I might possibly be picking up a 911 in another city and driving it back to Houston tomorrow for a good 100-200 mile trip. I did find some posts on Pelicanparts, but I want more opinions ... just because.

Is there any reason not to tow a mid 70s 911 backwards on a tow dolly (from U-Haul) with the steering wheel tied so it doesn't rotate?

The only issue I have read about concerns the roof blowing off. I've never done it but my guess is if you remove the roof there shouldn't be a problem that I can see. Hopefully, someone who has actally done it will chime in. If you have one or can borrow a tow bar, I would just flat tow it.

Cheers, Elliot

I don't recommend the for the very reason that you need to tie the steering wheel off for. Sure you can get the wheel to not move but you will never get it so tight that the wheels don't wobble at all. That wobbling will translate back to the wheel and could very easily lossen your ropes. The other concern is the wobbling could rupture a tire. So why not just tow it frontwards ? Are you concerned about the exhaust dragging ?

Most things I've read say it's a bad idea to tow a car (any car) with the transaxle on the road. And what if it accidently slips into gear?

I thought I remembered reading on this forum where someone towed a 914 in reverse with the roof off and the windshield blew out. I imagine the same could happen with any vehicle.

You're safest bet is to rent an auto transport from U-haul for $25 and trailer it home. Check the trailer tire pressures before you leave though. They're usually all over the place.

You're reading the wrong things. It's perfectly fine to flat tow a Porsche or VW equipped with a manual transaxle. Well, as long as the tranny's not already toast, and it has gear oil in it. As for "accidentally" slipping into gear, who's ever heard of THAT happening? Think about it.

The stories about 914 tops blowing off, and windshields blowing out, are TRUE. I personally lost a w/s in a 911 when the trucker loaded it on the car hauler backwards.

The Cap'n

Two years ago I towed a 914 2500 miles from Memphis to Los Angeles frontwards and towed another one the same way coming back with no issues. In April I towed another 914 BACKWARDS 700+ miles from Memphis to Richmond, Va. with no issues. All of this was done on the same tow dolly. Maybe I'm crazy, maybe I'm lucky, either way it all went smoothly.
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If you are going to tow it on a dolly, just tow it pointing forward....
no harm will come to the car at all!

towed this car all four down for several years and over 3,000 miles with no issues.
I know quite a few racers that have been towing their 911s and 914s for over 20 years either on a dolly point forward or all four down with no problems....

I flat-bed towed mine backwards on a 300 mile trip from long island with no problems. Like my dad always said -- i'd rather be lucky than smart...

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You probably cheated and secured the top latches ................... With no tail lights, I'd also be concerned with the possibility of the deck lid becoming a speed brake!

While you had the good fortune to make the trip w/o losing the top, it's something I just wouldn't risk unless there were no other way to do it.

The Cap'n

Why? My buddy hat the trunk blow open and as you can imagine it screwed up more than the trunk. So why? Do you have any good reason? And "for the hell of it" isn't a good reason.

The only reason I can see to tow it backwards is if it had no Tranny and the axles were hanging. The car will not slip into gear. If you are concerned it will, coast down a hill in any car and try to put it in gear without using the clutch. Unless the engine speed and tranny syncros mesh, it will never pop into gear.

Great point. I don't really expect it to pop into gear, but that was just some of the stuff I read. Good thing I posted here.

A dolly with the 911 forward looks like a winner. Thanks guys.

Where ever you read that, don't read there any more

IIRC the towing on a dolly with the rear wheels on the ground is only a problem for automatic transmissions that need to be in gear to properly lubricate their internal workings. Not a problem with manuals.

1. Flat towing race guys - do you just leave the steering wheel unlocked?

2. Rear towing - I've seen wrecker drivers do this with the steering wheel unlocked, and a bunji cord on the wheel to bring the front wheels back to center after a turn.

I still like the u haul full trailer. No question, and about $25 more than the dolly.

Some of it was on PelicanParts.



I agree. But the truck I'll be using is weak, and not sure if it can handle the extra weight of a full trailer. I read they are pretty heavy duty.

They don't.

Tying off the steering wheel to tow backwards is worse. The top can fly off, the back window can blow out, if the rear trunk latch is flaky (not unheard of) it could fly open, etc...

I tried it once backward. It was squirrely. I stopped a few miles later and turned it around and ever looked back. Until one of the vintage rear tires blew out... but that's another story.

Edit: Should have read the 911 part. I'd still not tow it backwards. It's just... well, backwards.