Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

https://youtu.be/4z5BbHZi0Ls
I'm sure there were a lot of flathead parts in those piles.

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

And of the 60s and early 70s.


Those were the days!

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

I remember going to a few of those "junkyards" with my dad in the 1960s. Better than a trip to the museum. Sad to think those days are gone. And seeing some of those vehicles that are so collectible today. This one, "The Dead Cars Place" is equally disturbing as they show the actual destruction in progress. Watching the forks go through that 53 Merc at the 39 second mark,,,, :-(
https://youtu.be/j-HnR3BGkyo

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

America's first Compact cars :(

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

From rust to dust as the cycle continues. Kind of sad.

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

When I was a kid I built my first hot rod using all junkyard parts. Ended up with a 55 Fairlane with a 428 and a top loader 4 speed. Good luck doing anything like that these days. Think I gave 200 for the 428. This was in 72.

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...p;d=1567894066
Did you spot the Australian 1939 Ford Standard Ute near the end of that Video Clip? There is an Australian Ford Pilot also shown.

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

15 years old.
40 Desoto coupe from the neighbors for $25 and a 54 Desoto firedome hemi from Starr Auto Wreckers. I think I had $300 dollars in the whole car.
Slightly repurposed wheels, tires, rear end and brakes from a '60 Dodge [plymouth?] cop car..
Over powered rolling death.
damn, I miss those days

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

Yes, I meant to comment on the Ute and a few other RHD vehicles must have been from an Aus location.

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

As a teenager in the 60's my Saturday morning would be spent at W.C.Jones scrap yard in Waltham Cross, Herts (UK).....I would crawl over piles of pre -war cars. Numerous Buicks,occasional Packard....left by return Yanks from WW2.... a good running 1940's Buick would cost £15.00 and a minter ten pounds more. When we had finished with them they would invariably end up at Harringay stock car circuit.


Other treasures included a number of pre war Aston Martins, a Delage, various obscure makes from the 1920's.


Our MOT testing system introduced in 1963 (?) cleared all the old "bangers" from the roads and a banger was a car that wouldn't pass the test and the more exotic they were ,the more expensive they cost to repair so their fate was sealed.


The expression "classic car" just didn't exist in the sixties so any piece of exotica was considered a liability. 32 Fords were two a penny and cheaper to replace it than repair it.Pre war V8 Fords did well at the stock car circuits.


We bought our first house in 1973 for a little over £7000. That same week advertised in Motor Sport magazine was a Ferrari GTO.....sold not long ago for £20,000,000


I don't think the wife would have appreciated a tent


A visit to You Tube will find a video of Jones's scrapyard in Waltham Cross;exhibiting their new car crusher.....first victim is a cream coloured American car......big Buick or similar


I don't know how to get the video on to The Barn but if anyone can it makes interesting watching !

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

Hi; A couple of the early photos were of a destroyed supply convoy of Russian GAZ AA trucks. A famous battle that went very badly for the Russian trucks, as they were trapped and destroyed in place. Newc

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

My truck worked all through WW2 for an auto parts store. Then was sold to a farmer, and then to me, for 200 Bucks. Sure makes us appreciate and love them all the more.
Cheers, Byron.

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

This one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtJa8F7NmcI&t=369s

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

whet to a junk in the late 50's picked up a complete tuck and roll interior out of a 46 ford coupe front and rear seats door and kick panels rugs for $15 bucks

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

In South Central Los Angeles in the 50-60's there was a row of "junk yards" along Alameda Street. You could always find that rare part, bolt or bracket by going shop to shop. You could even call ahead and the yard owners had a telephone system where they would let your need be known and another shop would quickly respond that they "had one".
Oh well, lost a lot of the really cool stuff we took for granted. Like the Helms Bakery truck that came down the street and sold you a 10cent jelly donut... even if you only has a nickel and a couple of pennies. Chap

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

That last shot of all the tram cars stacked up is impressive. Being from NZ I wonder which city in the USA they were from? I see one had WATTS on the destination topper, isn't that LA? hope someone could enlighten me. I've seen a lot of the other nostalgic shots from the old days in the same series on youtube...very soothing music too.

GB

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

The stacked trams story is about the rail system removal in favor of GM buses in about 1929? Story gets better when yrs later bribery by Gm stories came out. Happened all over the US. Portland Oregon also. Newc

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

Dad use to say to Mom that boy making a junkyard out of this place. I was always drawing some junker home and still do. Now wife says regular junkyard. When you die she calling the junkyard to come and take all my junk.

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s
 

I almost lived in Rosies junk yard in Sharon Hill, Pa. back in the 40's
from the time I was 15 to 18 years old. G.M.

Re: Junk yards of the '40s '50s