My New Thunderbird

[BirdsAndBugs]

Re: My New Thunderbird

On Tuesday, May 27th, I called and arranged transport for my new Thunderbird with Magic Carpet Auto Transport. They were very professional and their price for door-to-door service on an open transport was very reasonable too. Unfortunately, it's been almost 2 full weeks and my car is still sitting at Bill Norman's home in South Carolina and after my conversation this morning, they didn't appear to have any trucking lines that they were working with having anything coming out this far west. So since, it didn't look like anything was going to happen this week and Bill will be out of town the following week I decided to cancel the service and bought a ticket on Spirit Airlines to fly out and pick up the car myself. It's been frustrating as the first payment is due on the 25th and I haven't even seen the car in person yet.

It's a long 2,300 mile trip from Myrtle Beach, SC to Las Vegas, NV; but at least I'll get to meet Bill who has been super to deal with.

[SixPac]

Re: My New Thunderbird

Greg,

Don't know what route you'll take going back West with your new Bird, but if you come I-20 thru Mississippi and need a place to stay, we're here in Madison, MS.

[02TBIRD]

Re: My New Thunderbird

Greg, if you run the northern route thru Little Rock, you are welcome here.

See you at the track!
02TBird

[UK BlueBird]

Re: My New Thunderbird

Congrats to you on the two-fer-birds. I too have just bought my 2nd one... Have a 2002 Thunderbird Blue and just added the Bronze 2005... NOW my son and Daughter-in-law can eventually have their own. My girlfriend just loves them BOTH.. she never knows which one we will take to the club... BUT.. there is always my Purple '94 truck named Barney.
Hope you enjoy as much as I am mine.
Jim

[islandtime]

Re: My New Thunderbird

Congrats to you on the two-fer-birds. I too have just bought my 2nd one... Have a 2002 Thunderbird Blue and just added the Bronze 2005... NOW my son and Daughter-in-law can eventually have their own. My girlfriend just loves them BOTH.. she never knows which one we will take to the club... BUT.. there is always my Purple '94 truck named Barney.
Hope you enjoy as much as I am mine.
Jim

Welcome to the 2-fer club, Jim, and congrats on the Bronze...Goldilocks is proud of you!

On Tuesday, May 27th, I called and arranged transport for my new Thunderbird with Magic Carpet Auto Transport. They were very professional and their price for door-to-door service on an open transport was very reasonable too. Unfortunately, it's been almost 2 full weeks and my car is still sitting at Bill Norman's home in South Carolina and after my conversation this morning, they didn't appear to have any trucking lines that they were working with having anything coming out this far west. So since, it didn't look like anything was going to happen this week and Bill will be out of town the following week I decided to cancel the service and bought a ticket on Spirit Airlines to fly out and pick up the car myself. It's been frustrating as the first payment is due on the 25th and I haven't even seen the car in person yet.
It's a long 2,300 mile trip from Myrtle Beach, SC to Las Vegas, NV; but at least I'll get to meet Bill who has been super to deal with.

If only you had called Intercity. I think you would have saved money, and you would have had your Bird by now.

However...enjoy your trip!

[BirdsAndBugs]

Re: My New Thunderbird

I got prices from 2 other carriers for door-to-door transport. Dependable Auto Shippers was about $1,300 and Intercity was $1,800 plus fuel surcharges. Magic Carpet was $850 but I guess the price is irrelevent since they didn't get it done over the past 2 weeks and seemed like they had nothing happening this week either. The problem with this Magic Carpet Auto Transport is that they're brokers so they don't actually own the trucks and are dependent on the carriers they work with. Besides, I could use a break from the office.

Oh well, I've got my airplane ticket and I'll bring it home myself. I'm going from Myrtle Beach to I-40 and taking that all the way to Kingman, Arizona. Then will take 93/95 to Las Vegas.

[MerlotBlue]

Re: My New Thunderbird

I got prices from 2 other carriers for door-to-door transport. Dependable Auto Shippers was about $1,300 and Intercity was $1,800 plus fuel surcharges. Magic Carpet was $850 but I guess the price is irrelevent since they didn't get it done over the past 2 weeks and seemed like they had nothing happening this week either. The problem with this Magic Carpet Auto Transport is that they're brokers so they don't actually own the trucks and are dependent on the carriers they work with. Besides, I could use a break from the office.

Oh well, I've got my airplane ticket and I'll bring it home myself. I'm going from Myrtle Beach to I-40 and taking that all the way to Kingman, Arizona. Then will take 93/95 to Las Vegas.

