[meisnutz]

Originally Posted by Sudarshan

I was thinking about the condition of the vehicle, had a look at the pic & wow .. the makeup is done properly & how !!

Have a closer look, its a perfect job as what they call " Lali Powder " Job . Just add some lipstick & some face powder & here she goes

Check the same pic, isnt the rusted clutch hydraulic pipe worry some ?? check the detailed paint job , they have just sprayed & cleaned it to " Look " nice

Money can not be saved just like that.

Attachment 1154648

A full ground up restoration is awaiting, tires is the last thing when everything is done

Sudarshan

Thanks for pointing it out bro. Will get my mech to look into it.

Originally Posted by Stanher

@meisnutz, ok here are finally the pics. of the flatbed I'd mentioned to you!
This is my friend and fellow tbhpian karl (karlosdeville)'s '65 Fiat 1100D that he'd bought from here and transported to Pune by a flatbed he rented from his friend.
Though it can be rather pricey, its still worth it as its quite efficient and more professionally executed as opposed to the conventional closed truck transportation ,though the truck has to be driven carefully without chances for a rollover!
Moreover, getting the car on and off the truck is also relatively hassle-free.

Attachment 1154726

Attachment 1154727

Attachment 1154728

Attachment 1154729

Hi stanher,
Thanks for the pics.By the way what say I drive it down from there?My mech had called me today and he agreed to come with me for the trip and that we could make the trip. He knows these cars from his childhood.

Originally Posted by zenren

Risks are present with any form of transportation. Trailer falling over a cliff and damaging the contents inside is certainly a much rarer occurrence/ lower probability than the accident risks from driving 600km on a highway.

If you are planning to drive/tow, do check the road condition from Bangalore to Alappuzha. From what I know, Palakkad to Thrissur is in pathetic condition and Thrissur to Alappuzha is very good, provided there are no water logging. Don't know about the condition of NH47 in TN side. Add to it the fact that it has started raining in Kerala which would make it difficult to know where the potholes are in the highway. Getting into potholes in highway even at 30-40km/hr might take a huge toll on the suspension of old vehicles, much more than when they are on flatbeds. Thanks to the twin tyres in the rear, flatbeds might not actually fall into a lot of smaller potholes that your car would get in.

Hi zenren,
Thanks for the caution I am pretty familiar with the whole route and think I can make the trip. My concern though is not about the road but the car.

regards
Nutz

[karlosdeville]

I am a bit late to this thread and many opinions have already been shared, but allow me to share some advise from my few experiences.

Firstly - from what I have read so far, I get the impression that you are somewhat new to this vintage and classic madness. The Herald is a great way to start, and the car particularly seems to be one of the really nicest that I have seen of late. The fact that it is a family car is the icing on the cake.

Are you hands on with regards to maintenance, or breakdown assist? It is really important that you have some basic knowledge, even if your mechanic is accompanying you. Driving skills are also vital - in such an old machine, ideally you should be averaging 50, if the roads and traffic is particularly good, maybe 60. I would not cross that average speed however free the roads maybe. Please keep in mind the stresses that the car is being subjected to after so many years. Go particularly slow over potholes.

Ensure the fuel tank and lines are freshly cleaned, ditto for complete braking system. Carry extra pipes for both.

Cooling system has to be perfect - flush out the radiator, water passages in the block etc. Add a bit of coolant in case you don't already use it. Ensure you have a working temperature gauge. I don't think one was fitted originally, get a temporary/discrete unit fitted. Ensure properly working fuel gauge and speedo.

Ensure the complete electrical system is up to date with no old/worn out wires. Carry extra fuses, insulation tape, bulbs etc.

Clean out the engine oil sump, replenish with new oil. Carry extra engine oil, gear and diff oil, brake oil.

Carry atleast 2 spare wheels. The tyres are 5.60 13 (original I think 5.20 13). Shared with 118NE.

Have you inspected the chassis/underbody for corrosion? A new paint job can easily hide shoddy work in the past.

