Classic car transport

It is one of our more common collection scenarios. A high share of the classics we move either do not run, do not hold on a period handbrake, or both: cars collected from long-term storage, awaiting restoration, returning from auction or sitting on a chassis dolly. Our enclosed transporters carry a low-speed electric winch with a soft sling that bears on the wheels rather than the suspension or chassis, and the trailer ramps extend to a shallow angle for a non-running load. Wheel chocks and additional soft straps hold the car on the deck for the full journey, and the period handbrake is never relied upon. Where the car is not on its own wheels (a chassis dolly, a roller, a partially dismantled restoration) the loading plan is agreed in advance and the right equipment is brought to site.

Yes. The concours and historic-rally calendar drives a meaningful share of our classic work each year. UK departures for Pebble Beach (Monterey, mid-August) typically load to a concours-grade enclosed container at Southampton or Felixstowe in May or June, sail to Long Beach or Oakland and complete the run by enclosed road transporter to the field. Amelia Island (March) and the Quail (August) follow the same East and West Coast container patterns. Mille Miglia (Brescia start, May or June) is handled by single-vehicle enclosed transporter through France into northern Italy, with delivery to the start paddock or a pre-event workshop. Salon Privé (Blenheim), Goodwood Revival, Hampton Court Concours and the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este are all part of the regular calendar.

Yes. Every classic ships fully insured in transit as standard, with the cover limit confirmed on your quote, underwritten through specialist marine and motor insurers familiar with collector-vehicle haulage. Many classics carry a value where the standard limit needs extending, such as a matching-numbers Ferrari 250 GTO, a one-of-a-batch Porsche 959 or a homologation McLaren F1, and higher limits are arranged on request against a current valuation from a recognised valuer such as Hagerty, Footman James, an Adrian Flux specialist or the marque registrar. We share the policy schedule and the photographic pre-load pack before collection so the limit can be matched against your own valuation. The policy runs from the moment the car is loaded to the moment of hand-over at the address you nominate.

Yes. Round-trip factory service work is one of the more frequent classic jobs we run. The typical Ferrari Classiche pattern is a UK collection by enclosed transporter, a Channel crossing, a run through France into Emilia-Romagna and a hand-over at the Maranello site for the certification or restoration window, then the equivalent inbound run when the work is complete. Porsche Classic at Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen follows the same pattern through Germany. We co-ordinate the outbound and return slot against the factory schedule, hold the customs paperwork open for the round trip where treatment allows, and provide a single point of contact for the duration. The same applies for Aston Martin Works at Newport Pagnell, Jaguar Classic at Coventry and the marque specialists on the Continent.

Keep preparation light. Remove personal items and loose objects from the interior and boot, leave the keys with the spare set and any immobiliser fobs available at hand-over, and note in writing any quirks the driver should know (a starter that needs a particular sequence, a fuel tap that lives under the dash, a battery isolator in the boot, a known oil leak that the driver should expect to see on the deck). If the car has been on a trickle charger, leave it connected until the driver arrives. There is no need to wash or detail the car: the photographic pre-load record is taken in whatever condition the car is collected in, and that condition is the baseline for the hand-over inspection. Where the car is non-running, sitting on a dolly or due to be loaded from an awkward space, please flag this when the quote is requested so the right transporter is sent.

Every shipment leaves with a documentation pack that suits an insurer in the event of a claim and a marque registrar or future buyer assessing provenance. The pack includes a dated, time-stamped photographic record of the car at collection covering every panel, the wheels, interior, engine bay, undertray and any pre-existing imperfections, plus the fuel level, indicated mileage and any owner instructions noted at collection. The hand-over inspection at delivery mirrors the collection record. International shipments add the cleared customs release and the carrier's bill of lading. The whole pack is emailed the same day and retained on file. We re-issue against the registration mark on request, often years after the move.