Hi,

What is the best way to ship a 455?

Does anyone know of a place to get a shipping container for a 455?

Is it just easier to place it on a pallet and box it in?

Does anyone have any D.I.Y. plans to build a cradle for shipping?


Thanks,

Tony K.

 

I would just build a strong pallet for it. Cut a notch in a 2x6 and screw it to the pallet so you can set the harmonic balancer in the notch. Then strap the engine onto the pallet and cover it in plastic. It should ship just fine as long as it is secure.

 

I was tinkering with shipping the straight six that came out of my '46 and was going to use a pallet and some of that clear wrapping plastic they use now. My work has a huge roll of it. Pallets come in different sizes and made of different wood. Look around and you can find a good solid one, or make yourself a custom one.

 

When I ship a motor I build a simple cradle with the pan rails setting on 2 x 8's I attach it all on a pallet and let it roll.

 

X2 on custom pallet. I would remove anything delicate that protrudes and lastly wrap the whole thing with some cardboard and use the plastic wrap stuff.
What would it cost to ship one of those anyway?

 

The most I have paid to ship a motor is about $320.00 and as little as $180.00

 

had my 425 motor shipped from LA to New Zealand on a pallet with tie downs .Arrived just as I had hoped .Other than a specific type of timber (apparently to avoid importation of nasty fauna) it was great.

 

Look at this thread https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ess-455-a.html i have some pics of the motor i ve got to Sweden,i bought a motor stand (about 90us) that worked great and is good to have anyway.

 

I've shipped a bunch of 455's,as well as had some shipped to me.I just start with a good pallet.Before I place the engine on it,I takle a few measurements,and fasten supports & some uprights,from the underside.The supports run the length of the oil pan rails,taking the weight off of the balancer & crank.The uprights are drilled & bolted to the bellhousing bosses.It's not going anywhere.I shrinkwrap some of them,depending on what they are. If I have also fit 1 engine & one transmission on the same pallet.You can either remove the trans,and place it next to the engine,or leave it connected,and make a few different supports.I also shipped 2 455's on one pallet to Texas before.I placed those on a standard pallet.I fastened the supports for the pan rails,placed them next to each other on the longer way of the pallet,tied them together,then made vertical supportes around the outside.

 

Do you guys contact independent truckers who may beable to carry an engine plus their load from/to wherever they're going? What about a fork lift to load and unload the engine into and out of the trailer? Seems like $180 to $320 is a heck of a good deal f/ distance shipping. I sent a set of 4x4 differentials from Texas to New York, just got under the weight limit and max size f/ shipping. I also had to "build" the pallet and boxed in the gears to keep them from moving around at all. I'd think that w/ something as big and heavy as an engine, that you'd be best off getting an independent carrier (long distance trucker) to take the engine f/ a price, as sometimes they have a small space left in their trailer where something the size of an engine would/may fit. The price is usually right also. My brother has done that w/ cars, where a trucker is empty, or has a small/partial load from one place to another on his/her way to pick up another load, and he's gotten great prices. Best of luck w/ the shipping. Please post the outcome, as the shipping process may be worthwhile to another member who may do the same thing in the future. Thanks. Sincerely, JImmy.

 

Wow!

Thanks everyone for the great ideas. I'm going to build a wood cradle that I can attach to the pallet. My plan is to reuse it, by adding wheels to store the original motor when I make the swap.

So far the best deal appears to be with Engines Direct shipping, seems like a flat rate based on weight regardless of miles shipped. Also they offered a free lift gate for
residential shipping.

 

U-ship has always worked good for me