the exigencies of transport

[<JHertzman@xxxxxxx>]

Lee Scanlan's reminiscences in AD7-031 about shipping damage on new cars
brought back several memories. One was picking up new MGs at the Chicago docks
for S.H.Arnolt in the fifties; another was watching my Giulia Super and
caravan coming out of the hold of the New Amsterdam in 1971; yet another was a
photo, in the Illustrated London News, of a coachbuilt Rolls being off-loaded
at Malta for some obscure reason. In the recent past car-carriers for volume-
importers have had side hatches and drive-off ramps, but previously (and
probably still, in some cases) cars came out of the holds and down to the
docks in slings, through deck-hatches. Some slings lifted cars by the wheels
with various stand-off arrangements to keep the slings clear of the car sides;
this was the case with our Super, which swung from side to side in the shaft
but never hit. The caravan came up in a large, shapeless cargo sling, swinging
like a pendulum and banging all corners as it rose, leading to a generous
insurance settlement. The Rolls at Malta was in a similarly unsophisticated
sling, with all visible fenders- presumably alloy- thoroughly reshaped. The
TDs in Chicago came vertically out of the holds in purpose-built cradles, some
of the cars showing some handling damage but mostly unscathed. Importers would
have some control over shippers, but cars coming over one by one as
accompanying baggage or shipped separately would be somewhat subject to the
luck of the draw. This could possibly account for the anomalous lower-body
damage on Scott's car; Scott had spoken of "the two sections between the rear
edge of the door and the rear wheel arch, on both sides -- areas where lining
up would be a critical visual cue to a new purchaser of the car's build
quality". That had puzzled me: when I was working at an assembly plant the
inspectors and touch-up men paid the most attention to the area of the hood,
front fenders and A-pillars, with the trunk, rear fenders and C-pillar next-
areas most in view of the buyer walking around and of the driver trying the
driving position.

Since Scott's car was a model never exported to the U.S., its mode of trans-
Atlantic transport and handling could have been anything, unknowable now. I
understand that some people find renting a container worthwhile, particularly
if shipping more than one cherished car. Perhaps a pre-shipment photosession
with a datemarking camera would be a prudent precaution. Probably some
shippers and some ports are better than others- and in the end there are luck,
insurance, and repair-shops. Regardless of the truth, I feel allowed to give
Arese the benefit of the doubt. Thank you, Lee.

John

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