GMB guys, I wandered an OLD junkyard yesterday...

Went and wandered around an OLD yard yesterday to shoot some fotos...
The story goes: yard was opened in/around 1950. owner fell ill and passed away mid-60's/70's Wife would not let anybody in. She passed a year or so ago and the son inherits it. He is trying to make it operational again, slowly but surely...

I am not sure how much is still useable there, unfortunately. Alot of the cars were stacked atop one another way back when. but, it is still a trip to walk through and gawk.

SO, heres my idea. I'm not sure I should publicly announce this place open, but he is open to some visitors and I have been working on him a little... What do you Michigan/N Indiana guys think about meeting up there some Saturday soon? I pitched the Idea to him and he seemed game, even has a cool bar set up in the barn...
Then we will see about getting the 411 public... like I said hes getting it going slowly.


Have a look-see at a few teaser pics...

 

some more...

 

last teaser for tonite, more tommorow...

ps- ever seen tires like these?

 

I'm always up for a junkyard crawl.

 

I'd go, unless it's this coming weekend

 

Man, what I sight. I was horrified!

I'm game if I have enough notice...you'd be surprised what treasures await even after 30+ years of exposure to Michigan weather...

Make sure you tell this guy NOT to scrap all these...that they're worth more in "pick-your-part form" than scrap metal...

 

What the hell are those honeycomb thread tires?

 

That was what I was going to ask, wonder if they are factory "show car" tires from the 1960's.

 

I grew up in south central MI too. Seeing those pictures totally takes me back to the days when I would ride my bike home from school. I'd stop at this yard, and jump the back fence, roam around breaking glass, stealing the emblems and stuff. The cars weren't for parts in this yard though. They were there to be crushed. The owner would always chase me out. (Chopper! Sic BALLS!) Those old cars were all stacked up just like that... all grown over with poison ivy and trees. Thanks for the trip on the way-back machine!

 

I'm not so sure they are tires. I think they were an inner liner for a tire. Seems like years ago I saw these things advertised as a run-flat gimick. And that's all it was, a gimick.

Also, why is it whenever you see cars stacked in a junkyard, the good ones are always on the bottom of the pile?

 

I am always up for a crawl thru the an old school yard. Let us know when you can get this arranged.

When I lived in Conneticut I gathered a couple buddies and hiked 4 miles to find an abandoned yard from the '60s.... It was incredible!!! Unforunately the roll of film I took there, turned out to be a roll of nothing.... but what an experience!!

 

Please make sure these junkyard treasures won't end up to the crusher!

Mika

 

I'm up for a junkyard crawl, fer sher. This coming week end is bad, but with a little planning I'm sure we can get the lot of us together. Good looking out for the fellahs!

 

Let me know when and where I can go! Might be some good engines and axles in them piles.

Thanks.

 

I'm up for it just give me a few days notice, is this near Kzoo?? Maybe some of us East Siders can go together I have my MTTV (Mass Troop Transport Vehicle (suburban)) I can take.

 

Count me in as well.I am not far from K-zoo (20 miles).

As a sidebar,There was a yard in South Haven,Mi I use to go to.He had over 1500 cars,and most were '50's-60's.I too thought that keeing it a secret was a great idea,that was until he told me he was scrapping it all.He had reoped 5 years ago,after his father became ill 20 some years ago.I asked him why he was scrapping,and he was bitter that he had very few people coming out to buy stuff.Keeping a secret is fun,but make sure you buy parts from him,or he too will probably suffer the same demise.

 

I can be there in little over an hour if the day is good and ive got nothing going. Id love to check it out and spend some money... Im gonna bet there is a couple things i couls use there.
Dave
Jackson , MI
Ps: Im not on the puker a lot these days so please if you can pm me when you get a date..

 

that second pic the car on top.....looks to be a 62-63 fairlane (very positive on it) what kind of shape are the quarters in?

 

of course you know im down..ive been buggin you for how long to bring me out there? even though i know where it is..haha

 

here are some more treasure photos...


first is a close up of the "tires" or whatever they were. Im am not convinced that they are truly 'tires'. as the sidewalls were very soft and flexible

 

The yard is located near Kalamazoo...

 

last 2 for tonight...

 

So, It would seem like there is alot of interest to do a group, crawl.
How should we go about picking a day? I am leaning toward late July. just have to clear up a couple other things. will know more soon...

 

I vote for Saturday July 23rd.

 

woah..that mail truck..awesome

 

Count me in too! July 23 would work for me! Man, I love old junkyards!

 

I'm definitely down for this trip!

 

I am also interested, I am in the Novi area. Please post a date

 

In a previous post I told ya' what they were.

Now the closeup shot reinforces what I said.

It's a safety liner that ya' put inside the tire, not to be confused with the current NASCAR safety liners.

Think the liner makes contact with the normal tire carcass in a low pressure condition and makes an audible alert sound to warn of a potential flat tire.

 

July 23rd works for me. Let everyone know where to meet on that morning near the site; no real need for a 75 mile caravan.