Help! Relocating to Manhattan from England with my 1918 Speedster

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Help! Relocating to Manhattan from England with my 1918 Speedster
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By robert harwood-matthews on Sunday, August 12, 2012 - 03:52 am:

Hi, i am relocating to an apartment in central Manhattan from a double garage in England and have no idea where to put my Speedster. It gets regular use and I'd love to find a friendly workshop and other enthusiasts. I see plenty of storage units or expensive places to keep a Ferrari dry but nowhere yet with oily jeans and old iron. Would really appreciate your help.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kerry van Ekeren (Australia) on Sunday, August 12, 2012 - 07:24 am:

Is your shift a permanent one? if not leave your speedster in storage in England and buy a fresh T in the US, the cost of shipping both ways could buy you a good one.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Dufault on Sunday, August 12, 2012 - 07:30 am:

Just curious...have you ever driven in Manhattan?

I've driven in both London & Manhattan, and believe me, the Yanks (and I am one), need some civility lessons from you Brits.

For my money, I believe the streets of New York City are too busy, too filled with trucks, buses and in general "uncaring" drivers to appreciate a small, low-slung vehicle. New York driving is scary enough, in a regular size car.
How about renting a storage area outside the city, maybe even in NJ or CT, where you can visit your auto and enjoy a relatively peaceful drive.
Dave


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker on Sunday, August 12, 2012 - 08:49 am:

From your profile this looks like your first posting. And it also indicates you are probably already here in Manahatan but your 1918 speedster is still in the UK. So a warm welcome to the forum and the USA.

Recommend check out the local club chapter listings for New York and New Jersey see: http://mtfca.com/clubpages/chapters.htm#ny and http://www.modelt.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=15 I would especially encourage you to contact the

Model T Ford Club of Long Island
c/o John Cunnane
10 Birch Lane
Valley Stream, NY 11581
The Long Island club listing has an e-mail link for him at: http://mtfca.com/clubpages/chapters.htm#ny

That club is 22 miles from Manhattan, NY and should be very familiar with the traffic challenges, garages, etc.
If no one here on the forum is from that area or no one can answer your question, then probably a member of one of those clubs will have some good suggestions. And if you still have not found an answer I would check with the 1928-1931 Model A Ford club folks – see: http://www.mafca.com/chapters/NJ.html and especially http://www.mafca.com/chapters/NY.html that has a chapter on Long Island.

Shipping cars – I’ve done it several times in the past. I would compare the cost of shipping to the cost of replacing the car. And if you are planning to keep the other car you need to factor in the cost of storage – unless you have good free storage at a relative’s garage etc. With most 10 year old modern cars it does not make sense to ship them. Sell them at wholesale and purchase another one at retail and the cost of shipping usually covers the difference. And they meet the legal & smog requirements of the country you purchase them in. In the case of Model T Speedsters – you are coming to "the land flowing with milk and honey" … I mean flowing with Model T cars and parts. If you are here for only a year or two, you might want to sell or store the speedster and purchase a nice original bodied T here in the states to take back to the UK. One other factor to put in there -- is your speedster a Right Hand Drive? Most of the Ts here will be left hand drive – which if you have an original style body with the top up would probably make it more difficult to drive in the UK.

And if you are emotionally attached to the car and it won’t break the bank to bring it, then bring it – that is how my 1931 Model A Ford went to Germany when I was stationed there for three years. Note also that a few things may go missing on your car during shipment. It happens. If you are going to ship the car recommend removing high cost souvenir items and mailing them separately. Also including a sheet on how to start and drive the car can be helpful.

Like most things in life there is not a nice 2 + 2 always equals 4 math answer. But I’m sure as you review your options you will come up with a solution or solutions that will work well for you.

Again welcome to the USA and the Forum.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Lodge - St Louis MO on Sunday, August 12, 2012 - 09:39 am:

Hap, just to add to what you said about missing bits. In 1977, we shipped our 1936 Austin 10 from Holland (well, England, really) to the US (Hoboken). The advice I was given was to remove anything from the car that could be easily removed with a screwdriver or a pair of pliers. There is nothing on the Austin that is at all valuable, but a thief doesn't know that. A missing headlight or hub cap is just as big a problem if it's worthless as it would be if it were valuable. Missing is missing, and it has to be replaced.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Sunday, August 12, 2012 - 09:51 am:

Get here and get settled first if possible. It will influence any decisions about the car.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By robert harwood-matthews on Sunday, August 12, 2012 - 10:00 am:

Thank you. I haven't left yet. The car is still here, it is LHD and you could say I am emotionally attached! I'm waiting for the shipping cost and reckon I can cover it so really the question is where to ship to?!

I dont anticipate driving down the Avenues of Manhattan, it would be chaos though quite an amusing prospect, I dont think my Rocky mountain brakes would cover the stopping distances, though I noticed my horn is from NY so it'd be right at home.

