Kind of a Model A question

[Fred K-OR]

We have just moved to a house in Stayton Oregon. Have a problem trying to figure out how to get one of my Model A's onto my third garage if one comes limping home behind a tow truck. The problem is the ramp into the third garage (my new workshop) goes "up hill", that is the garage is maybe 5 feet higher than the street and has a ramp going up to it. This old guy could not push it up that hill to get it into the shop.

I am sure some of you have had the same situation. Got any ideas how this old guy could get the rig into the shop? Guess I could tow it up, bumper to bumper with the other A or try to do this with some other rig. But has anyone got another good simple idea how to get the rig up the ramp to the shop?

Thanks for any ideas you may have on this strange question.

[Synchro909]

I have a very steep approach to my garage too. I've found the best solution to your problem is "make sure it doesn't break down" but as a backup, I've considered a winch mounted at the back of the workshop to haul the car up the slope. Even one of those winches (of adequate capacity) they mount on the front of 4 WDs would do the job nicely.

[Step-down]

I have a hill into my garage that I can normal drive right into in first gear . I did mount on the floor a Myte winch elec. drum years ago with the thuogth if one of these old project of mine stop running . Will last year after 12 years of never using my winch ,I winch my, 29 HD with side car into the garage . I'm glad I planned ahead.

[C26Pinelake]

I positioned my vice in the middle of my workbench and I attached a ring around it to hook on a winch if necessary. That was a dozen years ago and the winch is still unused. Sometimes we spend time worrying over something that will never hagppen. Prepared..yes, overprepared, likely.

Wayne

[Jacksonlll]

When I was a kid, for low cost, we used a rope fence stretcher. Not sure if they still make them.

[Fred K-OR]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by Jacksonlll

When I was a kid, for low cost, we used a rope fence stretcher. Not sure if they still make them.

Have one in my old shop in Banks. Use that thing many time in past years stretching fence. Good idea. Now all I need to figure out is where to attach the other end to. This garage is all finished so would have to come up with some way to attach it to somewhere. Could use my tow rope to come from street from the stretcher and them hook the tow rope somewhere. Got to work on those ideas.

[Fred K-OR]

Originally Posted by Step-down

I have a hill into my garage that I can normal drive right into in first gear . I did mount on the floor a Myte winch elec. drum years ago with the thuogth if one of these old project of mine stop running . Will last year after 12 years of never using my winch ,I winch my, 29 HD with side car into the garage . I'm glad I planned ahead.

That is what I am concerned about, that time when it happenes and it is raining like mad when I am trying to get it in. You are correct, guess I have to plan ahead.

[1931 flamingo]

Any good tow truck operator should be able to "place" it in the garage. Tip him good. JMO
Paul in CT TRPC and WreckMaster certified tower.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by Jacksonlll

When I was a kid, for low cost, we used a rope fence stretcher. Not sure if they still make them.

We call those gizmos a wire strainer. Good idea. Simple and cheap. The wire strainers I like have two "arms" that "walk" along a chain, link by link. A longer piece of chain and you have it.
As for anchoring the other end, if there is nothing in the frame of the workshop good enough, maybe try running a cable or chain through the wall to an anchor set outside. I store my 6'X4' garden trailer in my garage and to take up the minimum amount of floor space, I lift it vertical, drawbar up. I use a manual winch mounted on the wall with the cable running though a pulley mounted high on the wall where the trailer is to go. I have anchored the pulley to a concrete block buried outside so that the wall takes very little strain during the hoisting process which even I can do easily with my post surgery bad shoulder.
With a little thought, you'll have a simple and effective way of getting that car into the workshop.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I use my old Cub Cadet to push and pull a dead car. In fact I'll have to use it tomorrow to move my 1999 Olds to a better spot in the driveway so I can get my Model A out of the garage to go get repair parts. Last Tuesday I had drive to the post office to return the generator to the ebay scammer, but my Olds had zero spark. Sure won't be an easy diagnostic and fix like the Model A ignition system would be.

