Projects picking up a car that's been sitting for 50 years...

Up here in Minnesota, that's called a "Cum- along".

 

a friend who has been towing for many years told me of another trick,he would cut the rectangular floor section out of old bed liners and they would slide up the deck with what ever on them easily and not scar up his aluminum bed

 

I have used 2 cumalongs both pulled out so I could pull about 20 feet without re-stringing.

 

Use the dollies along with a sheet of plywood. Done that more than once,you just need to keep adjusting once it's moving.Have also used 2 dollies on the front with plywood and a floor jack on a 2x12 in the rear. No way would I waste the time to try and get the wheels unlocked.Go with loading it anyway you can and the scrap yard can pick it off the trailer after you bone it out.

 

That's what I always heard em called too, never heard the term "lug all". I'm in NH

 

The important question is what's the plan for the car? Parts, hotrod, custom?

 

Lug all is the brand name. We call them come-a-longs also. Or cable jack. I have two and broke both. The handle is designed to break when overloaded. Pulling dead and heavy old skiploaders onto trailers will do that...

 

Boy,I cant believe there so many tight wads on here...10 minutes with the roll-back,,,,Your DONE

 

Lug All is a brand of come along. Makes most all the other brands of come alongs look like junk in comparison.

 

As many have said, bring a winch, come-along, cardboard, dish soap. And be prepared to employ little bit of MacGyver enginuity if you need it.

This takes me back. When I was 9 years old my dad took me up to Mt. Vernon, WA, to pick up a Model A parts car he'd bought from the parents of one of his students. It was an old sedan that had been cut down to a truck, and had sat next to the barn for 20 years; four flat tires sunk into mud. When we got there, it turned out dad forgot the come-along, and of course all he has for help is a nine-year-old. His solution was to run a chain from the axel of the Model A to the front of the trailer (at the hitch), place a bumper jack under the chain, and jack up the chain as far as it would go. This moved the car maybe three inches. Chock the tires, reset chain and jack, repeat. My job was to chock the tires while dad kept the jack from kicking out. Took a while, but it worked, and it's one of my favorite memories of working with dad.

 

you can use a highlift jack to pull also.

 

Are you sure that a '46 Ford in gross rusty condition is worth the effort? Hard to imagine what could be left to salvage. Three years ago I bought a stable of '40 coupes. There was one that was considered too rough and came close to being left for scrap. Took a bit of work to consolidate all the scattered parts to prep for sale.
Clearly my picture skills keep me guessing. Good Luck: Fred A

 

This one had been sitting for at least 30 years. I had a friend with a 4wd and made life a lot easier. His dad was a Chrysler tech in Stuttgart,AR.

 

I've used a chain hoist to pull cars up on a trailer when I didn't have a winch. You have to have it so the chain moves though it smooth
The ratchet come along like Rust showed works pretty good though and with a block you can double the pulling power but cut the distance you move the rig before resetting things in half.
I'd agree on using anything that helps it slide though. That may cut down on the effort quite a

 

Some planks or plywood covered in builder's plastic lubricated with shampoo. Get some at the Dollar store for a $1 buck. Will slide easily even with brakes locked.

 

You West coast guys have it way too easy.

 

regular come alongs are junk, lug alls work. fully rebuild able, light, strong, fused to prevent damage.

 

That 40 looks like a Michigan Cherry. don't you have road service on your truck ? Just get the roll back driver to charge it to the your vehicle done it many times both as a wrecker driver and needing it done.
He is winching you out of the ditch right ?? I have one of the portable Harbor freight winches that you just drop over a trailer ball or hook a chain to it . Put a snatch block on it to double it's capacity and you can drag that sucker right up out of the mud with the wheels locked. I have a separate power wire to the back of my truck. I load dead cars all the time. I welded a trailer ball to the tongue of my trailer to hook it to.

 

i have a strong dislike for you californians and your idea of scrap... you would be frightened if I dug up the pictures of what my 28 roadster started as... the bailing wire holding it together was by far the best metal in the car!

I don't have the money to buy a stable of perfect 40 fords! lol This is just a parts car... as I've said. if half of the running gear is usable I will be happy. I pulled my 28 down this year to fix it up and I'm expecting issues with the transmission... it has sideshift gears in a 39 case.

as with anything early ford when I get it home i hope to salvage some other parts to use in different areas. I will offer whatever is left up to anyone who wants it before it goes to the scrap man.

 

I agree been there and know, its easier to let the flat bed guy do it. Bruce.

 

My solution like so many others here, a 12V electric winch or hire a rollback. You'll save lot of wear and tear on your body plus will keep the air free of foul language. My friends Andy, Dave and Gennaro at G/J Towing have bailed me out numerous time. I keep them on speed dial now.

 

Is it a coupe or sedan? I am looking for crank vent windows and rear garnish mouldings with swing out glass. Thanks and good luck.

 

Before I got a winch, I used a small chain hoist to load old cars. extend it all the way out- hook the hoist to the front of the trailer, run your chain towards the car and pull away. will need a length of chain to reach the car.

 

Hi, .. good luck,..!!..
Should I change ur mind,
There's a reliable "yankee" old car salvage & towing
Guy in RI ,.. Harry Hall, Halls Garage, who's helped me rescue rusty relics .


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Typo !! Again!! Supposed to say should U change your mind!![emoji851]


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Hello oldwood,

What are your plans with your ashtray? If you would like to part with it, please send me a PM. Thanks

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Hi. I'm a Chevy guy but from memory I think that Ford has the steering wheel lock thingy at the ignition switch. If it won't steer check that.
What I did once when I had to load one that would not run & had no winch was to back trailer just close enough to get ramps down with tow vehicle severely jackknifed so nothing in front of trailer. Used a long tow strap & backed a pickup close to front of trailer and just pulled it up on trailer with the extra truck. Got to have good communication between the vehicles or you might end up with a real mess. If the brakes are not working you need to put some kind of wheel stop on trailer floor to stop the car. Strap it down and then unhook tow strap & away you go.
Good luck, Jimmie

 

Because the only thing worse than the towing companies, is the propane companies...

 

Use all the advice on here listed already . I have a winch but with a couple "come-a-longs" I've pulled cars on before. A "handyman" jack helps too and plenty of wood for blocking things up.

 

I had a kinda similar experience "helping" some friends get a Chevelle. I didn't know the Chevelle was sitting on the ground with no rearend or front wheels. I was thinking"how are we going to do this??" Flat trailer, no winch, no ramps. We had a come along and a floorjack to move this car sitting in an alley, in dirt and gravel. It was actually way easier than I thought it would be. Jacked up the car enough to get the trailer under it a little then come alonged it up a ways, and repeat until it was totally on. Fun stuff!!