Towing an Elan

[jmesh]

My car is being flat-bedded to the mechanics to have some work done next week and I doubt that the AAA towing company will have ever seen an Elan before.

My question is, where should they run the straps through to keep it on the truck?

Thanks,

Jason

[1964 S1]

I hate to comment due to paranoia that I'll have to instruct someone one day to do this to my own car..... but...... I'd strap it down around the vacuum tank/frame in the front and around the whole A arm in the rear. The real question is what will they hook the car to when foisting it upon the tow vehicle?

[twincamman]

after years of towing race cars the best way is to put the ties through the 4 wheels and attach them to the trailer or flat bed ---this allows the suspension to move freely and avoids body or suspension damage --do not rigidly tie any body or suspension bits down tight -as they will bend--ed

[msd1107]

Hmm, It has been some while since my Elan shed a rear wheel on the way to work and I had it towed.

There didn't seem to be any drama.

As I recall, they sent the winch cable hook down and hooked it to the inside of one of the front wishbones (or maybe they found a place on the front cross member they could use). The car is so light, it doesn't take much to winch it up. The driver and I could have pushed it up the ramp, if it had been necessary.

As for securing the car to the flat bed, you can use straps over the wheels secured to the flat bed. Or hook a chain to the outer suspension and to a tie down. That is the tack they probably will take. Make sure they don't hook into the middle of a suspension tube and cinch it up tight!

David
1968 36/7988

[JKING]

Be sure not to tie it down using the front or rear A-arms.
I shipped my Elan from California to Virginia in 2004 via a "reputable" car mover called "The Car Carrier". The local carrier in CA correctly strapped the wheels down as I watched but somewhere in between CA and VA they tied down by the front and rear A-arms and severely bent them. Later they pointed out the small print in the contract by which they would not accept responsiblity for any frame or running gear damage. I had to replace both rear A-arms and all four lower front arm sections. Mad? You bet.

[type36lotus]

I agree with twincamman. I have always had my Elan strapped down by it's tires. If you tie your car down by the suspension, it is never tight enough to stop all suspension compression. Then when the truck/trailer hits a heavy bump the suspension compresses further, then slams against the straps on rebound, bad things happen. Strapped by the wheels lets the suspension do it's thing safely. Like these http://www.autohaulersupply.com/index.p ... revstart=0

[jmesh]

Around the wheels it is, then. I'll have to check the a-arms for any prior towing related damage.

Thanks everybody.

Jason
(who's really excited to get this car back on the road for its 40th birthday on June 17th)

[jmesh]

Important lesson of the day: Never call for a tow on a Monday.

I waited 5 hours for the flatbed to show this morning (the original estimate was 45 minutes). I guess Monday's the day when classic car owners suck it up and send their mistakes to the pros for fixing.

Anyway, my car is at the mechanics now, wedged in between a Lotus 61 and a Caterham 7. I expect my mistakes to be corrected by the end of the month so that I can go out and make a few more!

Jason