michel88 Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 I would like to ship a '54 Buick deck lid from Maryland to California. Has anyone had experience in shipping a large heavy part? Would you have to build a wooden shipping container or could it be wrapped in bubble wrap or something and shipped? I responded to a post on the Buick forum from a guy who needs this part. I would give it to him for free if he could pick it up, but of course this isn't practical. Thanks for any help on this matter.Woody Michel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Don't know where you are in Maryland, but when I lived there I had a parts sideline and shipped fenders in refrigerator boxes and soforth by truck. I used Roadway Express in Laurel, MD quite often. You should be able to get a box big enough from a local body shop. It will be expensive, but you can ship frieght collect, or at least you could 25 years ago. Call the local trucking company. Roadway, as I recall didn't go over the Rockies and I to use Consolidated, but they're now out of business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 I ship anything over 5 pounds FedEx GROUND, it is cheaper at that point than Priority mail. Something like a trunk lid may be too large size wize so make sure the box is no larger than it has to be. You can cut down boxes with a table saw and make a neat job of things then tape it together well. There is a new FedEx srevice, FedEx FREIGHT. Go to their website and run the numbers once you have the size, weight and zip code of where it is going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Don't even think about shipping anything heavy <span style="font-style: italic">and</span> fragile like this trunk lid without packing it rigidly in a wooden crate or something else that is stronger than the piece itself. I recently bought a set of rare show-chrome early TR6 bumpers (yes, some 1970's parts are already rare) that the guy shipped (UPS insured) in bubble wrap and a single cardboard box. 3 of the 4 pieces were damaged, 1 seriously beyond major repair.It's too small for this piece, but one of the best containers to ship heavy/fragile items in is a plastic picnic cooler. They're cheap, light, and amazingly resilient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Wolf Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 I have had good luck by meeting up with people at Hershey from CA.I have a friend who was at Hershey bought some big stuff and lives in CA, He talked with the people at California Car Cover Company and they had room in their trailer to haul it back for him.I live Indiana and I have had stuff taken home for my by companies at Hershey selling trailers. Lots of time they have empty trailers. One year I rode my Motorcycle to Hershey and it got cold and snowed, Port-a-store was willing to haul me and my motorcycle back to Indy but the weather cleared up.Lots of times there are empty trailers heading west from Hershey when people sell their cars or sell merchandise that was in the trailer.Both you and the guy who wants the lid should check with venders you deal with see if they go to Hershey and see if they will have room to help you out. Lots of CA dealer make the Carlisle/Hershey trip and they may help.A lot of these companies are run by hobbyist like us not the money grabbers you find in some businesses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michel88 Posted July 30, 2004 Author Share Posted July 30, 2004 Thanks to all who responded. I did a rough check on the FedEx Freight website and it looks like it would be very expensive to ship (over $200). I always go the fall Hershey show so the best idea would be if a kind vendor from California who is at the Hershey show would agree to take it back with them.Woody Michel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 <span style="font-weight: bold">ANYTHING BUT UPS!!!!!!</span> I recently shipped a five piece set of 1914 Buick lights from Wyoming to Calif.Double packed, containers inside of an outer padded box and still they broke 2 of the 5 pieces.Last year I shipped a '31 Chevy transmission to Indiana by UPS. It was packed in a wooden crate and I paid a surcharge for the weight. They destroyed the crate. When the repaired transmission was shipped back to me --- you guessed it, the rebuilt crate was again destroyed. You can insure all you want with UPS. Insuring is easy---collecting is nearly impossible. About 5 years ago UPS shattered the contents of a shipment I made that was insured. They refused to pay claiming that the solid wooden crate I shipped in [built of 1/2" plywood with all edges glued, screwed and internally braced on ALL EDGES BY 3/4 X 3/4" wood glued and screwed in place] was not strong enough for the 1913 Cadillac distributor and distributor caps inside, going to a man in Illinois who was working on my car. All parts in the crate were individually separated, braced and secured. UPS was finally forced to pay up when they lost the damaged shipment and could not back up their case for non payment. Actually I suppose I won that one on the basis of I had a legal right to the damaged goods after they refused to pay, but they had LOST the package. Only time I have ever collected from UPS for a damaged shipment.As a carrier, UPS <span style="font-weight: bold">SUCKS!!!!</span> hvsPS: I earned my living in the glass business and believe me, I know how to build crates! In 32 years in the busines I never built a crate in which the contents were damaged in shipment. I was the official crate builder. But then I didn't ship via UPS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 Thank you Howard. I can't say ONE GOOD thing about UPS either. I don't know where they dredge up the workers there, but they sure are crap. FedEx Ground is the way to go with anything over 5 pounds, and the price is about HALF of the brown shirts charce to smash and loose your stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 The only UPS history I've had was the bumper set I mentioned earlier. The seller was very good about what happened and replaced the piece damaged beyond use. I think he's still trying to collect for it. I'd like to re-emphasize what I said about using plastic picnic coolers (i.e. Gott, Coleman, etc.). I learned to use these things shipping field instruments and equipment for environmental studies. In three years of doing this I never so much as lost a glass bottle or test tube (out or thousands), including the many times the field techs watched as the baggage handlers threw their equipment on to the tarmac from 15' in the air.Plastic coolers are better than <span style="font-style: italic">any</span> wooden crate that can be built, and with enough styrofoam you can ship Christmas ornaments in relative safety with them. You can't kill those things when they're wrapped in enough packing tape (which isn't very much)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 What can Brown do for you??? They can get a lot of that brown stuff all over you. hvs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 Dave, I'll match my glass shipping crates against your coolers anytime for shipping what I ship. I'm sure your method worked well for you, but mine worked well for me for many years. To each his own. A tranny would come right through the sides of a cooler if dropped just like it did in a wooden case.To make a shipment UPS proof, use another carrier. hvs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">To make a shipment UPS proof, use another carrier. hvs </div></div>Get that copyrighted and get the bumper sticker presses rolling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 Amen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rcirilli Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 One technic I have used is to solicit my local chevy dealer. I do all of my repair and new car business with them and they do me favors. Worth a try. I usually build a box and they handle the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Skyking Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 I bought some parts from California that were shipped UPS. Not only did they damage the parts beyond recognition, they put the whole damaged box inside one of theirs, scrapped off the label and attached it to their new box. Did they actually think the parts inside were going to mend themselves?? Fortunately for me the parts were replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 Think about this, UPS is the "Official" shipper for NASCAR, how much do you want to bet that any team uses them to ship race car parts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 I recently shipped a Buick door across the country by greyhound bus. Boxed in cardboard it weighed about 50lbs. Cost about $60 for insured shipping and it got there in 4 days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A by the sea Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 Pricewise they are the cheapest. I have not had to use it yet, but it is supposed to be a decent option. Cost wise it is way cheaper. Any shippers when they find out they moving sheet metal charge $$$ as what happend to me when I bought some parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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