History CT hamber's old junk yard in colchester CT?

Angry Frenchman · Nov 28, 2010

this makes me sad

The37Kid · Nov 28, 2010

Now that is a very sad thing to read, we lost the crew of the sub and their cars were sitting there were they parked them before that fateful event. You would have thought a family member would have claimed them.

F&J said: ↑

They even cleaned out the US Navy parking lot of unclaimed cars left behind when The Sub "Thresher" sank in 1963. There were quite a few cars with 63 plates, including a 53 Cad conv. Others in there: 57 Chev 2dr ht, 38 Ford conv sedan, 35 ford sedan delivery...
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farmergal · Nov 28, 2010

The37Kid said: ↑

Now that is a very sad thing to read, we lost the crew of the sub and their cars were sitting there were they parked them before that fateful event. You would have thought a family member would have claimed them.
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Where were the navy cars? There was also an old junkyard on the other side of colchester towards Salem that was very recently cleaned out. that place was full of old cars. they all met the fate of the crusher also

The37Kid · Nov 28, 2010

farmergal, If you have seen the cars in this yard just what are they '50's and '60's or Pre WWII stuff?

ChekrdPast · Nov 28, 2010

Farmergal; Thanks for the heads up. Wouldn't want to be met with any resistance. If he was open to it that'd be different. Hopefully some good can come of this for him. It's a shame the State leaned on him so hard. Wish even one of those cars could go to a good home and see the road again. Thanks for keeping us posted.

darkk · Nov 28, 2010

If it's the place on 85 I'm thinking of, it is closed now. I know the family...

farmergal · Nov 28, 2010

The37Kid said: ↑

farmergal, If you have seen the cars in this yard just what are they '50's and '60's or Pre WWII stuff?
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well them yard was purchased in the early 50's as an existing business so i'm sure there is some pre 40's stuff in there. there is a lot of 40's, 50's, and early 60's. nothing in there that is much past 1965ish

farmergal · Nov 29, 2010

True till Death said: ↑

I have heard from a couple older people in this area about an abandoned junk yard in Colchester ct. nobody has given me good directions as to where it is till today.

I wanted to know if anyone from this area does have any info on it, it was closed down around the 60's to 70's and have heard its a gold mine of 70's to 20's cars. I looked online and found no reference to it at all, anyone dealt with the owner before closing, and anyone remember the name of the yard? Any info would help in approaching the owner of the yard and making a good first impression

<OIm not ready to disclose the location yet, want to check it out and see who owns it, if they will sell anything ect
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The other junkyard mentioned in this thread (the one close to the Old Amston Road junkyard) is an old truck junkyard. There is a big fence so you can't really see in it but i have heard that there is some very neat old trucks in that junkyard

The one on Old Amston Road does not have a fence and many of the cars are right next to the road but the yard is so huge and full of trees; you truly can't see anything fromt he road compared to whats actually in there

F&J · Nov 29, 2010

farmergal said: ↑

The guy who owns the lot has hired a private company to haul everything away before the state took i t to the next level. The people i know who put the bid in for the job did not get the job but recieved the opprotunity to walk around this place. It is FULL of cars. It is in the woods; on a large lot. the trees grew in over the years. Many of the cars are in rough shape but there are still many treasures to be had. A lot of things in there you definately dont see much of today.

The guy has been fighting the state and holding out for several years now and he's been forced to scrap it all now. Do not go there and show up there expecting to just walk right in. I warn you this is not a good idea. The owner is not very keen about people sneaking around the property and has people chacking up ono it daily. they are currently working there everyday to clean the place out; so you won't be met with happy characters.

I do not personally know the owner's phone number but perhaps someone here does. I have driven by multiple times and its a very very sad sight
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Farmgal; I spoke with a guy who tried to get some deal going, but that was 2 years ago, and it was turned down.

...and is Tony (The owner since 1957) still around? I had heard from the same person that he was in a elderly home or hospice (a couple years ago).

I no longer have Tony's phone number.

farmergal · Nov 29, 2010

F&J said: ↑

Farmgal; I spoke with a guy who tried to get some deal going, but that was 2 years ago, and it was turned down.

...and is Tony (The owner since 1957) still around? I had heard from the same person that he was in a elderly home or hospice (a couple years ago).

I no longer have Tony's phone number.
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It is still owned by the old man who is in hospice right now. he is the one who hired someone to clean it out and scrap it all.

toreadorxlt · Nov 29, 2010

wow small world. I was born and raised in Salem, moved away at 18. Was just there visiting for the holiday.

