Oppo's Advice needed with Car Parts Shipping from US

"Schaefft" (Schaefft) 05/31/2016 at 18:15 • Filed to: Car Parts, Shipping, Lincoln, Mark VIII, Oldsmobile, Olds, Aurora, Schaefft

0

23

Hey Oppo! I wanna post !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! again since most of our US based members probably missed it yesterday because if Memorial Day if that’s alright.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! will need new front shocks for its airride system soon as the driver side currently leaks pressure (as they do) which often causes the car to act like its some kind of streetrod or half done lowrider. I learned a few days ago that pressurized air shocks are not allowed to be shipped by plane (for who knows what reason) which is why I need to find a shipping company that gives you the option of delivering parcels via container ship, without charging you an arm and a leg. Does any of our US based members know of a way to ship these parts to the UK privately? Motorcraft shocks are extremely hard to find which rules out most major car part suppliers, fortunately I’ve found a Mark VIII community member who is willing to sell a very decent set for a reasonable price, but he has no idea how to get them to me.

What its looking like when the front is not grounded to the ground

On a related note: I received many great comments back when I wrote my posts about the Lincoln and more recently the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , many offering a hand, should I ever have trouble with finding a part or need other help. I though it might be a good moment to ask whether some of you guys would be willing to help me with a few orders for both the Mark VIII and Aurora I will need to do soon. Its basically about merging/redirecting parcels from different places like Rockauto and Ebay, but also some of which would not ship outside of the US. Any help with this would be appreciated!

I hope I have more to post about the cars soon, having 3 fairly maintenance heavy cars to deal with at the same time surely slows done progress quite a bit.

crowmolly > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 18:24

3

Humor me for a second:

This is an air bag style suspension correct? With an on board compressor? Are the bags pressurized when they are not connected to the system?

If not, they can go air.

Honeybunchesofgoats > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 18:29

0

USPS ended surface mail/parcel post in 2007 (although I swear I recall a friend shipping something to China that went on a container boat; it got lost).

Maaaaybe a carrier like DHL would offer something, but I don’t think you.

Honeybunchesofgoats > Honeybunchesofgoats 05/31/2016 at 18:32

1

UPS has ocean freight, but I suspect it’s very, very expensive. Still, you could always ask for a quote anyway. Here’s the link: https://wwwapps.ups.com/fctc/timeandco…

DrJohannVegas > crowmolly 05/31/2016 at 18:35

0

I was about to say this. These bags are not pressurized until you install them and the on-board system fills em up. When you remove them, the air all vents.

(I’ve done rears on a number of other Lincoln products, and I think these are of the same family.)

DrJohannVegas > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 18:37

0

If they look like these:

Then removal of the pressure regulator valve on the left hand side will fully depressurize the air spring, and you should be golden.

(Edit: I’ve done the rears on Town Cars a number of times, which is just the spring, not a strut. The design of the valve is such that the first indent vents all pressure, then the valve can be turned further and removed. Once that’s out, there is no difference between inside and outside.)

Schaefft > crowmolly 05/31/2016 at 18:37

0

As far as I know they are sealed when being shipped, I have no idea what the problem is, it might be the pressure difference in the cargo bay that could cause damage to the shock? Who knows, the online store would only tell you that they are not allowed to send them via plane unfortunately as it would be against the guidelines.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 18:39

0

Too bad I’m not sufficiently funded at present to hop on over to yours and 4muddyfeet’s neck of the woods again. I’d stick them in a checked bag like a shot.

Schaefft > DrJohannVegas 05/31/2016 at 18:40

0

I will ask the guy if there would be any issue with the solenoid valve removed, I’m afraid he wouldn’t know for sure either.

DrJohannVegas > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 18:42

0

If the seller has either never installed them or taken them off a car without cutting wiring or air hoses, it should be fine. If the solenoids are in there still, it’s just a matter of removing a spring clip, then rotating the solenoid until it vents. It’s loud, but not unsafe.

Edit: See the valves removed here:

Schaefft > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 05/31/2016 at 18:43

0

Haha that would be awesome. Unfortunately I don’t know anyone who would ship anything large over here anytime soon, otherwise I’d just throw them in the same container. I will have to find another way.

Schaefft > DrJohannVegas 05/31/2016 at 18:46

0

He certainly knows how take them apart, I’m more worried about people thinking an air shock is still an air shock, not matter whether its pressurized or not, and therefor against the rules. Customs agencies can be silly like that.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 18:47

0

I imagine that the rules say that no type of pressure vessel can go, regardless whether it can be completely depressurized. Or some such. The actual pressure difference between a fully depressurized hold and a place like Pike’s Peak in the US is less than the difference between Pike’s Peak and sea level, so I strongly doubt there’s even a remote chance of going “boom”... but, I suspect, there are rules and more rules in place.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 18:49

0

Did anything come of your efforts to get a new fender for the Olds? I was talking to 4muddyfeet about maybe doing some poking around on yours/his behalf, but last I can recall there was not much going on on that front.

Schaefft > Honeybunchesofgoats 05/31/2016 at 18:51

0

Looks like this is for larger orders only as it seems they would give you a quote for air fright services for anything under 500lbs.

DrJohannVegas > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 18:51

0

Yes, they can indeed.

(I used to import parts from Europe as a side-business, so I know how silly US officials can be.)

Schaefft > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 05/31/2016 at 18:54

0

He contacted a salvage yard in who knows where a while ago but never received a reply. I think he shouldn’t have mentioned that he’s located in the UK lol. The fender definitely should be shipped at the same time to keep costs down, that would require someone to receive both orders for me first though as no salvage yard would ever send a 40$ fender overseas I can imagine.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 18:58

0

I think I sort of offered to make noises at the salvage yard but failed to do so. My apologies. Anyway, clearly the fender should be brought into the passenger compartment of the plane to keep it from getting whanged unsupervised. “Personal item”, of course.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 18:59

0

In the US, Lincolns are probably 75% of limos. is that the case in the UK? maybe call up a limo company and ask where they get parts?

Honeybunchesofgoats > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 19:02

0

Boo.

I’d ask if you’ve considered doing a coil spring conversion, but I have this argument with my mechanic every time the air suspension on my Town Car dies (shut up and take my money!), so I’m not one to talk.

Schaefft > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 05/31/2016 at 19:25

0

But of course. You cannot just keep that poor fender alone in the cargo bay. Only god knows what could happen to him!

If you happen to find another passenger side fender in dark red metallic (almost purple), send me a message, I might need it soon. :)

Schaefft > Honeybunchesofgoats 05/31/2016 at 19:29

0

Neveeeerrr. Definitely wanna keep the airride, its one of the defining features of the car and I definitely wanna keep it stock.

I asked the guy again and its actually the nitrogen filled shock absorbers that are the real problem. That also means that pretty much any suspension kit would be a pita to order from the states now. Apparently these rules just got applied very recently.

Honeybunchesofgoats > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 19:52

0

It looks like you could use this place that’s based in the UK: http://www.sevenseasworldwide.com/en-us

The only potential problems is that they only seem to pick up from major US cities and it’s kind of expensive, because there’s a two package minimum. Here’s a quote I ran:

someassemblyrequired > Schaefft 05/31/2016 at 19:57

0

I think Canada Post still offers surface mail but it is sloooooooow. Like 2-3 months with no tracking and Canada Post reliability (think 1970s British Leyland running a mail service). You might want to check into less than containerload shipping rates (R&L Carriers does this, so does UPS) if you want to ship a bunch of parts.