To ship OR to store?
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge LA
To ship OR to store?
I would like some advice on whether you guys think I should ship to Belgium or store my '69...
I'm in the process of a "light" restoration, but I just learned that my company plans to move me to Europe for 2-5 years in early 2008. This is great for the career, but I'm torn as to what to do with the vette. At the rate I work on it, it could take me a year easily to finish my projects.
If I ship it with me, then I have to figure the freight cost. Then there are lots of things I don't know: do I have to modify anything for EU regulations; do I even have to register it if I plan on just restoring it in my garage and not driving. Plus I will need to buy all my parts before I go since shipping is $$.
If I store it back home in the U.S., then I have to find a place, attempt to preserve (anybody have a good set of guidelines as far as storing for a few years?? i.e. drain gas tank, etc.) and pay whatever monthly fees to storage facility.
Selling is not an option.
Thanks for any helpful comments. T.
I'm in the process of a "light" restoration, but I just learned that my company plans to move me to Europe for 2-5 years in early 2008. This is great for the career, but I'm torn as to what to do with the vette. At the rate I work on it, it could take me a year easily to finish my projects.
If I ship it with me, then I have to figure the freight cost. Then there are lots of things I don't know: do I have to modify anything for EU regulations; do I even have to register it if I plan on just restoring it in my garage and not driving. Plus I will need to buy all my parts before I go since shipping is $$.
If I store it back home in the U.S., then I have to find a place, attempt to preserve (anybody have a good set of guidelines as far as storing for a few years?? i.e. drain gas tank, etc.) and pay whatever monthly fees to storage facility.
Selling is not an option.
Thanks for any helpful comments. T.
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
From: TN
Store it
No way I would risk shipping it and it getting lost, stolen, or destroyed. It would be a long shot finding a plce to work on it over there anyway, plus the expense of parts, freight, etc.
If you don't have a place to store it with family or friends, (even paying rent to them), Just get a mini-storage and put it on blocks. Use dessicant bags in the interior, drain all the fluids, bag all the parts and come visit it when you visit home.
Good luck deciding.
If you don't have a place to store it with family or friends, (even paying rent to them), Just get a mini-storage and put it on blocks. Use dessicant bags in the interior, drain all the fluids, bag all the parts and come visit it when you visit home.
Good luck deciding.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,367
Likes: 59
From: FL
I don't know for sure, so take this all with a dozen grains of salt.
1. As a non-running project, it probably would be considered parts and not a car, so export duties will be different and may not give you any breaks you would have on a car.
2. Shipping will be higher. First, you are shipping a non-running car, so that is more than a running car. They charge extra to push on and off. Second, you have a lot of parts. Each box costs.
If you don't get it done, you will then be shipping all these parts back. You will also be shipping the car back. Your duty into Europe won't be refunded for leaving.
3. Parts are higher and less accessible there. If you haven't shipped EVERYTHING with you, it will cost more to finish there than here.
4. I'd take a couple of vacations between now and moving to work like crazy on it. A couple of 40 hour weeks will go a long way to getting it done. That is, if you want it there. It would be fun.
5. Storage here needs to be rodent and humidity free, as much as possible. Grease up things that rust, dry the gas tank, and maybe spray a coat of oil (PB Blaster, Silicone lubricant, etc.) to slow any surface rust from the air, and insure for the storage time against theft, fire, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.
6. Corvette is a foreign exotic over there. So while you will get even more attention than here, your insurance will reflect your exotic tastes.
7. You need to nail down the 2 to 5 years question. For 2 years, it is easier to leave it here. I was over for a year, and while I wished it was there, I'm glad I didn't pay $2000 plus duty for the privilege of having a year with it.
1. As a non-running project, it probably would be considered parts and not a car, so export duties will be different and may not give you any breaks you would have on a car.
2. Shipping will be higher. First, you are shipping a non-running car, so that is more than a running car. They charge extra to push on and off. Second, you have a lot of parts. Each box costs.