Before undertaking a journey of this length, I would practise first with 2 trips of 80-100 kms each.

And now if you take all of that into account, it might work out not so much cheaper / a hassle than transporting the car in a truck/car carrier. I would strongly recommend transporting the car for now, till you use it for a while and get used to all the idiosyncrasies she will throw up It could potentially save much life of the car in the longer term (assuming the worst could throw up on the way).

[meisnutz]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

I am a bit late to this thread and many opinions have already been shared, but allow me to share some advise from my few experiences.

Hi Karlosdeville,

Yes I am very new to the vintage car madness but this car has made me pretty mad.

By the way nice Fiat you have (in pics by stanher). Thanks a ton for the checklist you provided. Will evaluate my options and post the progress.

By the way what oils do you recommend that I use for Engine,diff, gear and brake?

[harit]

This is great, so what has finally been decided, drive down, tow or transport?

I personally would transport the car. There are three options, first a car carrier, they transport your car with other cars and are cheaper. You got to make a deal, and they will load when they have space available. I have used this method 100's of times, it is cheaper, but not entirely risk free as damage does rarely occur. The flat-bed is another option, but cost is higher. And nobody can assure you that flat-beds do not meet with accidents, I am aware of a flat-bed which crashed and the entire cab had to be replaced. The Herald being a smaller car is quite safe in a trailer. You can also go to transporters, who will load the car on a truck, but be prepared for them to load other stuff on the car(!). You will not know till / if you see damage, but its an option and cheaper (obviously)than a flat-bed transport.

About driving down, well be prepared to start driving, something may give way on the way. Your car looks good, but a closer look at your mechanicals-electricals do not inspire confidence. We do not know when the car had its proper run of over 50 KM's, you have to thoroughly test the car, use the brakes hard, she should not overheat, brakes should not fail. My guess is that you will wanted to do something on the car after reaching home, like putting proper tyres, all this will now have to be done before you leave for the long road home. I assume that you would have planned to do any pending work after you take the car home. So, before you venture out, please ask yourself how reliable is the car. If you are planning to add an element of prayer and hope, just forget about driving her home.

Towing is for the brave, and experienced. There is a technique involved, do you know it? And it is also not always legal, it is dangerous on a highway, you tend to slow down traffic. Also remember that the car used for towing is exposed to danger, from the car behind, from enraged drivers of other cars, and will suffer more wear and tear than usual. And would you use a tow rope, or a tow-rod?

Lastly, the effort will be very tiresome, you have to pay the mechanic, delays which are almost certain will entail lodging and boarding costs for atleast two people, and the value of your time is something which only you have to judge. Ensure that your documents are up to date.

Hope you take the correct decision, the one which takes your car home economically and intact will be the correct one

Cheers harit

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by meisnutz

Hi stanher,
Thanks for the pics.By the way what say I drive it down from there? My mech had called me today and he agreed to come with me for the trip and that we could make the trip. He knows these cars from his childhood.

In addition to what harit and karl have rightly pointed out with regard to driving it down, at this point I would say that its a no-no in a Herald! Despite owning one myself. Particularly when you are not too familiar with how fit the car may be for such a long journey. If it breaks down in the middle of nowhere you may or may not get help immediately. Your mechanic may have known these cars since his childhood, but they're not the same as they used to be in his childhood!
And we're a long, long way from any spares supply for Heralds in our country (a whole continent away in fact!), which I dont think is feasible for you to procure at hand. So, while I'd look forward to witnessing such an adventure, it'd rather be reserved for some time later when you've got more acquainted with the car and it's quirks (and boy, do Heralds have them!)

[Sudarshan]

Karl & Harit ji have summed it up very nicely.

Old vehicles or machinery, when they are mostly at the end of their life cycles, say 30 years or 2 lakh km, they wear out fast when stressed. Lot of parts could not be OE & hence do not possess the material quality they must have, hence the fast wear.

