Junkyarding

[dagnabbitt]

My local junkyard generally doesn't have anything old enough to have a carburetor on it, but they must have cleared out a hoarder's farm or something because there are suddenly all kinds of old vehicles there, including a couple of our trucks. They are pretty far gone but still lots of parts on them.

I found this minty (color and condition!) radio delete laying on the ground near one of the trucks: it is by far the neatest thing I have found at a junkyard.



Also picked up a couple steering wheels, I am going to try to restore them.

Also picked this up from under the seat of the same truck. I am baffled as to what it is but it has original paint and no marks where it would have been cut out of the truck... any ideas?

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by dagnabbitt

My local junkyard generally doesn't have anything old enough to have a carburetor on it, but they must have cleared out a hoarder's farm or something because there are suddenly all kinds of old vehicles there, including a couple of our trucks. They are pretty far gone but still lots of parts on them.

I found this minty (color and condition!) radio delete laying on the ground near one of the trucks: it is by far the neatest thing I have found at a junkyard.

Attachment 2304585

Also picked up a couple steering wheels, I am going to try to restore them.

Also picked this up from under the seat of the same truck. I am baffled as to what it is but it has original paint and no marks where it would have been cut out of the truck... any ideas?

It is the cover for the wiring under the steering column between the steering wheel and the dash....

LockDoc

[dagnabbitt]

Thanks; I do believe that I have never owned a truck that had this piece intact, I have never seen one.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by dagnabbitt

Thanks; I do believe that I have never owned a truck that had this piece intact, I have never seen one.

They fall off pretty easy.

LockDoc

[truckster]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

It is the cover for the wiring under the steering column between the steering wheel and the dash....

LockDoc

Interesting... I've owned a dozen or so 67-72 Chevy and GMC trucks. I had never seen one of those before.

[LS short box]

I'm always up for junk yard crawl. You are right most of the old stuff has been crushed.

[dagnabbitt]

It doesn't look like anything at all, if it wasn't for the paint color it was I would have thought it was a piece of trash. Even upon picking it up I figured it has been cut out of the interior by someone trying to get at something.

I don't recall ever seeing one on this sites' parts board or at a swap meet, but from now on I will keep an eye out.

[burnin oil]

The bottom picture is off the steering column. It covers the wires.

[truckin 79]

That is all you got to show for your trip to the junkyard??? I would go back and get more as you said you do not see a lot of older vehicles in the yards anymore

[LONGHAIR]

All of the crushing from the "cash for clunkers" that happened 15 years ago or so, certainly didn't help. A whole lot of functional used cars were scrapped before their time. The filling of engine blocks to keep them from being resurrected, made that even worse. Even if the bodies were rusted out or crashed, the engine cores would have been good, but they had to be destroyed to qualify for the money.
The government paid for a lot of things that actually were scrap (worthless) and simultaneously got some perfectly good vehicles prematurely disposed.
The whole thing was short-sighted and is still showing the effect of "unintended consequences."
The whole idea of "reduce, reuse, recycle" was totally ignored.

[dagnabbitt]

Originally Posted by truckin 79

That is all you got to show for your trip to the junkyard??? I would go back and get more as you said you do not see a lot of older vehicles in the yards anymore

I will for sure, I have a list.

[truckster]

I just appreciate you sharing with us. I learned something I didn't know even after owning these trucks for 40 years.

[dagnabbitt]

“Restorable”

I think this was a 67 or 68 chevy van…? Wondering if this bucket seat is useful for our trucks. I’ll probably grab it anyway.

[dagnabbitt]

My mistake she is likely a 69

[dagnabbitt]

I found the twin to the other bucket. I have quite a collection of miscellaneous bucket seats now. These ones are interesting to me because the mounting slide bracket looks like it might work for a truck. Will have to compare to my other, (actual) truck, ones. Can always sell them if I don’t use them. Someone came over and saw me taking parts off of the "van" and quipped that I was clearly just working on the vehicle that was easiest to get things off of. A lady looking for her husband said if that one could talk it would say "ouch!". I told her I didn't take my wife with me today because she always brags to her girlfriends about going to the junkyard with me and I didn't want their men to resent me.

Also saw a 69 truck there - no pics - but it was complete. A guy came over and talked trucks with me a bit, he joked that the one he was fixing up was actually in worse shape. He showed me a pic on his phone and I politely disagreed, it was a 69 factory big block truck and looked pretty good. He was a really nice guy: I think it is funny how if someone sees me working on an old truck, that they feel comfortable talking to me. I don't really have a friendly face, and I think I look at people approaching my junkyard find like a dog looks at another dog who wants to steal his bone. I always regret not being friendlier, but no one seems to notice, they just love tlaking about the trucks. The guys ripping windshield wipers off of Hyundais don't talk to each other, so I think it it the trucks.

