History Old Time Junk Yard Photos PIX 1920 to 1970

RatMotor & IsettaJohn, these are great shots, bros ! Rat, if ididn't have family here in Ohio, I think Icould live out my life in Ontario helping YOU save and part out these great cars.

Happy, healthy NEW YEAR to ALL who have contributed to this keen thread. It's been the most fun a grown man could have -- with his clothes on!!! LOL

 

Among my earilest memories (mid '50s) are of looking out the car window at passing "auto graveyards" an wishing that I could just run in there and explore. I thought to myself that someday I wound love to have such a place. My wife says that is what I'm making with my current collection. I'm always fancinated by visits to boneyards wondering about the stories the cars could tell, how at one time each was the object of great excitment and joy. It reall is kinda of spooky.

I like to have posters of some of these pictures .

 

isettajohn -that first pic you posted is of a '37 Chrysler. I want it! Do you have more info on it?

 

Son-A-Hud said: Among my earliest memories (mid '50s) are of looking out the car window at passing "auto graveyards" and wishing that I could just run in there and explore. I thought to myself that someday I wound love to have such a place. My wife says that is what I'm making with my current collection. I'm always fancinated by visits to boneyards wondering about the stories the cars could tell, how at one time each was the object of great excitment and joy. It really is kinda of spooky. I like to have posters of some of these pictures .

Jimi says: Son-A-Hud, I can relate to every WORD you said, bro! We must be about the same age, since I was born in 1950 and remember watching the car graveyards as a bored kid on LONG car trips. This whole thread (which a TON of guys have gotten really "into") seems to show WE are surely NOT alone!!!

As far as "posters," most of the pix on this thread are from HAMBER's own cameras and cell phones. Everyone I've talked to says to re-post anything -- just for other people's enjoyment. Isn't that cool? And many of the keen pix from the '50s and earlier are part of library archives. SOME of those (historical societies, for example, say they can assist interested parties in ordering quality photographic prints (meaning suitable for framing), either through their internal departments or from the folks who do possess the original glass or nitrate negs. Jeesh! There are some classics in this thread!!! Classics at least to us old-car lovers!
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IsettaJohn, I LOVE this pic, but MAN! is it huge. How many maga-pixel-thingies does your camera do?

 

Frankie, I can't get this one out of my head! Sad seeing the car being added to the pile, but the "BON FIRE" sign leaves me with questions. Do you (or anybody in HAMBland) know if it was fairly common practice to burn cars to better reduce them to their base metals for the mills?

Also, Frankie, what is CORBIS? I'd like to get in touch with them and ask about price for buying a framable print. Thanks if you can add anything!!! -- Jimi

 

Yep, it was common practice to burn off all the rubber, interior, wood and wiring thus making it easier to salvage the metals

 

Corbis is a company that sells stock photography:

http://www.corbisimages.com/Default.aspx

 

Thanks for the lead, TOE! And thanks, MoeFuzz RE the fires; jeesh, things were different back then! BTW, MoeFuzz, where is Sanarctica. Alaska? I've been keeping track of the staes & provinces where VT is located, so it would be cool to know at least the general area where your HUGE 250-pic collection came from. So, far we have 40 of 50 states represented in this thread, along with 5 Candaian provinces and 4-5 other countries. Most unrepresented states are west of the Mississippi.

 

Sorry to say only a handful of the cars were saved, all the rest were crushed onsite as the family had 2 weeks to clear the land.

 

Man, IsettaJohn, isn't that the way it goes? Stuff sits around for literally decades, then it's gone in 2 weeks! Sheesh.

BTW, what year & model is the Packard in your avatar?

 

Hey, for those who love virtual junkyard tours (and who doesn't?), please open MoeFuzz's link on Post #371 !!! You'll spend an hour touring a huge yard up in The Great White North, Moe's territory ! Here are just a couple of samples:

 

I didn't go through every page, but, If some of you haven't seen this thread, there's a junk yard in R.I. lots of pics in the tread...

Here's some more pics of the same 'yard from someones photobucket...

 

well, i've posted these before, but not in this thread anyway...

