I have a chance to receive a 56 Corvette rear axle assy. but the sender has no idea how to package it or where to call for a home pickup. I am wondering if a 56 Vett. axle assy. is worth the trouble to ship it 1000 mi.? My 56 Vett. has a Oldsmobile rear axle in it now and I'm told that the original one is no where as strong as the Olds. I'm not too concerned about keeping the car original, I plan on using it as a driver.
57-64 Olds rears were a favorite of the drag racers for years because of the strength. If you don't think you are going to restore the car leave it as is.
Roger, Options here on the HAMB Do a keyword search using ' transport ' or ' haul ' to see if a member might be headed your way Post an ad in the Wanted section of the Classifieds Join the HAMB Relays Social Group and post your hauling need there @ http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=214 Jim
We just shipped a huge crate. Standard 40x48 skid by 65" tall thru fastenal. It went from Ohio to West coast near Canadian border and it cost 150.00. Drop off and pic-up is done at the local fastenal branches and went down quite painlessly. Worth an investigative call if the guy can crate it and get it to a fastenal branch.
Fastenal is another option - but it involves packing for shipping, driving to a Fastenal store to drop off and to pick up. Prices are very reasonable but you are utilizing the internal transport logistics operation of a nationwide operation - your parts could travel to several stops with multiple transfers before they reach you. As with all commercial drop shipping - insure at a minimum of 200% replacement cost ..... Thread @ http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=779173 Jim
Greyhound bus... a lot of people never think bout it. I shipped 2 glass fenders to Chicago in one big box. We hve shipped engine blocks and all sorts of things thru them and their pricing is pretty good. In some cities they do door pickups also. Another thing to consider, getting parts for that Olds rear end is getting tough. Someone else was looking for parts for one, bearing kit isn't a problem but ring and pinion and carriers are hard to come up with.
I broke quite a few of those 55 to 64 Chevy rear ends back in the day......they are not strong at all, and I didn't have a lot of money back then for much HP. The Olds/Pontiac one you have now is much stronger and you say you aren't concerned about returning the car to original, so why change ? Don
You say you're not interested in restoration, but if its a good price, buy it anyway. You might change your mind later and how often does something like this come up for sale.
or if you ever sell the car, a new buyer might appreciate the fact that an original axle comes with it.
Greyhound use to be a good option....but they have gotten expensive. I was going to use them to ship a model T rear spring across Texas last fall but the shipping was more than the spring was going to cost me. Fastenal is the most economical if you can't find a relay going your way. I've shipped several motors using them and I think the most it cost me was $80. He will have to strap it to a pallet though and drop it off at a local store. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I just googled local shippers when I shipped a steel T bucket to Florida. The shipper told me how he wanted it packaged (pallet and cardboard was fine). It was picked up at my house and delivered to the door in Florida for 125.00. As for changing the rear those olds rears are not worth nearly as much as a "coevette" rear can i have the take out rear when the vette rear is installed. leave the olds rear if its a hot rod if its a resto I don't want to know anything about it.
A skid that will handle it can be made with 5 of the Cheap Home Depot 2x4's in about fifteen minutes. 3 for the top two for the bottom and the cut off ends of those for the cross pieces and blocks to hold the axle in place. strap the axle to the skid with heavy steel banding and it should be good to go. My eraser didn't get the block on the bottom rh corner but it doesn't belong there.
Greyhound has a limit of 85 lbs. for shipping. Check with them about that. I'd LEAVE THE PONT/OLDS IN THERE. Fv6k that chevy rear...
when you build the skid make sure stuff can be stacked on top of it otherwise some companies charge you more floor space , I would build a pallet from 2x4's and 1x4's and 3/8 osb to make sure it gets there complete and make sure there is room for a pallet jack fork so the pallet doesn't get ruined , if there is drum assemblys on it use lugnuts and washers to secure them and blue locktite the nuts so they do not come loose in transit , and you must drain the gear lube out of it ( you can be held accountable for any hazmat fees if it isn't drained and it leaks plus damages ) . I shipped 3 ford 9" rears on a home made skid , didn't use banding strap I used ratchet straps inside the crate I made I placed the axle tubes on 2x6s with a v cut in it so the axle wouldn't try to roll . most places will charge a home pick up /delivery fee of 10-15 bucks, I drag them to the trucking companies docks and get it weighed for a cheaper rate as its used auto parts . if you do not declare the item the rates can be more expensive too .
Most Greyhound locations won't ship anything over 100lbs. some will do 150lbs but that depends on the size/number of employees. A location in the middle of nowhere with 3 employees will normally be hardcore on the weight limit and size. The location size/number of employees it's being shipped to makes the same difference. Example: I shipped a complete, fully assembled Model T pickup box from the downtown Detroit hub to the Pittsburg PA hub, over weight AND size limit, walked it in, dropped it, no problem, $101 and some change. Guy tried to ship a Model A box to me here in Detroit from some tiny hub in Nebraska, sent him packing after the first attempt cause they wanted it wrapped in cardboard, then on return shot him down on the weight.
I would look behind a motorcycle shop for a few pallets and modify them. Most times they are free. Sometimes you can even score some strapping too.
Yeah - those f*ckers still owe me $2400 for the mint fenders they 'massaged' and charged for the pleasure.... Before Greyhound: As handled by Greyhound - they were packaged industrial strength too: And yes they got four out of four fenders and destroyed them all - never paid up on the insurance - just denied the claim time and time again and said it was not their fault and that they must have been shipped damaged!
If you don't plan on replacing it soon and just want one "in case" I would wait for something else to turn up or plan a trip to get it. U haul will rent a tow behind for about any vehicle capable of carrying a rear end.