Projects Found a project, need to find a way to get it from MA to NY

Years ago I had a nice HAMB-friendly Pontiac as my first car and more or less ruined it, I still have what's left of it but it's beyond fixing.

I found a guy with a similar one in nice shape for absolutely stupid no brainer cheap, but everyone I know that has a truck or trailer is unable to haul it for some reason. I have an old 1-ton but I wouldn't trust it that far without putting a ton of money into it, it hasn't even been on the road in about three years.

Car has to go 300 miles from west of Boston to Syracuse. Of course over the Berkshires and all toll roads. It's not running and no brakes, so most hauling services won't go for it. (it's also minimal rust and the motor turns over). Plus it comes with a ton of trim and parts loose inside.

Being a big Pontiac it's really too big for U-haul's trailers and dollies, although it should fit on either one. Bumper might have to come off for a dolly.

Any ideas? I figure there's like 10 hours in the job for someone local to me to go out, load and come back, plus fuel, plus tolls.

 

My brother lives in Canastota. Be taking to him later. Will ask him if he knows anyone. Gene.

 

Rent a truck and trailer. Not as expensive as you might think.

 

Give Bill a call. HRP

Bill's Auto Works

 

If you know the car will fit on a U-HAUL car hauler, rent one and go get it. Rent the truck or van to if you need it. If they want to know what your hauling, just tell them something that fits. They’re not gonna be there when you load it.......Mark

 

As I get older, sometimes it pay to have a pro do the job correctly instead of struggling with it myself. Call Bill

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Go to your local rental company and see if they a car or wide equipment trailer (Sun Belt) has tilt trailers , rent a U Haul pick up truck and go get it.

 

I rented a uhaul car trailer for my ‘52 F2 when I moved from NY to FL. Was only couple of hundred bucks round trip. One way was more money. Worked great.


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Certainly not beyond a DYI project. But you will need a winch since it's doesn't run, and maybe an air tank unless the seller will air up the tires. With no brakes, you will need plenty of straps / chains to tie it down. If you have a buddy to ride along and help, and prepared, should be easy.

 

Back in 2011, I rented a car to drive to Michigan to get my avatar. When I got there I turned car in and rented a U-Haul truck and trailer, just had a few parts to put in truck. Sorry, don't remember what it cost, but cheaper than paying someone to haul it for me. And it was a lot further than what you have to go. You might arrange for the truck and trailer and then have someone drive you there and follow you back. Good luck, Ron

 

What year Poncho? For the record a 99 Honda Accord is the same weight as a tri five Chevy so thats what I tell Uhaul when I rent a trailer

 

Year, make, and model would help here. There are a bunch of us guys local to Western Mass. . .

 

I rented a uhaul trailer to haul my 1939 buick, they ran the car thru their database and said it was fine.
I also hauled my 1950 chevy 3600 on one, It was a tight fit but it was fine. Neither were running. Be careful if airing up tires, a tight strap is not tight if the tire loses air, I would rather have it be flat on the trailor, then air them up when I get to where I am offloading.

 

Dolly is not legal for an unregistered vehicle, risky on a toll road.

 

"Why yes, Mr. or Ms. U-Haul employee, I WILL be hauling a Honda Accord"

 

Works for 49 to 54 Chevys and other GMs as well

 

I would figure 300 miles is 6 hours of drive time plus at least an hour to load. So I would plan for at least 13 hours. It could easily turn into 16 to 18 hours. Even with 70 mile/hr,. speed limits I would only figure an average of 50 towing a trailer.

 

Looking at it logically: The OP said the car's too big for UHaul stuff, but pretend it isn't. You've got 300 miles to get there, at more or less federal rate,say $175 plus tolls. Then you have to come back. So maybe $350. Then, you need to rent a truck and a trailer. A Uhaul 10' truck and 6x12' Cargo trailer is over $700 with taxes and fees. So you have two people plus $1000-1200 and a whole day. You have to pay a HAMB hauler $4 a loaded mile just to come out even and, while I don't know what they charge now, I'd be surprised if it's that much.

A quick quote for a online hauler for a "55 Chieftain was $609

 

I once towed my '61 Bonneville on a U-Haul trailer. It was a tight fit (I couldn't open the door once it was on the trailer so I had to crawl out the window), but it worked.

 

The biggest problem with doing it myself is I f'ed up my back somehow, just standing it gets sore and pain meds don't do much for it. Literally just walking around the flea market this morning I had to stop and sit down after an hour. Screwing around lifting heavy stuff 6 hours from home makes me a little uncomfortable, I don't relish the idea of throwing it out so bad I can't even move.

