Shipping an engine from Maine to Calif.

[roadster36]

Does anyone have any experiences they might share, suggestions for good companies, companies to avoid etc. I have never shipped a heavy item like this. Thanks for any insight.- Dennis

[wga]

Drain all the fluids, remove any items that might become loose.
Build a good wooden support and attached to an equally strong pallet. Do not go cheap on this. You might want to put a dog house over it. Otherwise wrap in stretch wrap. I have shipped parts from California to the midwest and Hawaii
and have had no problems. I deliver to the trucking terminal and pick up at the terminal. Each time, easy, no problems, nothing broke etc. It is all in the packaging.
Rec'd a box of parts on a pallet last week, that the owner promised they were wrapped in bubble wrap in a woode box. What a joke- some flimsy particle board, no framing, etc. Thankfully the stretch wrap held it together, otherwise, the parts would have been lost and broken.
I've used ABF Trucking with good results.

[Kohnke Rebabbitting]

Originally Posted by roadster36

Does anyone have any experiences they might share, suggestions for good companies, companies to avoid etc. I have never shipped a heavy item like this. Thanks for any insight.- Dennis

We use Yellow Freight only, they seem to deliver at all places in the U.S. If you have to give to another Freight Company, to finish the route, that the company you chose don't deliver in, they really sock it to you. CHECK IT OUT. Herm.

[deuce lover]

Call Engine Shippers in AZ.1-800-998-2100 Ext 106.They have a very good reputation and I felt reasonable.They quoted me $525 for a Chev engine from MA to HI door to door.You will have to crate it.

[Matt in Alameda]

I agree with Deuce Lover...their web address is EngineShipping.com ......however I have never dealt with them personally...but the word was that they had, by far, the best prices and were reliable....Matt in Alameda

[Ol' Ron]

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Back in 06 I shipped an engine from boston to ca by AIR for $500.

[ford38v8]

Ron, you really are old, aren't you? My father was just three back in Ought-Six!

[JWL]

I have used Yellow Freight a few times and been satisfied with pricing and transport time. The above advice regarding building a fully enclosed crate, on a pallet, is very good.

[Charlie ny]

What Deuce Lover said. Engine Shippers in Ariz. I just sent a Graham engine, trans
and other goodies from New York State to New Zealand. I made the crate out of
all 2x6 lumber with skids for fork truck access.
Charlie ny

[Ford Flathead]

freightquote.com

[TomT/Williamsburg]

I've picked up some used pallets, reinforced them, cut them down to fit the size of the flattie, and built a stand for the flattie to bolt to. I then wrapped the flattie with plastic, put a cardboard "cover on it" and used bailing wire to wrap that sucker big-time to the pallet, using a criss-cross pattern and on all 4 sides, using roofing nails on the lower edge of that pallet to "catch" the wire. Once wrapped, I hammered in the nails all the way. You are now good to go.

Yellow freight was my choice and I brought the engine to them, shipping the engine to the nearest Yellow Freight depot to the buyer - they then picked it up from there. Yellow freight has hi-lows to unload and load the engine for all. Never had a problem.

[52merc]

charlie wow all the way down here !!! did it ship out of la..or ny trev nz

[Joe KCMO]

My recommendation to keep the cost down that I just went thru. The shipper puts on a standard pallet boxed in. Bring it to the truck depot. Pick up the engine at the depot when it arrives. Do not ship it to your house or other. Virgina to Miami, 1400 miles cost $169.

[thirt4]

I have used Yellow and was satisfied. Down here in AZ I have started using Estes. They are nationwide and perhaps worldwide.
They are very competitive and courteous. I have used them twice now in the past month and a half for very heavy deliveries without any hitches. They even delivered right to my door with a smile.
I believe that in this day and age if a trucking company wants to stay in business, they are going to have to be competitive, give a little and most of all... be courteous.

[roadster36]

Wow, that is a great price. I guess I got hosed on my last engine shipment. I had a French block and crank shipped from Cornhuskers in Nebraska to California. It was supposed to cost $175.00. When I went to pick it up ConWay charged me $230.00. They said it was because of a "re-weigh". They basically held my parts for ransom. I won't deal with with either of them again. If you can't trust a quote then you can't trust the vendor. Thanks for the information.

[barryfromvictoria]

find an old house freezer, usually for free. they are strong and light if you take compressor out. screw two 4x4s to bottom so you can get forklift underneath. after you have put every thing in and made sure engine is not going to move too much screw lid shut. freezers are double lined with foam in between and i know guys that have filled freezers with engines transmissions axle housings and as much heavy parts as they could get in. around here you can get them for free at the recycle yards. a lot quicker and safer than building a pallet

[Joe KCMO]

a lot quicker and safer than building a pallet[/QUOTE]

You do not have to build a pallet. I am sure if you look around you can usally get one for free. Try for example Home Depot. Also you are billed by the floor print of the item shipped. I had a half pallet to save money, they still charged me the price for a full pallet. Lesson learned. Full pallet easiest and same price.

[Charlie ny]

Trev,
The crate was forwarded from Compton Calif....fps Able Freight. Because
it was going to NZ I was required to use 'heat treated' lumber and because of the
true 1/2 way around the world destination the crate I built was 100% new. If
my customer has any little kids they will have a playhouse. Final address....
Glenbrook, NZ
Charlie ny

[3738]

I got a used pallet, cut it down to size, put a NOS AMX 390 short block on it, bought (2) ratchet straps, (which the buyer pays for and keeps to reuse at his end), put stretch wrap around the block and shipped Yellow Freight from terminal to terminal from CA to East Coast for Just under $300.00.

[roadster36]

I called Engine Shippers and they picked it up from Walt this AM. I called them yesterday. Their quote was $399.00 from Maine to California. I called YRC and their quote was $1445.00, ConWay was $1250.00,FedEx was $1068.00, UPS was $882.00. Engine Shippers was by far the cheapest. I appreciate the information you all gave me on this.I will keep you updated to see how long it takes and what condition it arrives in. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL THE BARNERS AND THEIR FAMILIES !!!! -Dennis

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

Originally Posted by roadster36

I called Engine Shippers and they picked it up from Walt this AM. I called them yesterday. Their quote was $399.00 from Maine to California. I called YRC and their quote was $1445.00, ConWay was $1250.00,FedEx was $1068.00, UPS was $882.00. Engine Shippers was by far the cheapest. I appreciate the information you all gave me on this.I will keep you updated to see how long it takes and what condition it arrives in. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL THE BARNERS AND THEIR FAMILIES !!!! -Dennis

Hey Dennis, take a pic of crate after taking it off the truck and then take a pic of the engine after getting a side off the crate. Have a couple of good charged batt for you batt. drill. There is 10'000 sheet rock screws in that crate, more or less. Post them on the barn. Hope it gets there in one piece. Walt