New Harp Car!!

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

I think it was Carl who talked about how wonderful the Dodge Grand Caravan is as a harpmobile. I got really tired of trying to get my harp in the Element. It took some convincing unless I got it just right. I wanted a car I could just push it straight into and that was it. My teacher has a Taurus X, but they aren’t made anymore. I was poking around looking at Caravans, and yesterday I bought the most beautiful 2013 navy blue one with power everything and stow and go seats. The sales woman told me to take one home from the lot to try the harp in, so I did. Other than having to be very careful (I put down some carpet) over the seat hooks, it slipped right in like a dream. I’m thinking I will get one of those plastic sheets you put down under an office chair to put over the hooks. If I get a shiny one, the harp may even slide in easier. I am just ecstatic over this new car. It’s so pretty. The Element was a nice car, and it worked…..just not well enough when you are moving it more than occasionally, or when you are just tired of messing with it all. I’ll miss that sweet car….but I’m going to enjoy my new Caravan.

Briggsie

[Angela Biggs]

Congratulations! 🙂

[carl-swanson]

Briggsie- I’m glad you like the Caravan as much as I do. I’m on my 4th Caravan(in a row) right now. Did you get the Grand version, which is longer? In my Grand Caravan, with all the back seats out, I can get 4 pedal harps, any size in the car. I do it all the time.

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

Carl, I did get the Grand Caravan. I got the SXT so I could have the stow and go seats. I knew I could get 2 harps in there from the way it looked when I had my one harp in there, but I would never have guessed FOUR!! I’m amazed. Do you just pad and stack? How do you do that without harming the discs? I know you know what you’re doing, but please tell me how it’s done. Another question….what do you put down on the floor of the van to protect the harps from the hooks in the floor? Some of them seem to protrude a little bit. Thanks for the response…..

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

Thanks Angela. I can hardly stand to stay home knowing it’s out in my driveway. 🙂

[carl-swanson]

As far as getting 4 harps in the car is concerned, they go in with the column on the floor and the knee block at the roof, and they are nested front to back. The first one goes in head first and leans against the left wall. The second, from the right side door, goes in so the top of the column is at the tailgate and it is leaning against the first harp. The third one goes in, also from the right side door, also so the top of the column is at the tailgate, but it is leaning against the wall opposite the first harp. The last harp goes in from the tailgate, top of the column first, and is slid in between the second and third harps. They are all separated by large sheets of cardboard. The cardboard is put in place after each instrument is put in the car. I’ve never had any damage at all using the cardboard.

I have a very large sheet of cardboard on the floor of the van with a moving quilt on top of it. That works well enough. I use old pillows under each of the pedestals. Four harps is the best way of packing the car, because they are in there tight enough so nothing moves around. If I’m carrying 2 or 3 harps, I lean them all against the left side of the van at a pretty low angle so they don’t all shift when I go around a corner. Again, cardboard keeps them apart. Heavy duty cardboard, like appliances are shipped in, or better yet, an old cardboard harp crate cut up, works best.

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

Very cool. Thanks for the explanation. I don’t think I could ever hoist the base of the harp into the rear myself. Of course, I really don’t have to worry about it. My teacher and I did load 2 harps into her Taurus X last year, but she knew what she was doing, and I can’t really remember how she had them configured. I know both harps went in crown first, though. I’m thinking of something slippery to put in there that the harp can slide over. Cardboard probably is the answer…..now to find a piece big enough. I might also buy a large shiny floor mat from an office supply store I found on line. They have one that is 60″ x 46″ and I know that would fit back there. It has grippers on the back for carpet which would be nice as it would stay in place while the harp slides over it. They are supposed to be sending me a sample so I can see how slidey it is.

[Jerusha Amado]

Beautiful color! So glad that it’s working out for you!

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

Thanks Jerusha.

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

Well I just did the Stow and Go on the middle seats because I’m loading my Webster Cecelia in today to take to my ensemble rehearsal… TOTAL piece of cake. I read on another thread about harp cars that the O.P. didn’t want the stigma of driving a “mom van” sort of thing. Well get this: I’m not a mom (except for 2 little rescue pups who LOVE sitting in their own little seat in the van). But I am the owner of a beautiful concert harp, and I’m tired of having to get the harp in and then go in the back doors and turn and twist and pull until the harp gets in correctly and then having to risk bumps and dings to get it out without injury. I’ll suffer the stigma in order to lower the harp and push her in. 🙂

Yay for my spanking new van.

[sherry-lenox]

I shudder to think what I’m being called when I drive around in my black Ford Flex, but fortunately it makes no difference to me at all. Hope you have great luck with your beautiful new car Briggsie!

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

Thanks Sherry. Nope….not to worry what anyone thinks. If it works for you, it works!! Does the harp shove right in to the Flex?

[kreig-kitts]

That reminds me: a couple of times I’ve seen a Ford Flex taxi around town. I haven’t recognized the company name and don’t know if it’s a DC, Maryland, or Virginia provider (only DC cabs can do DC pickups for DC destinations). The next time I see him at a red light or pulled over I’ll try to get a card from him. Maybe it’s a small company. The major taxi companies have such terrible service scheduling pickups I couldn’t imagine requesting a wagon and hoping to get anyplace on time.

I’ve emailed Uber about their larger vehicles and unfortunately only one of their three SUV models has folding rear seats. The others are only removable.

[elinor-niemisto]

I used to use a sheet of cardboard to slide the harp across, but I found that a sign company can supply a plastic version of cardboard that is light and wears better. I cut in into three pieces and duct tape them together so that I can fold it like a business letter for storage. It unfolds to cover the carpet. A nice camping mattress under the harp slides across it very easily. Big pillow under the base box.

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

I ended up buying the plastic mat with grippers on the underside. It should work really well. It rolls up and I’m keeping the box it came in so I can store it when I’m not using it. The Webster Cecelia went right in the side door and lay lengthwise across the width of the van where the center seats normally are. It was SO EASY!!

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