If you don't get it done, you will then be shipping all these parts back. You will also be shipping the car back. Your duty into Europe won't be refunded for leaving.
3. Parts are higher and less accessible there. If you haven't shipped EVERYTHING with you, it will cost more to finish there than here.
4. I'd take a couple of vacations between now and moving to work like crazy on it. A couple of 40 hour weeks will go a long way to getting it done. That is, if you want it there. It would be fun.
5. Storage here needs to be rodent and humidity free, as much as possible. Grease up things that rust, dry the gas tank, and maybe spray a coat of oil (PB Blaster, Silicone lubricant, etc.) to slow any surface rust from the air, and insure for the storage time against theft, fire, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.
6. Corvette is a foreign exotic over there. So while you will get even more attention than here, your insurance will reflect your exotic tastes.
7. You need to nail down the 2 to 5 years question. For 2 years, it is easier to leave it here. I was over for a year, and while I wished it was there, I'm glad I didn't pay $2000 plus duty for the privilege of having a year with it.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,367
Likes: 59
From: FL
No way I would risk shipping it and it getting lost, stolen, or destroyed. It would be a long shot finding a plce to work on it over there anyway, plus the expense of parts, freight, etc.
If you don't have a place to store it with family or friends, (even paying rent to them), Just get a mini-storage and put it on blocks. Use dessicant bags in the interior, drain all the fluids, bag all the parts and come visit it when you visit home.
Good luck deciding.
If you don't have a place to store it with family or friends, (even paying rent to them), Just get a mini-storage and put it on blocks. Use dessicant bags in the interior, drain all the fluids, bag all the parts and come visit it when you visit home.
Good luck deciding.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
From: North Ga Ga
There are some classic car storage facilities. I know in Atlanta they offer large warehouse, climate controlled and secured. Limited access with a live human on site.
I have no idea what something like that costs.
That would give you more time in Belgium for drinking stella!
Savage
I have no idea what something like that costs.
That would give you more time in Belgium for drinking stella!
Savage
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,317
Likes: 292
From: Ocala FL
A 10x20 storage in most of the Public Storage type places runs $100 to $150 a month, depending on area. It could be higher in some areas. Most have rules in the fine print of the contract of not having cars, however, like most things, run it in on a Saturday or Sunday evening when the office is closed and they never know.
The hassle is they don't like a tank full of gas as it becomes a fire hazard. A project car apart shouldn't have that issue.
So you are looking at $1200 a year to $1800 a year to store. For 5 years, that is $6000 to $9000 just to let it sit.
Selling could be more of an option than you think. If you sell now, then buy another that cost $7000 more when you get back, you could actually be $2000 ahead.
For a two year stay, it is probably a 50/50 proposition on ship or store, but longer than 2 years and you are ahead to take it. However, you have to find out if you can get a place to keep it there. I lived in England and the first place I lived was one of those doors in a long wall of houses/apartments and my parking area was either the car park two blocks down, on the street on some days, and finally in a private parking area I managed to get from the manager. Would you park your car in a place like this? This is the good spot. I got this one after no one showed up for several weeks in it and just took it. It looks good in the picture - too good.
After 8 months, I moved to a duplex/townhouse that had a "large garage". Let's say their "large" and our "large" are like Rhode Island and Texas in difference. I could not pull into the garage in my Lotus and the passenger get out. They had to be out before or they could not get the door open.
A Corvette would have filled it. You would never be working on a project in one this size.
Unless you know where you are going to live (the actual house and garage), I would say forget the idea of taking a project over to finish there. A running car, maybe, but even then, it should be running, ready, and reliable, as you won't find parts for it there. You break, you will wait the week or four it takes for someone here to mail you the parts. If you are really lucky, you will have some connection to an American military base, as they can get some parts for you and you can also send a lot through APO. If not, you will pay dearly for the parts.
