Losing A Junkyard of Classics - Turlock, CA

[Beams]

I do NOT intend for this to be a for sale thread…

I have a local yard with a TON of old cars. Just heard they’re crushing everything. A bodies, B bodies, etc.

Of course, I need to get some confirmation…but will update the crew as I find out more…

Valley Auto Wreckers, Turlock, CA.

Cars have been picked through, but there are PLENTY of good parts still available.

 

[Beams]

Mopars and more…

 

[pishta]

Why they stack them? Guess it doesn't matter anymore.....

 

[Beams]

Why they stack them? Guess it doesn't matter anymore.....

Eyes were bigger than their stomach..

 

[pishta]

seems like a huge liability of one rolling off a collapsed hardtop, or worse crushing you while you are trying to unbolt a steering wheel.

 

[Beams]

seems like a huge liability of one rolling off a collapsed hardtop, or worse crushing you while you are trying to unbolt a steering wheel.

They have a crew that removes parts for you. But, I don’t disagree with you.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I've never had respect for yards that stack like that. It's just stupid. That sure is a shame. I see some beautiful grilles and bumpers. I know how it works around here. Once the decision is made to crush, you're not getting anything, unless you know somebody REAL good.

 

[1WildRT]

Well I know the owners real good & have bought plenty through the years... This is the first I've heard of them crushing but it doesn't surprise me....

As far as stacking goes realize the property value in California & realize they could have crushed all of the cars to reclaim the space or they could go vertical & save twice as many cars...

They've always let me pull my own parts but I've known them for forty years soooo...

 

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

I see a 72 dart I'd like to have.
The bugs are all valuable as heck too.
B bodies... I do not see many ,or desirable ones at least.

 

[Dana67Dart]

The same thing happens here.

Hwy 34 in Loveland. They scraped the ground, one day there were cars as far as the eye could see, the next ALL gone! ( Probably took a month or more I don't go by there often)

They had hundreds of pre WWII cars and lots of Ford and Chevy from the 50s to modern.

And as for 60-70s Chryslers..... Maybe 5 total.
Nothing of value there.

But I did pull an E body 8 3/4, and a 96 ZJ front fender, the same body color and gold pinstripes, that made for an easy body repair.

 

[Treblig]

Scrap metal prices are through the roof right now so I can see why, but it still don't make no sense!!!

 

[j par]

Scrap metal prices are through the roof right now so I can see why, but it still don't make no sense!!!

You said it scrap metal prices are up but I wouldn't say through the roof.. It finally reached back where they were about 10 years ago but I got more about 12 years ago.. just took my first scrap metal load back yesterday in about 5 years... Lots of great usable stuff that came off my Power Wagon build.. I said of 3/4 ton leaf springs a front Dana 44 with 410 gears... Amongst many other things.. I put it all on Craigslist for a long time and now just like this wrecking yard it's taking up space and I want a little bit of money and I want it out of my life... They can just crush it all sell the property and retire...
I don't blame them one bit... We just look at it from our side wanting cheap parts and not putting ourselves in their shoes...

 

[moparmarks]

The same thing happens here.

Hwy 34 in Loveland. They scraped the ground, one day there were cars as far as the eye could see, the next ALL gone! ( Probably took a month or more I don't go by there often)

They had hundreds of pre WWII cars and lots of Ford and Chevy from the 50s to modern.

And as for 60-70s Chryslers..... Maybe 5 total.
Nothing of value there.

But I did pull an E body 8 3/4, and a 96 ZJ front fender, the same body color and gold pinstripes, that made for an easy body repair.

I've been in that yard but was a several years ago. They had a couple 64-65 B's but want all the money in the world for them. Didn't know they crushed out.

 

[moparmarks]

Seven Sons in Brighton CO. crushed out a few years ago. They had a lot of Mopars. Really sad.

 

[Killer6]

'63Dart fenders, grille look good, but.... I don't think it's "cheap" parts, just a loss of something that has value to somebody, and they may not have been aware it was there. With all the rusty stuff here in the NE part of country, those would be snapped up.

