Hot Rods leave it here, or take it back home?

It's not a matter of trust, it's a matter of comfort. I could, but I don't want to...

 

I'm firmly in the "drive it" camp. I have a friend that has a sweet A coupe with a 4-speed. He has really bad arthritis, so he trailers it to one show that's about a 6.5 hour drive. At first I didn't understand, but like you said it's about comfort. Being cramped up for several hours isn't enjoyable, but doesn't mean you don't enjoy the car enough otherwise.

 

Enjoying Florida is not so easy in the summer!

 

Brian there has to be some Michigan spring or fall days where only a roadster would do! Trailer it home with you!

 

We have lived in coastal Alabama (from Michigan) for over 42 years. Have endured several hurricanes and numerous tropical storms. Most people’s exposure to hurricanes is the weather channels or news videos which alway show the worst damage. With that said hurricanes can be very serious and even after the wind and water subside the fun just begins with electricity outages that can last for weeks and cleanup months. Our last hurricane Sally (September 2020, Category 2) left us without electricity for 9 days and they didn’t finish hauling away debris piles until the end of the year.

There is no such thing as a hurricane proof building and I would think the typical metal storage units would fall toward the bottom of robust strength and they also would not be a priority by electric companies restoring power. Most storage units do nor ***ume any liability for anything stored there even if the building collapses. The other issue is after hurricanes you might not be able to get to the storage unit for some time because of debris or local authority’s protecting property. Sarasota is as coastal as it gets and in a prime location for hurricanes recurving to the northeast out of the gulf. If you do leave the roadster I would look carefully at the elevation where the storage unit is located to protect from storm surge and flooding from heavy rain with no place to go. I’d also check my insurance carefully for exact coverage.

It’s one thing to live here and have to protect property during storms (l wouldn’t live elsewhere) and another if you have options. I’d probably take it back to Michigan and if you have to make it a leisurely trip of a few days. Your mileage may vary.

 

If you bring it home this year, you can evaluate whether you'd miss it during the summer if you hadn't brought it back and plan accordingly for next year.

 

Are Mi summers roadster weather? I don't know but I suspect they're hot and humid, no? Florida winters I expect are perfect for roadsters? And I suspect Mi winters and Fl summers are nfg for roadsters? I suspect heat and ac requirements might dictate decisions? Might be time to get a second roadster? Or just keep moving it to where it needs to be? Being in the UK we generally don't have these concerns!

Chris

 

Generally trailers tow better loaded. I'd take it home! Or sell both the car and trailer in Florida.

 

Florida is perfect, if your idea of perfect is 95-100 and 95% humidity.

 

All good points.
Here's another one.
I've had way too many bad experiences and lost too much good stuff when "temporarily" leaving things behind. My trust level is pretty low. I'm really hesitant anymore to let things out of my sight. I know you left cars behind at your home, but that's your security, not someone else's BS security that you can't lay eyes on.

And you're not really set up to do a lot of work on the car in Florida. Aren't there some things you'd end up likely doing on it while you have it at home with all your tools?

You almost drive right by my house on your way home. I entertained the thought of flying down and driving it back for you/with you. Just for fun. But I'm not flying these days. Doors and wheels and **** falling off...

 

Damn these things always bring out the lame *** answers.,
On being that too many fools ***uming that his wife would want to, be willing to, or be able to drive the tow rig and drag a trailer back to Michigan by her self while he toddled along in the roadster because you think drive rather than trailer, That is flat stupid. Some of you just need to see the full picture and actually understand it.

I'm not sure what the living arangements are in Fl but it looks like they don't include having a garage for the car to sit in an not be bothered for the six months between the first of may and the first of November. Security of that climate controlled storage is one thing. Then comes the how much you actually would drive it over the summer thing. For a lot of guys excuses to leave the roadster home and drive one of the others in the stable get a lot easier to use when temps get up in the 90's and above.

Personally I'd haul it home if I didn't have my own house to keep it at in Florida as you never know what life might hand you and then you have to drag that trailer back to Florida empty to pick the roadster u p out of storage. I've got friends who have made trips to Arizona and Baja every year and p***ed this year because of rule changes on one of their pets. Stuff happens.

 

I would ask what is the tow vehicle? Is it more than adequate as a tow vehicle or marginal. If marginal I imagine that's why you would rather not tow it home. You mention cleaning rust every week,. Imagine what it would be like by next winter. This time of year I wouldn't drive the roadster back to many weather concerns. This reminds me of a few years ago when a friend didn't want too haul his hot rod to just outside Ocala Fl. he was afraid of Atlanta traffic. He knew that with the 1,000's of miles I've towed that it wouldn't bother me. I ended up hauling it down for him, I also made a delivery of a 34 cab I'd sold plus went to a swap meet and sold there

 

And just what is wrong with that? At least you have the sea breezes down there. I'm 200 miles north of the Gulf, and yes, it gets as hot as the Devils workshop in summer. But, like Pirate, I wouldn't live anywhere else. I've spent time in most of the lower 48 states in my 65 years, but Alabama is home. You learn when to go out and when to stay under the AC. But I guess Mich is that way to you, so I understand.

