Need to get a tow dolly from TX to NJ, ideas?

I don't think you'll get that far. From Memphis to Amarillo takes me from 9am til 11pm and I don't stop for anything except gas.

 

My parents lived in New Jersey back in the early 90's, and I made this trip a lot. If we leave at 4am from Austin we get to Nashville at evening rush-hour. That's only half-way across Tennessee, so from then-on it just depends how late I want to drive.

We'll see!

-Mike

 

I've done Memphis to central NJ many times; about 1100 miles. Go to Bristol and hang a left. Got to where I just do it in one stretch stopping only for gas. Takes 17-18 hours.

 

When you stop for the night, make sure the tow dolly is locked up........
(How would you do that - bicycle cable lock?)

 

Padlock through the hitch latch. No problem!

 

A tongue latch lock, for sure, but also a locking draw bar pin. Someone I know had a trailer stolen because the thieves just had to pull the cotter pin and the draw bar pulled right out of the receiver. The thieves stuck the draw bar in their own hitch, and drove off.

 

I could of guessed you were a Taurus 81X11, perfectionist and an appreciation for beauteousness, it can be a real curse for a car guy. The "You can always make it better and shinier." stuff never ends.
The reason you can eat off the engine and the underbody of my "beater" OCC and why I mow my lawn and wash my house every two days.
I'm trying to let go, must...not...prep...for...new... paint job!

A padlock won't stop anybody that wants that thing enough.
Take a wheel off and take it in the room with you or get a first floor outside entrance motel room and drag the whole thing inside.

The guys who take off one wheel to keep their show cars from being stolen from motel lots never figure the car thieves will be smart enough to bring a wheel until after the car disappears.

 

Back it tight against the wall of the motel, and there is no room to get it out. Also, the locks made specifically for the tongue latches are made in such a way that there is no room to get a pair of bolt cutters in to them, and a saw won't work as there is a free rod inside the lock bar, so a blade just makes that spin, and not cut. Not fool proof, by any means, but anything that slows them down is a good thing.

 

I have a locking pin and will put a padlock on the latch too. Will park the Denali with the Z28 on the back way out in the lot and put the K5 Blazer right behind the Camaro. That should do it.

The Z-car has not run since 1994, the seats are not bolted in, and there is no radio in it. Plus it's chocolate brown. I'll lock it up on the dolly but have a feeling that theives will be looking for other toys to pilfer.

-Mike

 

So the plot thickens. Found out the weekend we'll be there is Spring Carlisle...I'm jogging the schedule around. I've not been to a Spring Carlisle since 1992, and am not going to miss my chance to re-live one of my favorite teenage events!

Plan is now for myself, Dad and Eddie to leave Austin on Thursday in the Denali with the empty tow-dolly on the back, stay the night somewhere in Tennessee or Virginia that night, and then get to NJ on Friday evening.

Saturday we're going to get up, push the Camaro out of the garage, pull the driveshaft and use the come-along to get it on the dolly, then pick up the Blazer, shake Ben's hand, and head back to PA. We're going to spend Sat and Sunday night at my friend Scott's house in Elizabethtown. Can't wait to see his new Shelby Mustang...haha, and we're going to spend Sunday at Spring Carlisle and then visiting with friends in the area.

Will leave early Monday and try to get back to Texas by last Tuesday night.

We shall see. Everything has to go "right" to make this schedule, so my fingers are crossed!

-Mike

 

By Sunday, most of the vendors have already left spring Carlisle. In fact, a huge number of them are usually gone by Saturday morning. As both a vendor and a buyer at Spring & Fall Carlisle, I have learned over the 30+ years that all the serious buyers and sellers are there on Wednesday.

 

We always went on Sunday when I lived up there. Mainly because the deals could be had then....people don't like to take stuff home.

Pics to follow!

 

Sounds like an interesting trip shaping up there.

 

Yep the timeline is a little scary but I should have a TON of pics when I get home! I love a car-themed road-trip, and I get to see some good friends and go to Carlisle.

Can't wait!

 

Appears to be a packed-full schedule.......

OK, what could go wrong with things..... You're going to have the Camaro on the dolly and driving the Blazer. Camaro should be OK - wouldn't worry too much about that one. Take a good checkout drive in the Blazer. Change belts, check coolant. Drive slow.

You might want to throw in an extra day in your skidooley, just in case.....