Some one may take it as offence, but the truth is having a 30 plus year old vehicle is exactly opposite of saving money, its just emptying every pocket & for what ?? Total madness called Passion.

Disclaimer; I am not against owning old cars, had a bit of test of that madness myself. I still have a piece left with me & holding to it with all my might, that is a 1970 registered Land Rover series 2a.

The grass is always greener on the other side

Edit* Mr. Stanher, Plus one Sir, perfect.

Sudarshan

[meisnutz]

Originally Posted by harit

This is great, so what has finally been decided, drive down, tow or transport?

I personally would transport the car. There are three options, first a car carrier, they transport your car with other cars and are cheaper. You got to make a deal, and they will load when they have space available. I have used this method 100's of times, it is cheaper, but not entirely risk free as damage does rarely occur. The flat-bed is another option, but cost is higher. And nobody can assure you that flat-beds do not meet with accidents, I am aware of a flat-bed which crashed and the entire cab had to be replaced. The Herald being a smaller car is quite safe in a trailer. You can also go to transporters, who will load the car on a truck, but be prepared for them to load other stuff on the car(!). You will not know till / if you see damage, but its an option and cheaper (obviously)than a flat-bed transport.

About driving down, well be prepared to start driving, something may give way on the way. Your car looks good, but a closer look at your mechanicals-electricals do not inspire confidence. We do not know when the car had its proper run of over 50 KM's, you have to thoroughly test the car, use the brakes hard, she should not overheat, brakes should not fail. My guess is that you will wanted to do something on the car after reaching home, like putting proper tyres, all this will now have to be done before you leave for the long road home. I assume that you would have planned to do any pending work after you take the car home. So, before you venture out, please ask yourself how reliable is the car. If you are planning to add an element of prayer and hope, just forget about driving her home.

Towing is for the brave, and experienced. There is a technique involved, do you know it? And it is also not always legal, it is dangerous on a highway, you tend to slow down traffic. Also remember that the car used for towing is exposed to danger, from the car behind, from enraged drivers of other cars, and will suffer more wear and tear than usual. And would you use a tow rope, or a tow-rod?

Lastly, the effort will be very tiresome, you have to pay the mechanic, delays which are almost certain will entail lodging and boarding costs for atleast two people, and the value of your time is something which only you have to judge. Ensure that your documents are up to date.

Hope you take the correct decision, the one which takes your car home economically and intact will be the correct one

Cheers harit

Hi Harit,
I think i will transport it now. I had calculated all the costs earlier but wanted to drive it down just for the adventure.

Originally Posted by Stanher

In addition to what harit and karl have rightly pointed out with regard to driving it down, at this point I would say that its a no-no in a Herald! Despite owning one myself. Particularly when you are not too familiar with how fit the car may be for such a long journey. If it breaks down in the middle of nowhere you may or may not get help immediately. Your mechanic may have known these cars since his childhood, but they're not the same as they used to be in his childhood!
And we're a long, long way from any spares supply for Heralds in our country (a whole continent away in fact!), which I dont think is feasible for you to procure at hand. So, while I'd look forward to witnessing such an adventure, it'd rather be reserved for some time later when you've got more acquainted with the car and it's quirks (and boy, do Heralds have them!)

Hi stanher,

Your word was what I was waiting for. I dont think I want to take the risks and damage the car after you have given me the opinion.

Originally Posted by Sudarshan

Karl & Harit ji have summed it up very nicely.

Old vehicles or machinery, when they are mostly at the end of their life cycles, say 30 years or 2 lakh km, they wear out fast when stressed. Lot of parts could not be OE & hence do not possess the material quality they must have, hence the fast wear.

Some one may take it as offence, but the truth is having a 30 plus year old vehicle is exactly opposite of saving money, its just emptying every pocket & for what ?? Total madness called Passion.

Disclaimer; I am not against owning old cars, had a bit of test of that madness myself. I still have a piece left with me & holding to it with all my might, that is a 1970 registered Land Rover series 2a.

The grass is always greener on the other side

Edit* Mr. Stanher, Plus one Sir, perfect.