Off of the 69 pickup I did get a glove box door, seatbelts, armrest, a dg4 mirror, a sport mirror backing plate with screws, a choke cable with deluxe knob, single barrel carb spacer, four of those silver door plugs some people seem to be really interested in, a complete set of door hinges, hood lettering GMC, cigar lighter dash insert, a dark blue drivers side defrost vent, a couple interior light assemblies, and a bunch of odds and ends too. If that seems like a lot, it is because half of another truck was in the bed. I have learned to recognize when a truck at the junkyard used to be someone's project, there seems to be a lot of parts with it that are there to restore it.

[LockDoc]

-
They are decent looking buckets. It seems like almost all buckets are desirable. Glad you found some other good stuff. I need to make a trip to my local yard soon.

LockDoc

[sakustoms]

Walked a junkyard with a buddy a couple months ago and couldn't believe all the old stuff there. Some of it in way too good of condition to be there. I saw an old ford unibody truck like this.



Even saw a Corvair drop side pickup like this one.

[dagnabbitt]

I had one of those Unibodies in high school, it was a 1961. I bought it because I missed out on a 67 CST and the money was burning a hole in my pocket. I wonder if that guy still has that CST I'm gonna look him up right now.

[sakustoms]

Originally Posted by dagnabbitt

I had one of those Unibodies in high school, it was a 1961. I bought it because I missed out on a 67 CST and the money was burning a hole in my pocket. I wonder if that guy still has that CST I'm gonna look him up right now.

If he does you should try to buy it back.

[dagnabbitt]

Went out again to the same yard, no 67-72s but there were a couple early seventies trucks and vans.

I got some seatbelt parts that look to be more or less brand new off of a 1975 van. Back then a lot of people didn't "believe" in seatbelts so occasionally you can find them in mint condition: they were still tucked in the seatbelt holders. So I grabbed them of course. The plastic is bright and unfaded, and the buckles themselves were still super nice, clean chrome. I have at least a dozen of them at home that are in much worse shape. Seatbelt aficionados on the forum will understand why I got excited when I saw them, it looks like the buttons have never been pressed. Look at those GM logos! I have a pair of new ones that I paid way too much for, pictured with them for comparison.



This set of three seatbelt buckle covers came from a 1973 C10. They look saddle in the pic but are more of a gray or a parchment color. Not sure.

Also got a cigar lighter delete grommet, something I have never seen - or at least noticed - before. It is made of tin, I expected it to be rubber or plastic.

[dagnabbitt]

The 1968 van that I saw last time has almost completely returned to the earth, I don't think that there will be anything to crush. I've made the mistake of thinking that the early eighties van armrests would work in a 67-72: they do not, unfortunately. But in 1968 they used the exact same ones, this one is identical to the ones our trucks have. Also grabbed the little plugs that go where shoulder belts can affix to. If I ever own a turquoise truck I am all set. But seriously I might have to decide if I need to keep all this stuff, I can see how people end up being hoarders... I keep thinking but what if I need this some day!





As if to prove I have a problem I also picked up this Impala horn button. I do not have an Impala. I will never have an Impala. Paperweight?

[dagnabbitt]

Even with no 67-72 Chevies around there was still plenty to see. Not every day that you come across a Packard Clipper. Also, a Fargo van that reminds me of the ones that were always in the old Batman TV show. This one had some neat handlettering on it for a gasfitting company that, unfortunately, had faded too much to show in a photo.

And an old Sweptline. Not my thing, but I know that Dodge guys love them.

[Axle]

Originally Posted by dagnabbitt

As if to prove I have a problem I also picked up this Impala horn button. I do not have an Impala. I will never have an Impala. Paperweight?

Paperweight for now, but if you ever decide to change steering wheels, you have a horn button if it happens to be missing.

[dagnabbitt]

I went out again over the weekend, it was awfully nice weather. Love going for a walk through the junkyard.

The first thing I found was this 79 El Camino. I always wanted one, and if I ever owned an El Camino or Diablo - I have not - I'd want it to be a 79.

That's because my first car was a 79 4 door Malibu sedan. I loved that car. But, the same car but an El Camino would have been better.

I still have that one, the 79 Malibu. It has been waiting for a restoration that will likely never happen... because it is a 79 4 door Malibu.

It kind of bugs me that this Elco ended up in the junkyard despite being in better shape than that car that will never be junked or restored.

The car is pretty complete, and in better condition than many I see for sale as runners. If it were a manual trans I'd demand to buy it from the yard.

This is a stripper model, though, no AC or buckets, and clock instead of tach. I didn't check but probably a 267 with a TH 350 etc.

Looks like the previous owner loved it though since they found some Olds Cutlass rims for it that look really good. I had an Olds Cutlass Supreme, too, back in high school.

Cool to look at.

[dagnabbitt]

I have a friend with a 1948 Chevrolet Businessman's Coupe, and another friend with a 1951 sedan, so I was happy to see this one in the yard, I thought they might like to know.

It's a 1950 sedan, and although the body is in sad shape, the interior was pretty nice: considering. I don't think there is anything useful to be had from it for my buddies... but I like looking under floormats and in gloveboxes. I get a kick out of seeing a parking ticket for 50 cents from 1964 etc.

This one had one of those AAA stickers for someone who was a member for 50 years. Don't see those much, and I have to wonder if it was an original member from 1902.