I would drop the shaft anyway, It's just too easy to do verses the consequences. Of course you would need a spare trans yoke. Or bag and seal the tailshaft. It's a little effort but why take the chance of hurting a healthy trans?
when I pulled my Ghia to Tennessee from Ohio I just put it in Neutral, when I bought it from Central Ohio, I put it in neutral. No I haven't put many miles on it or drive it that hard, but I haven't seen the consequences as of yet. Knock on wood. Actually everything we've bought we've brought it home on a dolly and just put em in neutral, and run 80 down the interstate
The reason why your not suppose to tow an automatic, is that when the engine is not running, the transmission pump is not pumping lube to critical areas. So a short runs like around the block would be fine, but 11 miles, I would pull the driveshaft off.
the other option is to just drive the Beast to the muffler shop. When we put the Headers on my older brothers Ghia, me and Dad took it to the muffler shop about 10 miles up the river from us, I followed him in his truck that has a straight pipe on it (diesel) and heard the little 302 sing the whole way up the road, it's really not that loud, providing that's what you did or have going on, besides it'd be real fun to drive with open headers, hehe
If they stop you, tell them where you're going. If they don't believe you, tell them to follow or escort you. That was my plan when I did it. I had to go about 15 miles to get to the shop. It was a fun drive, especially sitting at a light with people looking at you.
Serously, JTS, You'll be just fine. I drive 'em all to the muff shop. Ha Ha, one of the last ones was the bro's maverick. I took it down to have new mid sections put in cause i axed the lame x-pipe he had on it. Funny thing was it had no glass either! Not even a windshield! Picture a guy driving a loud car with no exhaust and wearing clear welding goggles acting like nothing's wrong... that was me -lol Got a few unusual stares though.
Only downfall to the drive to the exh shop is if you gotta cover highway. I went to a shop about 25-30 min. south of town and I think I was legally deaf by the time i got there. Poor car had 3.80:1 gears and just to do 60 it was right around 3500+ Rpms. Top that with 90* temps so you wouldn't dare roll the widows up. Future mental note... HWY routes, bring ear plugs!!
And in most cases 90lx is right. You tell 'em you're on the way to the muffler shop, they'll almost always let you off with a warning. Just be careful with a manual trans car and open headers... sometimes you get some REALLY loud popping when you push the clutch in, approaching a stop or slowing! -lol
90lx said:
If they stop you, tell them where you're going. If they don't believe you, tell them to follow or escort you. That was my plan when I did it. I had to go about 15 miles to get to the shop. It was a fun drive, especially sitting at a light with people looking at you.