where to tie down a early C3 for shipping?

[Greg L.]

Where do you guys feel would be the best place and way to tie down my 69 for it's 12 hour trip. My trailer is a 20' enclosed and there are only four attach points in the floor. I have 4 ratchet type straps rated at about 3,500 lbs each so I should be okay once I figure out the best way and place to attach them to the car.

I know of the shipping slots in the frame just ahead of the rear kick-up but would rather not use them to save chipping the paint so is there an alternative or should they really be used? I'm not sure where to tie the front end down.

Any advice is appreciated!

[Terry M.]

Re: where to tie down a early C3 for shipping?

Where do you guys feel would be the best place and way to tie down my 69 for it's 12 hour trip. My trailer is a 20' enclosed and there are only four attach points in the floor. I have 4 ratchet type straps rated at about 3,500 lbs each so I should be okay once I figure out the best way and place to attach them to the car.

I know of the shipping slots in the frame just ahead of the rear kick-up but would rather not use them to save chipping the paint so is there an alternative or should they really be used? I'm not sure where to tie the front end down.

Any advice is appreciated!

Oh Greg, you have been around here for a while -- long enough to see several trailer tie down threads. Some of us are quite passionate about using the tie=down points that the manufacturer provided for shipment of the car. I know it is popular in some circles today to bash car manufacturers, but they really did know what they were doing. Use the proper R-hooks in the manufacturer provided and engineered slots int he frame. Your Corvette, and every other one was shipped from the factory (wherever it was) using that points -- and it survived just fine. It will forty years later too.

[Greg L.]

Re: where to tie down a early C3 for shipping?

Thanks Terry.

Ya your're right, I have seen posts in the past on tying down our cars but never paid too much attention at the time because I wasn't "there yet". I did do a search first but for some reason searching "tie down" doesn't return any results which I though was weird...

Anyways, I'll use the factory ones then.

Where are the front attach points though?

[Terry M.]

Re: where to tie down a early C3 for shipping?

1968-1972 front tie down is on the front cross member inboard of the lower control arm mounting shaft. Same oval opening as the rear, but without the edges turned down that the rear has.

I can search the net for R-hook for you if you need a tie-down hook. Most come as a set with three styles of hook, but unless you plan on going into the recovery business you only need the R-hook. When i was looking I found the complete set only slightly more costly than the R-hook alone -- so I would up with the whole set. I don't envision ever having to use the other hooks, but who knows?

I would think "trailer tie down" or "trailering" would yield better results, but WTFDIK.

[Greg L.]

Re: where to tie down a early C3 for shipping?

I would think "trailer tie down" or "trailering" would yield better results, but WTFDIK.

LMAO That's funny cause you know WAY more than I do buddy!

The front frame hooks might be an issue because of the location on the floor attach points of my trailer but I'll do another search and see what I can find.

[Richard G.]

Re: where to tie down a early C3 for shipping?

When trailing a Corvette I prefer using straps around the tires. Only because the car can move on the suspension and it gives the tow vehicle a much better ride. In a commercial truck transport what GM used should be good.
Rick

[Art A.]

Re: where to tie down a early C3 for shipping?

As Terry does I use the strap and hooks like this: http://www.truckntow.com/pc-9772-147167-e-track-ratchet-auto-tie-down-w-frame-hook-cluster.aspx (I used a liquid wrench to remove the two unwanted hooks) with "E" Track fittings like this: http://www.truckntow.com/pc-11390-147212-ea-fitting-w-heavy-duty-d-ring.aspx on the ratchet ends, which fit into "E" tracks like this: http://www.truckntow.com/pc-10514-147212-e-track-horizontal-painted-5ft-section.aspx. The "E" tracks are fastened to the floor so that the "E" track will be situated approximately 1 to 2 feet forward and rearward of the vehicle and just a few inches OUTSIDE of the tires.


The rear tie down location is NOT forward of the kick-up, it is on the crossmember (the one just in front of the kick-up) and as Terry said the oblong hole has the edges turned down.


I have towed three different types GM vehicles, Corvette, Solstice, and Envoy with this same configuration, for about 40K miles, and none of them has ever moved, not even a fraction of an inch.

Hope this helps.