Transporting car: would this work???
05-20-2007, 06:59 PM
#1
Transporting car: would this work???
Ok, moving from TX to SoCal next week and towing the Z on a car hauler trailer behind a Uhaul (I've already prepared for the special loading considerations I'll have to take with my lowered car). To protect the car, I've been debating between two choices thus far, but just thought of a third. See what you guys think:
choice 1: painters tape. LOTS of it. Con: PITA to do and not crazy about the idea of cleaning off the residue (will be a three day trip through hot deserts)
Choice 2: Contracter's stretch plastic (giant saran wrap like they use to wrap pallets of merchandise, etc.). Wrap the whole car tightly and tape the seams to prevent flappage. Peel it off upon arrival and have a perfectly clean and preserved car. Con: PITA to wrap it.
Choice 3: Just thought of this one. Take car on trailer to one of the new boat dealer/storage facilities nearby and see if they will apply the giant sheeting of white shrink-wrap plastic that they use to ship boats over the car. Need to call and see if they would do it and the cost, but sounds like a cool idea.
How should I proceed? Yes, I am completely, utterly obsessive about my Z; get over it. This thread is for those that feel the same and have useful input. Having the car transported in an enclosed carrier is not an option.
choice 1: painters tape. LOTS of it. Con: PITA to do and not crazy about the idea of cleaning off the residue (will be a three day trip through hot deserts)
Choice 2: Contracter's stretch plastic (giant saran wrap like they use to wrap pallets of merchandise, etc.). Wrap the whole car tightly and tape the seams to prevent flappage. Peel it off upon arrival and have a perfectly clean and preserved car. Con: PITA to wrap it.
Choice 3: Just thought of this one. Take car on trailer to one of the new boat dealer/storage facilities nearby and see if they will apply the giant sheeting of white shrink-wrap plastic that they use to ship boats over the car. Need to call and see if they would do it and the cost, but sounds like a cool idea.
How should I proceed? Yes, I am completely, utterly obsessive about my Z; get over it. This thread is for those that feel the same and have useful input. Having the car transported in an enclosed carrier is not an option.
05-20-2007, 07:08 PM
#2
If you go with 3, just be extra careful. Anything having that tight of a contact with the clear coat has the potential of scratching it during installation.
If you have a clear bra on it, I wouldn't personally do anything else. Even that would be just a "nice to have" since while sitting on top of the trailer, the car wouldn't get pelted with much debris from the truck. Also, UHaul's rear wheels are far from the rear end of the truck and their "EZ Load" feature lowers the truck as well, so that also reduces the angle of the projectiles.
If you have a clear bra on it, I wouldn't personally do anything else. Even that would be just a "nice to have" since while sitting on top of the trailer, the car wouldn't get pelted with much debris from the truck. Also, UHaul's rear wheels are far from the rear end of the truck and their "EZ Load" feature lowers the truck as well, so that also reduces the angle of the projectiles.
05-20-2007, 07:35 PM
#5
How many miles are we talking about? Shrink wrap will work. The kind that they put on boats for winter storage and shipping. See: http://boatshrink.com/
Last edited by davidv; 05-20-2007 at 07:43 PM.
05-21-2007, 01:23 PM
#6
Originally Posted by drivenCSZ
how is this going to cause more damage than if you were just driving the car?
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05-21-2007, 01:27 PM
#8
Originally Posted by davidv
How many miles are we talking about? Shrink wrap will work. The kind that they put on boats for winter storage and shipping. See: http://boatshrink.com/
Trip is 1500 miles. I'll look into the shrink wrap more tomorrow. Afraid it might be expensive, though. Thinking the contractor's stretch plastic will do the job; it'll just be more difficult to apply.
Thinking of putting on my OEM car cover first, then stretch-wrapping over it, so the plastic won't be right on the paint (doubt it would do anything to it, but I know the cover is safe; just need to keep it from moving at all.).
