Junkyard raiders.....
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Junkyard raiders.....
As some of you may have noticed, from time to time I allude to raiding junkyards for parts, not so much today now, as my snap and snip collection is fairly complete, and was intended for much more common cars, like A & B body cars...of years/decades ago....so today some of them fit or are totally useable for the vette too, things like p/windor switches...the like....
even those illeusive power window springs off another thread...
question is, ....how many of you guys raid junkyards on a saturday?? just for all sorts of parts, and such.....??? for years on end about once or twice a month I"d go to the yards for a 2-3 hour visit, pick and pecking....
Honestly, I found it relaxing, silence, with an occational comment/cuss from the guys pulling something heavy out, while I"m just walking around and pecking....
some gals love a field of flowers, me too for that matter, but my favorite field is full of cars.....
GENE
even those illeusive power window springs off another thread...
question is, ....how many of you guys raid junkyards on a saturday?? just for all sorts of parts, and such.....??? for years on end about once or twice a month I"d go to the yards for a 2-3 hour visit, pick and pecking....
Honestly, I found it relaxing, silence, with an occational comment/cuss from the guys pulling something heavy out, while I"m just walking around and pecking....
some gals love a field of flowers, me too for that matter, but my favorite field is full of cars.....
GENE
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 11
From: Schaumburg IL
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (mrvette)
Only if I can get to a rural area. The ones around Chicago are 90% newer cars and most of the stuff is not worth clipping. Besides, here at a yard, I am the only one that speaks english.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (bigvette1)
YES, i'ts getting harder and harder to even find #1227730 computers for say DPFI systems....I dunno, seems all the 70-80's...stuff if going fast....
try locating an old original Pontiac engine, last made in '78, for instance...
much less an OLds.....or an old original Caddy, last shipped in '79.....
GENE
try locating an old original Pontiac engine, last made in '78, for instance...
much less an OLds.....or an old original Caddy, last shipped in '79.....
GENE
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (mrvette)
Most of the better junk yards around here don't let you out back. YOu go to the parts counter and ask. If they have the part you do not get to take it out or even look around.
There are a few yards that allow you to take your own parts but you tell them what you want and they take you to the car that they want you to work on.
I do like looking in the dumpsters at our local dump. :)
There are a few yards that allow you to take your own parts but you tell them what you want and they take you to the car that they want you to work on.
I do like looking in the dumpsters at our local dump. :)
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 5
From: Sacramento California
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (bigvette1)
Only if I can get to a rural area. The ones around Chicago are 90% newer cars and most of the stuff is not worth clipping. Besides, here at a yard, I am the only one that speaks english.
:iagree:
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Pro
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 708
Likes: 0
From: Renton Wa
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (mrvette)
I absolutly love the Junk yard, Though I find my self always getting my attention drawn to the mangled piles that used to be a car, Always wondering "did the person make it out of this one?? For instance this last weekend, I saw a 99 honda accord with whole front end bent completly up and over into the windshield, like a canycane or something, the rear was about the same, it looked like it was hit by a train or something, Funny thing is they never have blood in them. I wonder if it's the junk yard owners or someone else that gets rid of the blood, and what do they use? they even had a bio warning written on the side, with Blood written below it.
Anyways, on average I hit a Junkyard once every 2 weeks. it is a great place to wander. and luckly enough my Girl Friend loves it about as much as I do. She goes after 240's and nissans though.
This last weekend I picked up a new Rack and pinion center steer this time. So Gene I could use your Guidance again :). Oh and I met another CorvetteForum guy, He saw what I had and said, "OH! taking the poormans route to steeroids solution huh?". I smiled and said yup. His name is corvette184 on here I guess. He spends his time on the C5 side.
Anyways, on average I hit a Junkyard once every 2 weeks. it is a great place to wander. and luckly enough my Girl Friend loves it about as much as I do. She goes after 240's and nissans though.