BTW, the Honda generator when received looked nothing like the nice clean ebay pictures, so ebay sent me a return label to print, and gave me a full refund. So, if you get scammed by some jerk, be sure to take pictures right away and let ebay know about it. I've had a few parts arrive that were less than expected, but this is the first time for such a blatant scam, where I had to return an item.

If you don't have a yard tractor up to the pushing job, then I'd go with a winch in the garage.

[Marcus]

Fred: Very simple solution - look at my Avatar to see the ramp in question. The '47 PU side is where I bring my "rollers" when doing projects. I attached an ATV (3000 pound pull) winch to the bottom shelf of my workbench. This runs off a 12 volt battery, and is out of the way. Cost of the winch was less than $200, I've had it for years, and never a problem. Sure makes life easy, especially for other uses (tractor needed some repairs - and no good way to push it into the "service bay.") if the cable is not long enough, simply attach a long tow strap.

[flatford39]

I drilled a couple of 9/16 holes in the slab and set some 3/8 inserts. I use grade 8 bolts and bolt a chain to the floor. Then I hook up my 2 ton ratchet style come along and enough extra chain to capture the vehicle. It's a pretty good workout but you can pull just about anything. The last one I did was a 28 AA 1.5 ton truck that had all wheels frozen. I just dragged the whole mess into the garage and went to work.

[Marvin/TN]

Just drill the floor and mount a tie down there. Either get a winch or a slower method is to use a come along and wench it in that way. The Elect winch would be much better and easier. Use a hammer Drill and a concrete bit, get a couple of Red Head anchors and drive them in the floor.

[SeaSlugs]

yea im with the others and an electric winch, if budget is tight a come along will work too.

[ronn]

Any good tow truck operator should be able to "place" it in the garage. Tip him good. JMO
Paul in CT TRPC and WreckMaster certified tower.

Paul is spot on-dont need to run yourself over and end up in the hospital..........

[Big hammer]

My driveway in 40ft raise of 8ft, I made a tow bar that attached to the front axle out near the spring perches, I then could push/pull the frame in and out. What a pain with no spotter, I thought about bolting a winch to the garage floor, but the cable would have soon warn a grove in the concrete floor!

[Quigley1930]

I use a 35 year old Gravley tractor with a snowblade to push my A's. just put a blanket over the bumpers. Been foolin' with and usin' Gravleys since early fifties

Sewall

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Quigley1930

I use a 35 year old Gravley tractor with a snowblade to push my A's. just put a blanket over the bumpers. Been foolin' with and usin' Gravleys since early fifties

Sewall

Can't go wrong with a Gravley. They were a division of Studebaker.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Marvin/TN

Just drill the floor and mount a tie down there. Either get a winch or a slower method is to use a come along and wench it in that way. The Elect winch would be much better and easier. Use a hammer Drill and a concrete bit, get a couple of Red Head anchors and drive them in the floor.

Originally Posted by SeaSlugs

yea I'm with the others and an electric winch, if budget is tight a come along will work too.

These were my thoughts as well.

You can use one of these for a few things.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...5486_200455486

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Tom W,
If the Model A wouldn't start, jist go to the post office on the CUB Cadet--LOL
Bro Bill W.

[Bruce Adams]

Harbor Freight has low cost winches that should handle this sort of rare occurrence. It might require a 120 to 12 volt converter. A strap around the axle should be a good hook up if the winch is low enough.

[coupe1942]

If my wife was driving, she would put it in for you, as she has a long history of jumping curbs, skidding through stop signs, hitting every single pot hole from here to Hawaii and back and she is a whiz at finding the very last nail left on a country road from someone doing a roofing job 10 years earlier. She is a determined lass, as I have seen her drive the WalMart parking lot for about an hour at a time just to find a parking space near the front door. When I say near, I mean close enough to make the automatic door swing back and forth, too.

