Shipping a Large Item? (Formula Car Body)

I'll have to measure the Forester with the seats down. If it will fit, we are good to go (not optimistic). If I have to use the trailer, it would be the weekend of the 30th before I could move it, but still doable.

NJ to CT is the easy part. I can handle that no problem.

And looking at the bodywork, I think it would be safer in the back of a Challenger's pickup than it would be bubble wrapped with a shipping company.

I'm still waiting to hear back from a few moving companies. Hopefully they'll get back to me today.

Anybody know a college student with a pickup who's headed back to a Northern school next week?

I can get it as far as Chattanooga (I know, not very far)

Woody wrote: And looking at the bodywork, I think it would be safer in the back of a Challenger's pickup than it would be bubble wrapped with a shipping company.

That's my thinking as well.

What is your time-frame? I know you probably want it ASAP, but doing a hop-scotch up the east coast might take a little while.

I have no time frame. Suspension, then engine and drivetrain first.

All bodywork and paint will be done the night before the Challenge.

Woody wrote: I have no time frame. Suspension, then engine and drivetrain first. All bodywork and paint will be done the night before the Challenge.

Then it sounds like you are hauling it the wrong direction. Gainesville is south.

I may have found a solution to my shipping problem.

It's too big to go by Greyhound and all the shippers want it on a pallet and then it will cost several hundred dollars.

This weekend, my father will be passing through the area ("The Area" being Georgia), although he's heading in the wrong direction. A few years ago, against my strongest objections, he bought a Mercury Montego, a car who's ONLY redeeming quality is it's ginormous trunk.

The plan is to equip him with a few tools, have him remove the small windshield, and make a single cut across the front of the body at the rear of the wheel arch. That should allow the three sections to nest together and fit inside his car.

Then he can drag it home to Florida, where he can bubble wrap and box it and ship it up to me a lot cheaper.

Since I plan to refinish the body anyway, I can either re-bond the two sections, or fasten it to my chassis in three pieces. The money I save on shipping should pay for a few extra dzus fasteners.

Sounds like a workable plan. Still happy to help in the fiberglass realm if you want to put it back together, should be an easy project.

Wally wrote: i can get it from Philly/Jersey to CT if it will fit in a Cavalier with the seat folded down or tied to the roof

Now that would be funny as hell to see on the Interstate.

Not as funny as this: Philly to southern CT a few years ago, hauling one of my FSAE chassis home.

MrJoshua wrote:

Woody wrote: I have no time frame. Suspension, then engine and drivetrain first. All bodywork and paint will be done the night before the Challenge.

Then it sounds like you are hauling it the wrong direction. Gainesville is south.

The parking lot of the hotel would be a fine body shop.

jpaturzo wrote: Not as funny as this: Philly to southern CT a few years ago, hauling one of my FSAE chassis home.

Do you still have a chain drive rear diff for that thing?

Woody wrote:

jpaturzo wrote: Not as funny as this: Philly to southern CT a few years ago, hauling one of my FSAE chassis home.

Do you still have a chain drive rear diff for that thing?

Ha! A man with his eyes open at all times! I think your project is destined for greatness.

No chain rear for the moment. I have built them before and when I get home I'll post some pictures.

I did buy the LSD from an S2000 for $6 off of eBay, but I haven't started machining a new set of carriers.

Anyone knowing of an inexpensive source of chain drive differentials (not Quaife, etc.) please let me know. My local custom bike shop makes Trikes and he's custom-machining differentials and wants a source. Thanks.

Update:

My father just picked the body up in Marietta, Georgia. He was driving home to Florida from my house in Connecticut, so he adjusted his course and grabbed it for me.

He did have to cut the body in half to fit it into his car, though. I didn't see this as a big deal, as I planned to strip it down and refinish it anyway.

They guy that I bought the chassis from is headed to Florida with a trailer net months to pick up some parts for an old Indy Car that he owns (now that's a cool project!), and he offered to pick up the body from my father and bring it North.

I'll post photos as soon as I get them.

Where did you find the guy with the body from? Was he on a forum? If so which one?

Andrew

Per posed a link to his ad on Apexspeed.