The Cat 10 in the earlier photo did run 3-4 years ago whe I was there and started ( by hand) very easily. Thats really ****s when a yard full of nice older tin like that gets crushed up.When the prices were really up there a year or so ago there was a lot of that done around here. Michael
I had the same **** experiance with dv when I was out for the firebird nhra shindig what a **** 575 for a 64 rambler rear door I thought a little pricey but the shock was a 55 dollar hood safety catch I told him to stuff it in his *** he would feel better about it, he said if I did not want it some one would not in my world..... I hope they go broke he wanted 3 k for a core 331 hemi .... just nuts or is it me I know I,m a cheap ******* but.........
Steve Have you been through the yard in Springerville ? ..still had some nice 50s metal..last year when I went through. I go up that way once a year or so...while staying in Alpine.
Kerry, with this thread brought back up front, I have only now seen your question to me. To answer- Hidden Vallesy original yard had well over 100 acres. The yard ( business ) they bought and transferred their business to, was called Alley towing which John Buss owned. It only consists of 10 acres. So, they went from well over 100 acres to about 10 acres. No physical room to keep everything. As I mentioned earlier, when HVAP owner and neighbor Don Hoctor introduced me to the guy who bought his yard, he told me he really liked old cars and hated to have to crush them all. He said further, we can work out a deal. So, I walked through his yard and picked our about 35 or so cars to buy in a package. Then offered him 3-5 times the s**** price which i thought was plenty fair. He refused and wanted many times that price. So, they all got crushed for s**** price. A real shame. I buy cars from all corners of the US and I can't get a deal with a guy a mile down the road. geeeez. it was very disappointing but, what could I do? The buyer or developer ended up getting it hard in the *** though because he paid several millions dollars for Hoctors land. This was right before the real estate market collapsed. Now there are for sale signs on that same property. again, a real shame all that vintage iron got crushed. I do what I can and have saved about 700 cars from the crusher so far but, I am but one man and can only do so much with my resources. So, in a space of about 2 years, 2 major vintage yards in Az where either gone completely or reduced in quan***y a great amount. Wisemans got thinned out considerably around '03 and Hidden Valley was reduced an estimated 80% around 2005. If you think DV in Casa Grande is cool now, you would have really liked it as Wisemans when everything was there before the auction. There were even large old porcelan dealer signs to mark each row of what kind of cars were there. Steve Hosting- Pontiac/Buick/Olds FALL FEST Sat Nov 28, 2009 Phoenix www.pbofallfest.org 8th annual Nostalgic Show & Go! April 11, 2010 Phoenix www.nostalgicshowandgo.org
Are there any "normal" wrecking yards down there with old cars and normal prices? The few i've seen or called that keep old cars really seem to feel any potential customer is a millionaire that just needs that one last part to finish their car.
I lived just off Deer Valley Rd, East of HVAP by Cave Creek Road from 1995-1999. HVAP moved to a much smaller yard in 1997 or 1998 crushing out quite a bit. They only moved about a half mile south of their old location then. If you liked adventure, you could poke around in the cars at the perimeter of the yard and find plenty of snakes and large spiders. The new yard was cleaner and had a better layout, but it lost its soul. Some of the coolest old stuff didn't make the cut for the move. After that, Wiseman's was the place to go. BTW I always thought HVAP was pricey, but not out of this world. It's a shame that neither yard is nearly what it was just ten years ago. I am really surprised that HVAP has shrunk even more!
Steve (Applekrate), I wish I would have seen it when it was Weissmans. I never knew it was there until after it was sold to DVAP. I was still pretty new to the valley and had no car buddies at the time to tell me. As for it being DVAP, I think some of their prices are high for some of the parts, but that actually quoted me a price on a whole car that I thought was pretty fair, so I guess it just depends on what you want. As for Hidden Valley, I am still trying to figure out them crushing 35 cars that you offered 3-5 times more than the s**** price. Obviously, he just did not want you to have them. But, if I remember right, when I was there buying parts for my 57 Pontiac, everything I was was pretty well picked over........
man that is 1 old wrecking yard, but there are some good pieces there. looks like time stode still. wouldn't you love to walk around that place a few times( i'am speaking to the other hambers ) i'am sure there's more then meet's the eye!...POP.
Since I moved here, I've driven through Jerome a half dozen times. Only the last time did I drive up to the ghost town. I will have to go back with a camera and time. It's less than an hour East of me...
