Event Coverage Visited THE Imperial salvage yard yesterday (Pictures)

It's kind of a shame that he doesn't sell whole cars. It almost looks like he's sitting on more complete cars in his yard than there would be left in circulation that people would need parts for.

 

That is a field of dreams right there, one could spend hours just looking wow!

 

talk about cornering the market!

 

Nice looking yard ain't got shit piled on top of each other and no 4 ft. high weeds

 

Will someone confirm this?

 

It's not Big M, that place is like three hours north of Modesto...

I wouldn't mind a contact number, either.

 

Most D-derbys have banned Imperials anyway!

 

I am absolutely certain this is the fellow who lives at Patterson, CA......east of town about a mile or two among the orchards. I can't recall his name....may have it in the "archives" somewhere. Older guy, used to be in the commercial cooling business on the coast. Among others, I recognized that Imperial sedan with the rear of the quarters cut off. Best I can do on short notice.

Ray

 

I know the question might not be hamb friendly, but does he have 67-8's as well?

 

Wow - Not Big M?
Sorry.
So...Patterson, CA and on ImperialClub.com

we've learned.
Shouldn't be too hard to find.
From the looks of the cars, he must not bee too into selling parts off of them, though either.

 

I think I found it on google earth. 1 mile direct east of Patterson.

 

Im gonna have to check that place out.

 

Aaaaand here we go:

There is a whole page on him in the Imperial club website.
Updated 2003 and the phone # is not good.

http://www.imperialclub.com/Part/Yards/LowellHowe.htm

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20 seconds more in Google got the newer stuff.
I got a Hemmings ad with his info..
Guess he is still willing to sell stuff (why not give him a plug and pass the # on in the first post...not for privacy. He's wheeling and dealing still).
(209)-581-6221
I just called him about some 1962 stuff.
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Here is a newer page about that club's trip there in 2010:
http://www.imperialclub.com/Events/LowellHowe10/

 

Lowell Howe ..............that's it!!!! wish my memory were better..........Dang!

Ray

 

Curious also. Maybe a visitor can explain.

 

Mom had a 62
I remember the rectangular steering wheel and the auto dimmer. Technology man, technology!

 

Correct....My dad always drove Imperials and that was one of his favorite things to tell folks..."They banned them from destruction derbys because they always won!!!"....Can't kill them, as my mom proved with her '66 which was in 3 accidents, and totalled the 3 cars that tried to tangle with hers...

 

Wow I am a die-hard FoMoCo guy and even my pants got a little tighter after seeing those pics!

(just kidding, my pants got ALOT tighter!!!)

 

Cool guy. Don't know if we'll do any business or not, but I asked him about the grille needed for a car I am thinking of getting.

Anyway, He said he had almost 400 (!) Imperials.
So THAT'S whwere they all are. Seriously.

I have lived my whole life only seeing 2 1962s...1 in person...and he has rows of each year.

 

Guys, thought I'd share with you the news of Lowell Howe’s passing on July 1, 2013. He died peacefully in his sleep. He was 81 years old. Lowell had one of the largest Imperial Yards bar none. He was an good business man, and his family will surely MISS him. Unfortunately, his sons, already established in their businesses and careers, did not want to take over their Dad’s business, His sons sold Lowell’s whole yard of Imperials to an outfit near Fresno.

I know this is an old thread, but wanted to make sure that anyone who did a search for Imperial parts sources didn't go on a wild goose chase. I went by a couple weeks ago and the place is cleaned out with a couple exceptions.

Hopefully the outfit that bought the inventory will go public. It was a sad day to drive by and see an empty lot.

 

Wow. What a sad way for the yard to end it's existence. Just a shame some one could not continue on with his legacy.

 

OH wow!! Thats Crazy!!! I live in Patterson and used to drive by that place all the time... I haven`t been out that way in a while.... Sad news.