I almost took my '68 to England 25 years ago. I was initially going to be there for 2 years or more. I decided to wait until I was there to scope things out, then ship if I decided it was feasible. I really missed it, but I'm glad I didn't take it. It would have been a real hassle.
You should check around your area, and ask at every car show and cruise night for storage areas. In the area around my brother, there are farms who store boats and campers for the winter. You can tuck a car into the barn all year long for $15 a month. It wasn't private storage and if you aren't sealed up, the mice can get in, but it is $15 versus $150. You might find something like that if you have the car apart where it is not a big deal if mice run through (i.e., no carpet, seats)
The hassle is they don't like a tank full of gas as it becomes a fire hazard. A project car apart shouldn't have that issue.
So you are looking at $1200 a year to $1800 a year to store. For 5 years, that is $6000 to $9000 just to let it sit.
Selling could be more of an option than you think. If you sell now, then buy another that cost $7000 more when you get back, you could actually be $2000 ahead.
For a two year stay, it is probably a 50/50 proposition on ship or store, but longer than 2 years and you are ahead to take it. However, you have to find out if you can get a place to keep it there. I lived in England and the first place I lived was one of those doors in a long wall of houses/apartments and my parking area was either the car park two blocks down, on the street on some days, and finally in a private parking area I managed to get from the manager. Would you park your car in a place like this? This is the good spot. I got this one after no one showed up for several weeks in it and just took it. It looks good in the picture - too good.
After 8 months, I moved to a duplex/townhouse that had a "large garage". Let's say their "large" and our "large" are like Rhode Island and Texas in difference. I could not pull into the garage in my Lotus and the passenger get out. They had to be out before or they could not get the door open.
A Corvette would have filled it. You would never be working on a project in one this size.
Unless you know where you are going to live (the actual house and garage), I would say forget the idea of taking a project over to finish there. A running car, maybe, but even then, it should be running, ready, and reliable, as you won't find parts for it there. You break, you will wait the week or four it takes for someone here to mail you the parts. If you are really lucky, you will have some connection to an American military base, as they can get some parts for you and you can also send a lot through APO. If not, you will pay dearly for the parts.
I almost took my '68 to England 25 years ago. I was initially going to be there for 2 years or more. I decided to wait until I was there to scope things out, then ship if I decided it was feasible. I really missed it, but I'm glad I didn't take it. It would have been a real hassle.
You should check around your area, and ask at every car show and cruise night for storage areas. In the area around my brother, there are farms who store boats and campers for the winter. You can tuck a car into the barn all year long for $15 a month. It wasn't private storage and if you aren't sealed up, the mice can get in, but it is $15 versus $150. You might find something like that if you have the car apart where it is not a big deal if mice run through (i.e., no carpet, seats)
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,795
Likes: 1
A 10x20 storage in most of the Public Storage type places runs $100 to $150 a month, depending on area. It could be higher in some areas. Most have rules in the fine print of the contract of not having cars, however, like most things, run it in on a Saturday or Sunday evening when the office is closed and they never know.
The hassle is they don't like a tank full of gas as it becomes a fire hazard. A project car apart shouldn't have that issue.
So you are looking at $1200 a year to $1800 a year to store. For 5 years, that is $6000 to $9000 just to let it sit.
Selling could be more of an option than you think. If you sell now, then buy another that cost $7000 more when you get back, you could actually be $2000 ahead.
The hassle is they don't like a tank full of gas as it becomes a fire hazard. A project car apart shouldn't have that issue.
So you are looking at $1200 a year to $1800 a year to store. For 5 years, that is $6000 to $9000 just to let it sit.
Selling could be more of an option than you think. If you sell now, then buy another that cost $7000 more when you get back, you could actually be $2000 ahead.
only here in NJ that 10 x 20 will be $300+depending on where you store it, definitely NO GAS
in the tank.
i also agree with selling especially if you are there more than 2 years unless you have a family member
that could keep an eye on things for you while away
