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checking car parts on southwest?


jim5618

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OK I got lazy and forgot to ship the rebuild carb and assorted other parts to my Dad's before I go up this weekend (assuming the snow doesn't screw it all up). Has anyone put stuff like this in a checked bag? None of it is dangerous (although they might balk at the carb). Other than the carb(model B Zenith) it is a starter cable, gaskets and battery tray. I suppose I should seperate the halves of the carb so they can see it never had Gas in it if they open the bag.

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I would definately check the bag not carry on. After all we are talking a starter cable, ammeter, battery box and carb.... would sure look like a device in an xray. There is no gas smell as the carb was totally stripped and cleaned, then reassembled. it was sprayed with wd40 to prevent rust though....that may smell flamable.... I better not try it. No way I am dumping a zenith carb because they won't let me take it on.

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Guest Jim_Edwards
I would just send it Priority mail for $10-15.00 and be done with it.

Exactly. The perfect time and situation to exercise some basic common sense!

Southwest at one time had counter to counter air parcel service, but I don't know if they do now. Might be worth exploring.

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I packed a restored Stromberg uu-2 with no gas in it in bubble wrap, in a box, in checked luggage. We watched the TSA open the bag, then the box, and then just stuff it back in the bag without repacking it. (A 3K carb!) WE protested the way they packed it and were told we were interfearing with them! We got to a supervisor, got the bag back, and had to repack it ourselves! Just ship it in the mail. Ed

Edited by edinmass (see edit history)
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A friend of mine tried to carry a carb in a checked bag recently. The carb had been sitting empty on the shelf in his garage for years (he was going to have it recolored). TSA claimed that they detected gasoline vapors, opened the bag, and called my friend, who was by now through security. His wife had to return to the airport to pick it up.

Bottom line, don't expect this to work.

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We tried flying from Dulles last fall with Hartford shock absorbers and a largish Packard carb in our carry-on luggage.

Both were refused by the security inspectors. The immediate supervisor was a car guy, so he knew what the items were and sympathized with us, but if an object is heavy enough, and/or shaped, such that it can be used as a weapon (club), then they are obligated to refuse it.

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Well I got running late so I couldn't check the bag. Just took them out and left them in my trunk for next time. Going to drive up next time anyway. Will have the floorboards stained by Then. One more trip has to have the car ready for the Memorial Day parade.

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Hmmmm

last year I brought these in my carry on:

crosicona.jpg

holleytea34r.jpg

Knowing they would say wtf? I printed off a bunch of pages describing what each was, with pictures. One of the guards was a car guy and knew what it was and commented on how rare the inline carb was (this was leaving Detroit). they did pull it out and wipe the litmus paper over it and then smiled and gave it back to me. The carbs came from a Holley Carburetor exec's Estate and I believe were NOS and not used. Regardless, they had sat for over 40 years

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