SHIPPING

SHIPPING METHODS

Shipping can be a costly venture. My experience has been that companies like UPS and FED EX are good for smaller and lighter package shipping but very expensive when shipping something the size and weight of an engine. Plus, there is usually a weight restriction.
Trucking companies, common carriers, will ship almost any sized package regardless of the weight but can be very costly. I have made contact with a couple of these carriers and was told it would cost $450 and up to ship an engine. This cost is prohibitive for most people.
My first choice in shipping is Fastenal 3rd Party Logistics (Blue Lane Freight). They are very reasonably priced, and fast. The engine must be in a wood box on a pallet. Costs through Fastenal have been less than $175 to most areas on the East coast. Since COVID, areas on the West coast are restricted. Hopefully, all West coast shipping will get back to normal and as comparatively priced as the East coast.
My second choice is to arrange shipping through Freight Center (freightcenter.com). They will find the best pricing and shipping company for your area, do all the paperwork, and they make all the arrangements.

HOW TO BUILD A CRATE (2 METHODS)

METHOD #1, UNIVERSAL METHOD, (ENGINE SITTING UPRIGHT IN A CRADLE)

(These measurements are for shipping a MG Midget/Triumph Spitfire 1500; the plan will work for other engines but the measurements may need to be adapted so your engine will fit.)
PREFACE: You may want to consider how you will get your palleted engine and box into your pick up after you have completed these instructions. I have just left the pallet in my pick up and did all the building, setting the engine in the cradle and putting on of the sides in the back of my truck. That way I didn't have to figure out how to lift it.
1. Start with an empty pallet. Most lumber yards have pallets that they will give away or for a very nominal fee.
2. Make the bottom of the box.
a. Cut out a 23" X 23" piece of 1/2" plywood or 7/16" OSB.
b. Screw this base piece to the pallet in many places.
c. Cut 3/4" X 3/4" tack strips and fasten them on top of and all the way around the base piece.
d. Build the engine cradle. This cradle is designed for the sump flange and bolts to set down on it and support the weight of the engine.
1) Cut (2) 1"X6" pieces approx. 16" long.
2) Cut (1) 1"X6" piece 13" long.
3) Cut (1) 2"X6" piece 13" long.
i. You must cut a notch or groove 1"w X 3/4"d across the width of the board 2-3/4" from the end. (This is for the oil drain plug to pass through). You can fasten (2) 1"X6" pieces together like in Figure 2 to make your notch.
4) Standing the above pieces on edge fasten the two 13" pieces to the side of the 16" long pieces with screws spacing the two 13" pieces 8" apart from inside to inside. (See Figure 1)
i. The cradle should resemble a Roman Numeral 2 (II)
5) Fasten the cradle to the bottom of the box, centering it side to side and holding it back from the edge of the bottom of the box 5".
(The bottom of the box on the pallet should look like Figure 1.)
3. I like to wrap my engines in a tarp. Most shipping companies charge a fee for clean if an engine leaks fluids. My engines are emptied of fluids before I ship but the tarp adds protection.
4. Spread a tarp over the pallet and cradle in preparation for the engine to be set in the cradle. (In Figure 3, I laid the tarp out before I fastened the cradle to the bottom of the box. )
5. Using an engine hoist set the engine into the cradle as shown in Figure 4. Notice that the rear of the cradle fits between the sump and the rear plate of the engine. The sump flange and bolts should rest on the cradle and the oil drain should fit into the notch.
6. Remove the hoist and wrap the engine up in the tarp securing it with packing tape. (See Figure 5)
7. Cut the (4) sides of the box out of 1/2" plywood or 7/16" OSB. They should all be the same size, 23-1/2"w X 25-1/2"h.
8. Fasten the side pieces at the bottom by screwing them to the tack strip.
a. They will fit best if you start the first piece flush with the 1st corner and allow the other edge of the side to stick out 1/2".
b. Fasten the 2nd side against the 1/2" sticking out from side 1 and screw it to the tack strip.
c. Continue all the way around in this way.
9. Measure and cut tack strips for each corner (4). Make the tack strip flush with the top of the sides. (See Figure 6)
10. To stabilize and secure the top of the engine as it sits in the box by fastening 1-1/2" X 1-1/2" (2 X 2) X 23" long strips along each side and across the front and rear of the engine at the head level.
a. Fasten these 2 x 2s in place by screwing a screw through the side from the outside into the ends of the 2 x 2s.
b. Put a screw into the intersection of the 2 X 2s as in Figure 7.
11. Fasten tack strips all the way around the inside of the top of the box to fasten the top of the box to.
12. Cut the top 24" X 24" and fasten it to the tack strips around the inside of the box. (See Figure 8)
13. My lumber yard allows me to use their banding machine to help hold the box to the pallet. You can use 1" cargo straps and do the same thing.
Done.

