If you’ve got a truck or a van, you can carry just about anything without too much fuss. Those of us with regular cars, though? Suddenly, when it’s time to haul lumber or shift mulch, we have to get creative. So I ask you—what’s the weirdest load you’ve hauled in a regular car?
I’m not talking folding chairs in the back of a Honda Accord, or a couple of coolers in the trunk of a Camry. I’m talking oddball, offbeat, strange—the kind thing that has the State Trooper pulling you over for a summons and an ear-bashing.


This question was spawned by the erudite Peter Viera, who spotted a great example online. I think we can all agree this was the result of a timber purchase gone duly awry. Who amongst us hasn’t been there?
When Peter floated this idea, it appealed to me directly. Why? Because I’ve been in this exact situation, except a little stupider. Because I’m a car enthusiast.
See, once upon a time, I had my very own art studio. It was really cool! We were building our own stage, and it was my job to pick up the timber cladding. Surely enough, I popped into Bunnings (Home Depot but green), and laid down the cash for the boards. Only, when I got to the parking lot, I realized my mistake. I’d pulled up in my Miata, and there was no way they’d fit in the trunk.


I was on a deadline, and besides, I’m stubborn. If a job can be done, I’m gonna do it. Sketchiness be damned. I ended up going back inside. I had the boards cut in half, I bought a bunch of string, and I figured out a way to lash everything to the car with the roof down.
It was stupid in the extreme. The biggest problem was the taut strings running back and forth through the cabin, right in front of the driver’s seat. I had to thread myself in beneath the tangle, and I could barely shift for the ropes impeding my arms and legs. It was all a bit Entrapment, though I looked nothing like Catherine Zeta Jones.


It was like this.Â
What made it even sillier was that weeks before, I had a far better car to do the job. I’d used my Volvo 740 Turbo to pick up all the rest of the timber with ease. It even had a tow ball! Sadly, I’d sold it, so my roadster was forced into lumber duty.
Ultimately, I got away with my little gambit. I probably wouldn’t have tried it, but I was only going 3 miles down the road and it seemed like it would work. These days, I’m more reluctant to go for such Rube Goldberg antics.

That’s my silly story. Now it’s time to share yours. I’m disappointed we don’t have pictures in the comments, but I’ll ask nonetheless—what’s the weirdest load you’ve hauled in a regular car? Odder the better.
Image credits: author
Probably the most memorable “unusual” item would be an entire engine.
My parents up to that time had bought exactly 1 new car in their lives a 1965 Corvair. When my sister was about to turn 16 they bought her… a 1969 Corvair that needed to be fully restored to be functional as the floors had rusted through and the rest of the car needed going through as well. So they took it to a body guy that replaced all rot including brand new metal floors, all new suspension arms, springs tie-rods, etc… all new brakes, fuel lines, brake lines…
And the engine needed to be replaced as well.
So my dad and I found one for sale, and picked it up with a 1978 Olds 98 Regency. We used a cherry picker to gently place the new to us Corvair engine in the trunk and funniest of all we were able to Close The Damn Trunk (with the Corvair engine inside).
A goat.
A bag full of blood, stool, and urine. I used to be a phlebotomist that traveled to other labs to also collect samples.
Moving my brother around:
AT-4 Training launcher
Spent M72 LAW tubes
Combat stretcher
Plate Carriers
The head of a wild boar mounted on a plaque with a chest harness so you can wear it on your chest
“weapons”
Jerrycans
Full combat surgical kits
The mighty 2008 Scion xB (2nd Gen)! Items transported include:
Damn I miss that car…
My relatives…
A Godzilla-themed Japanese pachinko cabinet in the hatch of my Saturn. I was picking it up in Pittsburgh as a favor for my cousin. Not the largest or heaviest thing I’ve had back there (I’ve moved multiple times with this car as the main mule), but definitely the oddest.
Not weird, but if you need to haul a lot of stuff in a regular sedan, take a minute to figure out how to remove the rear seat. You’ll be able to stack boxes, totes, etc higher. I’ve not done a front seat removal, but that’s an option too.
I once was browsing craigslist when a massive 8ft tall Coors Beer-Wolf advertising statue caught my eye for an insanely low price. Base to the tip of his ears that massive statue just barely fit in my 89 LTD Country Squire. Was able to close the tailgate, window and all! Wish we could post pictures in comments!
I WANT TO SEE THAT TOO!
Here’s some pics I took of the day and what it looks like all set up!
https://imgur.com/a/HwkPSM9
I’ve raised a few eyebrows with things I’ve put in my second gen prius:
I’m sure I’m forgetting a few. Always so satisfying leaving Lowe’s with more on board than the F-250 following behind me.