Vehicles for Moving Pinball Machines

Often on the rec.games.pinball newsgroup, there are discussions over which vehicles will or will not hold a pinball machine (Here's a link to the question as asked on RGP).

Below is a listing of vehicles, as well as specifics regarding said vehicles.

Word of caution: Gottlieb System 3 games with head folded for transport are taller than any other manufacturer / platform.

1 BMW

525 Wagon (1993) - Fits any older pin without folding head. Folding head units must be removed.

X3 first generation E83 (2003-2010) & second generation F25 (2010-2014) - Fits any standard pin when folded down (not in box)

2 Buick

Enclave (2008-Current) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.

Rendezvous (2001-2007) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.

3 Chevrolet

Chevette (1985) - fit a Bally Playboy. Back seat folded down - loaded body through hatch, legs next to it, head on passenger seat (have to use right hand to hold head and shift-lol). FYI - yes I got the hatch closed!

Blazer(1995-2005) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.

Equinox(2005+) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.

HHR (Unspecified year) - Will NOT fit, can put in head first but will hit roof and stick out back so hatch can't close

Lumina (1995-2001) - All standard machines with removable backbox; main cabinet on back seat; backbox in trunk.

Suburban(Chevy&GMC) (Unspecified year) - Will fit up to three machines providing one head can be removed(EM, Early SS, or lots of unplugging/unbolting).

Tahoe (Unspecified year) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.

Trailblazer(2002-2009) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down. Note: rear seats do not fold down completely flat giving the cargo area a slanted surface - making it more difficult to load a machine (and you must be careful of the cabinet artwork).

Traverse(2009-2014) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down. Acadia (GMC) will fit Stern in box, Traverse must be unboxed due to hatch shape.

4 Chrysler

PT Cruiser (Unspecified year) - Will fit with rear seats removed.

Concorde (1993-1997) - All standard machines with removable backbox; main cabinet on back seat; backbox in trunk.

LHS (1994-1997) - All standard machines with removable backbox; main cabinet on back seat; backbox in trunk.

New Yorker (1994-1996) - All standard machines with removable backbox; main cabinet on back seat; backbox in trunk.

Town & Country (Unspecified year) - Fits widebody pin easily with one back seat still up. Rest of the back seats need to be folded down. Head must be folded or removed. Can fit 2 machines easily, possibly 3.

5 Dodge

Durango 2011/12 - Fits any size pin with room to spare. Will fit two regular size pins if the back boxes are removed.

Grand Caravan (Unspecified year) - Fits widebody pin easily with one back seat still up. Rest of the back seats need to be folded down. Head must be folded or removed. Can fit 2 machines easily, possibly 3.

Magnum (Unspecified year) - Fits Williams system 3-7 standard width machines with head removed and back seats folded down. Head must be put in flat, then tipped vertical at the gap where the back seats folded. Very tight fit for head box. Definitely will NOT fit WPC machines, or widebodies.

Intrepid (1993-1997) - All standard machines with removable backbox; main cabinet on back seat; backbox in trunk.

6 Eagle

Vision (1993-1997) - All standard machines with removable backbox; main cabinet on back seat; backbox in trunk.

7 Ford

Explorer 4 door (1990+) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.

Focus wagon (Unspecified year) - Will hold WPC machine + dolly.

LTD Crown Victoria 4dr (1982-1991) - All standard machines with removable backbox; main cabinet in trunk with trunk lid tied down; backbox on back seat.

Bronco (1966-1977) - All with tailgate down; backbox folded down or removed.

8 Honda

CR-V (2003) - Can fit one pinball machine easily; fold down back seat and using cardboard to slide game at angle into the car; coin door should be facing toward the front of the vehicle.

Element (2003-2011) - Will hold any pin.

Fit (unspecified year) - Will hold most pins from 70s-current. Including widebody WPCs.

Odyssey (1999-2004) - Can fit one pinball machine in the back with the middle seats installed. Can fit two if the middle seats are removed and the machine is slid in through the sliding doors. Front seats may have to be moved forward some to allow the second machine to be slid in.

Odyssey (2004+) - Two EMs with heads off fit in the back with the middle seats still in and heads behind the front seats (but it's tight). For pins with heads folded, only one fits.

Pilot (2009) - Can easily fit one pinball machine or possibly two; back two rows of seating need to be folded down; will also fit two standard width games if the heads are removable; has also been used to move one older game with the head removed and one game with the head still on (both standard width games: The Simpsons Pinball Party and Eight Ball).

Pilot (2010) - Can fit two standard sized machines with folding heads without removing the heads. One machine is loaded through the rear, then turned sideways over the folded down rear seats. Head remains attached and folded down - it will be a tight fit with the headliner (ie - touching it), but works nonetheless without damage. The other game can be placed in the rear with the front of the cabinet facing the side of the sideways facing game sitting on the folded rear seats. Recommend putting some sturdy thick padding between the games just in case. Games moved this way : Williams 1995 "No Fear!" and Sega 1999 "Harley Davidson".

