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As a classic car enthuaist, I have had a growing concern about the number of classic cars being crushed by Auto Salvage/Recycling yards like Pick A Part, Pick Your Part, Ecology ,etc.. I live in Riverside Ca and I have been going to Pick a Part and there have been so many very rare cars that have been set out in the yard, and hardly any parts taken off of them before they are crushed. In the Pick A Part in Monrovia California there is a large area fenced in that is filled with some very rare cars. Everything from 50's Packards, Hudsons, Desotos, Edsels, Chevy's, 40 Chryslers, and many 60's cars many would be considered collectible and most seem at least 80-100 % Complete. If this is happening here than you know it's happening all over the U.S.

For all of you not fimiliar with Pick A Part and others they buy "junk" cars haul them away to a area that is fenced off, then they bring them out into the yard where the car is placed on metal stands in a row so the customers can pick off parts with their tools and buy them. After three or four weeks the whole row is taken to the recycling yard where the cars are crushed. Whether the car is a thrashed 89 Honda Civic many of the parts have been taken off or a 55 Nash Ambasdor that hardly had any parts taken off of it. I know of a 50s Nash Ambasdor that still had its engine transmission, interior, enterior trim pieces, decals and next day I went there the whole row was taken to the Recycling area.

The cars that are getting more and more rare are probally more likely to be destroyed. Collecters that have Packards, Studebakers, Hudsons, International Harvester pickups, etc dont have the benefit of a lot new reproduction parts. So there is a ever diminishing supply of parts, even more so than Ford, GM and Chrysler but there are getting fewer of those cars too.
Because of the bad economy and less people have the money to buy and fix up a car. So if someone has a old car and they need money, they will be more likely to sell it to an auto recycle if nobody else buys the car.

This is happening all over the U.S., as time goes by I believe certain parts are going to get extremely scarce. I believe, car collecters and their clubs need to be aware of this and ,if possible to help find a way to stop this, or at least if a lot people are made aware they can save some collector casr from being destroyed. The more people who are made aware of this the greater chance that something can be done about this. I ask that all people who read this would consider sending this letter to anyone who is interested in cars, in hopes that something can be done about this.

I want to create a website that alerts car collectors if a vehicle of thier interest shows up at a auto savage yard near where I live, Or at least e-mail clubs about it. Often a car will be there and hardly anyone that might be interested in the parts will even know its there. The car could have a part that somone in your club might be really looking for but not even know its there. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. My main goal is that some kind of financial incentive for these junkyard, auto salvage to save old pre-1980 cars, sell them to clubs for cheap, or if there was some way to discourage them these places from buying these cars in the first place.

I will post on the forums of any Packard cars that show up in any of these auto recycling yards near where I live.

I agree with you completely and I'm willing to help if I can. It is a shame to let these old classics get crushed while there is still a chance to salvage usable parts from them or even save the entire car.

Gene

The only thing that will reduce this problem is a BIG drop in scrap metal prices. Laws regarding scrap and scrap cars and scrap yards of various states do'nt help either.

High scrap metal prices and legislation are against the vintage tin owners. That simple.

I think that we, as the custodians and guardians of these classics, have a duty and responsibility to go to the yards near our individual locations and try to establish a relationship with he owners. We could explain that our purpose is to preserve these cars for future generations and negotiate for them to notify us of any new classic cars brought in so that we can remove those items that are most likely to be needed in the future; those items that cannot be easily fabricated in the home shop.
After all, most of the scrap value is in the sheet metal and not in the trim, brackets, interior moldings, radios, knobs, etc., that can often be fairly easily removed. The owner will still keep their profits from the bulk of the car undiminished plus earn a little extra cash for the little things we take off; win0win situation. Those things we take off we can offer to the appropriate group for enough to cover our time and expenses to remove them; again a win-win situation.

I think I'll start doing this myself here in my area. But, I will say that, as someone who spent 20 years in sales before becoming a teacher that we need to first establish a friendly relationship so that the yard owner will understand why we would appreciate their co-operation.

Gene

That is a noble idea, and as individuals we can be somewhat successful within our individual sphere of influence. I'm aware of NLT than (5) Packards in my immediate area that I watch and have started conversations with owner's and property owners. I remain thankful for the Dulinski's, Kanter's, Chirco's and so many others with the time, money and wherewithal to collect these kinds of cars for salvage.

leave a card at all the shops,, and tell them to call you if something old comes in,, and thank them,,, even if the something OLD is not what your looking for,, i saw a slat grill wwii early jeep get smashed in cali,, it was a rare one,, the place could only sell PARTS,, not whole vehicals, parts were bought,, history was lost..., jc