Morris Minor Owners Club

I everyone - I've not been posting much over the last 12 months as I've had to move house. Finally moved in but my "no-brakes yet" van is still at my old house.

Anyone in Essex know of a company who can move my van from one side of Chelmsford to the other? So far I've been quoted £70 which seems like a lot for a 10 min journey Perhaps it's not though, I'm not really sure of these things.

Half thought about hiring a van and lifting it on the back myself as it's so light (no seats in at the moment)!!
Thanks

I would have thought someone with a plant trailer would do it for £10 cash!

you can hire a car trailer for £40 odd, so bear that in mind if you have a towbar

Sounds cheap to me - the wheels & tyres weigh more than the seats - body engine and box a bit heavy too
Seriously if its job done for that price then sounds good at essex prices.

BMC you find someone with a plant trailer who'll do it for a tenner that part of the world chances are they shoddily tarmac'd half your street recently and it'll go on the trailer and be weighed in for scrap in very short space of time.

Heh heh - indeed. I was going to say hire a trailer for £20 (which is going (cash) rate here for half day) but I see Matt has priced it at £40!! Gees - expensive down there!

£40 for the day last time we did (2 years ago) so not that dissimilar...#

Failing that (and I dont condone this because its not legal) get a solid draw bar (or a sprung one £25 odd from macine mart) and just tow it with a helper

That's the strange thing - it is legal to tow a trailer, so a Van with no engine/gearbox, and therefore obviously cannot be used on the road, is surely just a 4 wheel trailer. Even more so if say the steering wheel was removed, and tow it with an A frame so it is self steering. Obviously also remove the numberplates, and have a proper trailer board with tow car number plate and working lights. Snag may be - brakes. I don't know the regs about when a trailer needs to have automatic brakes. Still think half-day trailer hire is the best way to go!

Thanks for all the replies guys. i had thought of a trailer/towbar but my house is on a main road and has a steep drive so I thought the process might end up with more damage to my van than was worth it!

Well if people are saying £70 is reasonable then I guess I'll go with that - incentive to get the brakes fixed in case I have to move it again!

I think £70 is ridiculous - must be possible to get a better deal than that! Has it absolutely NO brakes - not even working hand brake ?

I trailer has to have brakes when its got a Max gross weight of 750kg or above, also if the max gross of the trailer is more than half of the unladen weight of the towing vehicle

Ah well - empty Minor van (sorry 'trailer') with no engine etc should be fine without brakes.

If it were me I'd rope it up and tow it behind something else.
Not strictly legal but it depends on your local police I guess.
We never see any around these parts so its just down to how lucky you are on the day.

One of those rigid tow bars would be the tool for that job!

I think £70 is ridiculous - must be possible to get a better deal than that! Has it absolutely NO brakes - not even working hand brake ?

Why ? when you take into account the running costs of the recovery vehicle and the total time involved, although there is no harm in asking if there is a cash price.

so a Van with no engine/gearbox, and therefore obviously cannot be used on the road, is surely just a 4 wheel trailer.

I bet the V5 would differ on that point.

Odd thing here about what you said Kevin - and its only hearsay i'm guessing, but do know people who move vehicles by towing them saying that because the towing vehicle is Taxed, tested & insured then its perfectly legal to tow a not Taxed, tested & insured vehicle.
Sounds a bit grey to me but dont know anyone whose been pulled for doing so. Do know people whove moved runners a good distance so the ropes there but not used actually for towing.

Anyone know the proper answer to this ?

Hi Kevin I have heard that said as well but assumed it means from private ground to private ground and that the towing vehicle is fit for purpose, not that this sort of thing is ever done in my area any more than driving a vehicle from point A to B prior to its MOT ect

Ah so its not just hearsay hereabouts then
Must admit i got suckered into driving such a vehicle being towed last year and wasnt very happy about it.
Suppose though if you think about it - bet one of those pick up the 2 front wheels type recovery vehicles doesnt get done for lugging scrappers to the yard.
Only difference i guess is that its a fixed towing point.
Weve got someone on here has a recovery truck and does that, just need to remember who it is and ask him, he might just know?

Hi and thanks for all the thoughts

I've got to actually drive past our police station to get to my new house (or drive about 20 min out of town) so I think I best not risk it!

I've seen someone selling an A-frame locally so I'm going to see if that's still available. If not I'll go for the £70 hire

My other thought was if I could (with help, obviously!) lift it into a normal van? Without seats what would the weight of a 1971 Morris Van be does anyone know? My friend works for an electronics company and can borrow a box van pretty much any time he likes.

I'm sure you could save weight by splitting the rear 'box' off the chassis and move it seperately?

A frame seems a good idea and handy for the future. Where did you get your £70 quote from? I'm in Chelmsford myself and if I had to move my van would probably go the A frame route or try a local garage with a breakdown truck. Trinity Service Station in Springfield Road have always been good to me in the past so they would be my first point of call if was in a hurry but don't know the cost. Otherwise break it down a bit as suggested. Might be a good time to check that chassis over