I was just reading the thread about Bishops salvage yard on Maine closing and the cars going to the s**** guy. There is all the usual *****ing about "Why didn't someone let us know that stuff was there earlier?"... Well. why DIDN'T they? Has anyone else noticed that there are more and more of these yards and hoards turning up all the time? We usually hear about it when it's too late to make any plans for saving much. Why? Maybe it's the idea that those who know are worried about someone else getting in and buying "their" parts... Well, if s**** prices stay up; which it looks like they will, these yards are going to continue to disappear, and the cars and parts are NEVER coming back. There was a yard called Abe & Fergy's in my old stomping grounds of Prunedale, CA. The place was a hot rodder's wet dream. I made a lot of trips up there, never with enough money to buy a complete car. I told everyone who might be interested about the place. This was years before the HAMB, and I think the yard is gone now (at least the sat photos look that way). I'm sure there are still a BUNCH of old hidden yards across the country that are willing to sell cars or parts. The trick is, we've got to know about the stuff and be willing to step up with cash BEFORE it's too late. How about an "official stash of available cars and parts" thread? No fake "barnfind" stories about private storage lots and such nonsense. Let's use this m***ive crazy network of ours to try and stop the bleeding... I'll apologize in advance if such a thing already exists. I've never found it on here.
Bridley's south of Glenville, MN and Ron's near the wide spot in the road Allison, IA Both of these yards have some way cool stashes of 50s and 60s vehicles. Ron's also has some old(30s and up) big trucks. Alot of the vehicles in these places are pretty rough as most have been there for 20-30 years, but there are still some good parts to be had. If nothing else it's very cool to see. Frank's in Ft. Dodge, IA also has a handful of old cars left but unfortunately most have been picked over.
Rules,, i loved hitn her yard Abe & Fergy's, It was sad to see it all crushed, those cars were there before all the trees on the hill side
Can't remember the name of the yard but it's easy too find. Just outside the town of Williams, CA on I-5. If headed north, it's on the left hand side. Very easy to see from the freeway. Loaded with 50's & 60's stuff. Lots of wagons. Everything for sale.
Yeah, it was awesome. I still have a perfect DeSoto speaker grille I bought there 25 years ago... I swear that old woman was a witch though. She'd just appear out of nowhere if you were trying to pocket something! LOL Maybe as you visit these places, take a few pics of "interesting" stuff and post them. Can't see the yard owners having a gripe about that as long as the stuff is for sale. We'll be doing their advertising for them.
The one in Williams Ca. is called big M's I think. My brother lives just across I-5 from it, I've haven't been yet but he says the got lots of stuff. Here in NM the best one I know of is North 54th Salvage in Alamagordo. I was just there last week, he still has a good selection of late 30's thru 60's stuff, still lots of good parts on them (opened the hood on a 50's something Chrysler, the Hemi was still in it!), lots with nice grills, trim ect. . I bought a 55 Plymouth grill and some small stuff for my 52 Ford project. Not cheap but I feel like fair prices, least he keeps them instead of crushing.
There is one called Martins here in northern Colorado. Its on the north side of hwy34 about halfway between Loveland and Greely(sp?). Acres of '40s thru mid 60s cars, and about an acre of the yard is filled with flatheads, wishbones, banjo rear ends and Ibeam fronts. Last time i was out there I spoted a couple Model A rolling ch***is, a fifty five gallon drum overfilling with lever arm shocks and a couple pallets of headlight buckets.
hahah i was gonna say something about here, yeah she'd pop out of nowhere, You cant take anything OFF that!
I was just wondering about Turner's in Fresno, and found out there was a m***ive fire there last month. Jerry said he will stay open for now, but probably close within a year. The clock is ticking on one of the legendary parts sources on the west coast!
