Leon's Auto Parts ...Anyone been there?

A good buddy of mine is always talking about this place called Leon's near Culpeper, Virginia. He says it's set into old growth forest & is 100 acres of salvage yard, and having been there several times, he still hasn't seen it all. They have a rule about no cameras or power tools, and it's a U-pick-it place, walk in only. He says they sell whole cars for $500 each. Here is a list of some of the cars that are supposed to be there:

AMC '58-'69

Cadallic '48

Chrysler '41, '47, '58, '60

Corvair '60-'67

Desoto '47, '51, '56, '58--'60

Dodge '39(?), '40, '41, '47, '49

Edsel '58

Henry J

Hudson '47, '55

Imperial '52, '54, '57, '58', '59, '61, '63, '68, '71

Kasier Frazier

Nash '51, '52, '55

Oldsmobile '46, '49

Packard '40(?) ,'49(?) ,'53, '54, '55, '56

Pontiac '40, '41, '48, '50

Riviera '63

Studebaker '52, '54, '55, '57, '62, '64

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures but I was wondering if any of you guys knew about this place. I wish I could go, and am hoping to see the place when I make it out to visit him this summer.

James

 

U-pick-it...... That would be awesome.

 

first link is inventory,Second link is Satellite link

http://www.leonsautoparts.com/Inventory.html

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=...jK2oBw&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=1&ct=image

 

I live 35 miles from this yard. I have been there a couple times. Leons son runs the yard now. Dont expect to get any great deals on the parts. He knows what they are worth. It is a long walk up and down hills to get to where the cars are. They are way in the back of the yard. He will only let you carry a tool box in. You may be able to use a wagon and pull it. The cars that are there have been there a long time. Most have alot of rust and they are sitting on the ground or they have been covered up with brush. There are 10 to 12 school busses with parts in them. Thats the best place to look and its not far from the main building, where you will park. Good luck if you come. Ware your best walking shoes and bring your bug spray and a stick for the snakes ,if you come in the summer.

 

sounds like it would be difficult to get major parts out of there.
NO VEHICLES ALLOWED IN YARD. WALK-INS ONLY. HAND TOOLS ONLY.

 

My friend Robert Earl Jones of Reidsville, NC took me to that place years ago and I almost lost it! There were cars like mine in there that were in much better shape than my project. We bought some parts and the people were nice to us and took time to talk to us about our cars and other stuff. Always wanted to go back, but never made it.

 

I've been to Leon's many times,I got quite a few parts when I was doin My 54 Merc., He's still got lot's of good stuff,I got 2 sets of 55 Pontiac side trim last year,53 and 54 Chevy Grille teeth and a couple of caddy aircleaners. Leon Jr.runs the show and He knows what things are worth but He's not outrageous. As stated before, You do have to walk Your ass off and there are plenty of Bugs and snakes but it's Kool and can be worth Your while. I have a pair of 54 Packard taillights stashed, I hope nobody's found 'em yet !

 

Went there with a friend of mine many, many yrs. ago.(25 at least). There was a sign out front that said...."Leons....the walking mans friend". I was puzzled, thought it meant that if your car was broke-down and you were walking, you could get the part to fix it here. Then we got out of the car and walked, and walked, and walked, and walked and still didn't see it all. Then, it dawned on me.

 

Do I read those hours right -- you have to be in there by 9am sat, 10am rest of the week?

 

Can anyone tell me how to get to Leons from Culpeper from Rt.15?

 

I have been going there for years. Most of his cars are 40's thru 60's and have seen better days but still have a lot of good parts left on them. He's not as inexpensive as he used to be and as stated above he knows what they're worth. I'm going there as soon as it warms up to get some parts for my '65 Comet. BTW, he's a hot rodder too; has a '34 plymouth coupe and some early 30's PU.