That said, I have a towbar (itself probably stolen from U-haul by the guy I got it from) and have flat towed stuff in the past, I once towed a '48 Hudson with no nose on it about 100 miles one way, then we towed it back 75 miles the other way a few years later. Have flat towed from that probably 3000 lbs all the way up to a 1-ton Suburban and 1-ton van. But all of that was in-state and just one big hill involved, no crossing the Berkshires up and down. (and no plates on any of the dozens I towed was ever an issue). Every car had it's own feel, I had some that wanted to sway over a certain speed where I had to putter along at 45-ish, and others - both Hudsons I towed - you could probably have gone 100 MPH with and been fine, 70-75 was no issue.

If I flat or dolly towed this thing I'd round up a set of known tires and change them before I moved it. Which would go fairly fast with the cordless impact gun. 5x5 pattern and I know they can be way bigger than stock from having one before.

U-Haul says 75 inches wide max on a dolly, this car is 80" at the belt line. It is narrower at the bottom but I'd have to go measure to see just how much.

I looked at renting a U-haul for the day for something else and I think it's 19 cents a mile for "in town" so 600 miles would be $114, plus the $20 for probably two days, plus if you pull 10 MPG out of it like $150 in fuel costs. A dolly was $50, a trailer $100. The dolly would save me two tires, although I'd add an extra strap or chain. Plus tolls, which I'd have to get an EZ-pass because MA is cashless and toll by plate won't work on a U-haul, but NY is going that way too so I need to get one eventually anyways.

Lying to them to get something done local doesn't bother me, if something happens, it's local, a tow truck or what have you won't leave your wallet sore and bleeding. But if I'm somewhere in the Berkshires with a blown up truck and that's not a 1989 Bonneville behind it it's probably not just my wallet that's going to be in trouble.


I did reach out to a logistics firm for a quote. I offered actually two guys I know cash plus a '37 Terraplane 2dr sedan that's worth maybe $500, but one his trailer needs an overhaul and the other says he's too busy.

I left out what car it is because I didn't buy it yet, I don't want to get scooped on it. But it's two tons of wide-track V8 Pontiac. If it was local I'd already have pulled the trigger.

 

Why do you want a big ol' boat when you've got a '37 Hudson Terraplane?

 

Car sold, so it no longer matters.

If the last guy had read the first post, the Pontiac has sentimental interest. The Terraplane is a rusty POS I haven't touched in 7 years.

 

For future reference should a similar opportunity present itself again, MA regulations as they stand now: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/dealer-information.

Tow dolly info is about 3/4 way down the page. Biggie in MA is a towed vehicle must be registered or have a legal plate of some kind on it unless it has all wheels on a trailer.

There are alternate East-West routes to the MA Pike but they are not nearly as tow friendly and the increased travel times and aggravation factors aren't worth the toll savings in my opinion.

Ed

 

@rustynewyorker Your brief description of the car and your story reminds me of a 66 Bonneville I hauled once. We had to use a couple boards under the back tires to raise the car enough to clear the side rails on the trailer. The front frame rails were touching the front rail and the tires barely cleared the end of the trailer, the car hung off the rear about 4-5'. I'll save the story about spinning a bearing in the truck motor about an hour from home for another day!

 

Too bad you couldn’t get the car.
This is why I’m glad to have my own equipment. When I went to look at my Country Squire there was another guy trying to buy it out from under me over the phone. The other potential buyer had an open trailer and didn’t want to pick it up till spring since it was November in Pennsylvania, So the seller would have had to store it all winter and put a windshield in.
I offered to come back The next day with cash and an enclosed trailer and that got the deal done.


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My brother talked to his buddy. Just not able to do it any time soon. Too busy. Sorry.

 

I too have hauled a car locally on a dolly without a plate but out of state with the budget shortfalls states have now with coronavirus it seems like a big ticket waiting to happen.

 

Sorry you didn't get the car.

 

RustyNY I, have done my share of towing in the past and as I write this I,my in the hospital for observation of my heart. I would not tow anything at this stage of my life if I cant afford to hire someone it isn,t worth it.

PAT

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Good advice. I grew up in North Adams, MA in the 1950's. It was a regular occurrence for trucks to run out of brakes on the Mohawk Trail (Route 2 - aka the Slowhawk trail) and go off the side of the mountain. Dead Man's Curve eastbound and the Hairpin Curve westbound.