I've got a friend who's semi retired and hauls scrap for extra money. I had some late 1970's core engines I'd been tripping over and asked if he wanted them. While he was here we got to talking and he told me the local crusher was paying him $149 a ton for dead cars. That's pushing $300 for a 1964-77 A-body car and even more for full sized. A couple years ago it was up to $400 per car and I saw the tow trucks lined up in front the crushers gate with stuff they'd pulled out of the weeds. An incredible amount of good parts and project cars were crushed then. I suspect it's beginning again. Man, if I only had 20 acres in the country with a huuuuuge barn...

 

It's $250 a ton here in the city John. The few junkyards that are left around here use a "bump up" filing system. Every month, the first 4 rows of cars get crushed, and replaced with the next batch. So we only have a short window of time to pull things, and have to check back often.

I save all the parts that I can, but no one's buying much at the moment, and I have much clutter going to scrap if I can't get 5 bucks for it on ebay.

 

So a complete car is near $500

My two favorite wrecking yards both went out of business in the last couple years. One had 10 acres of cars, but decided the land was worth more than the business. The other... rumor is they were crushing cars without paperwork... so one day they crushed everything and skipped the country. Now there's only one U-pull-it that doesn't get much old stuff, and a crusher who won't sell parts. He's just into it for the metal. Man I long for the old days when I took my toolbox and wheelborrow and just roamed the aisles of cars.

 

Yeah, another funny thing around here, A few yards went digital.
They bought a warehouse, and an office. They dismantle the cars as soon as they get them, and put the parts on a warehouse rack with a serial number and bar code.
Your junkyard experience consists of watching TV in an air conditioned office with a cup of free coffee, and sitting next to the Koi pond, while a spanish guy grabs the part for you with the forklift.
The guys in the office wear slacks, and ties, and microphoned headsets.

There's only 1 yard left out here that still has a shirtless fat guy with a shotgun behind the counter.

 

'Round these parts, the junkyards are fairly plentiful. I've been to 3 in the area, but there is a whole mess of them in Garland and a U-pull it in Arlington. The 3 I've been to have been pretty identical in their system. You walk in, tell the guy what you're looking for, he tells you to go get it. You roam around, pull what you need, and to figure price they pretty much just mix up some prices in a mug, and whatever price you pull is the price you pay. Ha, just kidding, but they do pretty well just throw a random number out there.

There's one up in Denton I'm wanting to check out, I hear its full of classics. Then there is junkyard road in Garland with cars as far as the eye can see(I've heard). And the U-pull it in Arlington is supposed to be good, too. One of these days I'll go out there and check 'em out.

--Ryan

 

Denton is a waste of time unless you want to pay 200.00 for a piece of chrome. As for Garland care to share where? If you are talking Lavon Hwy. The city of Sachse shut them down over 10 years ago. 90% of yards around here are LKQ every part is itemized yards. There are still a few u pull its but they are getting very few and far between.

 

Yeah, I heard that guy in Denton thought he had gold there. Didn't realize prices were that high.

It may be Lavon...I was talking to a friend of mine and he said that in Garland there is a road that is lined with junkyards. Its a shame they were shut down, I didn't realize they had been.

There are a couple yards off 121 business in Lewisville, but they are 99% newer cars, with maybe one 70's car. I heard the U-pull it had all sorts of cars, but am not sure if they have 70's vehicles. Do you know of any N. Texas yards with old GM's and Fords?

--Ryan

 

most yards consider early 90's to be old

 

The highest scrap got to around here was $175 a ton but is down to about $85 a ton yesterday. You can't save everything, even though I do seem to try. I have hauled a few cars to the crusher and have one or 2 more to haul when the price goes back up.

 

There is a yard in Austin, Tx. with mostly cars in the '60's and '70's. About 300 GMs, a few mopar and fords. Over 100 Oldsmobiles' majority are Cutlass series. A few cars of the '50's also. 40 plus Corvairs, 10 or so DPS mustangs.

No shipping or delivery what so ever! Don't bother to ask. Owner pulls most parts for customers. To keep business managable customers need an appointment to view the yard inventory. 512-836-7115, limited hours of operation so if you call it is hit or miss but keep trying.

Henry

 

I just cashed in a lot of scrap I've collected from all the side welding jobs I've done, mostly tin and light gauge stuff and got $165 a ton for tin! Had 720 lbs and got $53! Not bad, got rid of a lot of junk and freed up some space in my garage
Don't know what rate #1 prepared steel is but it's got to be way up there now...

 

Hoke county,NC has a ton of old yards

 

There is barely anything around here in yards older than early 90's. Pretty depressing.

 

Same here in central IN. The old good yards are all gone and the few remaining yards are all 90's & up...