Relocation + project car

[507caddy]

Has anybody successfully gotten a project car moved with a relo company as household goods.


The company I work with has a two car maximum for relocations. The last time we moved I sold my truck to have my Chevelle moved. To move the car on my dime was ~$4k (New Mexico - Alaska). The car was not running and we put it in the truck with the household goods.
We are considering another move, back to the L48, and I would like to keep my current ride.

I am wondering if i take the car down to "parts", seperate the body from frame.
Just take the rolling chassis and buy a new body? There did not seem to be a problem with moving parts, I do not know what is defined as a vehicle. Does it have to run and drive? Look like a complete car?

The chassis is where i have done all the work, a new body may save me time and money.

I could wait to discuss with the relo company but we are not that far yet and once we are there is little time for planning.

I did consider hauling the car myself but the trip is long and I hate to be away from the fam for too long. We have a toddler and an infant so my wife does need my help.

This is a potential solution though but I would still like to work the other angle.

[dobie6982]

Sounds like a night mare of a family road trip to me. I am facing the same problem, but I am just moving across state. How far are you having to go?

[507caddy]

I do not remember the mileage but it would be around 6 days, the towns are spaced out enough that there are long and short days making the drive difficult to break up.
I would probably drive it by myself and the company would fly the family...

Looked it up 4120 miles (to Houston), I hear it is a pretty drive but I do not think it is pretty enough.

[carguykeith]

I just moved form ER about 6 months ago and the rules I had were "no frame" and "no main body shell" or it was considered a car. Not sure if it was a Gov't rule or the carrier's. So if you can take just the engine, trans, rearend, suspension and wheels/tires you'd be ok but no rolling chassis.

I've done the Alcan several times, pretty easy to break it up into a 3 day trip by yourself, just get a milepost and look at about 700ish mile from ANC (Moses Lake maybe), then another 700 should bet you to the bottom of the Cassiar (Prince Georg or Rupert, something like that). Going to Houston, I'd probably take I-5 down to Hwy 80 it'll be another 3 days.

Wish I would've known another pro tourer was in ER when I was there, not much of a scene for it except Tanacross which I never got to go to.

[Z06killinSBF]

Military? Why not do a self relocation? I drug my Mustang from Georgia to Texas for a $125 trailer drop charge.

[507caddy]

Keith, I figured 6 days best case but I would like to avoid it. I may have to take it as vacation so I would not want to do that.

I am in the oil industry but self move is an option. It's capped at 5k if remember correctly. I have a family of 4 with the assoc tons of stuff. We filled an entire van on the way up here (with the chevelle in the van), plus another vehicle transported separately, not something I would want to undertake.

I am definitely being cheap but a hate to spend my car budget on transportation.

[FlyDoc]

Pods will move it in a pod, as a project. does not matter to them as the level of completion.
the charge by cubic ft. so if you have a a 16' pod they don't care if it is 10Lbs, or 5,000. Lbs.
from HI to TX they told me that a 16' would be about $4000. +/-. what kind of $$ do they give you to do a self move?
do a self move, and pack pods your self put the car in and build a strong platform above it and put some bulky lighter stuff up there.
pods may require that it has no fluids in it, but that would be easier then pulling it apart.
just a thought, hope this helps.

[FlyDoc]

Pods will move it in a pod, as a project. does not matter to them as the level of completion.
the charge by cubic ft. so if you have a a 16' pod they don't care if it is 10Lbs, or 5,000. Lbs.
from HI to TX they told me that a 16' would be about $4000. +/-. what kind of $$ do they give you to do a self move?
do a self move, and pack pods your self put the car in and build a strong platform above it and put some bulky lighter stuff up there.
pods may require that it has no fluids in it, but that would be easier then pulling it apart.
just a thought, hope this helps.

[carguykeith]

Got some friends or family in TX? You could fly them up, have one go with you and one with the wife & kids. Assuming you'd have a back seat to crash in you could cut the trip down to 3 days and the cost of the tickets you might save on hotel rooms.

How attached to the frame are you?

[507caddy]

I do have quite a bit of time in modifying the frame so the engine would fit and i built the headers for that engine/frame, it is very tight. I would not want to do all that again.

thanks for all the replies,

[rickpaw]

Can you find out with the moving company what they consider a car vs. parts? That way it will give you an idea what to do next. We moved to Houston from Portland OR (wife works in oil/gas industry) and the company paid for the entire move (including the cost of shipping our DD), and mileage for one-way drive for one vehicle. I used the mileage $$$ and rented a U-haul to hauled/trailered my Firebird and all my tools down.