Woods Find Jackpot! Good and Bad news

Well- maybe its only a jackpot to me. I came across a wooded area not too far from home near a park that turns out was an old junkyard- closed down about 20 years ago. Most of the area was cleaned up but alot of stuff wasnt. basically the NEWEST car I could identify was a 64 Impala. most of the stuff was in the 40s and 50s. looks liek they basically cut all the cars up and threw most of the stuff into piles, the rest is scattered all over the ground. alot of it is junk but there is alot of trim and small parts still good, saw a few banger engines, flatehead 6 and v8 motors that may have soem decent parts left in em, some usuable body panels, 2 truck cabs and a flattened 59 ford witht he 9inch rear still under it. Basically a ton of the cool little stuff you need to hunt for when you are building a rod.

So anyway, time to hunt for the owner. Turns out the owner went from salvaging cars to "Recycling" metal. They have a big company now. So I find some phone numbers and start calling. I finally get a phone call from the old guy that used to run the place. He is going to talk it over with his partner about me taking what I want and get back to me. So I call him today to touch base and get the semi-good and definite bad news.

Bad news- I can not remove anythign from the property due to liability issues ( I was very clear I woudl sign ANY waver they had but..)

The good news- If i send him some pictures of what i want, when they do the final cleaning of the place in the fall, he will tell the guys to set the stuff aside for me to come pick up. DEFINITELY A COOL GESTURE!!!! And I will take him up on that.

The bad part of the good news is hopefully they remember to set it aside, dont smash it etc. But also also all the little stuff that is scattered all over is gonna be "Recycled" because these guys cant spend the time to pick it up.

I dont wanna sound like i am complaining- It is WAY cool that the guy is letting me have anything, just a shame that the rest will be gone.

Here are some pictures

 

see if they wil hire you some how, it worked for me once, i got on parttime for a "special project" and got the stuff i wanted,, go with the attiude it is one less full time important employee to do the work, and would benefit everyone, they have riders in the insurance that would take care of you for that, or be hired as a self employed contractor, go through the motions, throw that at them and see what they say, sounds like they are going along so far with your inquiries

 

looks like its all gone allready

 

If you squint you can see a 1959 Ford.....I think.

 

And a cadillac air cleaner!

 

Offer them a contract to do the "precleanup" inventory or estimate of material to be removed. Carry some marking paint for scrap or salvage.

Get an aerial photo/good map and mark the big trees that will have to be removed, etc. to get the equipment in and around.

Kinda like a "timber cruiser"

Big problem is how much time do you have to spend doing that?

Good luck!

 

Wow I wish I had the hood off that 55 or better yet the whole car for my 55 wagon project.

 

Stay out of my yard, I'm going to fix that stuff up some day.

 

ARGGGG!! what air cleaner?! i never saw no air cleaner*wink* j/k kindof=P

 

Could you maybe 'rent' or 'lease' the site off him for 60 or 90 days for 50c or $1 a day. A legal lease could specify terms and conditions like your access is entirely at your own risk, and anything you choose to 'clean up' as part of the agreement is yours to keep as rightful tenant of the property etc.

Good luck, Glen.

 

Everything I see is pretty wasted except that '55 Chev and it appears to be rotted badly. But there is a lot of trim and small parts you could take. Best bet is to do as someone suggested and try to find a way around the liabilty issues so you could strip all the small parts. The stuff you don't want, sell on here and use the money to put into a project.

Was it me I'd pull every cowl tag and serial tag I found, too.

 

Get a tetanus shot.

 

I have tried that- They have seemed to pretty much ignored those comments. Im gonna offer it up again when I send the pics of what I want.

Yup- totally flat, but still has a 9" in it. It was a 4 door with A/C

And unfortunately its totally wasted. rusted through and beat to hell. It was half burried when I found it. One of those things that makes you drop to your knees and scream at the sky "WHYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!"