exwestracer: yeah, I do know where you're coming from. But what troubles me is that these cars that are 80 or more years old (I mean the few that are LEFT, of course) have been exposed to the elements for SO long that little more than hard parts are salvageable. And I mean east of the Mississippi where I am, especially. The few (like the ones posted the last couple of days in Maine) make for a wonderful photographic tableau, and I love that look against spring or fall foliage. But ART sure doesn't help rodders & customizers. I've tried Googling "junk yard" until I am blue in the face. And mostly what you get is MODERN salvage yards. I think you are wishing for a central reference where rodders can/could find viable sources worth while to spend gas an GO take a look around and make reasonable offers to old folks who COULD really use some income. Yes, many of THOSE folks are wary of being "taken," to the point where they are skittish about even selling or even allowing guys to go in and LOOK at all. Still, I share your wish that guys would SHARE into a central info point, so that some cars could/can be saved and put back on the road, in SOME form. To that end: The BEST (and ONLY) yard I have seen in literally DECADES with MANY '30s & '40 cars is located near a town called Mount Sterling, OH. It's not far off of I-71 and will be obvious if you know how to read a road map. "Zeroing in" is just a matter of asking ANY body locally about the place, and they'll tell you just how close you are! I don't even have a stake of any kind in telling you this, 'cause I have enough projects to last me the rest of my life. My ol' back and limited energy limits me to the two I have, a '38 & a '55. SO, I WANT to share this great spot for anybody young enough to go make some use of what's left, while the old owner is still alive and before they wind up crushing all those hundreds of cars down, too! -- Jimi
Engler's, 4 miles West of I-81 Exit 159 (Nuangola), in Northeast Pa. Stop at the white garage on the left, sign the release form, no admission fee, he will tell you how to get to the yard. Don't need anything? No problem, walk around for a couple of hours, and you won't be bored.
skidsteer: Nice pix. Good to SEE, since there just don't seem to BE many undisturbed yards like that. THX for taking the time to post those photos, buddy.
spent the day at bishops,only crushin one side of the road,the guy crushing will sell ANYTHING for a fair price. we bought 12 cars, a motel a truck, a dodge high top deliv. and a couple trailer loads of all kinds of neat stuff that was VERY usable for cheap money.pics are of stuf we bought and stuf we didn't. still PLENTY of stuff bring cash,******** walks!!!!
I'm in the same boat you are Jimi...got more than enough projects already, esp since I teach this stuff 40 hrs a week as well! I think if we can build a reference and keep updating it, at least SOME of this stuff will be saved from coming back as Kias. Thanks for the info guys, and keep it coming. Glad to hear that the s****per at Bishop's is willing to work with us.
Back in the late 80's early 90's, there was an old yard in Fontana, Ca I believe, off Arrow Route. Anyway, it'd been closed for many years but if you happened by and the gate was open, he'd let you in to look around and buy. Fair prices. At that time, he was going to sell a restored Model A roadster pickup for $5000. Lots of neat stuff. I wonder if its still there?
i will hit englars very soon i made a trip all the way down to ez pull and save in p.a. yesterday my camera has a broken screen so i can't see what im taking a photo of sorry for the ****py pictures heres a link i made http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v134/alphastrikefx/ez pull and save/ heres some of my favorite if you want me to post more i will
Bivins in Moultrie GA, lots of neat stuff out there if you dig. He will probably sell with the right price and cash. He seems to keep the rare stuff and just crushes the junk. two yards the one behind the body shop has the good stuff.
LostforaWhile: It's good to know Bivens is using some judgement & keeping good stuff, intead of crushing like crazy every time steel prices go up! I wish there were MORE guys like him. Most of the yards I used to go to, NOW only have stuff '90s and later. Bummer.
See now I've never been able to do much to put a car together because every time I get the chance to go into a place, I buy as many as I can, flip as many as I can, and use that profit to go back and buy more. That amounted to about 40 cars out of one yard and a good 40 more I wished I could have gotten. ***holes ***** and complain sometimes about "overpriced junk" and being too rusty to save, but they're sitting home on their fat *** doing nothing except typing with one hand while I'm out gathering cars. It wouldn't matter if the car was like new, they wouldn't be able to build it anyways. I've even bought some against my better judgement, like that '64 Ford F350 crew cab that's basically just a cab and some spare parts. The guy I work with on this stuff is thinking about dumping some cars cheap, $1000 and under, I'll post here if it comes down to that.
Big "M" Auto motive. Junction of I-5 and Highway 20 in Williams. Lots of awesome stuff and the owner John is a really nice guy.
There has been a flurry of news on the HAMB in just the past few days about big changes happening at a VERY old bone yard called BISHOP's, apparently north of Bangor Maine in Penobscot County. It's reportedly just outside of a town called LaGrange, roughly between the towns of Ellsworth and Hudson, if you study the Maine map. If you can locate LaGrange, one HAMBer said the yard is on the on the right side of the forest road, just a mile or two north of the LaGrange Fire House. For further reference as to the HUNDREDS of '20s to '40s cars in the yard, AS WELL AS contact guys who live in that area, SEE these recent threads: "Heads Up Mainers! Bad News!" "Crushing News" "Circle of Life"
Her is one in Manitoba Canada. Bill Harrison VaVaVoom Garage has tons of old stuff. Lots of complete cars. http://www.vavavoomgarage.com/ He has every small trim piece known. This is his life and hobby. It will always be there, family won't crush anything.
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