9 replies to this topic

[miniboy1993]

Hi there people I am looking to start buying and classic minis in the new year to restore and sell on but I know I am going to have travel to get them will a car dolly a frame be Ok to use to transport them back home ?

[miniboy1993]

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[Tupers]

We used one a few years ago to tow a mini from Devon to Fort William in Scottland and back (about 1200 miles) while on holiday. We pulled over after a few miles to check everything remained tight and then checked again when we stopped at the services.

Never had any trouble with it and still use it now for collecting stricken vehicles.

[Lincsminbin]

From a legal standpoint, it'll be treated as a trailer, so as long as you conform to the relevant rules - weight, lights etc, you'll be fine.

There is some useful guidance from the government here:

https://www.gov.uk/t...owing-equipment

[Dan]

It will be fine for towing the cars but a frames are really for emergency recovery. Without being able to connect the trailer brakes (once on an A frame the towed car is a trailer) up to the towing vehicle you are towing illegally because it's far too heavy to be an unbraked unit. Also any cars you collect with it need to be taxed because they have their wheels on the road. A car trailer is a better option.

[Guess-Works.com]

I concur, a trailer or truck is a better option... for one main reason...

 

To make any sort of money out of restoring a mini, you're going to have to buy cheap, which means the vehicles you're potentially looking at will be at best, scabby... More often than not failed projects are the best source, which means, cars without engines possibly, dodgy old tyres, one wheel nut holding them on and subframes which are not actually connected to the body... You don't want to be towing that with an A frame...

[The Matt]

A-frame dollies are OK, I used to use them when I worked in a garage and there was no recovery truck available.  But only for cars that were roadworthy but had broken down.  Most 'project' cars will often not be road-legal so need to be trailered anyway.  As said above, you're not going to make masses of money out of cars that are already roadworthy and OK to tow home.

 

What is the towing limit of your tow car (assuming you've got one already)?

[megamini_jb]

Definitely go for a proper trailer. I'm after one too as the amount of times I've seen projects I want, but haven't been able to because of sorting out getting it home, so might as well just get one myself then always got it ready! You'll be able to pick up a nice mini sized one for about £300-£500

[Guess-Works.com]

I regret selling my woodford trailer which was an absolute dream to tow, ideal for a mini, I had that up on a buy it now on ebay @ £750 and it was snapped up, guy travelled down form Lancashire for it...

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[M J W J]

Take a look at a website called Anyvan. You can get people to bid on the job you want to transport vehicles. It can work out cheaper than hiring a truck or trailer.

 

Added benefit is that they are fully legal to transport vehicles around and are insured so if anything happens then they will cover the damage.