I like the”tow behind” roadster idea. Could you tow it backwards on a dolley if the steering was locked? SBC with a roller cam and 4.88’s with a t56 should get moving without too much difficulty. Use your roller cammed 327.
What about something like this or come up with something that already existing from a junkyard. http://www.hitchsource.com/remco-drive-shaft-coupling-sku-p-30332.html?page=all
I had always wondered about two wheel dolly backwards. Wonder how that does or doesn’t work. Not exactly an option to drop the driveshaft in a torque tube car
It works, but it's a little awkward loading. You have to make sure the column is unlocked, if memory serves. Then you have to rig up some sort of trailer light bar to mount on the front of the car, where normally you could just wire up a pigtail and use the tail lights on the car you are dragging.
Having the steering column unlocked would allow, and cause, fishtailing. Bad idea. Locking the column will put stress on the lock mechanism causing it to fail, usually at the most inconvenient moment. Also a bad idea.
When rear lifting a vehicle for towing , we always tie the steering wheel to the brake pedal.... just a relatively light tie down, two loops around the wheel at the bottom of the rim near the front of the seat.
The other problem with long distance towing backwards on the front wheels is wheel alignment. If you have 7 or eight degrees of caster and 1/16 to 3 /16 toe on the front end, then in reverse it will wear the front tires differently to normal driving, may give problems with steering and shake and shimmy in either direction.
You could use a pair of speed dollies and the sneaker lift shown a few posts back. I think the consensus of opinion among tow guys is that the Collins speed dollies are more robust , cheaper and all round better than the "In the Ditch " brand! https://collinsdollies.com/easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy/ I would make my own, slightly differently than any of the commercial ones and about 1/10th the price! You won't need any of the bells and whistles or the adjustments as you only need them for one specific vehicle. I would use slightly bigger wheels and tires and 155 50 12C s which can have a load rating of 700lbs each, and a proper highway speed rating. Overkill, but peace of mind! Once dismantled , speed dolly components can pack away into a very compact space (or several convenient places) when not being used.
There’s a bus in Ponca that the owner cut the back into a door . He hauled his race car in the back , tools and parts in the middle and small living area in the front . Maybe a fire truck ?
Here's a thought or 2 for flat towing a hot rod. Use a quick change rear end. I don't remember exactly the manufacturers name, but someone makes a qc rear cover called the gear locker, that is a rear cover that doesn't need to be unbolted to change the gears. Handy for fast pit service in a race car, could be good for pulling the change gears for flat towing a hot rod. The pinion is spinning with the ring gear, which is immersed in gear oil, so no problem. The 2nd though, use a full floating rear, like a stockcar uses, either wide 5, or grand national hubs (both 5 on 5 and 5 on 4.75 are available). Pull both axles, hubs spin, nothing else. I can pull the axles on my gn qc by pulling the center caps, 3 screws each side, and screwing a bolt into the end of the axle to use as a handle to pull the axles. Ever see on the NASCAR races on tv when the axles come out on track because a mechanic forgot to tighten up the 3 bolts on the center caps?
I am going to take @Dave G in Gansevoort 's idea one step further and going to suggest a full float axle with lockouts on the hubs to disconnect the driveline. I doubt it was done back in the day, but you could use something like a willys jeep front hub and spindle assembly paired to whatever your axle of choice. 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern like a Ford, just a bigger O.D. on the hub. Could look cool and period correct if done right. Another thought I had would be to use the car itself as the trailer. Skip the tow bar and use a tongue assembly that bolts or pins to the car. Airbags or hydraulics on the tow rig or tongue assembly to allow easy hook up and to get the front axle off the ground completely. Then you have less frontend wear and tracking / sway issues. Can also easily be backed up. Obviously this would need to be engineered correctly as far as integrating it into the chassis, but that's why we are all here.
my dad flat towed a straight stick little pickup for many years, he just jacked up the side that the transmission fill plug was on as high as he could and over filled the trans with lube. never had a bit of trouble in many years of towing it.
There was a guy in Blackwell that had a front wheel drive pickup. Cab forward was a 3/4 ton 78 Chevy 4 wheel drive . Behind the cab was a 2 axle car hauling trailer . He found it in AZ . Flew out there picked it up drove to CA loaded a car on the trailer and drove it Blackwell. He used it for his lawn mowing service for a while but I haven’t seen it in a few years
I've been retired almost 20 years. Have logged over 100k in my rod, and probably another hundred in the daily. Been all over the USA and Canada. Don't need a tow bar or a tow truck. Don't need a camper or trailer. Stay in hotels 50 to 60 nights per year. Easy, and not outrageously expensive. Plus every day on the road in a rod is a real adventure. Hope you have a great retirement.
This, with a ramp in between those side panels. It'd be hard to find a starting point, and a huge build to undertake. But it would be amazing!
The further I get into retirement, the less aggravation I want. Invest the motor home money, put your house on airbnb while you are away, then buy or build your dream rod and stay in the best accommodation you can find. I promised my wife I did not want to drive a bus on my vacations. This plan does not figure in the camp ground experience which some folks really appreciate, if that is part of the appeal just disregard the above. I think if you drive to shows you will find lots of camaraderie at the host hotels.
The Jalopy Journal
