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 (2003-2010) - 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/GMC Jimmy (1995-2005) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.
Tahoe/GMC Yukon (Unspecified year) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.
Chevy/GMC Suburban/GMC Yukon XL (Unspecified year) - Will fit up to three machines providing one head can be removed(EM, Early SS, or lots of unplugging/unbolting).
Trailblazer/GMC Envoy (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).
Equinox/GMC Terrain (2005+) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.
Traverse/GMC Acadia (2009-2014) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.
Lumina (1995-2001) - All standard machines with removable backbox; main cabinet on back seat; backbox in trunk.
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.
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 put in flat.
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.
Fit (unspecified year) - Will hold games of unspecified vintage. It is rumored that a WPC game with the head folded will fit in a Fit.
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 Unlimited (2010) - 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
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 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.
12 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.
13 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.
14 Saturn
Outlook (2007-2010) - Will fit all standard and wide body pinball machines with back seat folded down.
15 Scion
Scion Xb (2003-2006) - Will fit any pin.
Scion Xb (2008+) - Will fit any pin.
16 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.
17 Toyota
Matrix (Unspecified year) - Will fit machines with head removed; includes WPC89, 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.
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".
18 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 any older machine or some newer ones. i.e. Stargate will fit. Dr Who will not!
19 Volvo
240DL Station Wagon (1984) - Almost any pin fits (except Hercules) with the head folded down.