 

Been there half a dozen times with one of my buddies who has been going there for three decades. Still lots of good stuff in there but he's crushing cars a little at a time. Don't expect to dicker on price either, but he's a fair guy to deal with.

 

I have a friend who went there on a couple of occasions, says it´s close to a 100 acres, and there are supposed to be close to 10,000 cadavres there. (At least used to, says between his visits in ´97 and ´08 the owner supposedly cut down a lot of the jungle, pulled a lot of hulks out from the woodwork to line them up in rows to make it more accessible, and in the process crushed some). Anyway, between his two visits he tells me he spent a whole day there on both occasions, and still has only seen about 1/3 of it...´Course the bad part of these (vast) "U-pull" -deals is that if You just get to walking at a random direction deep into the jungle, stumble across something You might like/need, the only way of finding out what it´ll run You is to in fact pull it and drag it back halfway across God´s creation to the operator just to find out... Never been to Leon´s myself but have found this to be the case crawling other locations...

 

I know this thread is 5 yrs. old, but does anyone know if Leon's is still there or has it all been crushed and the property turned into a strip mall.?

 

Leon's is still there, though a lot has been crushed since its heyday. Still, I was there last year and was able to find some good stuff, you just have to do a lot of walking.

Don't let this discourage you, I took this shot for the desolate look, but in the 80s and 90s, this would have been lined with cars.

 

Oh, and no cameras are usually allowed. I had special permission.

 

Thanks.

 

nice....thanks for the update....

 

I grew up going there. I learned about cars after many many hours running around the yard and talking with Leon Jr and my dad. I have bought plenty from him, I even got a 291 hemi that so good I bearly had to do much to get it running. There are several left. There are 348s, flatheads, and all sorts of goodies to be had. Good hunting.

 

I was there yesterday. Still lots of good stuff!! Be prepared to walk!!

 

Glad it's still there. Thanks for the update.

 

Road trip one day, you drive I will buy lunch!!!

 

Was only there one time. Was on vacation driving up RT.15 and stopped in. Asked about a '67 Coronet grille. Thought the price was Way Too much. Did get the feeling he charges what he thinks people can pay. My advice: go there driving your rattle trap truck wearing you holy clothes. ;--)

 

I have lived 10 minutes from Leon’s since I was 5 yrsold (1984). I remember going there with my dad as a kid and have been there many times as an adult. It’s still just the way I remember it as a kid to this day.

 

..............Thanks for the update. Glad to hear that it still exists.

 

I literally signed up just to reply. I have been going to Leon's since I was 5; so almost 30 years. My dad is best friend's with Leon, so I get special access to his garages where he keeps his cars(really cool, I attached two closeups). He's a wonderful person and if you're looking for classic vehicles, he's your guy. And yes, wear pants, walking boots, bring your own tools and there is a time you have to be in by daily.

 

........Thanks for dropping in, Robin. Hope you stay around and enjoy the website.........Don.

 

Leon is still there but a lot of the old stuff is gone...he has crushed several times in the past years and its all the old heavy stuff that's going..My buddies and I go 3-4 times a year just to visit and get some exercise....He has always treated us good and is a nice person to talk cars with...as for conditions...lots of walking and bugs and snakes...saw a snake one time we were there and it was February...He.was moving slow but still moving !!!

 

I found this thread cause I was thinking about going there this weekend. I haven't been there in about 15 years. Used to go there a bunch but it was picked over then.
About 10 years ago my buddy found and bought this old hand painted over an old Coke sign for me. I heard Leon Jr really wants it. I seriously Dought I'll part with it. If you know the town of Leon about the only things there are the junkyard and the post office.

 

I didn't realise photography was not allowed, so when I was there back in the early/mid 90's, (I went a couple of times), I videoed the yard. Its a bit shaky at times as I was more focused on looking for '56 Ford and Y-Block parts, than filming. Footage of Leon's starts around the 12.59 mark -

The places before that I don't know the locations, as they are just places spotted while driving round the back roads.