05-21-2007, 03:24 PM
#12
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Originally Posted by MustGoFastR
Uh, b/c it'll be covered with protection. Besides, I lack the ability to clone myself to be able to drive the Uhaul and my Z simultaneously.
i understand it'll be covered...but dont you ever drive your car anywhere?
how would this be any different, or are your just too lazy to wash it when you get to cali?
05-21-2007, 03:35 PM
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You better make sure that the car makes it onto a U-Haul trailer as mine will not go one. I can get it up the ramps, but there are flanges on the tire tracks to the inside that stick up a couple inches. I could not get my car on the trailer....make sure you check that first! If this doesnt make sense go look at the U-Haul trailers and you will see what I am talking about.
05-21-2007, 03:53 PM
#15
Originally Posted by Navygolf13
You better make sure that the car makes it onto a U-Haul trailer as mine will not go one. I can get it up the ramps, but there are flanges on the tire tracks to the inside that stick up a couple inches. I could not get my car on the trailer....make sure you check that first! If this doesnt make sense go look at the U-Haul trailers and you will see what I am talking about.
05-21-2007, 03:58 PM
#16
Originally Posted by drivenCSZ
i understand it'll be covered...but dont you ever drive your car anywhere?
how would this be any different, or are your just too lazy to wash it when you get to cali?
how would this be any different, or are your just too lazy to wash it when you get to cali?
LOL, yes, I drive it, but I don't drive it for 1500 miles tailgating behind a large truck, being pummeled by everything it throws at me.
The covering is for protection against impacts, not dirt. If I wrap part of the car to protect it as such, it isn't much more work to wrap the whole thing. My car IS pretty much a garage queen, at any rate; it is not a daily driver. It has never been driven in the rain and I haven't actually had to WASH the car in years; why start now, when I'm just about to get to the land of hardly any rain? 
05-21-2007, 04:00 PM
#17
Originally Posted by oneDIRTYz
yayy welcome to california!
...almost..
...almost..
Been a long time coming; be GLAD to get there. Hey, didn't I promise you some fresh apple pie?
Let me know if you'll be down in the SD area sometime; maybe we can set up a cruise up to Julian. There are some great curvy roads up there that I can't wait to get my car on!
05-21-2007, 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted by MustGoFastR
Yeah, I went and took a bunch of measurements on the trailer and bought/cut all the boards I'm going to need to get it up and positioned on the trailer, so no worries there.
05-21-2007, 04:19 PM
#19
Yes, I know about the flanges. I requested one of the silver galvanized late model trailers that has wider tracks and lower inner flanges. In addition to boards to get it up the ramps, I'll have boards to get it started over the flanges as it comes over the tops of the ramps, then baords to raise the car a total of 3" at all four corners when the car is up on the platform and in position (front will be held in place by the tire straps, rear boards will be bolted to the trailer itself to prevent any possible slipage). It took alot of measurements and a large stack of carefully cut lumber to work it all out, but I should be prepared.
05-21-2007, 04:24 PM
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Originally Posted by MustGoFastR
LOL, yes, I drive it, but I don't drive it for 1500 miles tailgating behind a large truck, being pummeled by everything it throws at me. The covering is for protection against impacts, not dirt. If I wrap part of the car to protect it as such, it isn't much more work to wrap the whole thing. My car IS pretty much a garage queen, at any rate; it is not a daily driver. It has never been driven in the rain and I haven't actually had to WASH the car in years; why start now, when I'm just about to get to the land of hardly any rain?
The covering is for protection against impacts, not dirt. If I wrap part of the car to protect it as such, it isn't much more work to wrap the whole thing. My car IS pretty much a garage queen, at any rate; it is not a daily driver. It has never been driven in the rain and I haven't actually had to WASH the car in years; why start now, when I'm just about to get to the land of hardly any rain? 
how about a car cover strapped down with some industrial saran wrap..lol