unearthing an old heap after 20years , flat tires, frozen drums etc

Hi

we found an old car, its been sitting for 20 plus year , tires are flat , drums are probable stuck ,

the car has sunk down to the ground level and the floorpan is probably sitting on the wet ground , ita about 3000 pounds

its a convertible that has been covered , but all that did was let the water hit the ground with some of it running under the car and keeping the ground wet most of the time.....

so right now the plan is bolt the doors to the rear quarter panel so it will not twist , dig out the wheels and dig a trench so it will pull out , put wood down and oil the wood so the flat rotted tires will slide , and do the same at the front ,

then try and winch it out of its shallow grave

any other ideas ?

thanks for your help

Beaulieu

 

Are you sure the drums are stuck? I'd try pullin on it a little first, may just pull righ out.

 

I'd suggest bringing tools, penetrating oil, a good jack, jackstands, and wheels with decent tires.

Hopefully you'll document the entire adventure with lots of clear pictures. That way, if you ever come to your senses and sell what remains of the car, the photos can be used as the basis for a dramatic comedy.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

 

I need pics! Good luck with the dig.

 

Try jacking it up and putting some good wheels/tires on it. Even if the drums are still frozen, the round tires will slide easier than a flat one.

 

Got a lug wrench? If so, you may want to put another set or wheels with good tires on it and roll it out. Bring a sledge hammer and trash the drums if they are stuck.

 

Absolutley ... ever try to pull a car with flat tires? You might as well try moving a boulder. It's amazing how drums free up once you start pulling, just give them something decent to roll on ... okay, now tell us what kind of car this is.

 

How about trying to air up the tires that are on it? That might lift it off the ground and make it easier to pull out.....

 

YES,,jacking it up will be of great benefit ,even if you just get the wheels out of teh ruts and throw boards under them so your level instead of trying to pull dead weight UP and out

And pull backwards if you can

 

I saw a picture of an austin healey once that someone tried to pull out of the ground and literally ripped the car in 1/2. Same deal, convertible in the dirt.

Good advice above, take it easy.

 

CAUTION!!!!!!!!!!!! If the tires have been flat for a long time the sidewalls will be in poor condition. Stand AWAY from the tire while inflating it,so if it pops you will be out of harms way.

 

Case of PB Blaster, a 12 pound sledge, a small hard wire brush, a case of Gatorade, a air compressor, work gloves, then just before pulling really hard ........ dial 9...1.......

 

Only in two pieces? That must have been a good one!

 

Strap the opposite end to something so when the drums let loose it doesn't run you and your buddies down.......speaking from practical experience not theory!
Steele

 

Wen I picked up my '50 Chevy we had to pull the drums as the shoes were LOCKED.
I just left them off and put the tires back on the spindles for transport.

 

Buy some of those rollers on casters and put them under the wheels. Get it in the open, put good tires on and drag that dude. Pic? What the hell is it?

 

Good sliders: The cheap kid's sleds that are just a sheet of thick blue plastic with hand holes. Sturdy, cheap, slippery.
Oh...California. Sorry...maybe someone would mail you the old ones out in the garage!

 

Ever recovered a 4x4 suctioned into the mud?

I would personally use a high lift jack, lift the car up one corner or end at a time, and set it back down onto anything that will prevent sinking. The cheap sled idea is a good one, I've always used pallets with mud recovery.

Whatever you do, don't go yanking on that car with a chain til it's been loosened from the soil, if it's not ripped in half, good chance you'll twist it out of square.

good luck

 

We broke my brothers 66 Fairlane in half (torque box's), when we tried to pull it up the driveway with frozen drums.

 

Looks like a 356 Porsche

 

They don´t weigh 3000lbs!

 

If it looks anything how it's described (or looks like your avatar pic)....shoot it in the head and say a prayer

 

i say listen to the fools above and be a bigger fool and make it like factory new afterwards just to spite all the people who say it cant be done.

 

Hi,,,,,guys

no this one is not a 356 Porsche , and not in California

it will need to be pulled out from the back since a couple trees grew in front of it thru the years ,

sure I will try airing the tires , but that will probably not work,
would be neat if someone made a hard insulation foam you could put in tires like a can of fix a flat !

there is no way an off road jack will work , there is nothing to hook it to ,
I will probably dig a trench to the rear axle, put some wood down and jack the back up, then try and fill the tires with the weight off them and see if the drums turn,
and fill up the hole where the wheels had sunk into the ground.....
then repeat in the front......

I will try and take some pics as we are working.....

Beaulieu

WE have done this before , but I figured so have many of you , and maybe I could learn some new ideas and do the least amount of damage ,

 

get a meduim duty wrecker boom over the car rig chains to all 4 wheels lift and set on trailer.

 

So what is it? the year and make?

 

what type of vert is it? I think knowing what model it is would help the guys on here identify the best way to get her out with the least amount of damage. PICS

 

Consider a length of strong pipe or tubing, if you can find a way to insert it thru suspension arms or frame, it'll make a handle the high lift jack can work with.

If it's dry consider a manual scissor jack. You only have to dig a slot under the frame or suspension to position it.

Oh, and if the tires are approximately round but won't hold air, slash the sidewall enough to fill it with spray foam insulation from a can. If you could leave the weight off em for 24 hours, would probably have sturdy rollers to get it out of the woods.

good luck

 

Grab 4 scissors jacks from cars in a junk yard, they lay almost completly flat, get them under the car and slowly lift it up, bring some different wood blocks to but under it as you work it up and off the ground. Once you have it up in the air there are a lot of things you can do, but stuck in the ground is a hopeless situation.

I first used the 4 scissors jack trick when I had to help a friend out of a jam when his air ride went out and his car was left sitting on the ground.

 

Definitely don't pull on it with flat tires, and I think if you have to, bring a torch to heat the drums up and get them off however possible, then take the shoes out and put the drums back on. Getting it rolling on inflated tires is the best way.

It's OK if it's an o/t car, just let us know what it is. We want to know.