The Rodding Roundtable
Motorhead Message Central => Rodder's Roundtable => Topic started by: enjenjo on December 07, 2012, 10:39:56 AM
It's getting real hard to find a yard that has any older cars at all. The old guard of owners are all passing away, and the newer owners don't want to bother with them. I used to have five or six places to go locally, now there is one, and he doesn't have much old stuff there. The nearest good place is 40 miles away, and it's pretty picked over.
Is the situation the same where you are too?
Yup, same thing here, has been for a while. There was a strictly old car yard here for decades. the old guy who owned it wouldn't sell to hot rodders so you have to be sure to tell him you were restoring a car. A mall moved in next door and his old swampy land became extremely valuable and he sold out. He wouldn't sell any cars he had left, they all got crushed. Luckily some local guys were helping with the cleanup and they got about a half dozen Hemis out before they were crushed. The other old yard was picked over pretty good and the owner got too old to run it so it all got crushed too.
Most of the yards in this area have primarily FWD stuff, very few will allow anyone to roam around except the pull a parts. Seems like a lot of the yards are being bought out by Middle East types.High scrap prices have been the demise of many of the yards that had older cars, owners get too old to work or pass on & heirs have other duties ,so call in the crusher. There was an old yard 2 counties away that had been closed for years after the owner passed on but his widow would let guys go in & pull what they wanted. Last time scrap got high it was crushed out. The newest car in the yard was a '63 Dodge.I cut the dash that's in my '40 coupe out of an old dirt track car that had been lying on its side there for many years.Myself & Earl Schieb had picked the place over pretty good , but I still hated to see it go.
This seems to be the trend everywhere.
Land close to cities is now becoming far too valuable, and it is just not economic to keep a rusting ancient car body out there occupying space, when it could be crushed for cash.
If you want old, you have to travel way out into the country.
Even out there, when the "old bloke" finally dies, his family will probably bulldoze the old car yard and sell it to a developer.
All very sad...
I can think of 2 places, none close, both very picked over.
Guys; we have to face it that we're a dying breed. Everything now is computers and sensors and of course FWD. The times have changed for all of us. Have fun with what we have and the rodding community that we have.
What ever that hasn't sold the DNR has shut down here.
We have no "Junk Yards" per say .....We have lots of "Auto Parts Recyclers" ....Normal parts charge is 50% of MSRP... ( $45.00 for an arm rest???) Only one place left that will let you go into the yard ... Most people seem to need an "escort" .. They let me wander around..( I never tried to get away with anything ...MANY people have ) ...All late model stuff.... Good place to go for little stuff.. All the "Pick a Parts" places are down in the Chicago area ..... :cry:
Bob.... :wink:
I have not visited a junk yard or recycle location in a few years.
I did hear some local places that were 1 dollar to enter to look around are now at 5 dollars to enter the place.
beyond that, do know, dont care anymore I guess.
I also haven't been to an old car junk yard in 20yrs or so, since I picked a lot of parts for my 61 Chrysler.
That yard had 4 or 5 60/62 Chryslers and DeSotos I could pull parts off of.
But now that yard is gone, think all the yards I grew up with are gone due to age and economics.
Been spending a lot of time wondering what's gonna happen to my cars when I'm gone.
The way things are going, Gasoline may be outlawed before I kick the bucket.
Quote from: "Crosley"I have not visited a junk yard or recycle location in a few years.
I did hear some local places that were 1 dollar to enter to look around are now at 5 dollars to enter the place.
beyond that, do know, dont care anymore I guess.
We only go poking around during cold weather when "Mr. No Shoulders" is sleeping. It was 20 degrees when I climbed into that '40 lying on its side to get that dash. I don't believe I would be brave enough to go poking around an abandoned car in your area if rattlers are as plentiful as I've heard.
I have one locally that still has old stuff and about 70 miles away is another.
We still have one in S.E. Wisconsin but when the insurance becomes unbearable it'll fold like the rest.
Thank Goodness for hoarders! :D