For the past few years I have had the privilege to help groups of guys from Sweden tour the great mid west searching for old cl***ic Americana, cars, trucks, parts, automobile memorabilia and anything else they find hidden away here in America's attic Neb. Kansas. S.D. etc. There is still a lot of great places here to see and roam around in, and find the hard to find parts and cars you've been hoping for. In the 26 years I have been here in Nebraska with my restoration shop I have found so many hidden away places with so much stuff! & old-timers still running them. But every year there seems to be a handful of them selling out and just crushing there life long collections! it is a sad thing to see, hundreds of vintage cars getting crushed and sent to the shredder! So I'm looking to do a 3 or 4 day tour of some of these yards, & collections in the area one in particular needs to sell off hundreds of cars to make the state happy, but he only wants to deal with small groups of serious car guys on a personal one to one situation, so he asked me to help. He doesn't want to just crush them for iron but will if he doesn't sell some soon. So we are looking to fill about 10 to 12 seats in the p***enger Van and do a abbreviated tour like we do with the Swedish guys, that come here to find and buy project cars, parts cars etc. We are looking do get serious guys from specific areas per visit this way we can try to arrange economical shipping of a group of cars and or parts at one time on one or tow? big trucks to one spot per time and have all who participate join at the same place & time to receive their treasurers. This is a great way to have combined efforts and get some of these great project cars out to the guys that can use them or need parts. Contact me if you like the idea and might have a group of guys that would like to participate then we can make arrangements. We would do very similar to the Swedish guys tour, fly into Omaha, Nebraska at a given date & time then a 45 minute drive to Lincoln in the shuttle as a group of new friends and then a stop in at my restoration shop to get things lined up & introductions then down the street to Speedy Bills amazing Museum of American Speed the best in the world! also a quick tour of the largest & oldest Speedshop in the country, a little time at their parts dept to buy parts? out on the town for dinner, & drinks etc. just to take full advantage of what there is here in the heartland, crash at the motel just down the street from my shop, breakfast at Perkins then off to the first stop of incredible cars & parts about 1/2 hr away just waiting to be found, appx 3 hour stop lunch in the small town, back on the road for 45 mins to the next jack pot of old iron appx 3 hrs of wheeling & dealing on what you find. then onto the next stop or dinner ?? then motel etc. many other museums to see old collections, hot rod shops etc. and so on This is how we roll with the Sweds and it works very well. We just think it's time to work with gear heads from the US as well, while there is still lots to see discover and purchase out here! better than letting go to the shredder then end up at Wallmart as cheap toasters & lawn furniture! call or email if you think you can put to together a few guys here and there that would have interest in doing something like this and i can make it happen. it ryed to upload pictures to help show the past tours, but didn't work so email me and I'll send some. Regards, Doug Auto Kraft body & paint Inc. Lincoln, Neb. info@autokraftnebraska.com
Ok here are just a few random pics from a couple of the tours. 8 flatheads 3 hemis and a few other engs with lots of other stuff went into this container! there still a lot left though come and get it!
wow I wish I had the money I would love to go just for the walk about , and maybe score an old truck , the spirit is willing but the wallet is dry : (
When I was a photographer in the midwest during the 80's I would make a point of checking out the old salavage yards. When I stayed over night I would ask the desk clerk where his father took him as a kid to look for junkyard parts. I found a few yards that were "closed" until I asked if I could look around. Milton, Ne, Great Bed, Ks, Dodge City, Ks, Wichita, Ks (three), Sublette, Ks, Alliance, Ne (two, one was next to Carhedge, now gone)) Yutan, Ne(gone now)(the best), Salina, Ks, Waterloo, Ia (tractors, watch out for the sheep) Council Bluffs, Ia (t-birds), Papillion, Ne (gone now, most had big trees growing through them) Modale, Ne (behind the race shop) the absolute best was the one in Irvington, Ne when they were widening a side street and uncovered a junkyard from the 3o's, it was left uncovered for about 6-months........and of course almost every house in Mo had a few cars in the backyard.........
There is still a lot of wonderful treasurers out here in the heartland yet just waiting to be discovered it dosen't cost a lot to just come out and sight see. So if some of you want to put together a sight seeing trip let me know! best to call I don't get much time to check in on this sight 402 474 2344 if your interested in setting up a group of 6 to 10 gear heads. Doug Auto Kraft body& paint Lincoln, neb.
Really cool idea. Positive: save iron from the crusher & everyone wins! Negative: (self interests) lots of iron we couldn't afford, didn't have room, motivation, or whatever, may end up in shipping containers. But hey, that's all good, better than crusher & hot rods are given a chance to live another day. If you tour through central KS, pm me Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
We get to Kansas often, and I would love to get a group of Sweeds down there to the Leadsled shin Dig they would love that venue. They just love American car culture & activities but the biggest thrill they get is driving down country back roads and coming up on a large collection of old cl***ic vehicles stock piled in a filed or such to go explore! just like all of us American gear heads. Yes it is much better for them to enjoy and teaser then to simply crush it and send to China to make cheap toasters. So give me a call and we'll try to get to Salina after stopping in at E-Z Jacks in Manhattan, Ks. Doug 402 474 2344
My Swedish Pals are back in the states, Michael the leader of the group is headed to Denver now from Lincoln, Neb. to pick up his group of 7 or so gear heads from across the pond, they will be in search of all things Americana and vintage parts & project cars, they'll be hitting all the old salvage yards i can find for them. So if you know of any others or collections that would just be great to see & tour through, they love that as well. Let me know so I can get them the info, or if you'd like to meet up with them along the way to sell some of your left over stuff. The tour will be in the Greeley, Lovland area & the Goodguys event at the Ranch, then into Denver, & Lamar areas, then into Kansas for a few days, then back to home base camp here at my shop in Lincoln, Neb. where they will fill a 40 foot container to ship back Sweden, then over to Speedway Motors for a tour of the amazing "Museum of American Speed" then they'll hit the parts counter to pick up their orders of hot Rod parts & accessories .
The Jalopy Journal
