This is exactly how restoration projects are. It is hard to deliver, and many rejected it. The customer has tons of components that he’s been stockpiling. It’s genuine original components: trims, brackets, hardware. The kind that won’t be found in any hardware catalog. It took him so much time to move around a 193x60x25-inch pallet weighing 700 pounds that contained just the chassis. And there’s another 600-pound pallet that weighed just as much but is filled with all the tiny components. Nearly 1,300 pounds of vintage Chevy had to go 2,600 miles without getting damaged.
Why This Job Wasn’t Straightforward
Car transport is car transport, right? Roll it on, buckle it up, deliver it. It’s done. Restoration projects are a whole different ball game.
A chassis does not have a vehicle-like structure. No bodywork for added rigidity. No doors. No roof. Only the chassis with things attached to it. You can’t hold it down like you would a mobile vehicle. The mounting points are not the same. Weight distribution is not the same. If you don’t hold it down, it will sway while it is being moved. The customer understood this. He’d measured everything before calling us. Provided us with precise measurements and precise weights. To be honest, this doesn’t happen often. People usually eyeball it. And then we arrive to realize that “small parts box” is code for a 400-pound pallet that won’t fit through a regular door.
December Timing (Because Of Course)
He reserved on December 18th. Just in the middle of the holidays. Everybody’s either moving or out of the office. So, the first available date would be December 22nd. Four days later.
To find a qualified carrier that has the appropriate equipment to haul a chassis load? Now, that’s quick.
We put the unit on a carrier on December 23rd. Same-day pickup. The carrier driver understood exactly what he was being brought in for. This is important. When a carrier accepts a restoration unit, they have got to have the right blocking equipment, straps on-hand, and expertise in handling unusual volumes. It’s no solution to winch a nude chassis onto a standard car hauler. Delivery was on the 29th of December. Six days in transit.
Managing the 2,600-Mile Journey
From Ontario to Elkton, it is about 2,600 miles. Most of the carriers go through I-40, through the Southwest, then cut northeast somewhere around Oklahoma or maybe Missouri. Late December, though, and you’re rolling the dice for the weather the whole time.
California may be no problem. Nevada either. But after a point, when it reaches Colorado or Kansas during winter, anything is possible. This motorist was luckier. No heavy storms, no road closures. Just typical winter road conditions.
Every fuel stop is an inspection stop.
Most drivers are a little aggressive with specialty loads. They’re treating it like it’s a standard shipment of cars and wanting to deliver it quickly. And then the customer receives a call saying that their pallet of stuff has shifted somewhere down in Missouri, and their parts are laid out somewhere on the trailer. This driver definitely knew better.
What Actually Made This Work
We received a positive review from the customer. That’s exactly what you want to hear when you have moved a customer’s project across the country.
These delivery shipments aren’t just metal and components. This man likely spent months hunting down those components. Possibly years.
We located someone with the right experience to act as the carrier. The driver handled the cargo carefully so as to show respect for it. Communication remained open throughout the period. No drama. No surprises. Just a job done professionally.
Why Restoration Transport Requires Specialized Carriers
Shipment of a restoration project is not at all like hauling a personal car from one state to another. Standard carriers will not even give a price quote to move a restoration project. They look at bare chassis and loose parts and turn them down flat.
We’ve spoken to a customer who took weeks to find a person to move their project. They call all the numbers they can find online. And everyone gives him an outrageous price because they aren’t serious about getting their work.
This is because most car carriers are configured for completely assembled cars. Functioning cars that can move on and off the carrier. Normal points for securing vehicles. Expected weight distribution for proper balance. A car chassis and two pallets of parts will not work in this way. You want a carrier with experience. Someone who knows how to effectively block a chassis. Someone with straps rated high enough to handle cargo, not just autos. Someone who isn’t going to look at your stack of components and think, “What in the world am I doing?”
Transport Summary
- Vehicle: 1955 Chevy Suburban (Chassis + Restoration Parts)
- Route: Ontario, CA 91762 to Elkton, VA 22827
- Distance: 2,600 miles (cross-country)
- Primary Routes: I-40 E through the Southwest corridor, transitioning northeast through Oklahoma/Missouri, connecting to the Mid-Atlantic via regional highways
- Service: Specialized freight transport
- Cost: $1,550.00 ($0.60 per mile)
- Transit Time: 6 days
- Season: Winter (holiday season)
