I went to the local junkyard today and decided I need to start a thread on what people here find when they go. Post about your latest run here, what you found, didnt find, and what surprised you.

I go mainly to look for Fieros and 3800SCs. My local yard has an all GM section with probably 150-200 of them at any given time. I usually cruise all of this section and then leave.

Today I found 3 Fieros, 1 an 84 auto, 1 an 86 2.5 manual, and 1 an 86 GT auto. I also came across about 5 or 6 rather unscathed looking Northstars, tons of 4.9s, tons of 3800s but not a single 3800SC. I suppose thats probably normal because they are so hard to come across at a junkyard here anyway.

The one thing that surprised me was a 2001 Saturn SL2 that looked to be in EXCELLENT condition. The body was perfect no accidents, paint great, interior very nice, everything was there, I suppose maybe the engine was no good, but its not like you cant find one for cheap. The owner would have been better off putting an engine in it and selling it. To each his own, maybe he didnt want to deal with it.

Anyways, lets hear what everyones got to say.

-Joe

Funny you mention that perfect condition Saturn at teh J/Y. Got me to thinking...

A few years back,my brother and I went to one of our favorite junkyards,to see what was good. Well,amongst the normal stuff,lay a flawless, Pristine 56k miles 84SE,without a scratch on it.Glossy paint, Perfect seats,clean motor(oil was so clean on dipstick you could see thru it).

Puzzled,and kinda saddened by this,I had no choice but to start stripping this hoard of parts. (the J/Y would not sell the car whole). Curiosity getting the best of me,I asked the lady at the counter "What gives with that perfect Fiero in your junkyard??"

She kinda paused,and then told me "That the car was driven there." Literally out into the yard. "You,see...this guy's wife had someone drive it here..",she said. "He killed himself in it,and she let the car sit in the garage for a long while untill she finally had it taken away..."

As it turns out,he ran a garden hose thru the sunroof,via the exhaust,stuffed a towel in the gap,turned on the car,and the radio,and that was that....


-Mark

Can't say I've found a pristine anything before, but have found some interesting stuff. The coolest was a complete Sterling Kit car (like the one pictured). Had some body damage but nothing someone with decent fiberglassing skills couldn't have mended. The VW it was attached to however, was beyond repair.

This was many years ago and I did not yet realize how valuable that body was. Were I to see such a thing now I'd strip it from the VW pan, repair the fiberglass and sell it on ebay...

[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 09-12-2008).]

quote Originally posted by OKflyboy: Can't say I've found a pristine anything before, but have found some interesting stuff. The coolest was a complete Sterling Kit car (like the one pictured). Had some body damage but nothing someone with decent fiberglassing skills couldn't have mended. The VW it was attached to however, was beyond repair. This was many years ago and I did not yet realize how valuable that body was. Were I to see such a thing now I'd strip it from the VW pan, repair the fiberglass and sell it on ebay...

They are considered valuable there?
They certainly were popular in their day thoguh. You can still buy them new here today. But with upgraded mechanicals. The WRX's flat four being the engine of choice for most.


The Eureka started life in the UK in 1971, where it was called the Nova, and was soon sold in the USA as the Sterling, and in South Africa as the Eagle. Aussie Allan Purvis, on holiday in the UK in late 1971, saw an opportunity for the Nova and made distribution arrangements for Australia and New Zealand.

It is estimated that a total of around 10-11,000 Nova based kit cars have been sold around the world. With 683 Kits being produced in Australia.

cupple weeks ago i saw a 94 s10 ext cab 4x4 with a CA drop liftkit and rear axle flip, not smashed, not burnt, nothin.

then i hacked the cab corner out of it....

quote Originally posted by AusFiero: They are considered valuable there? They certainly were popular in their day thoguh. You can still buy them new here today. But with upgraded mechanicals. The WRX's flat four being the engine of choice for most.

Yup. New kits sell for around $9k. Basket cases routinely sell on ebay for a couple thousand.

[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 09-13-2008).]

quote Originally posted by AusFiero: They are considered valuable there? They certainly were popular in their day thoguh. You can still buy them new here today. But with upgraded mechanicals. The WRX's flat four being the engine of choice for most.

Donno about valuable in my area, sterilngs are rare here. Haven't seen one on the road in at least 20 years. I think they still hold as the only kit that was cloned.. Along the lines of VW kits, i have always wanted a ManxSR ( with the square headlights .. not round ). Almost bought one back in the early 80's but i was about 1 month too late with the cash, as the last place to make them had just folded.

Our junk yards here don't let you wander around on your own. They may let you ride as they get your part, but you are with them and they wont just drive around aimlessly as you oogle..

EDIT: they still make sterlings?!? I would never have imagined... http://www.sterlingsportscars.com/

[This message has been edited by User00013170 (edited 09-13-2008).]

oOo I guess its because my local yard is a pick and pull. Didnt kow there were ones out there that didnt allow you to get your own parts.

Keep them coming guys, maybe Ill try to get to a different yard next weekend.

-Joe

quote Originally posted by joesfiero: oOo I guess its because my local yard is a pick and pull. Didnt kow there were ones out there that didnt allow you to get your own parts. Keep them coming guys, maybe Ill try to get to a different yard next weekend. -Joe

I have heard we have a new one in town that is like that but none of the old ones that i know of are. im sure there are some liability issues.

A couple months ago, had a guy destroy a 200.00 header panel so he could get to the headlight harness behind it.
Another guy walks in the office with a part we let him go look at, and had 2 35th anniversary Mustang emblems he pried off a car damaging the fenders.

We sell a lot of parts to body shops, and they do not want them if there is any damage at all. I do not know if it is the insurance companies cutting them short or if they have become parts changers instead of body men. I have a few oldwe shops that will look at a door ding and ask for 25.00 to fix it...no problem. Dealerships are the worst. They almost will not take it if it is not the same color.

Gene

Sorry for any typing mistakes, but left my glasses in the shop so typing blind.

quote Originally posted by scrabblegod: A couple months ago, had a guy destroy a 200.00 header panel so he could get to the headlight harness behind it. Another guy walks in the office with a part we let him go look at, and had 2 35th anniversary Mustang emblems he pried off a car damaging the fenders. .

Another good reason not to let customers run amok unattended.

oo ooo ooo, pick me, pick me!

"Back home" (in the small town I'm from) there's only a couple of wreckers. Sitting outside of one, on a flat bed are two Fieros. Still. Neitehr they, nor the flatbed, have moved in at least a couple of years. A family member called me up one day, asking if I needed any parts 'cause the junkyard had just gotten in two Fieros that were sitting out front. "A red and a silver one, on a flatbed?" I asked, "yep". "They were there when I visted the Christmas before last." (and probably much, much longer)

Perhaps they're being used as "advertisement", seeing as they don't have to worry about body rust...

quote Originally posted by User00013170: Another good reason not to let customers run amok unattended.

It's not just the customers. I stopped going to a yard because all they hired were illegals that would abolutely destroy everything in site. I was there most of an afternoon looking for some fiero rims and just before closing finally found a sunbird with 4 pretty good rims. I told them I wanted them and they told me to come back in the morning (their front end loader was parked for the evening, and the car was partially buried in mud.) I show up the next morning and their employees had picked up the car (destroying the body) and burnt off the locking nuts with a torch also burning the rim totally destroying 3 of the 4 rims. The fourth they ran over. I then witnessed them pick up a car (in great shape) by the roof destroying the front windshield, sunroof, and rear glass. I complained to the manager and he said "I have no control over what they do" ??!

I just don't get it. It used to be a really nice yard too. I haven't found a usable part in a long long time from that place.....