Looking at buying a Touring T about 40 miles of two lane road from the garage mostly 55 MPH speed limit. My trailer is an open trailer an I have no access to a closed trailer. What suggestions do you all have on trailering it? Top speed? Front or back forward? Top up or down? 90% sure I will buy it but will have pics and story later.

I pull mine (27 touring) on an open trailer top down, nose first. If the road is smooth AND you have trailer brakes, 55 would be fine assuming you have it positioned on the trailer correctly.

Hopefully, you are using a tandem axle trailer. I mark where center of the front axle is on my trailer fender and drive the car on placing the Ford script on the running board about 1-2 inches forward of the mark on the trailer. This will ensure you have enough tounge weight to keep the trailer from wagging. If you load it all the way forward on a 16 foot trailer it will be too nose heavy and makes for a rough ride in the pickup.

If you don't have trailer brakes and you are pulling it with a 1/2 ton pickup, I would only go 45. I would rather run with scissors than pull a trailer without brakes.

I use bungee straps on the front floor boards, front lower seat cushion and on the top while folded down. Also be sure the 4 spring loaded hood latches work ok so you do not lose the hood. Look for any other loose parts that may come off on the road. You did not state the condition of the Model T so just make sure everything is wind proof. If loose parts cannot be secured I'd take them off the T and let them ride in the tow vehicle. Congratulations.....I hope this is a good T for you!

And don't forget the coil box lid. You'd be surprised how fast they come loose and take off. Put it inside the tow vehicle.

I haven't gotten to the point of towing my T yet, still under construction, but have towed my WWII jeep across several states. Tandam axle open trailer with trailer brakes. Jeep facing forward with center of gravity so that a level or a visual inspection of the hitch shows the tow vehicle riding faily level.
Proper rated rachet straps across the front axle pulling forward and an axle strap on the rear pulling backward to get a indeal tension pulling equailly forward and back. We put in some wheel chocks as wel, but maybe overkil. Leave the transmission in nuetrual as any rocking back and forth may damage gears.
Everything loose comes off and gets put back on at dstination. We lower windshiled and remove top so that windshield does not get chipped. Do NOT cover with tarp IMO as they will flap across your paint job or rub and do damage. If it gets wet, it gets wet.

I would consider taping cardboard or wrapping the windshield glass in a canvas or moving blanket if the glass is intact.

If the car has been a barn find for the last 50 years, it will be nice and clean when you arrive home.

It's been sitting for years and it will take your months or years to restore. Don't worry about saving 10 minuetes on the drive home. People will want to pass you anyway to get a look at what you are towing. Sit back, slow down, and enjoy the ride.

I pull mine butt first, top down, bows tied down, and top side pieces tucked in so as not to "flutter" while towing. J.

I've always towed the touring cars on open trailers, nose first, top up. Never been a problem. I always planned to keep the speed to 60mph or less but have accidently crept up to 70 a few times.

I have towed model T's for years on open, single axle trailers with out problems. The trailers were home made and strong and had brakes. Great for one day events. Have even "Shrink Wrapped" a model T on the trailer going to a national tour that was several states away. The Shrink Wrap plastic roll cost approx. $15.00 and was enough for the round trip. No damage and kept the car clean and protected.
Better gas MPG using an open trailer vice enclosed.

As others have mentioned, make sure you bungee cord the top so that it does not balloon on you. This worked for me for 300 miles.

Securing the floorboards is very important. Losing your wife's purse the next day through the hole in the rear floor can be costly.

I trailer my roadster facing forward, top down, with a cover over the top. I don't want to start a long argument about trailers but, as a class A truck driver with training in weight and balance as well as proper loading, I have always been curious about those who insist on using tandem axles when a single axle trailer will do. Considering the weight of the car and trailer one can use a single axle without brakes and stay within the safety standards of most or all states and trailer manufactures. If you have two axles and you get a flat you still aren't going anywhere till you fix it.

A cover that can flap in the wind can do a lot of damage to a car. Shrink wrap or no cover would be safer in many cases.

