Great place wasn't it Feder? One of Rays friends that went to school with him said although Ray was always kinda weird, it got alot worse when he pulled a motor out of a hulk and left it swinging on the boom truck while he drove the truck thru the yard. It swung forward enough to go thru the back of the cab and hit him on the back of the head. Knocked him out cold. they found him that way, hunched over the steering wheel. Ended up in the Hospital and never was the same. I always got along with him even when my hair was down over my shoulders. For some reason we just got along. I spent many Saturdays just roaming that place for the fun of it. After he got ran over and his daughters took over the place, I went looking for some parts. Couldn't even find a set of small block Chev heads. As an aside.... the car that ran over him was an ISUZU. The JAPS finally got him after all.
Dragers is now right across Hwy 99 from Sky Nursery, just north of 185th in North Seattle, now called "Shoreline". He's in the BACK of the building, that has been everything from an auto parts store to an appliance center. Kompact Kar Korner is now run by "Louie", same high prices, same low quality cars. Only 2 wrecking yards remain in Lynnwood, Best and Pick-A-Part. My own person dragstrip growing up, "48th Street Raceways", between 164th and 148th, is now one big housing-apartment-condo developement. Sno-King Drive In has been gone for 25+years, as well as the Thunderbird in Marysville, and the one in North Seattle. The high school I went to has been torn down and rebuilt, and Lynnwood High School has been moved, TWICE. When I first moved to Lynnwood in 62, 196th St SW, was a narrow 2 lane road; I live in Everett now, since 86. Street racing still goes on, only it's the Ricer/Tuner car guys and motorcycles; I hear them all night long on the Boeing Freeway/SR526.
rays auto wrecking was always an adventure. Go in looking for a part on some car that was at the bottom of three cars. only to go up front with it later and say do you have any others like the one you pulled. he would say yes 10.48 and the one you pulled was 7.48 . My brother in-law was with me he had long hair he was not allowed in till he got a nice hair cut like my self. I also got yelled at for bring a hippy with me. He did all this for shock value.
Oh boy, Ray's was an adventure. Soon as you saw that old sign Kill the Japs! Remember Pearl Harbor! I went in once and he was yelling at a black guy and saying N.........s are'nt allowed in this place, now turn around and get your dirty black ass out of here. Then it was my turn. I got to go back and pick up some parts. I found a couple things and asked him how much. He said $27.86. I aked if he'd take $25 cash out the door. He the said $32.27. I said $15.35. He said $38.45. I told him he just bought the part and put it on his desk and started walking out. He then cursed me and I just shook my head and gave him a very welcome F$#@ you too!
The Jalopy Journal
