Our neighborhood has a terrific swim team, with about 100 kids! I was thinking wow, 100 kids, I would love to try to drum up business from all those parents! Every year they do a big party at the end of the season (July). I asked them if they would like me to do their cake for free. They were very honest with me and told me they would love it, but warned me the cake has to feed about 400 people! OMG!! 
They do a big aligator, which they said last year was 4 feet long! 4 FEET long! She said she wanted to warn me before I commited to this.
Now I have some great ideas and this could be a lot of fun, (I would fer sure do it in MMF, as I would be afraid of melting) and don't mind doing it for free...but a four foot long cake!??! has anyone done a cake this big? How did you even put it on a board? How do you transport it? Am I crazy to think of doing this? (I haven't said I would yet). I wanted to run this by everyone before I did commit!!
I would definitely say get a nice sheet of plywood.......probably 3/4 inch at least. Just to be on the safe side. I have to make a life sized guitar cake at the end of may.....so I've started trying to figure out these huge cakes LOL As for transporting it?? Know anyone with a truck or station wagon???
I would definately go with the pieces idea and then put it together on site - but, that's just me personally. Do whatever you're more comfortable with. 
you would probably transport it in sections and have to mend it together at that site..........did you ask them if you could "advertise" and lay your cards, etc. out?
oh yeah, they said I could put out cards or flyers and they would let everyone know who did the cake. It would be a good marketing move, or it could ruin me if I screw it up! hahaha!
I like the idea of pieces..I was thinking of using loaf pans to make the body, which would be pretty sturdy...and the plywood is a good idea too. I have a pick up truck, but with the heat of July I was nervous about putting the cake in the bed...
Depending on how far you have to travel, maybe you could cover the bed of the truck with a sheet or something like that. Good luck, sounds like fun and a challenge!
Leslie
Just sit down and prepare everyhting way ahead of time!
You will be baking & decorating for a LONG time, lol. Will this interfere with any of your other cakes? How much will you be investing in this alone, not counting your time?
What does dh think of this? (they're usually smarther than what we give them credit for, lol)
Good Luck!!!! I wish you the best!
Hey there,
I had to do a rep. elephant cake for my mother-in-law. (She is running for a local office). If you can find a picture and then go to kinkos and have it blown up. Then you can bake several sheet cakes and cut the figure out. Personally, I have to know that everything is going to turn out, so I did mine and finished it at home. Then transported. Definately, do the plywood though! I did mine with buttercream and a rough finish. Too bad you have to use fondant... that will be more. Good luck !!!
Maybe you can PM the person who did this cake; it's pretty long!
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-photos_display_85_-31988.html
w 
W that is one big cake. I think that I would for sure take it in maybe 3 or 4 segments . Here are some pics that might help you with ideas
http://www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com/cake-decoration-idea.html#alligator07
Good luck.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%