DONE Towing a 48 to 52 Jeepster

jim53066

Bigger Hammer
Aug 7, 2023
30
SE Wisconsin
First Name
Jim
Willys Model
  1. Jeepster
Willys Year:
  1. 1949
Hi, Need some advice about towing.
I am looking to purchase a jeepster, and of course the few that I am interested in are all over the US.

My questions:
Take a chance the owner is honest, and fly in and drive home? If mis represented how do you negotiate price then?

Rent a tow dolly, Will a 2wheel drive jeepster tow on a dolly without taking the drive shaft out?
Can the 2wd Jeepster be flat towed in neutral?

Pull a car hauler trailer behind me up to 1,000 miles empty, then haul back? (Been there not fun)

Find a partner and drive out and then drive it home? Again putting a lot of faith in a 75 year old vehicle, and asking a lot of someone to go along with it.

Thanks, JIM
 
Plan on renting a uhaul trailer and hauling it home. Gotta drop the driveshaft to flat tow or tow dolly. Do you really want to put the wear and tear on your new purchase by flat towing? Lot can go wrong. Do you really want to drive a 75 year old vehicle that you don’t know anything about cross country at slow speeds? Negotiate with the seller knock off some to help with the expense of getting it home.
 
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Haul a trailer both ways, do your best to understand what you are buying, but run, dont walk away is anything goes sideways, like rust, no title (but he will find it and mail it right) any red flag that turns into a lie. been there, drove 2000 miles to find out no title even tho he said he had it in hand...Phil
 
And as for flat tows - unless the steering is all good you stand of decent chance of the Jeepster not following you when you make a turn. It might turn with you, but not turn back! Or it will keep turning beyond you. Don't ask how it is I know this. T'was with a wagon, but same animal.
 
Here is link to a Poject Status checklist sheet I made up.


Some is specific to a Wagon but most is easily crossed over to any Willys.

If you check out the Member Map maybe someone is close by and can look for you and check it out.

Fuel prices seem to be on the uptick out here a little, transport can be pretty hit and miss. It's. Chunk of the budget for sure.

I was just talking to a fellow member today about my adventure to get my Wagon, wound up driving from NJ to MO to meet a drive "half" way.

It's an adventure for sure.
 
I live in Washington and with a tow dolly I hauled a stock Jeepster 900 miles from Sacramento halfway up Washington with a 1991 2WD 4 cylinder automatic Toyota PU and had no problems at all and I did not disconnect the driveline. Make sure the front wheel are on the dolly. Drove at freeway speed with the Jeepster in neutral of course. Don't forget you need a set of lights to tow it too and keep in mind with a tow dolly and vehicle in tow you can-not backup more than a few feet.

peewee
 
I've bought many a jeep site unseen. (84 CJ7, 81 Scrambler, 91 YJ, 68 Jeepster, 48 Jeepster)

Few things I've learned.

Pics pics and more pics. I asked for the pics of the issues that the owner thinks is a problem.

Pic of the title.

Google map the address on the title and see if you can see the jeep on the property.

Only buy from the dry states, Arizona, New Mexico etc.

yes you'll pay a little for for the dry states, but soooooooooooo worth it.

Oh and sometimes you can find desert cars in other states.

I bought my current Jeepster out of Alberta and it spent the majority of life in Utah and it's as dry as a bone, no rust.

Then hire a shipper.
 
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