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Unhinged: A Couple Of Random Finds From The Junkyard Run


Unhinged: A Couple Of Random Finds From The Junkyard Run

One thing that I do not appreciate about the state of Kentucky is that every last scrapyard is hell-bent on making sure that you, the customer, are not allowed in the yard. As someone who will happily pay the cover fee to just roam the aisles of thrown-aside carcasses of what used to be dream machines, the last few years have sucked out loud. That’s not to say that there isn’t a yard nearby to get parts from…I’ve got two good ones in town. But think of them more as an auto parts store than anything else: go to the counter, order the part you need, boom…done.

Or, there’s option B, which I exercised today: I got tipped off that a 1989 Chrysler Fifth Avenue was sitting in the LKQ yard in Nashville in almost untouched form. Well, if the Raven Imperial is going to get off the ground at all, I needed to haul tail down there and get while the gettin’ was good. I meant to go last week, but wound up laid out on the couch, recuperating, following doctor’s orders as they were written for maybe the first time, ever. But now that I’m up and mobile again, it took exactly zero seconds to throw a tool box and some work gloves into the back of the 300 and to make an early-morning run to the yard.

To be honest, I didn’t do a lot of aisle walking…there were parts to raid and once I exhausted my talent and the abilities of my tools, I had to get home to take care of some business. But I did grab a couple of shots, and I hope you enjoy. I might grab more if I head back south again, if there is interest. Those E-brake cables don’t grow on trees, and I snapped the stock set clean out of the car.

2000 Ford Excursion. Before the bubble popped in 2008 and everybody’s financial situation made a strange flushing sound, having the biggest SUV on the block was how you signified that you ruled the block. The Excursion quickly became the pariah for the environmentalist groups, but I dig these monster wagons. They were used by civilian groups in Iraq, and look tough as hell on some chunky tires with pushbars. I didn’t look to see if this one was a diesel or not.

2008 Dodge Magnum. This was one of at least four Magnum wagons that were in this lot alone. All of which, I’m willing to bet, had a V6 that managed to eat it’s own bearings due to oiling issues. The strange thing is, these LX wagons have a solid and loyal following, so why are there so many in the yard? Because you can’t just drop in a new engine and call it good like you used to and have it back on the road. Shame, too…all of the cars were otherwise straight.

Holy crap, a GEO Storm. I haven’t seen one of these since middle school, at least! GEO might best be remembered for the Metro and the Tracker, but the Storm was a neat little car that actually was a blast to drive balls-out. It didn’t carry the really good Lotus equipment that it’s Isuzu Impulse twin did, but it sold well, sold cheap, and could hold it’s own.

Ooof, this Caddy was hard to look at. I don’t know what was more sad…the encouraging “FOR SALE! RUNS AND DRIVES!” in the windshield in white polish, or the fact that this big boat had enough quarter rot for the next six cars in line. When new, this was top dog on the lot. Now, it’s three tons of bad, bad news that was left out to pasture way too long.

I really didn’t expect to see an Opel GT in the lot! The 2/3rds scale Corvette is another car with a cult following, but outside of major car shows, the only way I see these little Euro imports is trashed and left for dead. As gutted as the GT was, it almost looked like the beginnings of a kit car build gone wrong.


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4 thoughts on “Unhinged: A Couple Of Random Finds From The Junkyard Run

  1. Starterguy

    Opel GTs make awesome race cars, someone needs to put a tube chassis under this and let it live again!

  2. Chevy Hatin' Mad Geordie

    The Opel GT should be saved and a screaming 3 rotor Mazda rotary transplant would do just fine!

    1. C.M. Bendig

      Opel as in GM. AS in Chevy. put a mazda in it, you should see ways to not breath my air. That is pure stupid at work. Wankle engines are for the weak minded.

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