Yes, she could do it easily. Especially if you told her you din't want it done. Oh, wait, you didn't want your garage back wall extracted, did you? If not, then she probably couldn't do it. :-)

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by coupe1942

If my wife was driving, she would put it in for you, as she has a long history of jumping curbs, skidding through stop signs, hitting every single pot hole from here to Hawaii and back and she is a whiz at finding the very last nail left on a country road from someone doing a roofing job 10 years earlier. She is a determined lass, as I have seen her drive the WalMart parking lot for about an hour at a time just to find a parking space near the front door. When I say near, I mean close enough to make the automatic door swing back and forth, too.

Yes, she could do it easily. Especially if you told her you din't want it done. Oh, wait, you didn't want your garage back wall extracted, did you? If not, then she probably couldn't do it. :-)

I bet your wife doesn't read the forum.

[John Kuhnast]

Depending on what is broken, you may be able to put it in first gear and drive it in on the starter motor. Good to know if you are ever stuck on a rail road track.

[Wagga A'er]

Could try an electric boat winch.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Late @ night, I couldn't push Cindys' VW up the ramp, to put the engine in. Put Vice Grips on the input shaft & in FIRST gear, I "wound" it in, with 1 (ONE) finger!!
Bill Trick

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

Late @ night, I couldn't push Cindys' VW up the ramp, to put the engine in. Put Vice Grips on the input shaft & in FIRST gear, I "wound" it in, with 1 (ONE) finger!!
Bill Trick

Well it would work haha. Model a just remove the plugs and use the hand crank. Granted bendix isnt jamming things up haha.

[Jon]

I've got a 12 volt winch I'm trying to get rid of. If you weren't so far I'd send it to you. I suspect it will cost a lot for shipping because of the weight.

[5lugnuts]

I was going to say put in gear first or reverse and use the starter to drive it but somebody beat me to it. I have done so ofter with success. On a long run stop and check the heat in the starter if your concerned. My experience has been that driving the car with the starter on a slight incline in gear turns the starter faster than when trying to start the engine when flooded.

electric winches have short cables 15 to 20 feet which may not be enough unless add rope extension and stop to re attach and pull cable back out.

My plan (not tried) was to hook a snatch block on the disabled car, put a anchor plate on the garage floor for the loose end to attach to and another anchor plate for a second snatch block. Tie one end of rope (100 foot nylon) to a tow vehicle in the garage, pass the rope through the anchored snatch block in the garage then down to and thru the snatch block on the disabled vehicle, then up to the anchor point on the garage floor. When you move the running vehicle down the driveway the disabled vehicle will come slowly up the driveway and into the garage. If the driveway were not too steep I thought maybe I could pull the disabled vehicle manually into the garage using the 2 to 1 advantage.

I used the starter button first and that worked surprisingly well in my situation. No damage done. Of course I put the charger on the battery afterwards.

[Fred K-OR]

Thanks guys for all the ideas. Didn't know this subject has so many answers. Now I need to figure out the best. I may try out the starter idea in first gear just to see if it gets me up the grade before I may need to use it. Then if that doesn't work, consider some of the other ideas. Anyway thanks for the ideas.

[Cornishman]

My Model A rolls so easily I would consider using a good old block and tackle to haul it into the garage. A nice Harken winch would make the job even easier.

[Afordman31]

When my floor was poured in my barn, my brother suggested that I weld a chain with hook to a piece of pipe and have the pipe lay on the ground when the cement was poured. It is inline with my overhead door. I have a incline going into my barn and have used a come a long and chains hooked together to reach out the door. Have had to use it a few times in thirty seven years. Helps not to make a old person out of you.

[nhusa]

Check Harbor freight for hand winch. You will find them for $20 to $30.
Put a 2x6 across 4 or five studs - it is best on the outside but can be lag bolted on the inside and attach an eye bolt.