Anyone have some previous shipping exp? How much and how far and who did you use?

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

I have heard that forward air has good rates for something like this. But, seriously- you can't find one in Atlanta? What is the world coming to?

__________________
80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

I can get locally for $850 but wanted to see if I could find better bets around.

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Don't you have any pic-n-pulls in Atlanta? I passed up one or two weekend before last when they were having an engine sale at $75. (that doesn't include accessories like alternator, starter,etc but you get the picture)

__________________
80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

Im leary of buying a motor and not knowing its condition....

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Ask outfits like Metric Motors, Adsit and Potomac German what it costs them to ship a long block and if they will lend/rent you a custom pallet.

It will cost a lot less if you can handle a dock-to-dock shipment vs door-to-door.

Sixto

It was easy. I just made sure that the seller drained all fluids, strapped it to a pallet put a box over it and shrink wrapped it. I then got on the BAX Global website got a shipping quote and setup a pickup. It was my OM617.952 td. I estimated it's weight at 400 Lb. It cost under $200.00 from Maryland to Rockford IL. Economy rate, with a lift gate pickup at the seller's shop and with me picking it up at their nearest location, it fly's on standby taking 3-7 days, mine took only 3 days! They'll bill you or take credit card info over the phone.

Kurt

The sump seems pretty soft to hold 400 pounds of engine. Did you cradle the engine on the pallet?

Sixto

I hear what you are saying but...if you are not in a big hurry ...and if you have the time / interest and are in a large metropolitan area with a high potential of potential donors, junkyard harvesting can be beneficial. With some skills and astute observation you should be able to evalute potential candidates at boneyards. For example,find a low mileage vehicle that was moving when it was hit. Spin the crank to check for compression, look at the car to assess the owner's habits (cooling system rusty?...lots of new parts?... oil change stickers...). IMHO you can find out as much by looking at the car as buying an engine from some moron who says is OK. Ask my buddy who bought a Mazda 929 engine for $800 (one of those Japanese pulls), had it shipped, pulled his old engine, installed the "new" one (what a B***H- all the smog crap, computer wires, crap) put coolant in it and then discovered that the block was cracked and leaking. That defect may have been apparent in a boneyard, but not on a cleaned up engine.

Just my .01 (mr. cheap guy)

Rick

__________________
80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

Ya. I'm looking at other yards that might have more info on the cars...

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

$850 should buy the whole car.

I think I'm just going to grow the balls to pull it from pull a part one part at a time. It will be a frankenstein but Ill have the pick of parts to do it with.

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Here is how I have shipped engines in the past:
I use a pallet as a platform
I support the engine by using the front engine carriers which are bolted to the front engine mounts in the car. Using lumber scraps I can set the engine on the lumber so that it is supported and not resting on the oil pan. The engine is secured by using two large wood-screw bolts and washers through the hole in the carrier or design the lumper support so that you can reuse the bolt from the engine mount on the OM617. Have I lost you yet? Some pics could help my explanation here....

I support the rear of the engine on lumber scraps and secure it with plumber's strapping.

Then I like to build a plywood crate box arround the pallet.

It takes a few hours and about $30 in materials.

Be sure to fully drain the coolant from the engine, if it starts to leak or spill during transit, you'll have issues with your shipper..

I've used FedEx Freight a few times and Forward Air.

Freight shipping is a pain and you usually need to get the item to their dock....

Have fun.

__________________
Over 21 years I owned several:
w108
w110
w111
w115
w116
w123
w124
w126
w212

A little more buys a good running driver

Sixto

Member Surf-n-turf near Tampa has a decent running (and even could be made presentable ) 82 300D for less than half that amount. I saw it running and driving with my own eyes during the FL GTG last weekend.

__________________
80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)