The Ford Barn

JayJay · 06-12-2025, 04:32 PM

I have a vague recollection that at one time there was a large Model A boneyard located somewhere in the Pacific Northwest - Spokane, maybe, or perhaps Montana? Anyone know what I'm talking about, and if so have contact info? Or am I hallucinating again?

Thanks.

Y-Blockhead · 06-12-2025, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayJay

I have a vague recollection that at one time there was a large Model A boneyard located somewhere in the Pacific Northwest - Spokane, maybe, or perhaps Montana? Anyone know what I'm talking about, and if so have contact info? Or am I hallucinating again?

Thanks.

Probably hallucinating... Or your thinking of Bert's. They claim to have ½ million used parts in addition to new parts.

JayJay · 06-12-2025, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

Probably hallucinating... Or your thinking of Bert's. They claim to have ½ million used parts in addition to new parts.

Thanks, Y-B. I know Bert's well (just got a shipment from Steve B today), but I think JW Hash may be onto what I remember. In addition to hallucinating...

JW, I found something called Antique Auto Ranch, 2225 N. Dollar Rd., Spokane Valley, WA 99212. Might this be it? There's an old catalogue of Model A parts from here on FleaBay...

jw hash · 06-12-2025, 05:22 PM

it was called the Model A Ranch in Spokane Wa, it might still there but nothing like it was in the early years.

Bruce of MN · 06-12-2025, 06:32 PM

Our son is working north of Spokane this summer, so when we visit, we'll have to drop by that place.

Joe K · 06-12-2025, 07:28 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

http://www.rufusranch.com/modelacars.html

Joe K

Y-Blockhead · 06-12-2025, 08:24 PM

I looked on Google Maps, looks like something is still there.

stevests · 06-12-2025, 09:09 PM

It used to be named "Ford-n-More". It is now Antique Auto Ranch - Tom Carnegie, proprietor.

JayJay · 06-13-2025, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevests

It used to be named "Ford-n-More". It is now Antique Auto Ranch - Tom Carnegie, proprietor.

Thank you, Tom. I hope to pay you a visit soon.

Good to be assured that I wasn’t hallucinating.

400A · 06-13-2025, 05:28 AM

How about Medicine Bow Motors in Missoula, MT? At one time they claimed to have a large "A" junkyard. They've been gone for years I imagine.

Tacoma Bob · 06-13-2025, 11:32 AM

Agree with John Hash. Back in the day there were two places in WA. Vintage Auto which started in downtown Seattle and moved to Woodinville, WA. Eventually closed. The other is the one mentioned in Spokane on Dollar Rd. I have pictures from the Antique Auto Ranch of me and my friend Paul Wagner wondering through the place. Circa 1973.

ModelA29 · 06-13-2025, 08:00 PM

Junk yards usually scrapped cars after the good stuff had been stripped. I wonder how many frames and (savable today) bodies went to the crusher as they made room for newer cars?
In the 70s the "Pick-A-Part" business model came into vogue. They'd haul the cars in and neatly put them in rows on jack stands. After they were there for about a month what was left was pulled out and crushed on the spot. The car pancakes were stacked on a semi and taken to LA Harbor. There they had a large chipper they fed the cars into and it spit little chunks into a ships hold to be recycled in Japan into new Toyotas, Hondas, etc.
We used to watch them prep the cars to be crushed. They had a giant forklift. The forks were about 10' long. It also had a claw. They would lay the forks on the front fenders and the claw would reach in and yank the engine/trans out - nothing was unbolted it was brute strength. Then they would flip the car over and spear the gas tank out. Those and the engine went into piles the rest went on the crusher.
I looked for a video on the process. Today they have gotten more sophisticated. They target specific materials - aluminum, copper wiring, cast iron rotors, etc. It still takes less than 10 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3__cghqyOU

The LA Harbor shredder - About every six months they pay to clean all the rust spots from the boats in the adjacent marina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix7eEk0G1B0

