Using magnetics lights with brakes

[Dag68]

You guys are great. I've been scouring the forum and soaking it all in.

I just bought a 1965 Safari. I towed it to Campers Barn in Kingston in a tense but ultimately uneventful move. Campers Barn wants about $1800 for repairs to pass NYS inspection. I'm planning to have Horizon Transport tow it about 200 miles to Shelter Island in Long Island. Once I get it home, I'm planning to do a very extensive renovation so, I'd like to minimize what I pay Campers Barn to do now, and do it myself later. In NY, when I register it, I'll get a 10 day temporary registration sticker - so I don't have to worry about passing inspection, just about being safe for the road.

I'm having them put on new tires (Carlisle $380 installed for the pair) and repack the bearings ($148 labor total).

They'll also rewire a new 7 pin connector and breakaway, install a 20 amp breaker and reconnect the electric tongue jack ($477 parts and labor). I could do this stuff myself, but it should be done before the 200 miles trip rather than after, I think.

They want $300 to repair the outside lights. I already have a set of magnetics that I used to get the trailer there. I'd like to know if there's a way for the tow vehicle to connect to both the brakes (through the 7 pin) and the temporary magnetic lights (through a flat 4 pin).

I'm wondering if there's some adapter that I could plug the trailer side of both the 4 pin and the 7 pin into, that would go to the tow vehicle's seven pin?

Any ideas?

[Jammer]

There is no standard adapter. You could make one. Do you know that the brakes work? Are you going to rely on the magnetic lights sticking to the aluminum?

[HowieE]

Is Horizon Towing going to TOW or FLATBED it? If they are going to flatbed it do all the work at home. Those prices will more than pay for a flatbed tow.

[Splitrock]

You could make the adapter. It'd probably take less time to do it right.

[Lumatic]

Tires and bearings are a good idea, although I have probably towed farther with less. You could just bring a spare and some grease. You could also get a set of tow lights for about $50.

[Dag68]

Campers Barn tells me the brakes are fine. I haven't used them. I towed it the 20 or so miles from the previous owner's yard with a Ford F-150 I rented from U-haul. I didn't use the brakes because there was no brake controller, but it towed fine. The magnetics don't stick to the aluminum, of course, but were quite happy on the bumper. I'm definitely doing the tires and bearings, because those aren't my thing.

It didn't even occur to me to weigh the cost of repair against a flatbed tow - go figure. Horizon wants $435 + $30 tolls for the 200 miles trip, but that's towed. I'm waiting for a callback to find out what they'd charge for a flatbed trip.

Is there anyone else who does flatbed towing in New York?