Like others here we own two T-Birds too. It is tough to own just one T-Bird....no more discussions over who's taking the car when you head off in different directions on a sunny day.......two T-Birds ends that problem PDQ!!

As for your shipping delema?....... It's a hot ride this time of year but ultimately I'm a little jealous. I've always wanted to make the ride across the South West......... just can't seem to ever put 3-4 weeks together all at once to do it.

Despite the frustrations of dealing with shippers I think you may just come home wondering why you ever considered shipping the car anyway.

Don't forget to take some pictures along the way for posting when you get home.

[jjaz]

Re: My New Thunderbird

Hey Greg,

I love the IG. What a great opportunity for a Tbird relay except the logistics might have been a bit tougher than a hardtop relay. If you have some time, pull off I-40 at Seligman, AZ. Stop at the Snow Cap Inn for a burger and then look up Angel Delgadillo at the Rte 66 gift shop. He's one of the few remaining Rte 66 icons. In March, 2004, Paul Thomas and I had a nice visit with him. He really likes Tbirds, too. Enjoy your trip!

[AZTB]

Re: My New Thunderbird

Congrats, Greg - great color choice, but then, I'm partial!

[maxkemp]

Re: My New Thunderbird

Hey Greg, while you are out there, could you pick me up a t-shirt that reads: "ThunderBirdNest member found and bought an Inca Gold, drove it slowly cross-country so beauty could be admired, and all I got was this d$mn t-shirt!"

Cheers!

[BirdsAndBugs]

Re: My New Thunderbird

Hey Greg,
I love the IG. What a great opportunity for a Tbird relay except the logistics might have been a bit tougher than a hardtop relay. If you have some time, pull off I-40 at Seligman, AZ. Stop at the Snow Cap Inn for a burger and then look up Angel Delgadillo at the Rte 66 gift shop. He's one of the few remaining Rte 66 icons. In March, 2004, Paul Thomas and I had a nice visit with him. He really likes Tbirds, too. Enjoy your trip!

Yes, nice guy. He ran the barber shop in Seligman for years but I think he's semi-retired now. My brother is a police officer for the City of Kingman but he resided in Seligman for a number of years. Seligman is always an interesting stop on Route 66.

I can't say I'm totally looking forward to this long drive. But I'm tired of waiting on shipping service and for the cost at least I'm getting a mini-vacation out of it for a few days.

[MintTbird]

Re: My New Thunderbird

take lots of pictures!

[BirdsAndBugs]

Re: My New Thunderbird

Well my 2005 Ford Thunderbird is safely home in the garage after 2,600 miles from Myrtle Beach to Las Vegas.

The trip had a few challenges though. My dad and I flying out on Spirit Airlines (worst airlines I've ever used) last Thursday night. The flight was supposed to go to Detroit and then on to Myrtle Beach with a 9:00 AM arrival time on Friday morning. Well, due to the flight being delayed, we were looking at missing our connecting flight. So instead we were sent via Fort Lauderdale and had a 12 1/2 hour layover so didn't get in to Myrtle Beach until 9:30 PM Friday night. To top it off, Spirit Airlines lost my luggage and by the time they located it late Saturday afternoon, we were already enroute back to Las Vegas in the Thunderbird.

After leaving Myrtle Beach on Saturday, we caught I-40 heading west in Willington, NC and made it to about 50 miles from the border with Tennessee. On Sunday we crossed Tennessee and Arkansas and spent the night in Henrietta, Oklahoma. Monday, we drove from Oklahoma across northern Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before arriving home early Tuesday morning at 4:30 AM.

After sleeping a few hours, I got my Thunderbird cleaned up and smog checked and will take it to the DMV on Saturday for VIN inspection, title transfer, and registration.

Unfortunately, as we were so busy trying to get home, there wasn't much sightseeing and photo opportunities for me. On the positive side, I sent in a check last week to pay off my 2003 MSG Thunderbird so it's all mine now!

[5bird7]

Re: My New Thunderbird

Congratulations on getting the bird home safely, Greg. Somehow it slipped by me that you bought the one that Bill Norman had. Now, don't forget to join the Inca Gold group. We're not very talkative right now but the site is still there. Info for you to read, etc...

[Dizzbe]

Re: My New Thunderbird

Congrats on getting your new Bird home, sorry that you had such a bad trip though. I guess that will always be a story you can tell on how you got your baby home - Is that something like "I was in labor with you for 20 hours after driving to the hospital in the worst snowstorm of the .....etc" Ha!