I'm hoping eventually someone will say they have a workshop or shed in the area or even somewhere the family might like to visit like the Catskills so I can house it and get to it on odd weekends.

I'll try the local clubs, though I did try the 'Central NY' region (steve 1920) and they said they were too far away.

Anywhere within a few hours drive on my motorbike would do
THANKS


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George_Cherry Hill NJ on Sunday, August 12, 2012 - 10:32 am:

Hey Robert...a stab at a little bit of American humor...

You will never drive your car in Manhattan, there is no way possible, get over it before you try...

There is no storage unit available to work on unless you head out to Maspeth Long Island which looks easy on the map...but the 24/7 guard you'll need to have adds to the cost, and going out on Long Island further is always a hassle on the L.I. Freeway, so get over that notion too...

It's usually faster to hit 'country' if you head over to New Jersey but even that you'd need to be about south of Exit 8 on the Jersey turnpike to find real open road...

I live at exit 4...oh, maybe 35 minutes south of Exit 8...

Nice thing about Exit 4 is that there are direct buses from Manhattan Port Authority Depot to Exit 4 that go zoom, zoom on the pike and you can catch a nap or make new friends...

Soooooooo....I know where you can store it :-):-):-):-) and would be happy to fire it up and take it for regular spins to keep it limber for you :-) and offer free shuttle service from the exit bus station in an honest to goodness Depot Hack to my house which is maybe but a mile or so...really lots of open country close by and country farm roads...

Just thinking out loud here and being gracious, generous, and assistance for a fellow Model T'er........(big huge grin!)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George_Cherry Hill NJ on Sunday, August 12, 2012 - 10:37 am:

That said, my fellow members of Central NJ T Crank Yankers will probably chime in and offer lots of places only 1/4 as far for you and the car to travel and because I'm so far south of them they get together regularly and often where there are slim pickings down here by Philadelphia...lol


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Sunday, August 12, 2012 - 11:17 am:

This may be a little impractical, but switching from Manhattan, New York, to Manhattan, Kansas, would vastly improve your Model T environment.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Richard Rimmer on Monday, August 13, 2012 - 02:01 pm:

Hi Robert,
I don't know if it's any help but if you decide to leave the Speedster in the UK, I may be able to assist with temporary storage. My contact details can be found at www.tservice.co.uk
If not, good luck with the move, is it a permanent one?
Richard


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John P. Steele, Montana on Monday, August 13, 2012 - 04:43 pm:

As I started reading this thread I was thinking storage in Manhattan, Montana(pop. 1,396) is not that hard to come by, the exception is in my neighborhood where doesn't seem to be quite enough. We are a little smaller than Manhattan KS.(Pop.53,678) but have better steaks. Town name was actually changed to Manhattan after a group of businessmen from Manhattan NY (Pop.1,601,948) opened up the Manhattan Malting Company.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Monday, August 13, 2012 - 05:02 pm:

Roll on/roll off shipping doesn't seem like a good idea for a Model T. Most classic car shipping is by container, and that is mostly cars the shipping personel has a clue on how to drive..

There must be somebody specializing in filling containers with cars to the US - or are all sales in the other direction? of course, If you bring some personal stuff with you to the US you may well fill a 20 foot container yourself :-)
I've seen 10 foot containers, you would at least have to pull the wheels to make the speedster fit in one?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jem Bowkett on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - 11:21 am:

Strikes me as a case of 'coals to Newcastle' (do you Americans know that expression?). T prices are so much higher in Europe, unless this is a very special car,it would make far more sense to sell it and buy a much nicer T in the US with the money.

But if it is being shipped, no way would I use a RO-RO for a T, it would have to be containered. I shipped a Model A RO-RO and, because they couldn't drive it, they put a chain round the front axle and dragged it about. Anyone want a bent Model A front axle beam?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Dimock, Newfields NH, USA on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - 11:43 am:

Would you like this guy unloading your T at the dock?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - 01:36 pm:

Robert - Just a suggestion,......you might consider contacting Neil Tuckett in N. Marston for any advice he might be able to give you. He has had a lot of experience ref. shipping via intermodal container from U.S. back to England,.........harold


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - 01:48 pm:

Robert, Please do not get discouraged! I'm sure that you will find a place to store your T somewhere you can drive it too. Welcome to the club. I am almost as far from New York as England is from New York. I live in California.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By robert harwood-matthews on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - 03:50 pm:

Again, thank you all for the geography lessons ;) and the sound advice. Container shipping has come in at about $7k so I am going to get my feet under the table and work out which way is up before I do anything. Dad has an old 'A' so she can sit alongside her in the UK for a while. Like many of you I'm a bit blind to the logic of the costs, you are right it would be shipping coals to Newcastle but this is my car! I'll try to get along to a meet up at one of the clubs too. Right now I need to figure out which that is, NJ, Montana, Exit 8, Kansas, Long Island, best I get the atlas out...thanks again all


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