Careful Who Hauls Your Car

[TWChamp]

Here is some of the damage done by some careless car hauler by not having a clue how to tie down a car. Tears in the frame crossmember and bent rear filler panel. I'm not sure how the shock mount damage was done, but to tear the cross member, I wonder of that was also done by a chain or strap.

[kmul221]

I used a hauler from Ca. to Ontario, he put the tie downs over the tie rods bent them beyond use, he paid for replacement parts but still caused me a lot of work !

[thunderations]

Some of that damage looks like it has been there awhile, from the amount of rust visible.

[bezhawk]

The cracks by the rear shock bolts are fatigue cracks.

[52hawk]

the torn holes look like old damage from a frame puller in a body shop.

[RadioRoy]

I agree. Because of the rust, it looks like all of that damage is old.

[52-fan]

The damage to the frame looks like what I had from hauling my 52 Starlight from Arkansas to Virginia years ago. At that time I did not know a vehicle should be tied down so that the suspension could still work.

[StudeMann]

I bought my 51 LC on EBay and had it shipped from Pittsburgh to southern Ontario on a car hauler, then by train across Canada to Vancouver, where it was loaded onto a flat deck and ferried across to me on Vancouver Island. After it was delivered, I noticed freshly torn places similar to what is shown in the first 2 photos above.
I complained to the shipping company who responded by saying the frame was so rusty that chunks of rusty metal were falling off of it. The only thing that was falling off was the original undercoating, nothing metal at all. Of course, I got no compensation for damage but I will not use that shipper again.

[studegary]

Specify wheel/tire tie downs.

[bob40]

Agree with Gary.
The buyer has to take responsibility when hiring a transporter to ensure a satisfactory delivery.

[52 Ragtop]

Could also be from a tow truck driver, Tow companies do NOT hire Ivy league graduates! NOT all drivers are careless, but the amout of damage we see at the shop when something is towed in is un-believable! I've also seen where they "think" a car is a total loss, and throw parts in the car destroying the interior, or better yet, they throw in the oil dri they used to clean up any spills, right on the carpets.
Brain surgeons they are not!

Jim

[TWChamp]

I wish I knew the history of my car, but I do have the build sheet, and the car first was sent to Virginia, then spent time in Pennsylvania. So I'd guess 2 owners had it for most of the time, and I think they likely took very good care of it. The South Bend Chocolate Factory bought it from some car sales outfit, and paid way too much for it, then left it out in the weather while they owned it. They also had it transported from Pennsylvania to South Bend, and I'd bet that's when the tears were put in the crossmember. The car sales outfit sprayed some black on the bottom side to make it look better, and the tears were done after the sprayed black.

It's too bad the chocolate factory left it out in the weather for a year or more, as the hot sun, rain, and snow sure didn't do it any good.

[R3studee]

I agree that half the damage is old, but the split rails are the drivers fault almost for sure!

I can still see bare metal and the EXACT same thing happened to me as the idiot used modern GM hold downs and they were still there when I got the car.

He actually told me he would check after a hundred miles or so and the car was coming loose, so he would just continue to crank it down multiple times on the way home.

Needless to say, my damage was 4 times worse and I was infuriated.

These haulers have insurance and will say anything to avoid a payout. I would threaten them, then file a report with the DOT and BBB to start with. They may change their tune when they know you are serious......