transporting an Amtech Hardtop, lots of questions

[cryptofile]

Found a regular (not ambulance) Amtech hardtop that someone is willing to sell, but I would need to transport it about 800 miles. Wondering if this is something I could just hang off of my GMC 1500 truck bed. By measurements, it should sit on the truck bed and overhang it by about 6 inches on each side and about 3 feet past the tailgate. Anyone with experience in moving a hardtop ? Is a trailer the only way? Any comments on whether my plan to strap this down to a pickup bed doable? How heavy are these things? Possible for two people to heft it or will this take a loader (forklift or tractor bucket) to move?

 

[Coug]

It's in the 500+ lb range, maybe more. I'd definitely recommend using equipment to lift it if available. If not, then 3-4 people would be the minimum I'd suggest, as it's awkward.

Personally I would recommend a trailer, one that is wider than the top would be in order to support it on both sides. Could use plywood to widen a narrow trailer, but between the plywood and the design of the top you'll be catching a lot of wind with it.

That being said, you probably COULD support it across the bed of the truck using plywood or some other method to support it along the sides, and then put some foam or a movers blanket or something and support the front of the top on the cab of the pickup. (I'd secure the plywood across the top of the truck bed at full width, then screw some 2x4's to either side of the top where it rests on the plywood to make sure it doesn't shift side to side. After that run a bunch of straps over the top of everything, at least 2 from side to side, and I'd also do one from the front of the truck and over everything down to the back.) If it's an 8 foot truck bed you don't even really need to have it hanging over the back if you support the front with the truck cab, you can slide it forward until the b pillar is at the back of the truck cab.

Mostly you just need to worry about the B pillar fiberglass post portion on each side, as that's the weakest link. Shouldn't be an issue if you support it along the back sides and the front, then lightly secure those B pillar portions lightly to keep them from flapping around and causing issues.
Lots of 2x4's, some plywood, a saw to cut everything to size, and a whole bunch of tie down straps and it's doable.


(When I picked up mine, it was the tall version of the top. I used a flatbed truck and some big blocks of wood. Set the front down on the blocks of wood, 3 2" straps over the top side to side, then used the inside anchor points in the roof to fasten it down to the truck as well to keep it from shifting. Only 100 miles but no problems. Cab blocked most of the wind and there was no rear door so air went right through.)


Hopefully the general idea of what I'm saying made it across, if not I can try to clarify.

 

[98G]

I transported one upside down on a solid tonneau cover on a pickup truck bed

 

[DREDnot]

I was thinking upside down, too.

You would need to see the top and truck side by side to see the magnitude of the mismatch.

You would need two sheets of plywood across the bed to do right side up. Id do it that way upside down too to spread out the load.

 

[Coug]

the only issue I see with upside down is running the straps across it. Can probably do one across the rear door area, then 2 crossed going from the rear door area out the back, depending if the rear door is on or not.

 

[TOBASH]

It's just 800 miles. If you want it done right....

Each and every time I use a shipper, something goes sideways.