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MGB Towing MGB

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Boggsy64

Boggsy64

Jedi Hopeful
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Well I am moving to Twin Falls,Idaho from Charlotte North Carolina and will be out there by May 5th. My car is not completed and this move (and the interviewing, and uncertainty..) delayed me quite a bit. I have boxes and boxes of new parts and the motor and trans are still out of the car. As for towing it I plan to use a dolly setup for the front wheels and rears on the ground. I believe I should just take out the driveshaft. Are there any other things I should look out for, or do? I will put good tow lights on the back of the car because all the lamps have been removed.
 
Yes, I would disconnect the drive shaft and then make sure the back brakes are free and not dragging. Because your going so far, make sure the rear has the proper amount of oil in it! Do the normal checks and make sure everything is secure. Temp lighting on the rear for braking and turn signals is a must, you could get a ticket if you tow after sunset with no tail lights. Hope all works out well, I'm sure it will. Hint, wherever you pull in, make sure you can pull back out going forward, dollies with a car on them are a royal pain to back up! Have a nice trip. PJ
 
Nothing to add to the above, except to say that when we moved back to Canada, because the engine was out, it was no longer considered a car - and as such could be put on the truck!






 
JP, thanks for this post and the pictures. I was told by United Van lines that it could not be moved because it did not run. I will try again, with your pictures, and that the engine is out. This would make the entire move so much easier. Uhaul will not even rent me a tow dolly because my F150 has a V6 and not a V8.
 
I flat-towed an MGB (racecar) all across the midwest with a tow bar that attached to the front bumper brackets, the bumper was removed, of course. It was impossible to back up with it, however.
 
Boggsy64 said:
JP, thanks for this post and the pictures. I was told by United Van lines that it could not be moved because it did not run. I will try again, with your pictures, and that the engine is out. This would make the entire move so much easier. Uhaul will not even rent me a tow dolly because my F150 has a V6 and not a V8.
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Cool! wasn't expecting that, keep us posted!
 
Boggsy64 said:
Curious JP, did they pack a lot of stuff on top of the car?
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they built a shelf over the car. They have metal brackets and plywood. So, while the car had stuff in it, nothing was actually on top of it.
 
I would consider buying an inexpensive car trailer. You already have a tow vehicle (regardless what uhaul says). Once at your destination you could most likely sell it quickly to recoup most of your investment. Bob
 
JP did they make you empty the gas tank? If I had to empty the gas tank I was thinking of using the fuel pump to pump it out into gas cans (through the fuel line into the engine compartment). Is this a wise idea? I don't want to end up with a fire on my hands, or worse!
 
I have also looked at car trailers and dollies. The cheapest trailers I can find is $1500 and dollies for $900. I will wait to see what the van line says.
 
Here in Mass if you use a tow dolly both the dolly AND THE CAR have to be registered and insured. Depending on the laws of the states you are going through their requirements could be all over the place . As I mentioned earlier buying a trailer for $1500 and later selling it for $1200-1300 boils down to a relatively inexpensive mode of transport (but not as good as sticking it in the van). Bob
 
Several years ago a friend and I flat towed an MGB over 1200 miles using a slightly modified VW beetle tow bar. We unbolted the front bumper, bolted on our steel adapters, and off we went, LBC behind the big Pontiac Bonneville.

It looked sort of like this one: https://www.socalautoparts.com/images/product/00-3130-0.jpg You have to ensure the steering wheel is free to turn, the trans is in neutral, and the brakes are off. It felt no different than towing his boat, even at higher speeds.
 
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