ABBoston · Nov 29, 2010

try these bing maps links - at top right select bird's eye view and zoom in

 http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9Ljc0K...yNS4yMTE3MzY5ODc1MzcyJTdlLTExMS45MzAxMzc2MzQ=

 http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9LjUyK...yMzUzNzczNTQ4MTIlN2UtNzIuMzA4MzAzMjAzNjYxMg==

40 & 61 Fords · Nov 29, 2010

To me, the people who know about these types of places and won't say anything about them because they are afraid of someone else getting the "good stuff" even though they don't have room/can't afford it anyway, are as guilty of this stuff being lost to the scrappers as the yard owner......
From what I've seen and heard of most of the old yards these days are full of rusty 4 doors, and picked over shells, but there's always the chance that they still have SOMETHING someone could use. I know the old arguement too, that these guys aren't running museums, and need to make money too, but if they love these cars so much that they won't let anybody near them, or reasonably sell parts, they must be pretty sadistic then to let them all get crushed and sent to China!
I was at a "GOOD" yard in northern Wisconson a couple of summers ago, full of decent cars and parts. We got to wander the yard, and noticed a lot of cars with parts removed, and just sitting on or in them. We also noticed a bunch of nice parts just sitting by the entrance. When we started asking prices on stuff, we found out why...... Some of the stuff we asked about had been bought at auctions my Dad had been at recently, and this guy was asking more for a small piece of trim, than he had paid for the WHOLE CAR earlier in the year! I bet i could go back there next summer, and not much would be gone, but probably more added. BTW we DID buy some stuff there that we needed, so we didn't just bitch about the prices and leave!

Alex S. L. · Nov 29, 2010

41.525918,-72.299835

put that into google maps and it should show it to you.

farmergal · Nov 29, 2010

40 & 61 Fords said: ↑

To me, the people who know about these types of places and won't say anything about them because they are afraid of someone else getting the "good stuff" even though they don't have room/can't afford it anyway, are as guilty of this stuff being lost to the scrappers as the yard owner......
From what I've seen and heard of most of the old yards these days are full of rusty 4 doors, and picked over shells, but there's always the chance that they still have SOMETHING someone could use. I know the old arguement too, that these guys aren't running museums, and need to make money too, but if they love these cars so much that they won't let anybody near them, or reasonably sell parts, they must be pretty sadistic then to let them all get crushed and sent to China!
I was at a "GOOD" yard in northern Wisconson a couple of summers ago, full of decent cars and parts. We got to wander the yard, and noticed a lot of cars with parts removed, and just sitting on or in them. We also noticed a bunch of nice parts just sitting by the entrance. When we started asking prices on stuff, we found out why...... Some of the stuff we asked about had been bought at auctions my Dad had been at recently, and this guy was asking more for a small piece of trim, than he had paid for the WHOLE CAR earlier in the year! I bet i could go back there next summer, and not much would be gone, but probably more added. BTW we DID buy some stuff there that we needed, so we didn't just bitch about the prices and leave!
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Well i agree with you partially. Here in the northeast; especially in CT it is extremely extremely hard to find these places and have access to them. I would be willing to bet that this yard in question is the last of its kind in this state. Scrap prices are up in this area right now and he's cashing in. The story with this old timer is that he is pretty much sick and tired of dealing with people, low ballers, theives, and people who show up expecting to get the deal of the century. He close this yard to the public several years ago and his health has since declined. He is a sour old timer now who just really doesnt care about any of it anymore. I have heard that several people have offered to help him part the cars out and sell them off instead of scrap them; but he turned all the offers down. Apparently he's been burned one too many times. He used to stand gaurd at the place since so much of it was being illegally picked over and stolen. Now; he just doesn't care anymore and he's just going to pay someone to haul it to the crusher rather than deal with an un-trustworthy stranger to help him part out cars to people.

I too wish we had access to the place. I am a photographer who has a HUGE overwhelming urge to go and walk the yard and photograph the old iron before its hauled away...but i too am not permitted to do so. Its the sad reality to it all. Even if we gave away the owners' phone number i can pretty much gaurantee that access is not going to be granted to anyone. You can drive by and oogle at the cars sitting in there; they are some beauties...but you can not enter and if you get caught...well....

To all the people saying most of the cars are picked over and just rusted shells are left...you are wrong. Im sure many of the cars have been picked over...it is a junk yard...but there are some very very rare cars in there with complete glass, fenders, hoods, chrome, etc sitting in that yard on those cars and those things on those cars are worth more than the scrap price itself. There is even an old ladder fire truck in there (2 peice) that you can see from the road. the tractor part of it is white and it is COOL.

The bottom line is that no one here is hiding anything from anyone. The old man just doesnt care anymore and isn't going to deal with a sea of people trying to pick over his cars. Hes been doing that since the 50's and he's finished with it all. People in town now think its an eyesore and want it gone, development has been encroaching on areas like this and no one understands the history that sits in that yard. It is one of the last, if not the last, junkyard of its kind in this state and general area.

F&J · Nov 29, 2010

Any Idea on where the cars are going? I ask because the local teenagers hauling junk cars for scrap money go to another place in Colchester. So I wonder if they are going there, or to another place...or are they being crushed on site?

Seems like if they did go to another yard close by for crushing, maybe a deal could be made on a car?

I heard there is an early Zephyr conv in the swamp, and was told that there is not one good piece on it. Real rotted.

farmergal · Nov 29, 2010

F&J said: ↑

Any Idea on where the cars are going? I ask because the local teenagers hauling junk cars for scrap money go to another place in Colchester. So I wonder if they are going there, or to another place...or are they being crushed on site?

Seems like if they did go to another yard close by for crushing, maybe a deal could be made on a car?