TO OPEN THE BOX SO THAT IT CAN BE REUSED TO SHIP YOUR ENGINE BACK TO JMAC ENGINE SHOP.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

1. Remove the straps securing the box to the pallet.
(The screws to be removed should be marked with orange paint.)
2. Remove all the screws in the top of the box and remove the top.
3. Remove all the screws from the two sides and across the bottom.
a. Don't forget to remove the two screws holding the upper support pieces inside the box.
b. Remove the sides.
c. It should look like figure 9 at this point.
4. Remove only the bottom screws on each end and remove the screws holding the two upper support pieces. Remove the sides.
5. Remove the packing tape and unwrap the tarp to reveal your engine.
6. Position your engine hoist and lift the engine out of the cradle.
7. When you are ready to ship your old engine back to JMAC Engine Shop, reverse these unpacking instructions.

METHOD #2, LOW PROFILE BOX (ENGINE ON ITS SIDE)

(These measurements are for shipping a MG Midget/Triumph Spitfire 1500; the plan will work for other engines but the measurements may need to be adapted so your engine will fit.)
1. Start with an empty pallet. Most lumber yards have pallets that they will give you.
2. Build the bottom of the box.
a. I start with a 24"X26" piece of 1/2" plywood or 7/16" OSB.
b. Next, I cut a 14-1/2" long piece of a 1X6 board. Fasten this in an upright position to the bottom piece by driving 2" screws up from the bottom. (See the diagram and pictures). Fasten the bottom piece to the pallet with 1" screws.
c. Cut 2 braces at a 45 degree angle from a 1X6 board and use them to brace the 14-1/2" board.
d. Cut strips of the 1X6 to 3/4" wide and screw these pieces all the way around the bottom piece.
e. Drill a 1" hole at each end of the upright board.
3. Position and prepare the engine.
a. Lay out the plastic or tarp that you are going to wrap around the engine over the pallet and bottom piece.
b. Place the engine in position. The engine should lay on its side with the exhaust/intake ports facing down across the length of the upright board fastened to the bottom piece. I leave at least 4 studs in the head, 2 will go on the one side of the upright board and 2 on the other side.)
c. Wrap the engine up in the plastic or tarp and secure this with packing tape.
4. Feed a tie down strap (or take it to a place that has a bander, like I did) through the holes and around the top of the engine making a complete loop. Ratchet the strap tight around the engine head only.
5. Build the outsides of the box.
a. Cut 2 - 24"X17" pieces out of the plywood or OSB and 2 - 27"X17" pieces out.
b. Fasten the 2 - 24" pieces to opposites ends of the bottom piece on the pallet by driving 1" screws through the plywood and into the 3/4" wood strips on the bottom piece.
c. Cut and fasten 3/4" strips to surround both of the 24" end pieces.
d. Fasten the 2- 27" pieces on each side with 1" screws along the bottom and up the 2 sides of both pieces. (This should make a complete wrap around the engine without a top.
6. Make the top of the box.
a. Cut a 25"X27" piece of OSB or plywood for the top.
b. But before you put the top on, cut 2 - 24" pieces of 2X4 and fasten them approx. 5" in from each end with 2" screws. (These 2X4s will keep the box from being crushed when you tighten down the straps shown in the picture.)
c. Put the top piece on and screw it down to the 3/4" strips along the ends and to the 2X4 pieces with 1" screws.
d. Using 2 - 1" tie down straps (or banding straps) wrap the straps around the box and the slats of the pallet. Cinch the straps down tight. Done!

TO OPEN THE BOX SO THAT IT CAN BE REUSED TO SHIP YOUR ENGINE BACK TO JMAC ENGINE SHOP.

1. Remove the straps tying the box to the pallet.
2. Remove all the screws around the bottom of the box.
3. Lift the box up and off the pallet.
4. Remove the cargo strap tying down the engine.
5. Remove the packing tape and unwrap your engine.
6. Lift your engine so that it rests on the oil sump.
7. Attach an engine hoist to the engine and lift it off of the pallet.
8. When you are ready to return your old engine to JMAC Engine Shop, reverse this procedure.