The 55 is pretty trashed- The hood is rotted at the rear corners. It was a 4 door that has been sitting on the ground for a long time- the quarters are rotted at the tops (Where it meets the roof) and the fenders looked solid except around the headlights. I considered askign for it, but I think its too rough even for me.

I did pull a few- basically stuck a screw driver under them and pryed em off to hang on my shop... Are they worth something besides being cool?

I'll post some more pics on Monday

 

BTW- I think this was a 40 chevy.... I dont think they completely understood when the guy said he wanted it chopped

That part against the tree ios the other half and im pretty sure the firewall is in front of it- didnt see the fenders or doors. Found the hood though

 

Just take the stuff, do they have armed guards or something?

 

I'd be up there with a wrench taking everything that wasn't tied down or unmovable by a comealong or trailer. Lots of small trips. It's been there for 20 years? What are the chances of them being in an all-fired hurry to get it cleaned up next fall. I'd get while the gettin's good, and hope they do bother to call you when they actually perform the cleanup. Just think of it as helping the process along. That stuff's not getting any newer.

 

The local police- The area is fairly popular as there is a public park across the street.

To be honest- I have taken a few little things- Stuff that I could carry by hand. A police officer saw me and stopped me. Told me he knew the stuff was junk and all but i needed permission to take it. He was cool about it. but told me not to be caught doing it again without permission.

By talking to the guy It sounds like its almost a hassle for them to clean it up but they are worried about liability. Im gonna run a few suggestions by them one more time and if they still say no then I'll just cross my fingers they remember the stuff when they clean the place up. I'll keep eveyone posted on what I find out.

 

Yeah the 55 is too rough to fix but it would be unreal at the parts you could use if you were building one.

 

LOL PUSSY!!!

 

Great job doing the needed research, Joe. Does look like there's a bunch of small stuff that could be salvaged.

The quote below bothers me, though. They don't want you removing anything due to liability issues, but it's ok to go back and take pics. Wouldn't there still be liability issues if you're on the property?
Just my 2 cents.

Roger

 

looks mote like a 49-50 chevy.....

 

Yes! See if you can rent or lease the property for a month or so for your goats or something?? NO deoposit? You will do "all the clean up" good luck..

 

Well.... I already had a bunch of pictures, just not enough of the things I wanted. I told him I took pictures the first time I went out there and I think thats what he wanted... So technically I went out there against his wishes to get the pics over the weekend. I have the pics and did not take or move ANYTHING. I'll post some pics shortly.

 

Okay here are a few more pictures. I am really hoping to get the truck cab... I think its an international (Anyone know?) It was a big truck, the cab still mounted on the frame, 1 fender left and the doors are next to it.

Can someone identify that motor layign on its side with all the pipes on it? And yes, that valve cover is rusted out. the motor is trashed but I was curious what it is. The flatheads have been sittign so long that the oil pans rotted away

 

Some kinda cool other misc. junk out there. There is a huge pile of those washign machines out there. Tons of Soda bottles (Not too old but cool to see those old label designs. and a bunch of those 1 gallon sized oil cans- all of em rotted out.

There are tons of steel wheels out there. Unfortunately I doubt they would let me pick through them and I dont have the room to take them all. The one pictured is kinda cool- green with a white strip on it.

 

1949 chevy, sweet car.

looks like a 292? Y block too.(in the other set of pics) cool cool

 

Is there a trunklid for that 49 chevy? I need one.

 

Motor on side is Y block Ford 292 or 312. Grill shell is 1940's International heavy truck, not pickups. Don't think the truck cab is international.

 

Wow I was way off on a bunch of it.. then I'll rephrase- 2 halves of a 49 Chevy and I found the hood to a 40 Chevy. Sorry, if the trunk lid is there, its probably under a pile like this

 

I forgot to mention how many transmissions and bellhousings are out there. Probably a good thing I dont know what they are or it mightr hurt more to see them. Im sure they are all trashed, but im also sure there are useful parts for someone in there.

There are also tons of stuff like spindles, backing plates etc. One day I will buy a 50's Chevy or ford and need a spindle and be pissed