History Is the American junkyard Doomed?

My 2 best yards are owned by 2 gentlemen that are both in their mid 70's.
They have been approached by CoPart wanting to buy the yards.They only want the license,not the inventory.Neither will sell and both will be crushed by their kids.

 

I suppose eventually they will be all gone, just like the dinasaures. About 15 years ago there were two u-pull mit yards in Omaha (still there as far as I know). Now there is a u-pull it in Kearney, and have been told there is one in Lincoln as well. Prices are cheap at least in the one in Kearney, picked up bucket sests from a 2003 Monte Carlo for the 42 Chevy I am building for $25 a seat.

 

Colchester Auto Parts, Colchester, Connecticut, is being crushed out of existence as I write this. the yard has been in business since 1947, the owner is 90 years old, the family has power of attorney, and the town finally gave the owner an ultimatum. Tony is a stubborn old guy, but a real nice guy when he gets to know you, but this was his life, as he has no children of his own. a few of us, his "junk yard dogs" went to his 90th birthday party a few months ago. it was a fond tribute to a good guy. we will miss him and his Junkyard.

 

Funny that Missoula is coming up... I left for 10 years and when I came back Missoula Auto Salvage was gone. The rumor mill says he made 7 figures in 2 weeks crushing that out. The yard in Arlee seems to be hanging on, Freedmans in Whitehall just crushed out everything but his ragtops. I got a '35 Fordor out of there at the last minute. I knew the yard in Anaconda was circling the drain. The last time I was there the owner was looking pretty rough and it didn't seem like his son wanted to keep that business going. He had some cool stuff too. I haven't been out to Helena for quite a while but there used to be some OK yards out there. The future is bleak.

 

I don't know what you guys are talking about, we, HAMB people are the American Junkyard. Think about it, how many project do you have sitting around? Me, 19 of them, I know 10 guys just in my small town and just one of them has at least 40. I just wonder how many old cars are stuffed in ba*****ts garages and back yards???

 

Calling them junk yards really doesnt help. They are wrecking yards, salvage yards, recycling yards to those in the buisness. Like some have said they are a buisness and like everything else it cant be run like it was in the old days. **** I got pictures and storys from my dad and granddad that make me mad. Model a through 34 fords stacked 3 high, the goverment takeing 90% of inventory for the war effort, burning cars to s**** them. Its better than it was. Even a 1985 is 30 years old, not many of them left around to fix up so why store them, heck not that many being wrecked anymore. Its all new cars that crash into ****.

 

very true, anything that I would be interested in has long since rusted to the ground

 

A funny junkyard story,we went to a local yard in the early seventy's on a nice fall Saturday morning and parked my friends daily driver 55 Chevy pickup out in the yard with all the tools & jack in the back,,we parked in front of one of the many rows of cars and started walking & looking.

This was before the crusher ever came to town so there was about 60 acres of cars.

We were away from the truck for maybe a hour and went back to move to where we found the rear axle we were looking for..when we got back to the truck a couple guys were loading up Sam's grill and right front fender they had just removed.

Sam is pretty easy going and ask the guy why he decide to get that particular grill and fender and he said the guy in the office said pick out the one you want and pull it off.

Sam reached in his pocket and pulled out the key and cranked the truck and the two guy looked at each other and said "OH SH*T",,Sam had a big laugh and he drove the truck to where we were pulling the axle and the two guys followed us and reinstalled the grill & fender.

Sam's not involved with the old cars anymore but I still see one of the fender thieves ever now and then,we always speak and the incident still makes us both laugh. HRP