Auto Transport Tips: Protecting Valuable Classic Cars During Transport
If you’re looking at shipping a valuable or expensive classic car, there are a lot of things that you need to take into consideration if you need to get it shipped across the country. Classic cars come in all different shapes, sizes and values, and more often than not they are vehicles that owners have poured thousands upon thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours into. Whether it’s a 1927 Ford Hot Rod or a 1974 Mercury Comet, your classic car is important to you, and if you’re shipping it you want to make sure it’s in the exact same condition it was in when it was picked up. This is why there are several different options for auto transportation services, notably open or enclosed auto transport services.
Enclosed will protect your vehicle from all the elements that berate our nation’s highway system every day. Weather can wreak havoc on classic cars, particularly those that have sensitive exteriors or paint jobs. Vehicles built out of steel are also more susceptible to rust and corrosion, which can be exacerbated by heavy rains or snows during transport. Enclosed transportation services are much more expensive than open transport (which is considered standard fare), but if your classic car cannot handle being outside in the rain for long periods of time, it may be the way to go. Remember, though, that it’s really subjective in terms of what you want out of your shipment – your classic car is yours, and ultimately what you do with it is up to you. We just want you to be informed before transport.
One thing to note: if your classic car is a convertible with a soft top, enclosed transportation should pretty much be standard. Soft tops are susceptible to a number of different problems, particularly road debris getting kicked onto the soft top and tearing it – and that’s if you leave it up. We do not recommend leaving any convertible top down during transport, as rain can absolutely ruin your interior – not to mention any exposed electrical or mechanical systems. It really doesn’t matter if you put it on the bottom rack or near the cab or anything like that; rocks and dirt and dust get kicked up into the back of open transport trucks, and while most vehicles don’t get damaged due to newer protective measures for soft top convertibles and their exterior, classic cars often don’t have those safeguards, so you need to be extra careful. Just a friendly heads up. If you want more advice, or are looking for quotes to ship your classic car, give us a call and one of our friendly representatives can help you with anything you need help with.
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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