Okay, this is sort of a silly thread, and I feel stupid even asking, but I wasn't sure where else to turn. I'm going to have some Model A Fenders and other parts up for sale soon. I got to thinking.... how the hell do I send these things to someone??? Anyone have any tips on how to ship large parts like this? Should I just find the biggest friggin' box I can for each part and just toss it in there? What?? What's a simple and cheap way to accomplish this? Sorry for the rediculous thread!
I have shipped a few fenders and even a 34 cowl from here in Canada into the U.S. I usually wrap them up with carboard and tape them well to keep the size and weight down. There is a company called Yellow Freight which has depots in most major cities which is fairly cheap. Greyhound will also take large parcels but from here they won't cross the border. Shouldn't be a problem within the U.S. Most carriers have web sites where you can calculate shipping based on size and weight if you supply the zip codes.
So I'm assuming I should avoid UPS for this type of shipment? I'll check into Yellow Freight here in Vegas.
Greyhound. Only problem is you have to take it to a terminal & the buyer has to pick it up at one. But you can just wrap it in cardboard & tape & they'll take good care of it (at least they have for me with fiberglass hood & fenders & such). ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver" You just shot an unarmed man! "Well, he should have armed himself."
I bought a fender; guy wrapped it in cardboard and sent it DHL. It arrived in fine shape, but I may just have been lucky.
Do you think Greyhound would work for shipping floorstanding stereo speakers? UPS has busted something both time's I've used them
I would say go with greyhound, great prices, they got my camaro doors up from florida to mn in 1 day. but they managed 2 break the window on the drivers door and are refusing 2 pay the insurace.. were still fightihn them on it. So just be careful if you ship glass. thats my .02
grey hound is cheap and fast. i have had good luck with dhl but never sent anything with them. some one shipped me a porsche roof from minnisota to nj for $100
Greyhound also, I got a few 34 doors from NorCal to Illinois for 50.00 to 80.00ea. And they were careful, I watched the guys unload a couple of them.
another vote for Greyhound. I am a little more elaborate than just wrapping in cardboard. If you go to your local furniture store, theres all sorts of styrofoam pieces that fit corners of panels, that easily bent edges just slide right into. Like they were really made for car parts, not Chinese furniture. With styrofoam pieces, cardboard pieces around the edges, a light skin of shrink wrap to hold it all together. Then tape a double layer of "big bubble" bubble wrap over that and skin again if necessary. you should now have it in a "capsule" that you can toss around without damage. Skin it with cardboard or fit it in one of those Made-for-car parts furniture boxes, tape it up good, and youre good to go. Headboard boxes= hood boxes, bedside chests= bucket seat boxes. All sorts of padding, etc as this stuff is shipped put together already. Or forget all that shipping stuff and sell it all to me
Greyhound: Had a set of 68-72 Chevy Truck Rear Step fenders shipped from TX to CT - Cost = $80 Time = 3 Days Packaging = whole bunch of Saran Wrap type stuff - like they use on the pallets for packing Damage = NONE!!! Impressed = Yes.
Greyhound!! Greyhound works for hoods, fenders, etc. Oversized, but essentially light, works great on Greyhound. Heavy, bulky, needs to got LTL (Less than Load) on a freight truck.
I got a couple of front fenders shipped to me by fedex just some saran wrap for the labels ==made it ok==hard to tell if they got damaged they were not perfect when I bought them==sent 2 pickup doors to Hawiaian islands with fed ex no problems either
I recently shipped model a rear fenders (sedan) to a buyer in cali.. via ups.. cost was over 100.00 both were boxed together.. I shipped a glass 34 ford fender (raceweight I think) to a guy in florida via greyhound.. cost was about 90 bucks.. I think.. recently used freightquote.com to get a flathead from PA to WA.. cost was around 450.. all three experiences were painfree.. I point these things out because at one time I thought that it was impossible to do this stuff.. and it was before buyers were willing to foot the bill for freight.. seems as though, thanks to ebay, buyers are more knowledgeable about what it costs to haul this stuff around.. then again it costs alot to find this stuff too! so list up your stuff.. maybe you have something I WANT!
WOW! Overwhelming response for greyhound! Thanks for the link cadlights! I'll look into it. Someone mentioned hitting up furniture stores for foam and stuff... GREAT IDEA! Going to check out my local RC Wiley! Someone mentioned bubblewrap and encapsolating the parts... I thought of that too, and would probably like stuff sent to me like that and will give the buyer the option (at their expense of course)... sounds expensive though! Sawzall... I just might! I'm parting out my 31 Murray Sedan (fenders, r-boards, skirts, grill shell, hood, lights, bumpers, full running/driving chassis, etc. Pulling it apart over the course of the next few weeks and will be puting them all up for sale here and other places. That's why I enquired about shipping... never shipped anything this large before.
I have had really poor luck with shipping anything with major couriers. I have ordered different components out of USA that came in cardboard boxes and styrofoam Each time the parts were crushed, dented, or scratched all to Hell. My advice is to make a plywood box to ship anything fragile like a body panel. Bitter experience speaking here.
Car dealers also have good packaging leftovers. Their bodyshops take delivery of fenders, doors etc everyday. Speak to your partsguy. You'll have to get there early though, cos all sheetmetal gets unpacked first thing in the morning to check for dents.