The Junkyard Gold Thread| Grassroots Motorsports forum |

windsordeluxe New Reader
10/6/13 8:36 p.m.

As a kid I always wanted to work at a junkyard. I'm well aware of the fact that I was a strange kid. By the 1st of November I will be managing an automotive recycling facility and my inner child will be a happy camper.

One of the things that I want to implement is a "hot list" of parts to pull and resell since we are not zoned to operate as a self-service yard. I want to build a database that will make sure that valuable parts don't end up getting shredded. The owners of the yard have already allowed me to establish "2nd chance row" for restorable cars and good LeMons candidates, so they have already bought into my Grassroots mentality.

I can honestly say that there is not a better group of people to ask a question like this than the members of this forum. there is a variety of knowledge here that goes well beyond what I know.

I'm thinking about things like XJ skid plates and the elusive Dana 44. Anything plastic on a Volvo 240 that gets exposed to sunlight. Explorer 8.8 diffs with disk brakes. Toyota W58 transmissions, early Supra rear ends....I think I know everything that interchanges with a Miata, but I learn new stuff every day.

What are the elusive jewels that you are looking for on your cars? I admit knowing nothing about the Panther platform or anything GM built after 1972. Volkswagen is foreign to me; except I think there are some GTI taillights and a shift boot that I am supposed to look for.

Please help educate me and I promise that I will give y'all first dibs on the neato stuff that goes across the scales!

linnjb
10/6/13 8:42 p.m.

Sweeeet!

Woody MegaDork
10/6/13 8:43 p.m.

CRX HVAC controls.

Sine_Qua_Non Reader
10/6/13 8:51 p.m.

Any pre 1975 Volvo parts

Brett_Murphy UltraDork
10/6/13 8:58 p.m.

If you get an RX-7 of any type, post it here. I can at least tell you what to try and Ebay based on what you get.

That being said, the water pump housings on the 1986-1988 model RX-7s are all metal and worth pulling off. Also, the early models have all brass heaters and are worth saving. Later models start working plastic into those parts.

There is also a guy out in that neck of the woods (Morristown, TN) that would be interested in any rotary cars you might get.

you can find his email at the rotaryresurrection.com web page in the contact section.

Other cars I know about:

Most of the drivetrain and suspension components on BMW 325ix cars (up to 1989) is a unique part. Also, the body kit on those sells for decent money. If I ever got another E30, I'd be looking for one.

oldopelguy Dork
10/6/13 9:00 p.m.

What about great factory parts to pull from one car for use instead of aftermarket? Trunk release solenoids from early Hyundais, Volvo shaft mount AM/FM stereos with the aux input on the back, tiny internally regulated alternators, fog light switches, harness, and brackets, underdash ac units, rear defroster fans and switches, GM remote mirrors that bolt to the door panel instead of in the corner of the window, double DIN cubbies, pockets, and cup holders, compass or homelink inside mirrors or overhead consoles

mndsm UltimaDork
10/6/13 9:01 p.m.

FC RX7 Dashes.

wrongwheeldrive Reader
10/6/13 9:24 p.m.

MR2 Electohydraulic PS pumps

First gen CRX exterior bits fetch a nice price.

2g CRX HVAC controls.(Hell, anything from an "EF" is getting valuable)

NB miata manual steering racks are worth their weight in gold

Travis_K UltraDork
10/6/13 9:41 p.m.

Saving decent sets of aluminum wheels to sell for a reasonable price (like starting at $150 or less for the least interesting ones) would be nice, the yards here pull and scrap 95% of them before they even put the cars out. For VWs, I would say any of the nicer seats are worth saving (like GTI, corrado, etc) plus from the mk2s headlight switches, uncracked dashboards, nice door panels, bumpers, etc. Any VW diesel engines and transmissions are worth saving too. Any turbo 2.2 dodges with an intercooler, pretty much the whole drivetrain is hard to find. Any nice interior parts from older mercedes are good to keep too. Also, koni struts that are discontinued are worth saving, or recaro seats (I have found them in junkyard cars more than once).

In general pretty much anything either breakable (like interior parts that get sun damaged, switches, bumpers, grilles, etc), or rare on a model of car that is interesting enough to be fun, and any quality aftermarket parts (especially if they arent available new) should be worth keeping.

Donebrokeit HalfDork
10/6/13 9:48 p.m.

