Unsold cars can't avoid the crusher

[Hemi Joel]

http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/car-rep...&rid=241907716

Not that anyone was keeping score, but the crusher contracted to provide cleanup after the sale defeated the preservationists at the Lende Collection Auction held Nov. 2 in Walum, N.D. The sale, presented by VanDerBrink Auctions, offered 122 vehicles, including four vintage tractors. Unfortunately, 66 of those, or 54 percent, received no offer greater than the opening $325 crush bid and were relegated to be squashed. - See more at: http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/car-rep....rpTvYHrV.dpuf






Shoulda been more bangshifters there.

[squirrel]

Shame....they could be loaded into the back of a grain truck for a few victory laps before they get crushed, at least

What have we done lately to get kids interested in tinkering with old cars?

[Thumpin455]

I can't save all of them.

[Hemi Joel]

Me thinks that the remote location and the ruff condition of the cars is a major factor. Not to mention the time of year. Who is going to go to the middle of North Dakota in November and pay all the transportation costs to maybe get a $1000 car for $400? Not a good scenario for saving the cars.

[DanStokes]

Lord knows you're trying, Todd - and I commend your efforts.

Even those more doors would have made excellent parts cars. The Plymouth, for example, looked to have good trim, most of which would fit a 2 door or a convert just fine. A couple of pieces would pay for the car.

I'm kind of surprised that a vintage salvage yard missed these.

Dan

[squirrel]

The price is way too high for a salvage yard....especially when you consider transport costs. They like getting cars free.

[38P]

Good example of "market failure" (see Dulcich's infamous "Grain Truck" thread for details). Also a good example of how short-sighted some of the mopes in the "recycling business" are. Thankfully, Hemmings, the internet and the shipping companies have created a national, if not international market for antique auto parts. And more thankfully, there are still some in this sport who are willing to sit on inventory as long as it takes to sell it to someone who will use it.

Sad that these vintage "cores" and parts cars will be wasted so that China can send us more disposable crap on credit.

I've seen way too many of these stories over the years. It doesn't make 'em any more palatable or pleasant. Nothing to joke about.

[squirrel]

There's a yard a little ways north of me that's been selling off cars. The owner died last year, the daughter is trying to get $500-1500 for each car. Things are moving very slowly....I expect they'll eventually call in a scrapper to clear it out, when they finally figure out they're not going to get "gold mine" rich off the cars.

There really are way more derelict old cars around, than there are people interested in fixing them up. And once they get them fixed up, hardly any of them ever get used. I feel like I'm totally alone when I'm driving my old stuff around.

Do I like it? No. Do I recognize the way things are? Yes.

[JOES66FURY]

Ha, you guys think this is bad...sit back and let me spin ya a tale of automotive woe.

There was once a mighty salvage yard, filled with vintage iron so vast that would bring a tear to your eye. Filled to overflowing with desert metal, mostly rot free and damn near every car in the yard could be saved with enough money. The owner was a nice guy but a man who commanded the highest prices for his parts. As an example, he wanted 400 dollars for a single fender for my Fury and that did not include the inner fender, that was an additional 100 dollars. This guy got so fed up with people not willing to pay the prices he was asking that he scrapped the whole yard. Every single car in that yard was sent to the crusher just a few blocks away. Instead of making the prices more affordable he gave every classic car restorerr in the area a big middle finger.

The closest place that deals in these types of car parts is DVAP and their prices are just as high but they are on the intrawebs so they have a much bigger market.

[Hemi Joel]

Ha, you guys think this is bad...sit back and let me spin ya a tale of automotive woe.

There was once a mighty salvage yard, filled with vintage iron so vast that would bring a tear to your eye. Filled to overflowing with desert metal, mostly rot free and damn near every car in the yard could be saved with enough money. The owner was a nice guy but a man who commanded the highest prices for his parts. As an example, he wanted 400 dollars for a single fender for my Fury and that did not include the inner fender, that was an additional 100 dollars. This guy got so fed up with people not willing to pay the prices he was asking that he scrapped the whole yard. Every single car in that yard was sent to the crusher just a few blocks away. Instead of making the prices more affordable he gave every classic car restorerr in the area a big middle finger.

The closest place that deals in these types of car parts is DVAP and their prices are just as high but they are on the intrawebs so they have a much bigger market.

That is exactly the way is was at the junkyard in Maxwell nebraska. Hundreds of really cool old cars, not too much rust. But the old guy who owned it wanted too much for stuff. He said to me that if people didn't start buying stuff, he was going to crush it all. I was interested in a Chrysler 2 door hardtop, but he wanted $1200 (12 years ago). Told him it was worth that, if it was at my house on 4 good tires, but the costs of getting his stuff out of BFE hurts the value. I said if he cut his prices in half, everything would sell and he would have a pile of money. He got mad at me. So in 2011 he had an auction, most stuff didn't beat the $350 offer of the crusher. http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2...kyard-auction/

[38P]

What this really proves is that an auction in the middle of nowhere is a lazy and inefficient way to sell vintage cars. Maybe it works for Barrett-Jackson (because of the TV and the hype), but such obscure "cattle calls" for unrestored vehicles just don't seem to attract enough buyers or bring the money otherwise (excluding, of course, the overhyped Pierce, Nebraska mess).

Why, if you were selling something like a Plymouth Plaza two-door or an allegedly "rust free" Studebaker Lark two-door, wouldn't you at least list it on eBay? The greed-soaked Lende family should be ashamed of itself for this sad fiasco.

I've actually held a bidder number at an auction by this particular auction company . . . and I'm not too impressed with their procedures or their lousy, mostly uninformative pre-sale publicity. I believed that at the auction I attended they sold things in the wrong order and were not doing all they could to attract and "hook" quality bidders. I thought they "hammered" some cars way too early. And too many in the crowd didn't realize they were likely actually bidding to save them from being crushed without any parting out. They seemed more like a farm equipment liquidation company than anything else.

[Barry Donovan]

That is ashame.

It is even cold there. one cold measure the oldest of stuff and find an 18 foot run still 18 feet.

I assume fairy talers showed up, more than the real think.

I saw the nova 4 door in the list, a 350 by factory. Locally the more doors were choice, because the cupoes are pansyassed.

anyway, thanks to all who participated in being an idiot. that is what I would say.

[BOOOGHAR]

There's a yard a little ways north of me that's been selling off cars. The owner died last year, the daughter is trying to get $500-1500 for each car. Things are moving very slowly....I expect they'll eventually call in a scrapper to clear it out, when they finally figure out they're not going to get "gold mine" rich off the cars.

There really are way more derelict old cars around, than there are people interested in fixing them up. And once they get them fixed up, hardly any of them ever get used. I feel like I'm totally alone when I'm driving my old stuff around.

Do I like it? No. Do I recognize the way things are? Yes.

jim you have anymore info on the place ? anything online about them ?

[squirrel]

I think I just threw away the info sheet of what cars they have...sorry! I was cleaning the house.

Sue's email:

[email protected]

[Loren]

There may be a lot of guys around who saved old cars for perceived historical value and when they were ready to move on it was kinda a disappointment to find they were worthless to anyone else (meaning actual qualified purchaser) beyond scrap value. There was a time when I couldn't find a buyer for a near-perfect rust-free '70 Barracuda bare body and had to scrap it, and there's a few in this yard now that would surely go that way if I suddenly had to pack up. If so, we'll try to get a video rolling and demo-derby them first...