9 Jeep

Wrangler 2 door models: CJ, YJ, TJ, JK (1986+) - Will NOT fit.

Wrangler Unlimited 4 door model(2007+) - With the rear seats down, holds a Guns N' Roses (with the gun handle), so should hold any pin with a longer-than normal plunger.

Grand Cherokee (1999-2004) - Can easily fit two wedgies, or one wedgie and one multi player EM game. Typically one wedgie head goes on the passenger seat. The larger of the two heads goes immediately behind the passenger seat. Two 2x4 platforms need to be constructed and used to raise the games above the wheel wells. This model series will also hold 1 DMD style game, with the head on. There is not a lot of vertical clearance, but enough. There is plenty of length and width, the choke point is with the height.

Grand Cherokee (2011) - Well I tried and was able to get a BSD in the back of a 2011 grand Cherokee. It was a loaner I got from a local dealer. It's a standard GC version, so I don't know if options change anything. It has about 30 1/4 inch vertical clearance carpet to opening bottom; giving about 1/2 inch clearance with the BSD head. Don't know about other games/manufacturers, but a Williams WPC does fit.

10 Kia

Sorento (Unspecified year) - will fit pins with heads folded down.

Soul (Unspecified year) - With the rear seats down, the Soul can fit either a Gottlieb System 1 game or a Bally -17 game with the backbox removed.

11 Mazda

Mazda5 (2010) - Will fit most modern, folding pins.

12 Mitsubishi

Outlander (2009) - Has been used to move Williams Black Knight, Gottlieb 300, Williams Pin*Bot, Williams Flash, Gottlieb World Fair; will likely not hold a game with a non-standard plunger, such as a Terminator 2, Shadow, or Guns N' Roses.

13 Nissan

Pathfinder (Unspecified year) - Will fit any standard or wide body with the two back rows of seats folded down.

Rogue (2012) - Folded WPC will not fit. 29" from floor without mat to top of hatch.

Murano (2012) - Folded WPC will not fit. Bumps on ceiling for hatch hinge and seat belt shoulder strap.

X-Trail (Unspecified year) - Will fit any standard or wide body with the rear seats folded down.

14 Oldsmobile

Cutlass Supreme (1995) - Was *just* able to handle the body of a 1978 Bally 'Lost World' accross the back seats (doors closed properly, but with very little free room); with the head removed and laid on its back in the trunk. Other GM W-Body cars of this era and even newer ones *may* be able to accomodate an equivalently sized game similarly.

15 Pontiac

Matrix (2003-2010) - Will fit machines with head removed (including folding heads); includes WPC, System 11, Bally SS, and Bally wide body (specifically Paragon); load body shooter first, then slide in head next to it; place moving blanket between them and a ratchet strap over top. Hatch opening is too rounded by about 2" to fit with folding heads attached.

16 Saturn

Outlook (2007-2010) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.

17 Scion

Scion Xb (2003-2006) - Will fit any pin.

Scion Xb (2008+) - Will fit any pin.

18 Subaru

Forester (2000+) - Back seats folded down - fits WPC, early 80's Bally, modern Stern, Williams Joust. Late 80's Bally, Safecracker, Banzai Run has to be put in on their side.

GL Wagon (1979-1989) - All standard machines with removable backbox; back seat folded down.

19 Toyota

4Runner (2009+) - Will fit most modern machines.

Corolla Wago (1992) - Will fit most modern machines.

Highlander (2007+) - Will fit most modern machines.

Matrix (2003-2013) - Will fit machines with head removed (including folding heads); includes WPC, System 11, Bally SS, and Bally wide body (specifically Paragon); load body shooter first, then slide in head next to it; place moving blanket between them and a ratchet strap over top. Hatch opening is too rounded by about 2" to fit with folding heads attached.

Rav4 (Unspecified year) - Will fit most modern machines.

Tacoma Pre-Runner (Unspecified year) - fits great.

Venza (Unspecified year; possibly 2009 or 2010) - Back seat folded down. Tried to shoehorn a WMS Cyclone (System 11). Had to remove nuts from head side of hinge, and slide head forward approx. 3-4 inches on top of cabinet. Ground braid from cab to head had to be removed from stud in head. Very, very, very tight fit! Note: tallest measurement with head folded on Cyclone was 30".

20 Volkswagen

Jetta SportWagon (Unspecified year) - Will hold machine; "a bit too tight for a fold-down newer game though."

Passat Wagon (2005) 30.5 inches of height. Will fit most machines, even DMD's. Dr Who & TZ fit no problem.

21 Volvo

240DL Station Wagon (1984) - Almost any pin fits (except Hercules) with the head folded down.