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Best Way to tow or haul my new Midget?

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G

Gunner

Senior Member
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I just bought a MG Midget and need to get it home.(About 200 miles) Any Suggestions would be appreciated. I have a new half ton pickup with a bumper hitch. (500 pounds tougue weight, 5000 pounds max) Renting a dolly won't work because my Midget is too narrow. Anyone used a tow bar? will this work? I would appreciate any help here ! Wanting to get my new Baby home!!

Sid Orr
(Gunner)
USMC Viet Nam Vet, 1969. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif <font color="blue"> </font>
 
Sid, I have a "Blue Ox" tow bar that I used to tow a '63 Midget from California to Michigan with. I adapted their universal base plate to attach to the front bumper mounts. Worked great.
Jeff
 
Great... Thanks, Jeff.
I should remove the bumper and attach to the bumper mounts?
Where could I buy a "Blue Ox" tow bar?
 
Uhaul local rental on auto transport trailer is about $50 per 24 hours. Towed my bugeye from Atlanta to North Florida using one on a borrowed pickup in December. Also have used one with my big Healey. Might jack up the tongue while hitch is attached to reduce the angle of the ramps on loading and unloading.
 
I too have a tow bar that attaches to the front bumper mounts. Works great!! It's saved many an MG on the side of the road. Just pop-off the bumper, hook up the tow bar and away you go!
 
Sid, yes, you remove the bumper and attach the tow bar to the bumper horns.
Do a google for Blue Ox towbars, and there should be a list of dealers in your area.
However, for a 200 mile trip, you may find the rental trailer option to be more cost effective.
Jeff
 
I rented a UHaul auto transporter, it fits pretty nice up there but it doesn't weight down the trailer too much so it can get a little bouncy...
 
I also used the Uhaul trailer. It was a tight squeeze, as the Sprite was just barely wide enough to fit on it, but as long as I got everything lined up right, it fit on. As mentioned above, the trailer kind of floated along the road.
 
I have hauled several Spridgets with a standard tow dolley.
They fit fine.
Do disconnect the drive shaft from the diff if you are dolleying it more than a couple miles. More than one Midget managed to jump in gear while neing towed and that makes a mess of your transmission. I bought one that was dolleyed.
Not only was the tranny shattered, but the engine back plate was in a few pieces too.

Frank
 
Thank you very much.. I'll have her home by tomorrow night. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks!
 
Ahhhhhhhhhh
I have my new Midget home... Now, the work! She's pretty nice.. electrical problems due to a GM alternator, pretty dead battery, some surface rust in expected areas, but luckily no rust in the critical areas. You know, some things you just can't notice till you get it home. I'll share with you the whole drama, I'm sure. Thanks for all your help!
 
Spritenut, I was told by uhaul, the tow dollys are to big for the midgets and I must use an auto transport trailer. Apparently that is not the case?
 
I got mine home with a tow dolly ... It said max 45 mph, but I took it to 55 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif Only problem was that the left rear brakes weren't disengaging, so I had to take'em out halfway (there was quite a lot of smoking going on!) They were hot too! I managed that job with minimal tools and a pair of work gloves in about 15 min ... hehehe. At any rate, as I recall, the car will go right on to a U-haul dolly with no problems. The tires just fit on, but that may be 'not recommended.' Who knows!
 
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