TheMcs
Full Member
- Nov 15, 2012
- 117
- 23
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Not sure if this is the right forum, but it seems to be in the same vein.
I've been going to auto salvage yards for as long as I can remember. Started going with my Dad. What a gold mine for a kid!
Nowadays most yards are full service, meaning you go to a counter, ask if they have a part, if they do they pull it for you and charge extra. You never even see the vehicle. Sometimes, if you're lucky and the counter guy is cool, you can walk back in the yard and look. But no touch. It's a shame, but I'm sure insurance has played a big role in this.
There's only two yards left around me that are "you pull it". I love these places. I drive and fix up old trucks. I've been wrenching on the same models for almost 20 years.
In my current rig I wanted a nicer, safer back seat for the kids. Best fit is from a late model suburban. When they show up on CL, they're $150-400 and usually not what I wanted. Stopped by one yard last week, they had a late model Burb that had just arrived. I was the first picker on it. In cherry condition, in the back, was the exact seat I'd been looking for. I popped it out, carted it to the front and asked how much. $40. SOLD! I'll be on the lookout for more of these. I'll sell them for $100 for a quick turnover. I do think this is an item that gets pulled pretty quick, most likely by the yard crew, for resale. In the last 2 years this is the first 3rd row seat I've seen at a yard.
It also helps knowing my trucks. I know what parts are not in the restoration catalogs. Funny little things, like ashtray springs. I get those for a quarter, or free if I'm buying other stuff, and sell the pair for $5. Takes me about 30 seconds to remove them.
Old metal emblems/badges are gold too. My main yard charges $3.50/ea regardless of what it is. If you know what's hard to come by, you can get upwards of $50 for one. You have to be very careful removing these. Generally they're held on with fragile tabs through the sheetmetal, with speed nuts on the back side. Break a tab you can forget about that part. No one will buy it.
Other good stuff is interior trim screws, gauges, and interior trim itself. The frame mount receiver hitches are good too. Takes a little muscle, and sometimes ingenuity, to pull, but for decent profit. Around here you pay up to $25 for them. You can sell them on CL for up to $75 quickly. Compared to a new hitch at about $180 it's an easy sale. If you've got time, hit them with a wire wheel and some rustoleum (black). Try to leave the manufacturer's sticker in place and undamaged, it helps the resale tremendously.
Factory radio knobs are another one.
I keep a list of items to watch for. There are 4 truck specific message boards I visit. Any time I hear a new "I can't find this item", it goes on the list.
The bonus items are non-auto. Always check glove boxes and consoles. Under seats. Behind seats on pickups. A lot of times you can find change, at least enough to cover the $2 entry fee. My favorite finds are tools, extra bonus if they're Craftsman. Even if broken you can take them to Sears for a replacement. I've never had a yard charge me for non-auto stuff.
Found one car a couple weeks ago that belonged to a hoarder. You know the ones that are cram-packed floor to ceiling with just enough room for the driver. This one had had an interior fire. Looked to be mostly books, mail, magazines, newspapers, etc inside. I did see some small appliances and exercise stuff in the back seat, but didn't care to dig in the car.
I'll have to think back on some of my better salvage yard finds. I'm still stoked about the bench seat for $40.
Anyone else have good finds?
I've been going to auto salvage yards for as long as I can remember. Started going with my Dad. What a gold mine for a kid!
Nowadays most yards are full service, meaning you go to a counter, ask if they have a part, if they do they pull it for you and charge extra. You never even see the vehicle. Sometimes, if you're lucky and the counter guy is cool, you can walk back in the yard and look. But no touch. It's a shame, but I'm sure insurance has played a big role in this.
There's only two yards left around me that are "you pull it". I love these places. I drive and fix up old trucks. I've been wrenching on the same models for almost 20 years.
In my current rig I wanted a nicer, safer back seat for the kids. Best fit is from a late model suburban. When they show up on CL, they're $150-400 and usually not what I wanted. Stopped by one yard last week, they had a late model Burb that had just arrived. I was the first picker on it. In cherry condition, in the back, was the exact seat I'd been looking for. I popped it out, carted it to the front and asked how much. $40. SOLD! I'll be on the lookout for more of these. I'll sell them for $100 for a quick turnover. I do think this is an item that gets pulled pretty quick, most likely by the yard crew, for resale. In the last 2 years this is the first 3rd row seat I've seen at a yard.
It also helps knowing my trucks. I know what parts are not in the restoration catalogs. Funny little things, like ashtray springs. I get those for a quarter, or free if I'm buying other stuff, and sell the pair for $5. Takes me about 30 seconds to remove them.
Old metal emblems/badges are gold too. My main yard charges $3.50/ea regardless of what it is. If you know what's hard to come by, you can get upwards of $50 for one. You have to be very careful removing these. Generally they're held on with fragile tabs through the sheetmetal, with speed nuts on the back side. Break a tab you can forget about that part. No one will buy it.
Other good stuff is interior trim screws, gauges, and interior trim itself. The frame mount receiver hitches are good too. Takes a little muscle, and sometimes ingenuity, to pull, but for decent profit. Around here you pay up to $25 for them. You can sell them on CL for up to $75 quickly. Compared to a new hitch at about $180 it's an easy sale. If you've got time, hit them with a wire wheel and some rustoleum (black). Try to leave the manufacturer's sticker in place and undamaged, it helps the resale tremendously.
Factory radio knobs are another one.
I keep a list of items to watch for. There are 4 truck specific message boards I visit. Any time I hear a new "I can't find this item", it goes on the list.
The bonus items are non-auto. Always check glove boxes and consoles. Under seats. Behind seats on pickups. A lot of times you can find change, at least enough to cover the $2 entry fee. My favorite finds are tools, extra bonus if they're Craftsman. Even if broken you can take them to Sears for a replacement. I've never had a yard charge me for non-auto stuff.
Found one car a couple weeks ago that belonged to a hoarder. You know the ones that are cram-packed floor to ceiling with just enough room for the driver. This one had had an interior fire. Looked to be mostly books, mail, magazines, newspapers, etc inside. I did see some small appliances and exercise stuff in the back seat, but didn't care to dig in the car.
I'll have to think back on some of my better salvage yard finds. I'm still stoked about the bench seat for $40.
Anyone else have good finds?
