Hot Rods What's the best part of the country for finding old junk?

im in eastern Washington and we have it pretty good for getting buildable stuff. I just helped a friend get a clean model a to build in Alaska, and it made me wonder where the best areas are for finding buildable stuff? Any thoughts?

 

Texas, Oklahoma, not much rust, low prices. Arkansas has always been good but scrappers have hauled off most of the stuff

 

I second Texas. Lots of good, rust free stuff here. I often haul my dads cars to my home in Oregon to get help selling them on EBay because prices are too low to sell here locally in Texas. Most EBay buyers have been from the Midwest and east coast. I can't ebay them from Texas, even though it's better to ship from here, because I don't stay long enough.

 

There's lots of cool vintage tin still out there. My grandson, and I take lots of road trips. We will take rural back country roads. I still see, 30s 40s and 50s cars all the time. I have found that farmers tend to keep everything. If you see any old rust, just stop and talk to them. There is usually an old car or truck behind the barn, or back in the woods. These places have been passed down for generations. Your probably not gone to find a 32. but the fun is in the hunt. And you may make some new friends. I think this works anyplace . But West Va. is great. Ron...

 

Out west. Either side of a big mountain pass.

 

In your own back yard Jim, or front yard depending on which way your facing!
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/4-you-junkyard-junkys-a-fix.351496/

 

Dont come to South Dakota all the stuff is gone

 

Is it fact or myth that cars in Tucson have no rust issues even after 15 -20 years?? I'm looking for an OT pickup and would gladly fly out and drive back for a rust free truck.....maybe there's a H.A.M.B.er in Tucson willing to help?


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That coupe would be great.Just needs the air cleaner changed out.

 

Wyoming and Colorado are pretty good for finding cars. It is very similar to Montana and the Dakotas.

 

Not up here @Binger. Due to lack of population and the fact that this was still the wild West through the 30s, we have an amazingly small amount of tin. And what is here has been picked over. The Western Dakotas are dry however. No worries about my stuff rusting.

 

Bigrat,
I just need to know your location and I'll bring cash. I want that coupe! Grant


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I have looked all over the country and hands down the best place for finding rust free rides is in Nevada. Most have been abandoned so it takes more leg work but you can get the vehicle it's self for free


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I've had LOTS of success in New Mexico! It's dry, remote in many areas, and people have tons of stuff sitting around yards and along the "older" roads....some of the places are ''off the beaten path'' but still....that's why the stuff is still lying around....stay away from the bigger cities!!!, ....many of the places I like are in the mountains and in the vast open terrain on both sides of the state.....stuff is still around! Most people I've stopped and talked to all over NM, really like to talk....show ya around, and sell ya' something if a firm handshake and respect is shown.....not everywhere of course, but I've had lots of success cruising the more ''lonely'' roads, and somebody always seems to know someone who has what I'm lookin' for.

 

You are right! there is a huge lack of population in Wyoming too. not much tin around here either. what you do find is in better shape than tin from the south and east coast. There is still a few yards around here that have lots of 40s to 60s cars. The rust isn't so bad because a lot of those cars make it to the junk pile before they used much salt on the streets.

 

Nothing in North Dakota either!

 

Central valley California. Cause theres little rust and a lot of old cars cause of the big hot rod community's out there back in the day. But you can find parts every where

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Wisconsin is full of project cars that are fixable in the same way time travel is possible (theoretically only).

I never thought about going out and finding a car to fix up. I'm more like one of those old ladies with 50 cats, they just turn up on my doorstop and I feel bad and adopt them.

 

I found a 32 roadster body in a tractor junk yard in California so I would say California. Lots of cars still out here.

 

It's dry on the east side of the mountains in Oregon but what little that was here has been picked over, a lot of stuff spent it's life on dirt roads and in logging camps so what you find is pretty beat up. there are still some treasures around here but you have to look hard for them.

 

[ATTACH I lived just south of you, Jim in North central Oregon for most of my life and had a hard time finding much VT [vintage tin] but my dad and I took a trip to the Boise area in the mid 60s and there was old 30s-40s cars and pickups/trucks next to a lot of barns and houses.
Found some abandoned cars in the Wyoming desert too.
[

 

We had lots of great tin in the olde days in the wild wild west but the snow birds cleaned up the ones that were easy to see from the Interstate.....

 

Not just Tucson, pretty much the whole desert. Everything gets surface rust, but rot just doesn't happen normally. Now, with that said, plan on replacing everything that isn't metal. Rubber, cloth, plastic does not survive the hammering sunshine.

 

Traveling through Kansas, on my to Dodge City, I seen a gazzilian Model T and Model A's in the fields rotting away.

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I'd have to amend that statement, at least as it applies to our area. 15-20 years ago there were old cars in front yards and two or three beside every barn it seemed, but those days are gone. I'm sure there's still some stuff around here but it's hidden in barns, sheds and garages or it was hauled off when the banks took the properties in the economic down turn. I still see a lot of '49-54 Chevy trucks though. Lots of car guys 'round here.

 

according to Rod Action magazine, June of 1977, there is no more vintage tin to be found anywhere.

 

Montana and Idaho for rust free stuff.

 

Nuthin' to see here in Kansas....move along...

 

Anywhere in the US or Canada that has a.) farms and b.) less than 12" of annual precip. haha

 

No good cars in Washington...and don't come here lookin!!

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