I would have the counter people make a list (lost sale) of parts that customers have called in for and you did not have in stock. Find the top 30 parts and adjust over time.

patgizz UberDork
10/6/13 10:21 p.m.

the rear end in the chevelle went out, and there just happened to be a 71 monte carlo at the pull a part with the same rear i needed, same gear and all.

anything that old in good shape should be on your list. some entrepreneur could have pulled it for $68 and thrown it on craigslist for $300 and i would have paid them happily.

i have my own list of stuff that i automatically buy when i see it, like aluminum driveshafts no matter what they are from.

aussiesmg MegaDork
10/6/13 10:25 p.m.

Don't discard any Ford 8.8 with discs and LSD, cop cars had them along with aluminum driveshafts.

Peddle boxes from any manual, the swap is easy if you have the peddle box.

Anything not basic US fare, post it up here in the $20xx thread

LuxInterior New Reader
10/6/13 10:48 p.m.

I was at Colorado Conclave today. I met a guy who brought a '70 spitfire he rescued from the junkyard. he paid $300 for it. He'd added a few parts to get it running. Has a decent interior. No rust, needs paint. Not bad for $300.

mrwillie HalfDork
10/6/13 10:52 p.m.

Congrats on the job!!! Nothing to add, but the fact that I must be strange as well. Other than maybe the pay, I can see working in an automotive scrapyard as being a great job for the shadetree mechanic. Junkyards are like automotive museums. I have gone to the local ones during lunch and walked around just to clear my head on more than one occasion.

Do you have any idea of what is required to make the transition from scrapyard to pick and pull?

Rad_Capz HalfDork
10/6/13 11:05 p.m.

Sure, we all have our own list of hard to find (at a price we'd pay) parts. However you are going to have to think like a business person not an enthusiast to be considered successful by your boss at your new position. Having an employee pull a cool old widget off a car that takes an hour to remove with a small profit when that time could be spent removing a more mundane part that would reap a lot more gross profit is not a good use of time. Trying to help enthusiasts a bit occasionally with cool old widgets might bring in new customers but don't forget the goal, profit.

Appleseed UltimaDork
10/7/13 1:32 a.m.

Any rust free or non-cracked part of an 80s Toyota pickup/4Runner. You wouldn't believe how fast these things are scarfed up. Ever see piranha eat a cow?

AquaHusky Reader
10/7/13 1:46 a.m.

You have my dream job. Granted, I would be broke from buying stuff I find neat and/or interesting. But, what I have found is that the NV1500 transmissions in the LN2 S10s are always gone. 96/97 S10s also have their own radio box design that are hard to find pieces for.

Also, right side axle shafts from Aerostars and driver side from the Ranger are a hot commodity for the Fox Body Stang for their 5 lug conversions.

Just a little info from me.

Hungary Bill HalfDork
10/7/13 2:59 a.m.

You, sir, officially have my dream job

Infiniti Q45 throttle bodies (45mm?)
Eaton M90 supercharger ( 1997-2003 Grand Prix GTP, 1997-2004 Regal GS, 1996-2003 Bonneville SSEi, 2004-2005 Monte Carlo SS Supercharged, 2004-2005 Impala SS)
Any Ford Granada, or Mustang II front spindles (for kit cars and disc brake conversions)
5-lug RX-7 spindles, brakes, etc
1989-1991 RX-7 Mirrors, and tail lights.
All the turbo parts from any RX-7 1986-1991(engine, ancillaries, transmission, diff, axles, etc)
Alfa Romeo GTV6 everything

and of course, you can send all these parts to me. I'll gladly take them off your hands.

Hungary Bill HalfDork
10/7/13 4:53 a.m.

mrwillie wrote: Junkyards are like automotive museums. I have gone to the local ones during lunch and walked around just to clear my head on more than one occasion.

and I thought I was weird for doing this... and it only costs $2!

Jaxmadine HalfDork
10/7/13 6:18 a.m.

I worked at a junkyard for 2 weeks. Worst job I ever did. Then again, I was prepping the cars for the crusher and pulling parts. No shade at all...

ebonyandivory HalfDork
10/7/13 6:39 a.m.

Yup, Dana 44 from the Wagoneer model XJ, SJ 410 Suzuki for all the fold down windshield hardware.

dculberson UltraDork
10/7/13 6:56 a.m.

Anything with auto dimming sideview mirrors - they're fragile, expensive, and very needed. $100+ on eBay per mirror, $1200 from the dealer. (2nd gen and later Lexus LS has them, I'm sure that there are a half dozen cars with them.)