I’m trying not to look back with regrets, you do the same. You can still save some money with the shipper.
The car was originally going to be shipped toTexas. Then plans were changed…it would go to Los Angeles. The shipper called me with news he found a trucker to come get the car. The trucker called via a terrible cellphone connection to say he’d be here Friday. I waited all that day for him. Finally, I phoned him. He said he’d try for Saturday.
I waited until 2 pm Saturday, with no word from him, then I had to go to a meeting. The trucker called me at 210 pm and left a garbled message. I finally spoke to him again at 4 pm. Apparently he is having trouble finding a place to leave an over-tall pickup truck which is going to Alaska. The trucker talks a lot but with his phone connection I cannot understand what he is saying. There will be no pick up today, Sunday. I think he is going to call me today with plans to pick up on Monday. He asked me to measure the car… 
Going to Tinsel Town with the convertible now? Probably to star in a movie before leaving the States. The few times I have shipped cars across the country this is typical hook up problem.
John Q.
“unavoidable circumstances”, I realise
I’m just finding it annoying, as I need to focus on other things right now!
Roger,
I am sorry it doesn’t go as smotth as we want it 
I contacted the guy from Texas who is arranging the shipping for and let him know about the driver’s communication, he promised me to call the trucking company tomorrow morning to make them work a little faster and do as they promise to do.
Ron
The trucker, Nick, is traveling with his wife, and has had un-expected troubles. He told me he didn’t want to call me just to say he had no definite arrival time, so he didn’t call me at all.
While I feel for the guy, I also think he should consider the customer’s feelings. He apologized and said he would do a better job of communicating.
All this communicating is nearly impossible with the crappy cellphone he has.
I kind of wish you hadn’t told his boss to yell at him, as this added pressure on Nick may only make him angry, but what’s done is done. This is why I can never be a supervisor…I don’t LIKE people being angry at me!
What I learned on my job as a supervisor is that you should always communicate and espescially when your work isn’t done in time. That way people might understand you and know that you realize it is important to them. No communication means no understanding from your clients.
Nobody is angry at him but he just has to do his job, and until now he hasn’t been doing a good job 
I don’t want his boss to yell at him but he could tell him to communicate and get the job done. The sooner he picks up the car the sooner you can focus on other things.
Ron
Thank you for explaining, Ron. I completely agree with you. Everything will work out fine.
After a few days of waiting and an email to the company that hired the driver he finally picked up the car. Just talked to Roger on the phone and it was a sad moment for him and his daughter to see the car go but I promised him we will take very good care of her. Just a few more weeks (I hope) before we can pick it up 
Here are some pictures Roger took when the car was driven into the trailer.
Wow! I am sad for Roger and happy at the same time for the Keijs… Bon Voyage red SF Convert.
She will be well taken care of as she was in the states.
John Q.
Kinda reminds me of a time about 15 years ago at the Iola Car Show when I first saw Jesse Ruffalo’s '59 Sport Fury there. He came walking up to me and I said something like “do you see the tears in my eyes”? And he remarked something, and I said “I had one like that awhile back and I traded it in for a Mustang”. Luckily/happily, I found one a few years later.
This story kind of puts those same tears in my eyes, but everything is supposed to happen for a reason so it’ll work out. I bet Roger’s going to be looking for another one.
Congratulations to the Keig Family and condolences to Roger.
I am sure the Convertible will be well taken care off and we will still see plenty of pictures from the new owners.
Roger, you can still offer your expert opinion - the only thing you are missing is the ability to verify things by walking to your garage.
I hope the home building business picks up for you.
Curt
The car is coming to it’s new home soon. It arrived in LA a little over a week ago and we have been waiting for the boat to arrive, and today it finally arrived in the harbour.
If anybody is near and willing to make some pics they are welcome
But we do have a picture of the boat:
The estimated arrival date is November 21st, that is right I am in the middle of my US trip then. Matthew promised to take care of picking up the car and will have it cleaned, polished and waxed before we get home
Matthew mentioned to me about going to the French Riviera on November 22nd for an extended covertible vacation… 
Tout suite!
John Q.
Today was the big day! She was ready for pick up.
I was lucky as it was raining all day except for the time that we picked up the cvt and drove it home. After i parked it in the garage it started raining again
When it was dry again i took some better pics
Back to the garage, i removed some stickers from transport and checked everything.
There was some small stuff in the glove box so time to clean, got it empty and started on the trunk. All the stuff out and checked it all.
Great packing Roger!
As you can see in 1 of the pics above of the interior 1 of the buckles was missing on the drivers seat but it was in the glove box so i got that on again
And we started with the back of the seats like this
After a couple of minutes we had this
Wow! So happy for you and your Dad (Marjo too!) I had never seen the interior of this car and it is very nicely done. Keep the pictures rolling!
Are you going to sleep in the car tonight?
John Q.
Hey matthew,
I am so glad you got it started okay, and got home with no rain! When it is rainy, there is a slow drip from the header, right on the steering wheel.
The passenger side quarter window will go up/down- that switch is upside down (easy fix), and all window alignments will have to be fiddled with..(I hope nobody burned out the motor trying to make it go up/down).
The original factory seat buckle fell off a few months ago. I am impressed that you found a way to re-attach it! Glue?
You did a great job installing the ash receivers. All it took was making an “X” with knife in each seatback!
I hope you enjoy all the extras in the trunk.
Matthew, Ron and Marjo,
I am glad that you have a new addition to your family. The car seemed to arrived unharmed.
I sent a car to Germany a few years back and there are no promises that the car would arrive unharmed. I was not allowed to ship anything in the trunk except wheel covers.
The Customs folks said leave the keys in the drivers door and walk away when we were at the marine terminal. We had a real bad feeling about the whole processs, but it turned out fine. Now some Pizza shop owner in Germany is trying to navigate small streets in a 1976 Ford Thunderbird not to mention the cost of Petrol! Cost to ship was $750.
I am glad eveything went well!
Curt
Yesterday i tried fixing the drivers side window.
It just didn’t wanted to go up and made a strange rattling noise. When you pulled the window up it started going. Down was not a problem.
So i took the door panel off and checked out what was wrong.
Found out that the motor was turning but the weird rubber thing that is on the motor wasn’t turning. Tried to put a clamp on it but it was too big.
Got a ty-rep around it now and it works but need something else.
Roger, i pushed against the front of the seat and pulled the little clip that holds the buckle out of the seat. It was a fight but after a while i re-attached the clip to the buckle again
A tie wrap worked for me, Matthew - been holding up for 5 years.I used washers to occupy the space, to help keep it from slipping off:
Dan