So, does anyone have a line on any "vintage" wrecking yards in the phoenix az area? I know about Desert Valley....WAY to expensive to work with, seriously $750 for a rebuildable flathead core and $500 for a '55 buick grill and bumper? If anyone has an info on other vintage yards, or private collections in the area let me know.
Just depends on what you are looking for. I own about 450 Pontiacs 1955-1981 and a few dozen Buicks, Olds and Caddys and 2 Fords. www.pontiacheaven.org
DVAP is just about it. Hidden Valley is ran by the same folks I think. There are a couple others down south that way. craigslist. glendale swap.
Just to clarify, DVAP and Hidden Valley do have similar names but, are not related. They could probably be compared as competitiors, like wal mart and target. The Hoctor family owns Hidden Valley here in Maricopa and are not far from me. DVAP is run by the McClure family. DVAP bought the remainder of Wisemans auto wrecking in Casa Grande around 2OO4 when Ronny Wiseman was killed in a car wreck. His family auctioned off all of his inventory. I bought 17 cars that day but, DVAP people were bidding on everything and I had to outbid them. Then, DVAP people ended up buying the land and the business itself. Now DVAP uses that yard for their oldest stuff. If you are looking for pre '6O stuff, you may want to look at the Old Wiseman yard in Casa Grande, now part of DVAP in Phoenix.
whining about the price of parts that are no longer made doesn't make sense to me. The guy probably has ONE of those 55 Buick grilles...when he sells it to you for what YOU consider a reasonable price, then what. If you had a Picasso in your basement, would you sell it for the aggregate value of the paint, canvas and frame? Probably not. Most hotrodders (and even the revered restorers) understand that this is an expensive hobby. The parts you need to fix up your old car are worth exactly what someone that HAS to have it pays for one he finds. Look at the price of the cars we love - when I was in HS, we threw away deuce fenders...Model A hoods...flathead V8s to make room for Cadillac, Chrysler and Oldsmobile engines. Try to find a good set of original bent-wire wheels - or a flathead that isn't cracked - or rusted solid. I bought two 32 Fords between 1960 and 1964 - a running stock V8 tudor sedan for $75 in '60 and a 3W coupe with a 322 Nailhead/LaSalle trans for $450 in '64 - and I thought I was getting screwed bigtime. Admittedly, wages weren't then what they are now, but neither are new cars. And, the more hot rods and/or customs that get built, the scarcer those parts become. someone on here constantly reminds us that you 'can buy too soon, but can never pay too much'. That's the mantra of the old car hobby, whether you're building a boulevard scraper, a drive-in cruiser, a serious hot rod, or restoring a 38 Buick coupe. If you can't manufacture it...you're going to have to buy it. And everything that's put into service leaves one less of whatever it is out there for the next scrounger, ergo...price increase. dj
Thanks for your input, it was just a comment, don't need your preaching about old time prices and the supply vs. demand concept. If you have never been to DV before, you don't understand there mentality....they would charge the same inflated price for a grill off a '71 nova...southwest rust free parts are woth gold in there eyes and 90% of there bussiness is done to to people in the rust belt states who will pay a premium for the stuff we south-westerners see as "good" or "fair" condition. Take this how ever you want, I am an asshole and I know it. All i was looking for were other yards to by my parts at...maybe they will supply what I demand for a more resonable price.
I spent a lot of time out there at the GM Desert Proving Grounds, as well as spending winters out there now. Input is correct on yards around Phoenix, and their stuff is really getting picked over. I found some old yards up on the rim that had some old parts at much better prices, but you need to get out on the road into the hinterlands to find them. Two best places I found were around Showlow, Az. (found a MINT 55 Desoto grille for $125 - but that was a few years ago....). Last time I went back there they were pretty picked over on the real old stuff, but still had a lot of 60's parts.
The guys at DVAP can be real jackasses. A buddy of mine found some Buick finned brake drums on a car in their yard. He asked the guy in the office how much for the pair and was told $150, so he went out and pulled them off the car. When he returned to the office with the drums in hand the price was now $300. That's the mentality at DVAP. My buddy told them to forget it, he would put them back. He walked out aways into the yard, threw those drums as far and he could and left.
Thanks everyone for their leads and input...I do appreciate it. Will have to check a couple out in the coming weeks.
Well, then I apologize if I seemed preachy. I understand your original intent was to find any salvage yards that were worth perusing for the parts you need at a "reasonable price". It's apparent that the gougers at DV are enjoying the fruits of rampant capitalism. Strictly speaking, their brand of business is what keeps most old cars off the road for lack of sufficient parts to 'restore' to safe and presentable running condition. I do tend to get wound up sometimes - again I apologize for any disparaging remarks you felt were aimed at you. dj
Speaking of older yards outside of the Phoenix area. I have a friend in St Johns, about an hour east of Show Low, who owns his own yard and has a ton of early iron and parts. He is a model A and T junkie but has a lot of other stuff too. His name is Ferris and his place is Ferris' automotive and towing. his number is 928 337 444O His yard is on about 15 acres plus he owns a whole city block with tons of old stuff where he lives in town. St Johns is like going back in time 3O, 4O, 5O years. I love it there. No traffic signals, it is like Mayberry. I had to buy there. It is about an hour south of I 4O near the NM border. Still have my main place outside of Phoenix in Maricopa too. This is also where my new yard is located on 12.6 acres and where my new shop and museum will be too. Also am now hosting 2 cool car shows there at the city park. We even have a burnout contest right in the street! There is also an old yard in Springerville with a lot of cool stuff. I bought the last GTO they had from them in 1994. Lots of 5Os and 6Os stuff, some earlier. Hope this helps you. By the way, I am always looking for junk and salvage Pontiacs 1955 to 1981. Please keep an eye out for me. At my new place, I found a few of 2Os and 3Os bodys half buried in the dirt. Dug one out and brought it to Ferris, he identified it as a '26 Model T truck body. Cool. Steve
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