Sudarshan

Hi sudarshan,

Glad that you have LR a tough piece of machinery. I think I should get to know the car before I attempt to drvie it.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by meisnutz

I think i will transport it now. I had calculated all the costs earlier but wanted to drive it down just for the adventure.

Don't get me wrong - you should definitely enjoy longer drives in the car, just cautioning you to be fully acclimatised to the ownership experience first.

[meisnutz]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me about the papers concerning the transportation of the car through car carriers since it has to cross state borders?Also should I take any extra insurance for transporting.
I have finally decided to transport it

[Warwithwheels]

Have you got a RC for the vehicle? What about Third part insurance? Those two papers should suffice, IMO. Few carriers suggest taking out a transit insurance tho'.

[Sudarshan]

Xerox copy of

1) Registration certificate (already mentioned).

2) Tax certificate .

3) Insurance (already mentioned).

4) Receipt of sale from the original (latest owner).

5) Delivery note from the owner. (seller)

6) N O C for transfer from one state to another (if available).

7) Full contact details of the new (current/new) owner.

should this be enough ? I think yes if it is loaded on a truck.

Edit* ; copy of transportation contract or authority letter from current owner to transport the vehicle from city A to B (to the transporter)

[harit]

I don't think all info here is correct. To transport a vehicle, you need a registration document (copy will do) and a letter stating that the car is being sent for repairs to wherever.
Insurance is not required, the car is being transported and will not require vehicle insurance. You may make some arrangement for insurance with transporter towards your property, but automotive insurance is not required.

The requirements listed by Sudarshan are correct, eventually all these and maybe more will be required, but only when you want to transfer the car. For sending a car by transport, even the documents need not be upto date. Interstate transport is also not an issue, some silly retarded places (those which have not progressed) may require you to pay octroi.

Cheers harit

[Sudarshan]

Originally Posted by harit

Insurance is not required, the car is being transported and will not require vehicle insurance.

Cheers harit

Sir, with this logic not even the registration certificate is required :P

But the things I have listed will surely & swiftly "lead" the checking " Authority " to demand the most needed " Document " & you know Sir what that is

Ok, but seriously, Imagine the situation, a Khaki clad "Authority" stops the truck in the middle of nowhere.. what excuse he might make ?

The question of keeping documents in the journey is not as simple as it sounds, thats why I have written " Should this be enough " .

In our country, one never knows whats legal & whats not, I just thought what could be demanded & its absence is made as an " excuse ".

Sudarshan

[harit]

Originally Posted by Sudarshan

Sir, with this logic not even the registration certificate is required :P

But the things I have listed will surely & swiftly "lead" the checking " Authority " to demand the most needed " Document " & you know Sir what that is ......In our country, one never knows whats legal & whats not, I just thought what could be demanded & its absence is made as an " excuse ". Sudarshan

Originally Posted by harit

I don't think all info here is correct. To transport a vehicle, you need a registration document (copy will do) and a letter stating that the car is being sent for repairs to wherever.........The requirements listed by Sudarshan are correct, .....when you want to transfer the car. .....the documents need not be upto date. ....Cheers harit

Hi Sudarshan, just recheck my post.
What you say about legal, its a matter of interpretation by the khakiwalla, harassment, and in those circumstances, even 101% correct documentation will not help. Just see what goes on at interstate check posts, all those yellow plated vehicles will have upto date documents, but still oil leaks from the mechanicals. Your books need not be upto date in taxes. BTW, the transporters charges always include miscellaneous expenses anyway, lots of tea is consumed on the journey. Having vehicles transported a number of times, this is my take. Meisnutz (BTW,what does this signify? Even Google has no answers other than throwing up t-bhp links) should not worry, the transporter will take care of all requirements.

Cheers harit

[DKG]

Actual experience shows, as Harit mentioned, that a copy of the RC and a letter stating the car is being sent for repairs is all you need. I have received four cars from out of state in this manner with zero issues.