Hauling Cars in a Van

E-tracks will not work at all.
You will need some heavy D-rings mounted to the floor.
4 for each car.
Then 4 heavy ratchet straps per car.Cross them like an X front and rear.
It will keep the cars from walking side to side and avoid damage.

These are what we used with a metal backing plate under the floor.

http://www.etrailer.com/p-RR06.html


Ratchet straps with axle strap,

http://www.etrailer.com/p-08504-05.html

 

I bring cars back from Alaska all the time in a reefer trailer with the duct floor. I can fit between two and three cars depending on length of the cars. I usually pick up 10 empty palettes at my last drop. It is nice to get some "Chepco" palettes since those are stronger. I put two palettes side by side in the front of the trailer and drive first car against it. Center car in trailer. You can lower tire pressure to get better bite into the palette. Than add four more palettes and a load lock, add next car and two more palettes with a load lock. If I have a taller SUV or truck I might stack four or six palettes up front and sometimes I add extra load locks against wheels. When you have a third car you can flip two of the four palettes over and knock some of the boards out and drive the car on top of that palette. That will give you one and a half palettes between cars. Make sure parking brakes are set, steering wheels lock and cars are in gear or park. I have never had one jump the palettes or move and I do drive on some very bad roads coming back from Alaska.

 

I can see that working but do they get scratched up riding against pallets?
The cars I hauled were race cars so the straps were a must......don't need a 200k car getting damaged,,,,lol!

 

A come along would solve that problem, a bit of a pain but easier than pushing. Ive thought along the same lines about bringing some rust free stuff back home I find in my travels. Its been years since I've been out there but I use to love combing the back roads of AZ and NM looking at old cars and trucks.

 

Hi Blind Driver, that's a great idea, but not in Cal. or NV. Thanks to these reality shows, those people out there think their rust free cars are like gold. When I was in Cal. 2 years ago, I checked out some cars I liked, a '67 Mustang that looked like it went through a shredder for 10g's and a VERY tired Triumph TR-6, also 10g's. Good luck, classic car prices are going through the roof again, after a short lull.

 

The only thing touching the palettes are the tire threads. Obviously, if you have something really low with a low air dam it might bottom out on a palette. Also, we don't haul cars that are worth 200k. That is when you use a custom enclosed car hauler with lifts. Most cars I bring back are actually wrecked and it makes it easier to fit them in if they have been shortened up a bit. Also you always cut the custom seal and make sure the cars are still where you put them before you go and deliver them. You don't want to be at the customer and open the doors and see a car riding up against the wall.

 

You'll want to check your MC authority to make sure you're allowed to transport vehicles, it's separate licensing. Also, you can't do it with the basic $750K auto policy, you need $1M and you also need it to be reported to the DOT, check your FMCSA page to make sure you're listed there as having $1M. If you have logistic posts in your truck there's a strap kit for it. Anco makes it? moversupplyhouse.com sells them. You can also use the aluminum logistic load bars set at the lowest as a wheel chock.Maybe you can transport them as personal property, but you'll have to prove it if stopped.

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4436185]Hi Blind Driver, that's a great idea, but not in Cal. or NV. Thanks to these reality shows, those people out there think their rust free cars are like gold. When I was in Cal. 2 years ago, I checked out some cars I liked, a '67 Mustang that looked like it went through a shredder for 10g's and a VERY tired Triumph TR-6, also 10g's. Good luck, classic car prices are going through the roof again, after a short lull.[/QUOTE]

A few years back I was considering buying a 67 GTO in Ca. The car had the original motor and all of the original sheet metal with no rust on it. It did not run and pretty much needed a full restoration most of which I could do with the exception of paint. I was prepared to pay $15k for it but the deal fell through. Anyone who has ever restored one before knows a solid untouched body for starters is more than half the battle. Sheet metal replacement can get mighty expensive after awhile and that's if you can find someone to do it right. I agree though there are some people who watch to much TV like Barret Jackson auctions and such and become a little delusional.