Some rare birds. Enjoy:

63 merc wagon ( not super rare, but it's next to a 51 kaiser if that scores it any points. )


58 desoto


53 dodge convertible


55 Ghia bodied Imperial limo

 

Not sure of the model as I'm not a Packard collector but its a '37 4dr. (6 cyl. I believe). I bought it for the front clip and grill that I hoped to use on a pickup some day. So far its become lawn art for now. Perhaps someone could use the motor & trans for parts? Nothing else left than the body and wheels. Gave a passing thought to making it a shortened 2dr.

 

As everybody knows, this thread has been about nostalgia, history, spotlighting surviving (and dying) junkyards in as many states, provinces and countries as possible -- AND it's an attempt to put IN ONE LOCATION a ton of outstanding, even artful, pix so that someone can sit down and take a cool virtual tour of junkyards spanning 40 states, WITHOUT having to hunt all over the internet. Some of the material, then, is new, and some comes from around the 'net and various HAMB postings. I'll continue to pick up good pix where I find them and, as usual, WELCOME contributions from HAMBers who run onto lost (and not-so-secret) yards where they find them. Obviously, we concentrate on pix of pre-1965 material.

But also, when we run across solid LEADS to junkyards possibly harboring trad and rebuildable iron, it would be great to include useful info like that here! On Post #296, I pulled together 15 or 20 links supplied by HAMBers to their personal visits to junkyards, and some include directions and/or contacts, so you can go there if you want.

To that end, I wanted to note that, as of the end of December, HAMBer RoadkillCustoms of Louisville (RoadkillCustoms.com) has further updated and improved his BIG national list of junkyards and salvage yards. Not only have guys helped him ADD lots of yards, but he's added new search features, as well. The latest link he's posted is: View Junk Yards, Salvage Yards and Auto Recyclers Database .

He originally posted in July '08 about his project. You can look further into details by searching his thread: "Junk Yards, Salvage Yards and Auto Recyclers" on the HAMB'net, folks! Who knows, the time spent reading his thread & following some leads could help you find your next project! Thanks, RoadKill for the "public service," and THANKS to the HAMB for being the best board for traditional rodders and customizers!!!

 

Here are a couple of shots taken by HAMBer Big Dad in mid-December at a North Texas yard. He said stuff before '64 is sparse there, but it looks as though there is at least SOME usable material and trim. Maybe if we ask nice, he'll point us to the location? For more pix from his visit, please search his thread, titled, "North Texas junk yard pics 12-19-09."
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We're talkin' rare stainless, in good shape, on this here Dodge!
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Whoo-EE, hard not to like this Silver Streak coupe. Shades of "Rebel Without a Cause" !

 

There is something about weeds,cars, faded paint, time, and abandonment. Whatever the psycho-analytical description I've been blessed with its enjoyment. Too bad most of the old yards have gone in our area.

 

Back in December of 2001 I toured this mid Michigan yard. I drove over there maybe 4 years ago and it was closed up as far as I could tell. Thing is, I could hear a couple dogs acting nasty, so I left. To see for yourself try taking M-46, which runs East and West across the middle of the state. Somewhere about half way between the towns of St. Louis and Edmore you'll find Crystal Rd. Go north, maybe 15 or so miles (it's been awhile so it could be more or less) and the yard would be on the left (West) side of the road. Have someone keep a watchful eye out. It might be quite overgrown.
Bob

 

ChevyGasserMadness, whatever that psychosis you have about junkyards, SEEMS lots of guys have it, too! We all need our old-timey junkyard fix, even in the wintertime!!!

 

Referencing Post #410 by BobK49 (who just happens to be a Merc nut!): Bob, I have run across this 2001 portfolio several times elsewhere, and I enjoy the virtual "trip" every time!!! (The junkyard is located on Crystal Road, east of Edmore, Michigan, and North of M-46, in case anybody wants a fun afternoon walking amongst old vintage tin!)





Can't say WHY, Bob, but this is my fave shot in the whole bucket!!! OOPS, can't get it to appear! Any idea why, Bob? -- Jimi

 

Okay, here are some shots from a recent post from HAMBer 66Shorty. He didn't claim credit, just pointed to a photobucket by another person. Point is, there are some great cars still in this place in Rhode Island -- as well as the usual JUNK! As for the ones below, I think it's like MoPar Heaven. Gotta be some good parts still on these cars. The trunklids, which have usually been jimmied, seem pretty good here! This yard is in Rhode Island on a road called Brandt's Road.