Brought back my T last August from about the same distance and type of road facing backwards with the top up. Taped a piece of cardboard over the small window in the top and never exceeded 35-40 MPH. Previous owner hauled it over 250 miles the same way in 1979.

I remove the floor boards and seat cushions. I don't have a top boot, so I stretch wrap the top in the 'down' position and haul it nose first. I normally do 65 mph in this configuration.

I'd show a photo but I'm on the road and didn't bring all my pictures with me. I've brought T's home on an open trailer for distances of 200 to over 1000 miles. The only trouble I ever had was the time I used a rented trailer. The modern wheel webs wouldn't stay on the wheels. Fortunately I had the ratchet straps I always use on my own trailer. I use a self-imposed speed limit of 55 mph to keep the gas hog Suburban from putting me into bankruptcy, so wind is no problem. I do make sure all the hood clips are in place, and I do carry anything that might blow off in the tow vehicle. A few years ago I saw a brass touring at Chickasha with a wrecked windshield frame from being towed on an open trailer at 75 mph, so I agree with Robert Brough's comment about taking your time.

When I bought my 27 roadster I brought it home on my open trailer. I put the top down and pulled it 55 on the freeway. I am going to buy a enclosed trailer this summer. Most of the car shows we go to are a couple hours from our house and I can use it to store it in the winter months. Just to far to use the open trailer for me!!

I learned the hard way, tow facing forward with the top down. I have a boot for the top and have lost one already so the boot is also tied with bungees and a strap. I remove the two top floorboards and fold the mat over them. I reverse the top windshield so it is aerodynamically flat and make sure the rubber gasket on the lower windshield is glued to the glass. Crazy glue does it. I use a single axle 6 x 12 foot trailer good for 3500 lbs. The car weighs less than half so singe axle is OK. I pull it with my Toyota 4runner Gen 5 and set the cruise to 60 mph. The trailer has a lift gate so getting the car on and off after a half dozen beers is easy.
I use both the forward and reverse pedals to get it off. I tie it down with straps on all four wheels.

The purchase is on hold until I learn a few more things about the car. But what is your opinion on using a roll back type tow truck? My trailer is only 14 feet and may not be large enough tho it has a 2900 pound weight limit. I saw a model A Ford taken away from an auction on a rollback once. Opinions?

14' should be plenty for a car with an 8' 4" wheelbase. Why throw away money you could spend on T parts?

We have hauled with an open trailer forever. Top down, we have a boot for the top and then we use shrink wrap over the boot and secured to the seats so that the top cannot balloon out. We have straps that secure the seat bottoms into the car, and bungees criss-crossed on the hood to keep it down and in place. The floorboards are screwed down so that they cannot blow out. David removes the rubber on the windshield and pushes it in - so that the wind has somewhere to go.

P.S. WalMart sells the bulk roll of shrink wrap - and it has many uses besides hauling the touring!

Front forward, bungie the top, strap it down and go... no problems at speeds I won't even admit here.

3 people have advocated using a single axle trailer but i would not haul anything of value on a single axle! By the same token we just bought another F-250 crew cab and i believe it's what's up front that counts! Do not let the tail wag the dog!! Bud in Wheeler,Mi.

I'm no truck driver or trailer professional, but since we started towing our jeep on our double axle trailer, we have noticed at highway speeds if someone is towing something behind an RV or SUV and it is swaying all over the highway from one side of the lane to the other, it is ALWAYS a single axle trailer.

Shrink wrap is new to me for this application. I've got to try it.

I drove a rollback for several years transporting exotic and collector cars including touring cars of several makes. They are just fine but you still have to take care with the items others above have mentioned in securing items on the vehicle. Also, do not let the driver winch the vehicle up by hooking to the center of the front axle. Have the winch cable secured around the frame"s front cross member. If he has a "V" harness he can secure the front axle at the points where the wishbone meets. The cable shouldn't be winched down like he's hauling a tank. You be the boss. If it's just a towing company the driver will not know much more than loading it up and driving away.

Remove the Key I have know of people leaving it in the ignition switch and when they got to there destination it had vibrated out and probably down thru one of the many holes in the floorboard

Richard, Been there done that. Some where on I-90