 

I would trailer the roadster home. Enjoy it, and your other cars, over summer at home.

I'm not aware of you saying if you have a garage at your FL place or not? I guess that's why the storage option? Only way I would want to leave the car in FL is inside a garage at your own place or a friend's place. Not a storage unit where you can't keep aware of how it is doing.

 

you poor man, what a problem to have.
maybe just clone the roadster and have one at each place, .. sheesh.

 

Well, yeah, but I use it occasionally, and I just put new tires, brakes, LED lights, and equalizer hitch on it, so there's some incentive to have it in Michigan.

 

I would like a '27 on Duece rails. I idon'thave another Hemi lying around though...

 

We have a carport here. Lot's of exotic car storage close by (at the airport, a mile from our house), so it could be done.

 

Dealing w/the salt-air-issues is difficult at best. If you have safe-storage(a # of different levels here) available, then a capsule w/a couple of 5gal buckets of (reuseable)desiccant should help the rust issue. Also stop the vermin problem too, as long as the integrity of the capsule is maintained. I'd use internal hoops to keep the plastic off the car, but I also think I'd p*** on an air-blown-system, since that'll be salt-air. I used a bag-system(1st gen storage-type from the 80's, no air-puffing) on a car, only problem was the gas-smell(eventually went away) after long-term storage. Car was quite dry otherwise, & that was through MN weather systems for a couple yrs, although inside a sand-floored pole-building. Damned mice/et-al didn't chew thru the bag, & no mold either.

You could also take a compliment of tools(duplicate) n box(es) down there to work on it, at least at some level, if not maintenance only. As always, insure well, for full-replacement value.

Having the roadster avail when you're down there, will make return(ing) trips easier. Can give you the choice of flying or driving to get down there Also frees up space in MI. & if the ******* desire strikes hard enough, there's always the T-bird...

For the 27 on Deuce rails, there's always a "semi-hemi" for the "small car". .

Lots of other pros/cons(sadly becoming realities from "social -issues" & "legal" that probably can't be discussed here, but may very well influence any current & future decisions on where to locate both you/wife, home(s) & stuff), but depends on your lifestyle & ability to afford it. If you can, good for you. It's a good time to enjoy - while you can. .

Marcus...

 

What the Wizard sez as I seem to remember a T bird that needs finishing. I have a friend in Hawaii that has his prized possessions in plastic hoops. I would not leave it in a carport tho. Good luck on your decision. I sold or gave away everything in Ore & just keep a 34 & 32 roadsters here in Az to play with & work on.

 

Wow. I didn't think this random thought would generate as much interest and suggestion. All valid, in one way or another.
I've (for now) decided I'll pack it up and take it back home for summer. Someone pointed out, rightfully so, that it'd be dumb to drive it and have my wife tail me with the truck and trailer. First off, she wouldn't like that (and neither would I), and secondly it'd be expensive for fuel. The car is actually pretty comfortable at 65-70, but it's "nervous" any faster, and I don't like the wind noise. 1,100 miles of that would be no fun after the first 100 or so.
Plus, if we do decide to bring the Impala, the Diamond T or the DeSoto wagon down next year, we don't need that many cars. We're juggling three cars in the driveway as it is now, because we have a car here, the '05 Avalon that my aunt left behind that has just 17,000 miles.
I'd miss the car at home, so it'll be just as well we take it home. We'll be driving right by Lexington KY where my '34 now lives, it might be fun to stop at Rex's to see him and see what he's done to it. And visit a couple distilleries.
So, there's a plan. Off now to fill up with some ethanol free fuel at Wawa and go to the market...

 

Enjoying it (ALL of it) is exactly what we're doing now. So far maintaining 2 homes is do-able, and maintaining all those cars, I'm sure we'll have some decisions to make in the coming years, but we're both pretty good at accepting our limitations, physical and financial. It's all good.

 

I wouldn't trailer one of my cars long distance without blocking the frame so the suspension is not moving. A friend of mine uses air bags that inflate under the frame after he broke his dragster's frame a couple years back.

That said, take your car home and enjoy the summer with the top down.

 

All you need to do is hook the straps the frame and cinch down tight. The suspension can't work then

 

I don't worry about it, no more suspension movement than driving it, and I check the straps often. This thing doesn't have a very good point at the rear as the body is on the crossmember, the front I could use the spreader bar I guess, but Ima go with what's been working so far.

 

If I was closer I’d store it for You. But Oklahoma is a tad bit out of the way .

 

I installed Z bars in the floor so I ratchet strap the tires not wrap the axles. So I added the air bags to support it. I saw the Insanity T broke in half being trailered to Autorama. I agree with Brian, they are made to bounce around being driven but I thin it is different when you add the travel of the trailer suspension to the travel of the cars. I may be wrong but I am more of a safe than sorry type.