Moving my Z

[Dershum]

I've accepted a new job about 320 miles away, so I need to move my Z in just under 2 weeks. I've got a place to put it and work on it when I get there, but right now it's down to a body shell and on jackstands. I've been working on a rotisserie as well, which I'll get to in a minute. I've got a trailer and a truck, so the part I'm trying to decide on is how to get it off the stands and onto the trailer, safely drive it 300+ miles, and then back OFF the trailer, without the involvement of half a football team to pick the shell up and move it by hand.

 

One thought was to simply finish the rotisserie, which is based on two engine stands that already have wheels. Then move the car onto the trailer that way. I'm probably about 8 hours of work away from finishing it or so, if not less. I'm not sure it'll work well though, since I've still got to get it all the way mounted, move it, and probably drop the body back off the rotisserie before transport. Something tells me that trying to drive it at 60+ MPH that far will be too much for the body/stands and it will either break lose or bend the hell out of it.

 

The other thought was to simply use a few dollies. Drop the body down onto four furniture dollies, strap it onto them, and move it that way. Problem is that I don't think the dollies will allow the body to clear the ramps on and off of the trailer.

 

The final option is to simply try and get the suspension back on the car. I've got the front and rear suspension off the car but they're largely intact. The the hubs, brake discs/shoes, etc., are still all together, and there are still struts in the tubes, but the springs are off and long gone. If I can get a set of struts/springs and put them back together, and get them back on the car I can just roll it on and off the trailer. The front cross-member and steering is all back together, I just have to attach it back to the car. However, if I do this I want to be able to take the struts/springs back off sometime later this summer so I can clean all the crud off the strut tubes, replace bushings on the rear suspension, etc. It's a little pricier to go this way since I'll have to drop 500 bucks on a set of springs/struts, but I'm starting to think this is going to be the best option.

 

Of course, I have to get ready to move in all of this, so time is something I don't have a lot of. I figure putting the suspension back together and on the car enough to move it is probably an 4-8 hour job. As where putting the body on dollies and rolling it around is about a 20 minute job.

 

Anyway, I'm looking for opinions, or to see if anyone else has done something like this before that might be able to give me some advice.

[stony]

I've accepted a new job about 320 miles away, so I need to move my Z in just under 2 weeks. I've got a place to put it and work on it when I get there, but right now it's down to a body shell and on jackstands. I've been working on a rotisserie as well, which I'll get to in a minute. I've got a trailer and a truck, so the part I'm trying to decide on is how to get it off the stands and onto the trailer, safely drive it 300+ miles, and then back OFF the trailer, without the involvement of half a football team to pick the shell up and move it by hand.

 

One thought was to simply finish the rotisserie, which is based on two engine stands that already have wheels. Then move the car onto the trailer that way. I'm probably about 8 hours of work away from finishing it or so, if not less. I'm not sure it'll work well though, since I've still got to get it all the way mounted, move it, and probably drop the body back off the rotisserie before transport. Something tells me that trying to drive it at 60+ MPH that far will be too much for the body/stands and it will either break lose or bend the hell out of it.

 

The other thought was to simply use a few dollies. Drop the body down onto four furniture dollies, strap it onto them, and move it that way. Problem is that I don't think the dollies will allow the body to clear the ramps on and off of the trailer.

 

The final option is to simply try and get the suspension back on the car. I've got the front and rear suspension off the car but they're largely intact. The the hubs, brake discs/shoes, etc., are still all together, and there are still struts in the tubes, but the springs are off and long gone. If I can get a set of struts/springs and put them back together, and get them back on the car I can just roll it on and off the trailer. The front cross-member and steering is all back together, I just have to attach it back to the car. However, if I do this I want to be able to take the struts/springs back off sometime later this summer so I can clean all the crud off the strut tubes, replace bushings on the rear suspension, etc. It's a little pricier to go this way since I'll have to drop 500 bucks on a set of springs/struts, but I'm starting to think this is going to be the best option.

 

Of course, I have to get ready to move in all of this, so time is something I don't have a lot of. I figure putting the suspension back together and on the car enough to move it is probably an 4-8 hour job. As where putting the body on dollies and rolling it around is about a 20 minute job.

 

Anyway, I'm looking for opinions, or to see if anyone else has done something like this before that might be able to give me some advice.

 

I'm thinkin i would just temp install the struts and control arms so you can put wheels on it and tie ti down the normal way in a trailer.

[Dershum]

I'm thinkin i would just temp install the struts and control arms so you can put wheels on it and tie ti down the normal way in a trailer.

 

Could it be moved with just struts and no springs? Or would it sit too low or cause damage?

[jasper]

A piece of wood, or other, could take the space

of a spring temporarily.

Even a small block of wood between the control arm

and frame would work.

 

Nice color choice.

I'm lucky to have original paint.

On 2 cars!!!

