to tie, tape or use any fasteners as it adheres to itself. If done correctly it shapes to the package and can be layered as many times as you like.
Brent shows a great way to use it and is not costly. It's not like tarps that flutter in the breeze and leave a trail of damage.

 

[Fhane]

I now have a headache. My first Model A I towed home with a chain. The farmer I bought the Model A from towed it with his 1946 Ford PU. This was in 1952. I could hardly reach the pedals when we came to a stop. Years later I bought his PU. No chains now just enclosed for the good stuff

 

[stevemclark]

See which U Haul box truck it will fit in,find a dealer near where the car is and reserve one there.Fly there about 2 1/2 hours not 2 days to drive .Save money by not eating out 6 times, gas and a motel room.It took some convincing my wife it was cheaper for the 4 of us to fly the 1200 miles to Disney in 5 hours down and back instead of 4 days.You will still have to drive back.Drive safe,fly safer.

 

[ronn]

very good advice Steve.

not only that, but you come home not all exhausted from the trip...........

 

[Dodge]

I've been towing my T's an A's on an open trailer for 50 yrs. no issues.
The one T with a glass visor I tow backwards to avoid damage.
The shrink wrap is a great idea.
One time we did bring a car back across county when we knew we were going to be hitting bad weather. We put in in the back of a U-haul truck using a transporters rear lift gate at each end of the country. There was a sign on the wall of the rental place that said "No complete cars in the truck" so we left the radiator cap off......

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

See which U Haul box truck it will fit in,find a dealer near where the car is and reserve one there.Fly there about 2 1/2 hours not 2 days to drive .Save money by not eating out 6 times, gas and a motel room.It took some convincing my wife it was cheaper for the 4 of us to fly the 1200 miles to Disney in 5 hours down and back instead of 4 days.You will still have to drive back.Drive safe,fly safer.

Not sure it is that easy to do hauling in a U-Haul truck, -or at least it wasn't with my U-Haul truck. You see, U-Haul truck boxes all use aluminum bed floors and aluminum wheel boxes over the rear wheels. To haul a vehicle requires cribbing or ramps. Also, no real way to tie a car down. Below are some pix on how we dealt with it on my U-Haul....

BTW, it used to be Penske trucks that were dock-high and had wood floors. Even those have changed.

.

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

BTW, it used to be Penske trucks that were dock-high and had wood floors. Even those have changed.

This may explain it better. This was taken back in 2006 and'07 of a customer bring, and taking delivery of his Model-A. Notice in the last picture the floor in the Penske truck was wood, ...and flat over the rear wheels. Unloading was fairly easy as we just used a roll-back wrecker to winch the truck onto the wrecker bed, -then tilt the bed over and lower it to the ground.

Ironically, even the customer chose a different (safer in his mind!) way to take it home since he could not easily strap it down inside the moving truck box.

.

 

[Dodge]

Brent, your correct. It wasn't a U-Haul it was a Penske truck. We used the racks on the
sides and screwed wood blocks to the floor.
Once it was cinched down the sides of the truck box were actually pulled in a bit.
It jogged my memory when you said Penske....
Dodge

 

[Dodge]

Looking at your pictures I see wood down the sides, the truck we had actually had
metal tracks that tie downs hooked into.

 

[Craic]

Thanks ModelA29 & Brent for the tie down info. I was wondering about the wheel / rim protection with the wheel tie downs