Yes I have a few times. They were going to be moving but, I have yet to see it happen. As another hamber said, It will also 'loose its soul' it is moves because it will end up more prissy which I do not care for. When I was working on getting permits for my new property to have a yard near St Johns, Springerville Auto wreckers was also at the hearings to get permits to move. Their permits were approved but, I think they are still in the same place. Funny and sad how the owners caved in front of the planning and zoning commission when they encouraged him to plant flower, shrubs, trees and such to make his new yard prettier. When it was my turn and they tried to get me to do the same prissy ****, I told them it was a 'nice' idea but impracticle to do so. Plus I didn't have the water, time, yada yada. I ended up getting my way by being firm but, polite. My new yard up there will not have any prissy **** like plants and flowers unless they grow naturally. Back to Springerville, I bought the last GTO in their yard in 1995. It is a white '67 hard top that I still have. If you are going to be in the white mountain area in eastern Az, Springerville Auto Wrecking would be a good place to Hambers to check out. They have a lot of older stuff in that has been there for a long time. Also, pay a visit to my Friend Ferris at Ferris' automotive in St Johns, Az. He has a bunch of old stuff too and is a Model A and T fanatic. He has a large collection of vintage tin of all makes but, mostly Ford and includes many trucks back to WWI era. If you get on his good side, he may show you where he lives. He live on a hill on an entire city block full of old stuff, mostly pre 1960 and much pre war. Tell him I sent you. Ferris collection is a Hambers fantasy. On a related note, if anyone wants to plan to road trip up there, try to plan it around these dates as I am hosting 2 car shows in St Johns- One in May and other in August. It would be nice to see some Hambers show up at my events. I can't wait until I can live up in that area full time. I love it up there. Steve Hosting- Saturday, November 28, 2009 1st annual PBO Fall Fest Phoenix www.pbofallfest.org Thur-Sun April 8-11, 2010 12th annual Pontiac Heaven Phoenix www.pontiacheaven.org Sunday April 11, 2010 8th annual Nostalgic Show & Go! Phoenix www.nostalgicshowandgo.org Saturday May 22, 2010 1st annual Chili cook off and car show St Johns Saturday August 28, 2010 2nd annual Apache County Motorsports Day St Johns www.apachecountymotorsportsday.org Saturday November 13, 2010 2nd annual PBO Fall Fest Phoenix www.pbofallfest.org
Just checked out the Jerome Mine what a blast, tons of cool stuff to see. Spent more time there than at the Grand Canyon.
I've used both DVAP & HVAP for my Mopar stuff. Its funny I had problems locating a wheelhouse that could be shipped reasonably for my 47.Chevy I located a guy in Texas who made generous cuts and shipped it via Greyhound.
Here is some of my stuff. Mostly Pontiacs but, some Olds and Buick too. I just like collecting and it got to the point where my home was not big enough anymore so, I bought acreage, got permits and started buying. I never dreamed of owning so much. It is really cool. Steve Hosting- Thur-Sun April 8-11, 2010 12th annual Pontiac Heaven Phoenix www.pontiacheaven.org Sunday April 11, 2010 8th annual Nostalgic Show & Go! Phoenix www.nostalgicshowandgo.org
The Gold King Mine & Ghost Town in Jerome, AZ has an amazing collection of rusty stuff and a few restored trucks too. I was there a couple months ago, click on the pic to see a slideshow of 300+ images... SoCalCarCulture.com
Thanks to the post I went to the Gold King mine and had a great time. I took over 200 pictures of old trucks and other cool stuff. I also shot a video of a 1928 Studebaker race car the owner built. The sound of this motor is great. See: > http://www.youtube.com/user/hlp020dd?feature=mhw4#p/a/u/0/_Cy_ylODsas > http://www.youtube.com/user/hlp020dd?feature=mhw4#p/a/u/1/lPLvidEvjmI > http://www.youtube.com/user/hlp020dd?feature=mhw4#p/a/u/2/Wt0kmZrZ5t8 > and photos at >> http://s978.photobucket.com/albums/ae270/hlp020dd/Jerome Gold Mine Trucks/ > The mine website is at: http://www.goldkingmineghosttown.com/ Jerome is worht the trip by itself, but the mine and truck collection is a must see also.
I know this is an old thread, but when it comes to don and his toys.. and since steve is kind of my neighbor, I figured I would bump this thing. nonhog posted my favorite engine of all times.. big bertha (the 10k ci 3 popper) since I lived in jerome I was up at the gold king about once a week, and have helped run that monster more then a few times, I have never heard a more crazy sound then the intake strokes of that thing. I wish I could have one of my own, my neighbors would hate me though.
The Jalopy Journal
