Shipping an engine - to Europe - in pieces

Anyone here have any experience?

I listed the partially disassembled Twin Cam engine from my '73 Europa on the Europa and Élan forums, and have a gentleman in Italy who is interested(it seems they're worth more in Europe, which I suppose isn't very surprising).

While I've shipped internationally, it's never been anything as big, bulky or filthy as a used engine - let alone one separated into the long-block, head, and misc pile of remaining parts.

Thanks!

Limited experience, but I would suggest solidly packing the whole thing on a good pallet, get weight and dimensions, and start calling freight forwarders. There a few on the web that will give bids for this kind of stuff. Probably will ship truck to an eastern port, then on a boat. Look around, help is out there. I would appreciate hearing about it. I have a pending order for 750# of cable that will have to go boat to Trinidad that has caused me to do a bit of research.

I mailed a differential to Australia via US mail. I ordered a set of wheels from Britain, they came FedEx and I've gotten various little bits n' pieces from overseas via UPS and USPS. I'd suggest checking with FedEx or UPS Freight, they should have a lot of experience with this.

The engine will have to be inspected by Customs on both ends.

I'd also look for freight forwarders (at least that's what they're called in the UK) who might have more experience with shipping really bulky items. You're probably best off building a sturdy wooden crate for the engine that can be easily maneuvered by forklift, as that is most likely the way that it goes in and out of the container.

Whichever way you chose, I would make sure that the shipper is experienced in getting stuff into Italy. While I've never had problems (but then I only sold a few items to Italy), a few friends of mine who sell a lot of items on ebay UK will not ship to Italy as too much stuff there goes AWOL, at least when shipped by regular mail.

Curmudgeon wrote: I mailed a differential to Australia via US mail. I ordered a set of wheels from Britain, they came FedEx and I've gotten various little bits n' pieces from overseas via UPS and USPS. I'd suggest checking with FedEx or UPS Freight, they should have a lot of experience with this. The engine will have to be inspected by Customs on both ends.

Was this recently? What was the price range? I'd like a crossmember from over there and was wondering if it'd be worth it Apologies to OP for threadjack.

It was in 2010, the diff weighed ~30 pounds and was ~$115.00 US, IIRC. Took about twelve days.

Fedex and UPS freight are usually terribly expensive. I use Pilot Air Freight and have had good luck with them domestically but have never shipped with them internationally. It might be worth checking them out; their rates were half what UPS quoted. Then again it might not be worth it to you depending on the sale price of the engine. The buyer should, after all, be paying 100% of freight costs, so finding cheaper freight only allows you to sell it easier.

Yeah, my Aussie buyer paid the actual shipping cost.

I asked our shipping guys. We often use DB Schenker for international shipments, but they won't take used engines. They suggested freightquote.com.

Thanks for the tips!

Sounds like it may be a moot point though as I have a buyer state-side with cash in hand. 8)

I guess I priced it too cheap... :(

+1 on freightquote.com