Sad, but so true... especially in these parts. Had seen this a while back and didn't have a camera with me. While working in the area we passed this again and this time with a camera... there were about half as many around the corner and of the same vintage, mostly chevy it looks like. Makes you wonder if ANYTHING at all is still salvageable on any of these, and still the question arises, "what were they thinking?"
And that layer of '55 Chevies is probably on top of a layer of Deuce roadsters and coupes...on top of Model T's.
Such has it always been. When I was a pre-teen I saw them put in hundreds of '30s coupes and sedans as stream rip rap. Now that they are worth something, I go back to those places along the Missouri and the Snake Rivers and see if i can salvage window some moldings etc., but the bodies are now long beyond saving, except for a rare one here and there that didn't quite get below the water line. I've winched a couple of bodies out ('37 Chevy Coupe & '39 Ford coupe). It's till fun to go see what was done to the ole cars.
Out of sight, out of mind. An easy way to get rid of junk... Could you share photos? That would be nice to see!
They were thinking "Wow! What a great parking space for me and my sweetheart. Such a great view of the river and nobody else knows about it. I'll just set the parking break and whoa shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii..."
I'll tell you what they were thinking, but first, I need to set the scene: The year is 2006, and the riverbank needs shoring up. Junkie has a BUNCH of 1990-1995 Toyo Camrys, just sittin' gathering dust. A couple bumps in the bodywork, but they weren't worth fixin'. SO, drag 'em out and set 'em up, riverbank is now shored up. How bad do you feel about THAT scenario?? Same as they felt in 1965. Face it, at one point they were just old cars. Cosmo
I remember growing up here in rochester,ny,in my old neighborhood, my friend had an old model T roof popping out of the ground.Kodak was becoming such a huge employer,they were filling in gullies and ravines to make new housing for the workers. they used old cars and whatever else they could find.
Alas, to many they still are. I feel the same way (what were they thinking?) when I see footage of old demolition derbies. Almost makes me wanna cry my hindsighted eyes out...
man, i need to do some research...there's a place i remember from my youth, i couldn't have been over 10 or so, but years ago when i lived in Alaska, i remember going with my dad to a place where MANY hundreds of cars were used for erosion control....probably thousands, but hard to say going off a childs memory of things, but as i recall, the cars were stacked on another to probably 8 high or so, for a mile or more. we were there in the 80's, and there were a number of other people there for the same reason we were...to nab parts! too bad AK is so far away, i'd love to go back and find it.
yup, I know a guy who figure 8 races, gets 70's pontiacs and pulls the good 400's and drops in 305's. Some of them are CLEAN cars from the south and they get totaled. Most people here probably don't even care about that but those are cool cars, last of an era (before computers). I get sick at some of the cars he's destroyed, Same difference..
I like many rodders have picked a lot of cars and parts out of ditches. I've collected many fond memories of using my sawsall at the end of a gasoline generator and sliding down a bank with a torch to bring back whatever will come off.
" drove my Chevy to the levy...." Makes me want this snow to depart so I can go junkyarding... Thanks for the pic. Stu
i could probably drive to 10 -15 mor places like that. damn near all the roads around here that border a creek or small river al built on old cars. kinda makes me sick.
and for each car that's on a riverbank, do you also mourn for the half a million just like it that were crushed and recycled?
It's "levee" ladies and germs. "Levy" is a brand of rye bread on the right coast. "Levi" is french blue denin. And then "humuma-humuna" is a tax or fee. They did this out west along the Russian river, I found a 57 T-bird about 20 years ago when I was canoeing from Healdsburg to Monte Rio but I didn't stop. The winter storms expose fresh'old rotton stuff each year.
Now there's where YOU would have gotten in trouble, Norespect...probably be shooting many County workers...and the Sheriff wouldn't like that!!! In all probability, the County put them there to shore up the bank, keep it from eroding...Iowa used up thousands of those worthless old cars back in the fifties...matter of fact, out here in ColoRODo, I could take you to more than a dozen old streams, many now dried up, that has dozens, if not hundreds of fifties and sixties cars nose down in the sand. Course then again, as a youngster these days, you ain't got a clue as to what went on fifty or more years ago. R-
I KNOW OF WHAT YOUNG ;SQUATSBYTREE' SPEEKITH....WEVE BEEN TOO A FEW AROUND AND NABBED SOME TRINKETS..RATHER GET KICKED IN THE NARDS THEN SEE CARS LIKE THAT.. BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO?? O YEAH....DRINK
There must be a couple hundred cars within 5 miles of my house parked that way (at least the ones still above the mud). Most late 40's to mid 60's. Carmak Riverside, Iowa
Hey, Sinister, get yer body out to Cottonwood Falls and see if all the early stuff is still lining the banks of the Cottonwood River. As I recall it was visible looking off the bridge right in town. Ask around if not, they'll know where it is/was. This was back in the mid '70's. Used to be some real good yellow cats come out of there, 40 pounders easy. Cappy Grokett's (sp?) Indian shop was still there, had an Indian Chief on a pole outside.
The riverbanks around here used to be full of stuff like that when I was a kid. We used to fload the river behind our house and I remember one channel full of 30's and 40's stuff on both sides. Then for a couple yrs there was a big kleenup and they were all pulled out and crushed. If I only new then-----
Last time I stopped over there while out on the scoot, we actually made a stop at the old bridge, I don't remember seeing any old cars around the banks, next time I'm there i'll look again though.