I heard there is an early Zephyr conv in the swamp, and was told that there is not one good piece on it. Real rotted.
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Well if its actually in the swamp and if it is one of the flooded cars; its likely not worth saving. the beavers have done a number in tha area. They are likely being hauled to M&J recycling in Colchester near Salem. that is where the majority of everything in the area goes for recycling. They are not being crushed on site.

tb33anda3rd · Nov 29, 2010

check lajois in norwalk. he's big and has the resources to process lots of scrap.

Mindover · Nov 29, 2010

It seems to me that if you owned these cars you must have an interest in cars and would rather give them away than see them scrapped. Or is that just me? I realize that its not the case with this guy but it seems a waste.

Paul B · Nov 29, 2010

I dont know but last time i was there there wasnt' anything to get wood over. When we were there and the owner was allright. shot the shit with us for awhile. Ill' have to find the pictures. Maybe they can shed some light on this,before everyone has a stroke. We were there over ten years ago and they were only open on sundays or saturday for about 4 hours. so i know they didn't get any more cars in since we were there.

The37Kid · Nov 29, 2010

Don bought a yard in Bridgeport within the last year or so. He's a car guy and business man, and would sell a "collector car" for more than scrap value I would think.

tb33anda3rd said: ↑

check lajois in norwalk. he's big and has the resources to process lots of scrap.
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tb33anda3rd · Nov 29, 2010

he also bought the yard in new milford.

The37Kid · Nov 29, 2010

Who knows what goes through a scrap yard owners mind. Checkout the thread on the Model A Ford section of The Ford Bard. Somewere up in New Hampshire a lady took over a junk yard after her husband died. He had a bunch of Model A's he was restoring. Story goes she didn't want them Hot Rodded, but one she sold did get a top chop. When she found out she crushed all the remaining A's!

Mindover said: ↑

It seems to me that if you owned these cars you must have an interest in cars and would rather give them away than see them scrapped. Or is that just me? I realize that its not the case with this guy but it seems a waste.
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propwash · Nov 29, 2010

borntoloze -

Were you recently discharged from a hospital?

Angry Frenchman · Nov 29, 2010

whitch one of these yards is going crushed? or are both getting crushed

ABBoston said: ↑

try these bing maps links - at top right select bird's eye view and zoom in

http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9Ljc0K...yNS4yMTE3MzY5ODc1MzcyJTdlLTExMS45MzAxMzc2MzQ=

http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9LjUyK...yMzUzNzczNTQ4MTIlN2UtNzIuMzA4MzAzMjAzNjYxMg==
Click to expand...

farmergal · Nov 30, 2010

Angry Frenchman said: ↑

whitch one of these yards is going crushed? or are both getting crushed
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read the thread. The one on old colchester road is an old truck junkyard. it is not being crushed and everytime i've driven by; no one has been there. There is a giant fence around the place

The one on Old Amston Road is the one going to the crusher

Just because there isnt much for old roadsters or coupes in that junk yard does not mean there isn't anything worth getting worked up about. There are about 5+ Ford Edsels sitting in that lot and many more cool cars hidden in the thick of the trees. Just because the majority of them are not "the norm" for hot rodders, collectors etc...does not mean the lot is any less "neat" or interesting. Yes the majority have been sitting there for years and years; most are rotted out underneath, etc but thats to be expected. you are looking at a yard that has been there since prior to the 50's.

The guy used to care about the cars and the business but hes older now, in hopsice and could quite frankly give a rats ass about what remains there. He's been fighting off the DEP for the past several years now; and finally the time has come. hes sick of dealing with idiots (not saying that all of them are) who show up trying to get a steal on anything he has (as far as i know). Its a sad end to it all and believe me i feel like crying when i drive by but i'm afraid to say unless you get in on the scrap yard thats crushing them all; i'm pretty confident nothing will be saved.

bigdav160 · Nov 30, 2010

could quite frankly give a rats ass about what remains there.
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Yet he's worried about gawkers, idiots and thieves. He sounds like a petty, bitter and sour old man.

darkk · Nov 30, 2010

Come on people....leave the old guy alone. There is nothing of any real value left, except maybe a little peace and quiet for the old man.

csimonds · Nov 30, 2010

To Bad us CT Hamber's couldn't get together and check the joint out as a last hoo-rah! FarmGal is right on point with all of her posts here! Maybe this weekend I can take a ride over and sneek a peek. Or maybe we could strike a deal with M&J for some parts off of the cars dragged out of the yard?
CHUCK

F&J · Nov 30, 2010

csimonds said: ↑

To Bad us CT Hamber's couldn't get together and check the joint out as a last hoo-rah! FarmGal is right on point with all of her posts here! Maybe this weekend I can take a ride over and sneek a peek. Or maybe we could strike a deal with M&J for some parts off of the cars dragged out of the yard?
CHUCK
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Just a thought, if you can't talk with anyone at the yard:

There is the Zagray Farm Museum right on rt 85 at the Colchester/Hebron line. There are usually tractor/equipment club members working there on weekends, and maybe they would know where the cars are going to?

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