Everyone loves the "My trip to the salvage yard" stories.

[WIDESIDE72]

As some of you may (or may not) know, on one of my trips to purchase 67-72 truck parts,(FRUITLESS),I purchased a 1962 Mercury Comet S-22 a while back. It needed a passenger front fender, grille, one headlight ring and the bumpers were bent. I ended up buying a grille from Memory Lane Dismantlers. AS far as the other parts, I called Mike at a place in Thrall, Texas named Kattner's Auto Service. Thrall is East of Austin, between Taylorand Rockdale. It is a one man operation. I forgot to ask him, but Mike said his dad started the business, so I assume Mike's last name is Kattner, but that it an assumption. I had been by the business located in Thrall, and stopped to look at things a few times, but had never bought anything or talked to Mike. A fellow at another yard mentioned that Mike had another yard out of town with HUNDREDS of old cars, so I called him.. He does not go out to the other yard but once a week when he pulls parts for customers. Believe it or not, he prefers that people come out and take a look and decide what parts they want. I pulled my parts myself (Mike has a generator on his pickup and I ran my sawzall to cut one bolt where the welded nut broke) and he gave me a great deal on the parts. I got the rear bumper (with a 73 license plate), the matching front license plate, two head light rings, two hubcaps, two headlights trim rings, one Comet fender emblem and the bumper to radiator support filler for $100. I could have bought a fender from him that had one crease for between $50- $75, but I would have had to cut down a Hackberry tree to get to it, and I had already bought one from Dakota Auto Salvage for $100. AS a side note, I wish I would not have gotten impatient and bought the out of state fender.It has two dents above the headlight (I was GUARANTEED that it was rust and dent free- should have insisted on pics). This was not the issue so much as the fact that freight was $100. In any case, have a look at a few pics. I took over 100 of general "CARS". There were only 4 or 5 67-72's. (TOO NEW!!!) They were GONE! (AS IN RUSTED OR WRECKED). He did have a good 67 or 68 front painted bumper still on a truck that had been burnt, but I was low on funds and the bolts were RUSTY from the fire, and a wrecked 70 or so cab that would have been for floor and radio area patch panels. It had pristine rockers but after the wreck, someone cut the passenger rear cab corner off. There was another, 68 or so the same way that had been wrecked HARD on the driver front. SOMEONE folded the steering wheel over in the wreck, but it had a good non hacked radio area. Although It turned out to be a disappointment as far as 67-72, or even earlier Chevy trucks (there were a few 55-59's (no big windows) that were rusted beyond repair, and a few pre 55's that I did not look over too well) it did turn out to be a treasure trove for parts for more obscure cars. There are no "MUSCLECARS" or dream cars like 55-57 Chevy 2 drs left, (there were a few 56-57 four door cars) if there ever were any, more of the everday cars. Mike did say that he would sell complete cars. I didn't ask how much, but I am sure it would be reasonable. He knows what he has, though so don't think you are going to get a steal, I figured I might offer him around $2k for a solid late 40's car to try and turn after I sell the Comet. There were a lot of late 40's and early 50's cars with no collision damage. (Rust is not as much of an issue in Central Texas, especially on the old 40's cars.Give Mike a call. He is a good ole boy who could use the business. If (when) I go back, I plan to take my generator and chain saw, as there are a lot of cars "IMPOUNDED" by trees. Also, don't bring your new truck out here,as it is in a cow pasture/ woods with ALOT of Mesquite trees that will ruin tires and scratch up a nice truck. I will post the 67- 72 truck pics first, and will come back from time to time to post random other pics. Give Mike a call. He is a good ole boy who I am sure could use the business. His # is 512-898-2320