 

[barbee6043]

And one day....just like that...ALL the old cars were .....GONE.

 

[j par]

We have wildcat auto wrecking here which is all Mopar.. they stacked the cars like that.. more so cuz they're on wildcat mountain and probably have limited amount of space... Actually I think the place is or was for sale to the best of my knowledge.. they want double of what anything is worth.. sometimes when I'm not sure how much to charge somebody I call them and charge half as much or when I'm not sure if somebody's charging too much I call them and know that they should be charging half as much LOL...
Really nice people...

 

[ph23vo]

We have wildcat auto wrecking here which is all Mopar.. they stacked the cars like that.. more so cuz they're on wildcat mountain and probably have limited amount of space... Actually I think the place is or was for sale to the best of my knowledge.. they want double of what anything is worth.. sometimes when I'm not sure how much to charge somebody I call them and charge half as much or when I'm not sure if somebody's charging too much I call them and know that they should be charging half as much LOL...
Really nice people...

USUALLY THE KIDS JUST WANT THE CASH NOW SO CRUSHING IS FAST MONEY

 

[j par]

USUALLY THE KIDS JUST WANT THE CASH NOW SO CRUSHING IS FAST MONEY

I would... Instead of dealing with all the cheap skates and people calling and all of the insanity that goes along with running a junkyard I would just crush it all clear the land and use the money to develop the property into a housing development and make millions within just a few years and retire... Or sell it to somebody who wants to do something different...
Hello I was looking for a right front left turn signal for a 1973 Duster... No problem let me walk across the yard and see if I have a nice one and I'll call you back.. (20 minutes later..) a call back and it goes to voicemail and you leave a message saying that you have a nice one and it would be $20 plus shipping... And never hear back... And there goes a half hour and you made nothing when that could have been a half hour spent on the beaches of Hawaii LOL.. waiting for your next cool refreshment to come via the waiter...

 

[Beams]

I’ve only known of this place for about a year, but I am a newcomer to the hobby. They recently told me I could pull parts, but have given me free reign to explore MANY times.

As @1WildRT said, limited space. The owners have always been extremely reasonable with me.

Their yard is down the street from my place, so I’ll try to stop by today.

 

[schwinger]

Oh **** didn’t know they had a place like this in Turlock! Shame to see them cars crushed! Try to convince the owner to crush the newer cars and keep the old ones. Also any AMCs there?

 

[1WildRT]

Oh **** didn’t know they had a place like this in Turlock! Shame to see them cars crushed! Try to convince the owner to crush the newer cars and keep the old ones. Also any AMCs there?

I've posted about the place for twenty years, originally when I was on Moparts, later on E bodies.org & FBBO... Only joined FABO fairly recently & while I've mentioned it I don't know if I've posted any pictures....

Few years ago I posted pictures on FBBO & had a couple posts telling me it was nothing but junk... Well I've scored allot of nice parts that are supposed to be junk... The stuff isn't rusty, it's dirty & dirt cleans up leaving nice parts...

In the past couple years I've bought.....
Four complete 73-73 A body disc brake setups for $125 each
A 73 C body disc brake setup for $100
A 69 B body disc brake booster, pretty hard to find part, $50
A 2/69 date code 15x6 H wheel, $5
3 518 non-lockup trans cores $50 each...
Tons of trim, brackets, heater controls, etc..
Oh, a 2889960 radiator that needed a core but the tanks & brackets were great $10

 

[schwinger]

I must of missed the posts then but dang that’s pretty affordable.

 

[Jim Lusk]

Back in 1984 I bought a pair of black '66 Barracuda bucket seats and door panels. The guy had pulled them, but left them in the car. He had me drive back to load them. He had EVERY car on an index card in a box in the office. He knew exactly what was on each car. He sold out to the Valley Auto folks maybe 30 years ago. I haven't been back since 1984, though.

 

[Beams]

New owners…Cars are going quick. Was able to quickly snag lower rear window trim, and will be picking up an 8 3/4 rear end.

Sad day for a car guy.