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Classic car shipping, honestly
Here's the truth most transport websites won't lead with: we run open 9-car haulers. For a huge share of classic cars — driver-quality cruisers, project cars, survivors headed to a new caretaker — open transport with real documentation is exactly right. For the rest, we'll tell you to go enclosed. Here's how to know which is which.
When open transport is the right call for a classic
Open is how most classics already move: dealer trades, auction logistics, and collection rebalancing all run predominantly open. It's the right choice when the car is a driver — enjoyed, patina'd, or restored-to-be-used — and the value sits under the point where a week of highway exposure meaningfully matters. Think driver-quality Mustangs, C10s, air-cooled 911 drivers, survivor Broncos. Our photo Bill of Lading at both ends documents condition better than most enclosed operators bother to.
When we'll tell you to go enclosed
Fresh show paint, six-figure values, irreplaceable originality, or anything you'd describe as an investment first and a car second: go enclosed. That's not our equipment, and we'd rather lose the load than put a concours car in the weather. Ask and we'll say exactly that — which is also how you know the rest of our advice is straight.
Arizona auction season (Barrett-Jackson, Mecum, and the January migration)
Every January, Scottsdale becomes the center of the collector-car world — Barrett-Jackson, Mecum Glendale in March, and the satellite auctions pull thousands of vehicles through Arizona. That's our home corridor. Getting a car to the auction from California, or getting your win home across CA–AZ–TX, is a short, frequent lane for us — and January capacity books out, so line up transport when you get your consignment slot or plan your bidding trip, not after the hammer.
Prep that actually matters for an older car
- Tell us how it starts, stops, and steers. A car that needs two pumps and a prayer loads fine — if the driver knows.
- Note leaks. Drippers ride the bottom deck so they don't christen the car below.
- Ground clearance and splitters/air dams change the loading angle — measure before you book.
- Battery and fuel: a quarter tank, a healthy battery, and no loose parts in the engine bay.
FAQ
Common questions
Should I ship my classic open or enclosed?
Driver-quality classics ship open safely and affordably — it's how most classics already move. Fresh show paint or six-figure values should go enclosed, and we'll tell you that rather than take the wrong load.
Do you ship cars for Barrett-Jackson and the Arizona auctions?
Yes — the January Scottsdale season sits on our home CA–AZ corridor, and Mecum Glendale follows in March. Book when you get your consignment slot or plan your bidding trip; January capacity fills early.
Can you ship a classic that doesn't run?
Yes — non-runners load by winch. Tell us whether it rolls, steers, and brakes so the deck position and equipment are planned before the truck arrives.
Get a quote
A firm Sacramento → Houston price from the company that hauls it
Send the basics and we'll come back with a firm quote and the next available pickup window on this lane. No deposit games, no bait-and-switch.