Edited June 11, 2012 by jasper

[wickiewicked240z]

Weld some Dolly wheels to the bottom of the shell that's how I was moving my shell around the garage. To pick up a shell u only need 3 people 1 in the front and 2 in the back.

Edited June 11, 2012 by wickiewicked240z

[Six_Shooter]

You could use some tubing cut to a good length to place between the spring perches to keep the body high enough.

 

I think given the time line and the options, I would look at re-installing the suspension and using something as a spacer in place of the springs.

 

You have to keep in mind you won't be driving it, so all that the "suspension" needs to do is support the while it's rolled onto and off the trailer, and kinda while it's on it. I say "kinda" only because once it's strapped down, nothing is going to move. You can get away with half the bolts holding it all in, half the lug nuts, maybe even less.

 

There have been many tines I've moved junk/parts cars with only a few bolts holding this together/on, some have been moved a few hundred miles this way.

 

On one car that I was scrapping, I welded pieces of angle iron between the body and the rear axle to support it, apparently the crusher strained just slightly when it was being crushed. lol

[Tony D]

Rent a Cherry Picker...

 

Put your tub on the ground, with the rear area (either moustache bar or where your factory sway bar mounts) up on one or two railroad ties.

 

 

With your chassis on the ground, strap to your upper radiator support, or the strut towers. I use the radiator support (Bottom one will give you more clearance.) Pick it up high enough to get the trailer backed under the unitbody back to the back dunnage.

 

Drop the front of the chassis onto a 4X4 across two furniture dolleys placed about where your T/C rods go--the dolleys will run on each wheel ramp.

 

Go to the back, use two straps, hooked to the bumper screw holes, and pick the back end up.

 

Back the trailer the rest of the way under the car.

 

Drop the back half of the car onto a 4X4 on two more furniture dolleys just rearward of the doors.

 

You can then push the car to wherever you want on the trailer. Strap it either across the open doors or from the bumper screw holes and the lower front radiator support. If you had the factory tie downs, bolting them on and using them to secure it to the trailer would work as well.

 

Using the support points mentioned, I've lifted and supported Z's for long term storage and ocean-shipped them tandem stacked in containers without any issues.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2012 by Tony D

[Dershum]

Rent a Cherry Picker...

 

Put your tub on the ground, with the rear area (either moustache bar or where your factory sway bar mounts) up on one or two railroad ties.

 

 

With your chassis on the ground, strap to your upper radiator support, or the strut towers. I use the radiator support (Bottom one will give you more clearance.) Pick it up high enough to get the trailer backed under the unitbody back to the back dunnage.

 

Drop the front of the chassis onto a 4X4 across two furniture dolleys placed about where your T/C rods go--the dolleys will run on each wheel ramp.

 

Go to the back, use two straps, hooked to the bumper screw holes, and pick the back end up.

 

Back the trailer the rest of the way under the car.

 

Drop the back half of the car onto a 4X4 on two more furniture dolleys just rearward of the doors.

 

You can then push the car to wherever you want on the trailer. Strap it either across the open doors or from the bumper screw holes and the lower front radiator support. If you had the factory tie downs, bolting them on and using them to secure it to the trailer would work as well.

 

Using the support points mentioned, I've lifted and supported Z's for long term storage and ocean-shipped them tandem stacked in containers without any issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holy crap! While this is incredibly awesome, and I'm just twitching at the idea to try it, I think I'll probably go with re-mounting the suspension with spacers. Something tells me I'd kill myself trying to do this.

 

Speaking of spacers, would something as simple as a 6" (or so) section of PVC pipe, slid down over the current strut be long enough and strong enough? Or should I just go all-out and get some sections of iron pipe?

[Tony D]

Truthfully, if you can get the back portion on the railroad ties, personally I pick up the radiator support and walk onto the trailer as it's backed up under the body.

 

If you are speaking of spring spacers, you can block the struts solid by assembling the top section over SCH40 PVC pipe that fits over the strut piston rod. Assemble the top spacer/spring perch and they are solid. But make sure you tie it down TIGHTLY so they don't jump off your spacers. Same for bigger pieces the diameter of the springs.

 

But I've done the above procedure at least half a dozen times. I get cars without suspensions offered all the time. It's easier if you have a regular utility trailer actually, as without the open middle section, you can do the same thing with a floor jack, or wheel dollys. (you can see them in one of my photos!)

 

Really, the tub is not all that heavy, getting four guys to lift it really isn't out of the question. a Couple of 4X4's will support a non-stripped Z.

 

With a sturdy Oak Tree Limb, some 4X4's, 4 10' straps and a couple of chainfalls you could suspend it altogether and drive the trailer under it!

Edited June 11, 2012 by Tony D

[Darrel]

Word has it a few cannuucckies came down to portland to help a fellow z enthusiast load up his disassembled z into a moving van. No lifts required, just some beer and hooch.