This last weekend I picked up a new Rack and pinion center steer this time. So Gene I could use your Guidance again :). Oh and I met another CorvetteForum guy, He saw what I had and said, "OH! taking the poormans route to steeroids solution huh?". I smiled and said yup. His name is corvette184 on here I guess. He spends his time on the C5 side.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,320
Likes: 2
From: Salem Oregon
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (mrvette)
I stop in at the local vette wrecking yard every couple weeks, to see if they have anything new. I have a 78 and 85, so I need a wide range of parts on my shelf. The guys let me wander around with my tools in the yard even though the owners put up new signs saying employees only. I always show the guys what I picked up and they normally just tell me to take it, no charge. Some freebies have been,,t-trim, rocker trim, god knows how many clips, connectors, nuts, bolts. They all have trouble with english also, but I treat them good, nothing goes farther then a case of beer in a throw away ice chest in the middle of summer. I have done that two years in a row, and they seem to like to see me. go figure. :jester
[Modified by randy814u, 8:06 PM 9/3/2003]
[Modified by randy814u, 8:06 PM 9/3/2003]
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (WashingtonRacer)
hehehe....Well, Wash, have fun there, I searched all OVER the damn place and could NOT find one documentation of what I drew up and sent out...and that pisses me off no end, as I have to take the car apart yet again to draw up and take pix......I know I saved it somewhere, but you know, I can't find a damn thing....GRRRR!!!!
freaking computers......much less the hard copy drawings I made....
8x11 sheets of paper, all scanned and everything, think I could FIND them???
GRRRRRR!!!!
it will be a few weeks if I do this again...I getting busy with some work here, and so it may be a bit before I get a chance....
GENE
freaking computers......much less the hard copy drawings I made....
8x11 sheets of paper, all scanned and everything, think I could FIND them???
GRRRRRR!!!!
it will be a few weeks if I do this again...I getting busy with some work here, and so it may be a bit before I get a chance....
GENE
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 1,612
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix Arizona
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (mrvette)
Last Nov, A friend and I pulled three 4 bolt 350 motors out of 3 trucks in about 3 hours... All three blocks were standard bore and ready to be rebuilt. Thankfully, the transmissions had been removed in all three of the trucks along with most accessories/radiator/exhaust, etc, etc.
There are some good deals out there if you know WHERE to look!
Bob :cheers:
There are some good deals out there if you know WHERE to look!
Bob :cheers:
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 10
From: NorCal
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (mrvette)
Not so much form the vette, but there are a lot of Corvairs in yards around here for some reason, so I like to poke around for useable bits for that. Around here, there is the added obstacle of paper wasps and Black Widow spiders in every old junk car during the summer!
Hans
Hans
Pro
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 708
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From: Renton Wa
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (Wrencher)
Yeah, last weekend I got freaked out by the over population of Mud dobbers around here. They built nests in every car I saw. So I left there and went next door.. not a wasp in sight. Odd...
Gene, DAMMIT MAN!!! I want those blue prints !!! :) Just kidding. I am sure I could figure it out on my own, so no need to go do something you don't need doing. Though I am saying that now, and perhaps I have absolutly no clue what I am in for. Things that make you go Hhmmmmmmm!!!
Gene, DAMMIT MAN!!! I want those blue prints !!! :) Just kidding. I am sure I could figure it out on my own, so no need to go do something you don't need doing. Though I am saying that now, and perhaps I have absolutly no clue what I am in for. Things that make you go Hhmmmmmmm!!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 9,127
Likes: 2,326
From: Pottsville, PA. USA Home Of America's Oldest Brewery Yuengling
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (WashingtonRacer)
I live close to the three U-Pull it yards. One has over 5,000 cars and trucks in it. I get a lot of neat stuff.
I also know the owner of Contemporary Corvette it is an all Corvette junk yard outside of Philadelphia. They have 500 wrecked Corvettes in the yard. I just love wandering around in there.
I also know the owner of Contemporary Corvette it is an all Corvette junk yard outside of Philadelphia. They have 500 wrecked Corvettes in the yard. I just love wandering around in there.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,209
Likes: 33
From: Texas-out west
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (Budman78)
we have a good yard here, able to go out look around and pull it or have it pulled, same problem though getting harder to find anything left earlier than late 80s. I do have 3 83 toyota supras to chose from thought for parts for my daily driver :D :D vette parts :( not many, couple of burnt 80s cars and that is it to my knowledge
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,162
Likes: 2
From: Beaverton, OR
Re: Junkyard raiders..... (randy814u)
They all have trouble with english also, but I treat them good, nothing goes farther then a case of beer in a throw away ice chest in the middle of summer. I have done that two years in a row, and they seem to like to see me. go figure. :jester