Synchro909 · 06-13-2025, 11:15 PM

Henry is credited (wrongly) with inventing the assembly line but he also had a disassembly line to recycle all those Model Ts that were traded in on the new ford.
https://www.smokstak.com/forum/threa...y-line.236169/

06-12-2025, 04:32 PM	#1
JayJay Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 2,104	Model A Boneyard I have a vague recollection that at one time there was a large Model A boneyard located somewhere in the Pacific Northwest - Spokane, maybe, or perhaps Montana? Anyone know what I'm talking about, and if so have contact info? Or am I hallucinating again? Thanks. __________________ JayJay San Francisco Bay Area ------------------------ 1930 Murray Town Sedan 1931 Briggs S/W Town Sedan It isn't a defect, it's a feature!

06-12-2025, 05:22 PM	#4
jw hash Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Auburn Washington Posts: 2,662	Re: Model A Boneyard it was called the Model A Ranch in Spokane Wa, it might still there but nothing like it was in the early years.

06-12-2025, 06:32 PM	#5
Bruce of MN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: VA Posts: 1,808	Re: Model A Boneyard Our son is working north of Spokane this summer, so when we visit, we'll have to drop by that place.

06-12-2025, 07:28 PM	#6
Joe K Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cow Hampshire Posts: 4,610	Re: Model A Boneyard Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) http://www.rufusranch.com/modelacars.html Joe K __________________ Shudda kept the horse.

06-12-2025, 09:09 PM	#8
stevests Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Longbranch, Washington Posts: 629	Re: Model A Boneyard It used to be named "Ford-n-More". It is now Antique Auto Ranch - Tom Carnegie, proprietor.

06-13-2025, 05:28 AM	#10
400A Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2023 Location: New England Posts: 128	Re: Model A Boneyard How about Medicine Bow Motors in Missoula, MT? At one time they claimed to have a large "A" junkyard. They've been gone for years I imagine.

06-13-2025, 11:32 AM	#11
Tacoma Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 1,040	Re: Model A Boneyard Agree with John Hash. Back in the day there were two places in WA. Vintage Auto which started in downtown Seattle and moved to Woodinville, WA. Eventually closed. The other is the one mentioned in Spokane on Dollar Rd. I have pictures from the Antique Auto Ranch of me and my friend Paul Wagner wondering through the place. Circa 1973.

06-13-2025, 08:00 PM	#12
ModelA29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,152	Re: Model A Boneyard Junk yards usually scrapped cars after the good stuff had been stripped. I wonder how many frames and (savable today) bodies went to the crusher as they made room for newer cars? In the 70s the "Pick-A-Part" business model came into vogue. They'd haul the cars in and neatly put them in rows on jack stands. After they were there for about a month what was left was pulled out and crushed on the spot. The car pancakes were stacked on a semi and taken to LA Harbor. There they had a large chipper they fed the cars into and it spit little chunks into a ships hold to be recycled in Japan into new Toyotas, Hondas, etc. We used to watch them prep the cars to be crushed. They had a giant forklift. The forks were about 10' long. It also had a claw. They would lay the forks on the front fenders and the claw would reach in and yank the engine/trans out - nothing was unbolted it was brute strength. Then they would flip the car over and spear the gas tank out. Those and the engine went into piles the rest went on the crusher. I looked for a video on the process. Today they have gotten more sophisticated. They target specific materials - aluminum, copper wiring, cast iron rotors, etc. It still takes less than 10 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3__cghqyOU The LA Harbor shredder - About every six months they pay to clean all the rust spots from the boats in the adjacent marina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix7eEk0G1B0 Last edited by ModelA29; 06-13-2025 at 08:14 PM.

06-13-2025, 11:15 PM	#13
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 8,041	Re: Model A Boneyard Henry is credited (wrongly) with inventing the assembly line but he also had a disassembly line to recycle all those Model Ts that were traded in on the new ford. https://www.smokstak.com/forum/threa...y-line.236169/ __________________ I sometimes wonder what happened to the people who asked me for directions. Even at my age, I still like to look at a young, attractive woman but I can't really remember why.