 

A couple of pix from ScrewShiney's photobucket from his junk yard tours.


These quiet days, instead of the wind on the highway, the only wind whistling
through this ol' Fireball 8's teeth is the wind from the nearby pines!


End of a proud 58-year line of Packard automobiles. Rust in peace!


Probably past saving now, but still a cool shot of an old long-roof.

 

HAMBer ScrewShiney supplied a great photobucket lead. He's from Carteret (is that Georgia?), but the tours may be from different yards. Anyway, WAY worthwhile! http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...5/junk%20yard/


Those tail light pods on the '56 DeS are pretty scarce nowadays. Imp trunk lid looks excellent. Chrome & stainless on both cars seems in good shape!


In its day, this '57 Premier was one nice Lincoln land yacht!


The Dagmars on this Caddy sure bring back memories, eh?

 

Here are another couple of pix from the long-running thread, "Projects Sitting
and Rotting....picture thread," started by HAMBer RoyalShifter, late-January
'09. Great thread! You can spend hours on that thread alone! But here are a
couple teasers from RoyalShifter's thread.


Man, I love this shot by ZachFrom NY, with the setting sun lending
super-cool lighting to this old -- I'm thinkin' -- about '49 Chrysler? Help!


I think Ike Turner had a hit record about this: "Rocket 88" !!!
'Nother shot by ZachFrom NY, same thread.




Same thread, shot by RockaBillyRat of Medina, OH. Makes ya just
feel sorry for the old war horse, doesn't it?

 

Per the point of this thread, and for whoever is interested, the cars i posted in my last post(#405) are from a place called eckleys, in PA... The Pics are atleast a few years old, and i know that they were starting to crush alot back then, when i was there.
The only one from somewhere else is that Ghia limo, which i'm sure is gone by this point. It was another old timey yard near the border of NJ and PA, but that pic is atleast 5 or 6 years old.

 

We lost a lot of old cars and parts about 6 years ago here in NC - they went in and crushed about 100 acres...30s thru 70s. The yard was on highway 49, between Ashboro and Charlotte, called Binghams. It wasn't well advertised that they were going to crush and shut it down...they had an auction, but few knew about it. We found out after the fact, when they were having a final final final sale - anything you could carry for $100, whole cars for $225. I rescued a '57 Plymouth 2-door sedan, and loaded it with parts.
The worst part: Stan Bingham was 1/2 owner; he's also a congressman. The story was, he wanted to get rid of the liability of an old junkyard and what the EPA ramifications might be. So everything was crushed. Somehow (now I'm not suggesting AT ALL that ol' Stan used his congressional influence) he not only managed to avoid any EPA fallout, he managed to sell the piece of land in the middle of nowhere to the county for millions of dollars for a landfill....
It's such a shame to see so many cars simply destroyed. The intact chrome and especially the stainless trim on many of these cars was enough to make someone a rich man.

 

try this:

www.richardsclassiccars.com

 

RoadkiII...Richard's is still there, Bingham's was just south of it (had the mustang on the pole). Unfortunately, Richard isn't pulling in the cars like he once did as he's been trying to sell it. Last time I was there was about a year ago...a lot has been crushed there as well.
I used to go to both yards quite frequently...they are about 10 miles from my other house in Denton. There's still a lot of cars sitting in the general area (I need to go out with my camera one day). There's a couple old junkyards buried in the trees off of Hwy 109...A lot of 30's through 60's (several Impala SS's for some reason). There's a yard outside of Thomasville that had a bunch of stuff last I was there. In Lexington there's a closed yard (closed in the 70's) filled with stuff...if you can get the owner to sell (we managed to get a mustang convertible top assembly to modify for our '51 for $35). Just off of Hwy 109, there's an old junkyard covered in trees and vines...again closed, but the owner can be convinced to sell a few parts. He also has 4 or 5 old chicken barns FILLED with 30's, 40's, 50's and some 60's cars that he won't part with.
Now that I spend most of my time around Raleigh, I'm not finding as much - perhaps due to being "on the beaten path". There is the remains of an OLD speed shop off of US 1 with a spattering of cars and trucks but I can't see much due to the overgrowth. There's also a crumbling old mill with a shed roof about 100' long protecting late 60's/early 70's Chevelles, El Camino's, and Darts...with a no trespassing sign.

 

Which one do you want?