I would say the max insurance is kind of a big deal. Unless you’re confident your own insurance would cover it.
Thanks for the update Brian!
I think it would be more fun to drive it myself, although certainly less practical. Maybe “adventurous” is a better word, since driving a big block with no AC and 3.91’s for 5000 miles is probably no one’s idea of a great time, LOL! I’ve already been mulling over swapping to 3.0 gears for the trip…
A few of us from BC and Washington state are seriously considering going to the event in Dearborn, and maybe Carlisle the week before. Most are going to trailer our cats as we don’t want to take a chance at them getting damaged by a stray rock, a mechanical issue, or whatever.
It goes without saying - the 50th will be a once in a lifetime event.
Our hope in having the Ford Headquarters show and Carlisle a week apart was so that people bringing cars great distances would have time to hit both shows.
Hope to see you at Carlisle Scott!
- Phillip
The excessive cost of renting an entire truck was what precluded us from doing this same thing for the Denver Nationals in 2007. Individuals just ended up either buying or renting trailers and towing their cars to the show themselves. You can buy a pretty nice open trailer or make a healthy down payment on an enclosed trailer for the +/- $4K it will cost to use a commercial hauler both ways.
Drive, push, pull, drag, haul, tow etc… we don’t care how you get a Cougar to the World headquarters just as long as you are there 
Having a right hand drive 428CJ convertible from the land down under would definitely peg the cool meter Leon 
That is a very nice banner gentlemen!
Thanks for your help on the banner Gary
Jeff, in your opinion would one of those nice UHaul aluminum open trailers without a car cover be a ridiculous way to haul Blackie, for example?
I’ve got a new (used) BMW X5 Diesel that is a pulling machine…have used it nicely with the Airstream that is 4k lbs and love it. The Uhaul trailer is just 2k lbs and the car is 3600 and that puts the entire load at 5600 which is still 400 lbs below the manufacturer’s spec. I know once getting over the mountains it’s a snap, but… I just like the idea of a more compact lightweight operation doing this long trip better than my diesel sucking F350 and a 5,000 lb enclosed trailer at 9mpgs at best. That trip to Cali a couple years ago was a gas station-stop every 250 miles and was excruciating lol
I just am not sure about road debris and weather and rocks, but really, I doubt too much is going to hit the car right behind my Tow Vehicle.
Appreciate anybody’s thoughts, even though I know this has been discussed over an over again historically 
Brian,
I had a BMX X5 a few years ago and there is no way I’d tow my car on a trailer behind it. Talk about the tail wagging the dog…
I’d be more inclined to rent a late model F150 eco-boost which should get you closer to 14 average MPG towing an enclosed trailer. With the extended range 36 gallon tank, you would only have to stop every 450 miles or so.
I have a fiberglass wind faring on my open trailer which provides me with plenty of protection from debris, bugs, etc. I wouldn’t own an open trailer without one. I’m sure you would be fine without one but it gives me greater piece of mind.
So, I say either rent or buy a different truck, rent or buy a different trailer or just drive the damn thing but don’t use the X5 as your tow vehicle.
Hmm, that’s interesting you say that re. the tow vehicle. I have really enjoyed it for pulling that Airstream and you’ve seen that! But perhaps there is more weight, yes, but the wheelbase length, double axle and even less wind drag, I thought, would make it a pretty similar experience. One thing I don’t know about is what kind of brakes the Uhaul trailers would have. I’ll have to look into that. But the tremendous torque and stabilizing system of the X5 (a 2012) has thus far been great! Were you using a 3.0 gas model or??
As the max 6k pulling capacity is conservatively rated by BMW and everyone with the diesels, especially I’ve talked to have been saying how great they do, I’m a bit perplexed here.
My 24 foot enclosed trailer with the optional “Nose Cone” weighs about 3500 pounds empty. Add another 3500 pounds for a Cougar and you have 7000 pounds. Plus my cabinet full of tools and other stuff and it is closer to 8000 pounds. My 2015 F-150 pulls it like a dream and gets around 15 or 16 MPG. Fuel mileage is not as good as my recently traded 2012 F-350 (6.7) diesel while towing (about 18.5 MPG), but it sure makes up for it over the diesel as a daily driver. Plus maintenance costs are way down.
Brian - The U Haul open trailers I’ve used have had surge brakes. Seems like they activate based on how hard the trailer is pushing against the tow vehicle. I find it uncomfortable over long distances, as bumps in the road seem to activate the brakes briefly.
I used a U Haul to take the R code to the '04 CCOA Nats in KY. Never again. It was covered in bugs and road grime when I arrived, and I picked up a chip in my Carlite date-coded windshield. Not a good look on a show car, so I had to replace that (and re-detail the car) when I got home. Sucked.
I’m sure the X5 has enough power & state of the art stability aids, but I would not be excited about using an X5 to tow anything substantial over a long distance/highway speeds. Especially when you own an F350 & an enclosed trailer. Seems like big, heavy vehicles with a long wheelbase provide the best experience while towing heavy stuff. Yeah, you get 10 mpg, but you did not get into this hobby to post up great gas mileage #s.
Bad towing story alert:
Good friends of mine had a horrible experience towing a car with an OJ years Bronco. They were on their way to a big MCA show in Charlotte (30th anniversary of the Mustang, I think), when an 18-wheeler passed them going 90. The trailer stepped out from behind the Bronco, flipped on it’s side, totaled the Bronco. Everyone was OK, and the (concours) '67 GT 390 inside was hammered on one side, but after righting the car/trailer, started right up and carried the three of them to the show & back.
Was the trailer’s bad behavior the fault of the Bronco? I doubt it, but towing with that thing was sketch.
Good idea.
Back in the day (when we swapped gears out for the weekend & back again for the work week), we did the job in a about 20-25 minutes from start to finish.
The main reason I decided to upgrade from my open trailer (with the same front faring Jeff has) to an enclosed trailer after suffering rock damage to my G while towing it to a show far away from home. I have used it quite often to move not only my vehicles, but friends vehicles as well.
I also concur that your tow vehicle needs to be able to not only pull your load, but also be able to stop and maneuver in panic situations, which are ever present with our ever distracted driving population.
Brian, don’t take a chance with your Cougar, tow your enclosed trailer with your F-350.
From Oregon/Washington to Detroit that sounds like a fair bit of road grime/bugs too
I need to learn to do this, though…need to be able to run up to Seattle and back economically!
I hear ya, Scott…and it’ll sure be fun to see you there! I don’t have an enclosed trailer any more, but can always borrow one. I am thinking the tires I got for my truck were hugely terrible for this application. I think I ended up getting mudders that are too balloonish. Perhaps Les Schwab tire Co will swap them out for me for some good highway tires for a couple weeks, lol
Is your F-350 SRW or dually? What year? I have an extra set of 20" factory Ford wheels with TPMS and new Nokian tires, that I should get rid of.
Hey now… It’s a SRW…I believe my wheels are 20s, all fancy-like. I’ve just never been impressed with these GD tires… You’re saying these are factory wheels with basic highway style tires? How mu$h ?
Mine was SRW also. The tires are actual snow tires, but are not aggressive.