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NZ Update #2-Shipping Cars

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NZ-Original announcement (Sept. 2003)

NZ Update #1 - Preparation (Oct. 15, 2003)

NZ Update #2 - Shipping the cars (Oct. 24, 2003)

NZ Update #3 - The second container (Late November)

NZ Update #4 - A Small Glitch (December 8th)

NZ Update #5 - Cars in NZ and OK (January 9, 2004)

NZ Update #6 - Arrival in NZ (Jan. 24)

NZ Update #7 - After first race weekend (February 2)

NZ Update #8 - Levels Raceway-Timaru

NZ Update #8.5 - Touring Queenstown Area

NZ Update #9 - Teretonga Raceway in Invercargill

NZ Update #10 - Dunedin Street Race

NZ Epilogue - The Last Update (March 6, 2004)

There are six of us taking race cars to the Southern Festival of Speed (SFOF).  Also, Larry Detrich wished to ship his newly acquired Lola T-142 F-5000 race car.  That's seven cars plus other stuff. 
 
This required two 40' containers.  Because Larry moves to NZ in early November, he wished to get one of the containers going in late October with all his "stuff".  Our two race cars and Phil Shires' Elva were done racing here for the season and were ready to ship.  So, the first container was arranged for. 
 
We have a nifty internal rack for the inside of our regular covered race trailer that permits double-decking a car.  It turns out the rack also fit very nicely into the container allowing us to double-deck two cars.  This meant we could fit four cars in a container -- three on the floor with one elevated -- and still have room for all of the stuff that we had to take.  There are all the necessary boxes of spare racecar parts, a canopy, a tool box, generator, spare engine, and MANY boxes of household stuff that Kay Detrich foisted upon us. Larry joked that she invited all of NZ to place their orders for "stuff" to bring down from the States.  What can I say?  We aim to please.  (It's OK, Kay, we got 'em all in.)
 
This container should arrive in Christchurch in about 40 days.  In the meantime we can get the other container shipped at our leisure, but no later than early December.  It will contain Terry's two cars and Paul Morgan's formula car.
(Don't forget, you can click on any of the pictures to see them full size in a new window.)

nzpacking2lift.jpg (59460 bytes)

This is the double-decker rack sitting on the little single axle trailer at Team Terrific World Headquarters.  It was taken out to Mark Mercer's shop, staging area for loading the container.

nzpacking8srintocontainer.jpg (31980 bytes)

Here you can see how the tilt-bed tow truck was able to then roll the cars into the container.  Larry supervises the loading of Diane's Sports Racer with his usual casual aplomb.

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Yours truly inspecting the first three cars into the container.  All is well.  Pretty cool.

nzpacking5liftintrailer.jpg (45031 bytes)

With the help of several people, the rack was muscled into the container and pushed to the very far end where it was solidly secured.  It's a long way down there, huh?

nzpacking13threeinthehole.jpg (53789 bytes)

Three in the hole.  Here you can see our two cars up front, Diane's below and the FF safely above.  Behind that is Phil's Elva.

nzpacking27fian.jpg (56508 bytes)

Larry inspects his handy work of stuffing all the stuff in and around the cars.  Note the rowing machine, spare motor, and empty gas jugs (hanging from the ceiling).  All very tidy, actually.

nzpacking10shireselva.jpg (34322 bytes)

Since the container was delivered on a truck, with the floor some 4' off the ground, we had to hire a tilt-bed tow truck to first get them off the ground, then roll them into the container.  Here you see Phil Shires assisting in elevating his Elva.

nzpacking19fourthin.jpg (48773 bytes)

Phil helps out with Larry's humongous Lola T-142 F-5000!  It was last in, but fit nicely leaving room around the perimeter for boxes of "stuff".

nzpacking33ontheroad.jpg (29316 bytes)

Kinda' spooky seeing your "stuff" disappear down the road and expecting it to show up half way around the world.  But. . . .that's the plan.  Larry will be there to receive everything and be sure it's put away safely until we arrive late next January.  Now it's on to the next container for Terry and Paul.

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