Technical Dumpster diving at an old ford dealership. What do I have?

i found out about an old dealership that closed down and they brought in dumpster and started filling them. I actually paid money to pull stuff out. All the old tools went in. As well the stuff in the parts room. I had limited time and hauled a truck load home to the dismay of my wife. I was about a month late and all the good stuff was picked through and gone.
The Fergason stuff was in a back building going for scrape. The brake rivit tool as also going for scrap.

 

There was a sunnen machine in the dumpster with casting smashed. Floor jacks, AC chargers & adjustable hones

 

I would like to find manuals for the Sun vat 60 tester and the Allen condenser tester.
There is a old armiture lathe, not sure what I could with that?
I think most of it needs fixing.
I grabbed all the Meteor hubcaps.
I'll post some more pictures.

 

That old Marquette battery charger is ident to the one I just inherited from my grandad.
Still works great

 

There was a lot of exhaust systems and parts now for the 70s nos Granada speedos, grand marque stuff, boxes of brake shoes and pads.
I picked up a couple of stripe kits from the 70s.

 

WOW! You hit the Mother Lode. How cool is that. Unbelievable that they just trashed all of that stuff. Don't they know that us HAMBers would pay good money for that kind of thing.

 

That one will need some work. The cables are cut off.

 

Nice score.... hard to believe that stuff didn't end up on Ebay. Anyone in the automotive business should know it has value.

 

I was a month late. This is stuff no one wanted. I think the new owner didn't want to sell anything just load dumpsters. Buddy said he could get 150$ a ton ???

 

Meteor Mercury caps

 

What is it?

 

Clamp for hot patch in side a tire, I think,,,,,,,,, missing the upper part.

 

No they don't! The powers that be in dealerships are anything but car people. Last place I worked for cleaned out a room of shop manuals dating back from the 70's and just threw it all in the dumpster. They wouldn't let anyone save the stuff or listen to why we needed them. The reason they cleaned it out? They used the room for storage for merchandise in the parts managers "7/11" store in the customer parts area. You could pick up a bag of Doritos or a cap, but you might not get your older car fixed.
Great save. Some of those tools look like they came out of my Dads tool box.

 

I think the starter is from a tractor, not sure if it will work on a flathead. The yokes look like they will fit a nine inch rear. The sparkplug cleaner need some work.

 

Buddy said he has all the manuals at his place to be recycled. I need to go look at them.

 

Please! go and grab the manuals! Most times the task of "cleaning out" an old storeroom or workshop is given to a long-sleeved "cleanskin" with no dirt under his nails who has no interest in cars, or anything more than 30 minutes old.
If these dumb-dumbs just rang the local car club, hot rod club, etc, they would get theplace cleaned out for free, and all of that neat stuff would not end up as landfill.
Even if it does end up on Ebay, at least it is still in circulation and not lost forever.

 

......................................So true.

 

What a great bunch of stuff! I have one of those spark plug cleaners (needs works as well.) I really like those jack stands!

 

years ago before ebay days, this older guy I became friends with got me a part time gig at this used car lot that was an actual new car dealership at one time. Me and the older guys son would help drive cars back from the different auction houses when they brought them which turned into every week. well, I got a call from this older guys son and asked if he could hire me for a day that turned into a couple of days.

Turned out he heard about the old part storage room at this dealership and inquired about it and the owner said he was thinking about getting a dumpster in and tossing it all out so he could rent that space out. my friend now was told he could have it all free if he took everything out and that is what he did. almost everything went to the swap meet. He did really well seeing only expense he had into the parts was my wages!

Fast forward to just a few years ago. An online auction site I deal with that is located about an hour away started in a 2 car house garage on a back street. well it took off and they ended up renting the old buick dealership next door for quite a few years. well a few years ago, they made a deal and brought it finally. they got everything that was in the backroom.

Some old car parts but mainly a lot of old dealership signs and old tooling. Some of the old signs were neon and still in the shipping crates. They must have gotten new signs on a regular yearly basis or every few years but rarely installed any of them.

Took them 4 sets of online auctions to sell everything out of this stockroom. I got to know them quite well seeing I have been with them since the first year they started and mentioned about those auctions and some of the prices they got and he said, yes he was quite happy with it, it all came with this property and just what they sold, they got the property for free and made some too.

Some items just don't have value to some people while others see value in it. Like the old saying one man's trash is another man's treasure. Sometimes a widow is just happy to get rid of everything in one lump some too.

 

that's called progress in business. get rid of all the old crap taking up space because it is built to last and replace it with new china parts that fail on a regular basis so you hopefully get repeat business.

 

Very cool shit man...nice score

 

I can't imagine what I missed in the last month. It was literal empty when I got there.
I was in the dumpster at the end and buddy told I had to get out so he could leave. I was trying to reach the adjustable reemers in the bottom. Only got one.
Might go tomorrow to get some manuals. Be worth it if there is a green bible in the lot.

 

i worked with a fellow named wayne crump, who was restoring a '55 pontiac safari. he just would visit parts departments of pontiac dealers in small towns and got an unbelievable number of nos parts. for instance, he found a new-in-box lighted hood ornament. the dealer didn't know what to charge, so it cost wayne something like $6 (1955 price).

 

I assume that is a fender stand for holding fenders while reworking them? Did you get the different upright attaching "posts" that are various heights and angles?

I would like to see pics if you get it figured out. I struggle with 1930 style fenders, trying to prop them up while doing welding, bumping and mud work

.

 

Learn how to turn armatures, undercut the mica and rebuild your own starters!

 

There is no pump but most of the attachments look like they where never used. I'll take some more pictures of the table but it doesn't look like any posts can go on it.

 

Can't believe they wouldn't list a garage sale on Craigslist, etc. Or even donate it to Goodwill and get a tax credit. Just scrap it-what a mentality. Great for you though. Nice score!

 

Thanks for the reply on the table...

If you are talking about these things in your truck? I think they are mostly porta-power tooling for very serious wreck repair. I have no idea if the fender table ever had provisions for a porta-power.

I thought the table was a very adjustable way to hold things solidly while straightening. I sure could be wrong; maybe power pushing was done on the table, too.

I just like learning more about old body tooling.. back when labor was cheaper than parts, they fixed some major wrecks!

.

 

I'm thinking the owners retired, didn't want to make the upgrades that ford canada wanted to the dealership and sold it lock stock and barrel. Maybe Ford said destroy all inventory?
New owner of the building wanted the empty buildings all the stuff was junk.
It like the saying If you have to ask you would not understand. I think that applies to all the stuff that was there.