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

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 it’s 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

<OI’m not ready to disclose the location yet, want to check it out and see who owns it, if they will sell anything ect

 

ooops

 

If you are referring to the place between Rt 85 and Rt 11, I can ask my brother- he lived right near there for awhile.

 

damn i can't hide anything from the power of the hamb, your correct NoSurf it's in that area, any info would be great.

 

ooops

 

I sent him an email.

Or did I?

 

ooops

 

i CANT THINK OF THE NAME RIGHT NOW. WENT THERE ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO. THEY WERE ONLY OPEN A COUPLE HRS. ON SATURDAYS. IM PRETTY SURE IT'S ALL BEEN CRUSHED BY NOW.THEY SOLD COMPLETE CARS BACK THEN.

 

ooops

 

hey borntoloze never knew about that one but it's funny you used 70 Old Colchester rd as a ref point. at that location or a house down is this weird 32 ford thing stitting there, been there for years and drove past it every day going to work ,guy will not sell it. its like a mini 32 ford. it's about the size of new mini coopers. never really found out what it was.

 

The guy bought the yard in 1957 as an existing business.

I found pics online of some of the cars that were put up on an "urban exploring site" . That site listed it as a place that was "abandoned" and "feel free to go there"

I went to see the owner in 2008 and gave him copies of the site. He was ticked off, and had that site remove the B/S

Now, as of last summer, I was told he is in a hospice and will not sell the yard out to people who offered to help him dispose of it. I do not know his status since then, as he is/was quite elderly.

The cars are pretty bad, but lots of makes. I have only seen 10% of what was there...everything hidden by vegetation. A friend of mine who tried to get a deal going, has seen all of it. He was planning to take pics of each car, but don't know if he did.

When/if the owner passes away the cars will be confiscated by the town and DEP, and will be crushed....if not already??? He told me they have been after him for years as he is in wetlands.

His former workers do keep an eye on the place. Like I said, that was LAST year, so who knows what happened since.

 

ooops

 

Ok well screw it that cats out of the bag, there are apparently more than one abandoned junk yard in the area, and i don't have the money or space to have 1/4 of it....so there is the location borntoloze has come up with located at 74 Old Colchester Rd, Lebanon, CT, and the one I was talking about located at 52 Old Amston Rd, Colchester CT

If you know anything about either place, or have any other local legends about junkyards in that area let me know, always on the lookout for parts cool stuff and info that may help another hamb member out.

 

I'd called the mysterious older one a few years ago for some Nova parts. Only open on Saturday for a few hours, but most of the cars have been so picked over that not a lot of good stuff was left, and that was probably 8 years ago now. I've been in Kleeman's in Norwich a few times, and they have some older iron in there, but a lot of it is getting buried. Not too many good places around here with good stuff left due to the rot that these rides get sitting out in the open.

 

As you know I grew up in that area. My Dad and his buddies would always go to Wiinakors in Salem. But I think they crushed out the old stuff awhile ago.

Don't give up. There are still a bunch of places with old tin around. You just have to know where to look and who to ask. Networking is key.

My coupe came from an old pasture not 10 miles from you.

 

The gentleman that owns the Mail Trucking company down in the hole beside Mallon's Chevrolet was just getting rid of his entire collection. He had several cars in front of the building, and the building was full of nicer stuff. Lot's of 40's limo's, some trucks, studebakers, and a few truck containers full of rides at his lot in Montville. He wasn't parting anything out, but lot's of project potential.

 

I grew up in Willimantic not too far away. I wish I had known then there were places like that so close by. I live in NYC now. Nothing like that around here.

 

From my brother:

There are a shit load of old cars and trucks over by the Colchester town dump with No trespassing signs everywhere

Seems like it just keeps going and going into the woods . . . .

The one that was near me was still active I believe , that&#8217;s where they brought cars that were found on highways and etc.. or repossessed . . . I think

 

The Colchester (amston rd) one is the one in Wetland Area...doomed if not crushed already.

The oldie yard in Salem is gone. 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...

 

thanks for the info NoSurf, i'm all of 3 miles away from that area so i'm going to swing by after work. and like i said anyone else knows stuff like this in the area post it up, or even good active ones to find good tin.

 

I know the one you mean. Don't worry, I wont spill it.

I grew up in Higganum and Haddam, so don't let my current Oakland location fool you.

 

Sounds like an Austin Bantam or something similar. Got any pics?

 

ooops

 

ooops

 

Yep Winokers was the place we went to. When you came to the four corners you took a right, and it was about 1-2miles on the left what ever that road is. I got pictures somewhere around here.

 

no pics but i can get em, last time i check it had a torn up tarp on it not sure if he replaced it.

 

I have some bad news about this junk yard and I have seen extensive very recent photographs of the cars located here as i know someone who put a bid in to help clean this place out. It is HUGE, there are some very rare cars in there, and there are a LOT of cars in this old yard. This junk yard is located next to a swamp/wetlands area and due to beavers and dams; the junk yard has been slowly approached by water through the past several years. Some of the cars are now partially submerged.

Due to this; the DEP has been on the owner for several years and they are demanding that he clean it out. they just very recently began cleaning the cars/trucks/buses/fire engines out of the old junk yard. They have not gotten very far yet and are only working on the front corner right now. Everything is being hauled straight to the crusher for scrap metal; no parting out. I'm sure if you really wanted someone you could work a deal but I have heard the owner might not be too friendly and is very elderly.

If you want something you need to make a phone call NOW. Nothing is being saved. Maybe the company cleaning it out can help with parts. There are some beautiful old cars in there. Many have rotted floors/fenders/etc. they have been there for years. Its a very very sad sight to drive by

 

I was just up in Connecticut for Thanksgiving. I wish I knew this was happening. My mother lives not too far from there and I know the area that was being talked about. It's a shame that it has gone this route and that the State of CT is going about it the way they are. If they took the time to put it together they could probably recoup some of the clean up costs by helping the old man auction off the contents of the property. Any NY metro area HAMBers want to make the trip let me know. I'd rather see the cars go to a good home and make the old man some money than have the State haul it all away without a second thought.

 

WOW....so sad to hear of them being crushed...Jim

 

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