Went to the junk yard (recycler) today and for the first time EVER there were NO bumpside trucks. There was one dentside that was picked clean. I have been going to yards for 25-30 years and have always seen at least a couple of bumps available. Once I saw a truck in better condition than my own. Any thoughts to starting my own bumpside junk yard? Never thought about owning a junk yard but with retirement coming.......maybe? Just a pipe dream? A money maker or a losing proposition? I know about buy low and sell high but I am wondering if there would be a market in the foreseeable future? What about the state of the union? Are we still going strong in 5 or ten years? All opinions welcome!

 

If you have the room why not?

 

Might take a look at the costs of the maintaining inventory from a tax perspective.Might have to pay property taxes/personal property tax/etc on each of those vehicles you acquire (perhaps not with a salvage title). Strip them down and just sell parts then you pay tax on your inventory.
Just some random thoughts.

 

Another thing to look at, ground soil. What's your responsibility for cleanup? Even though I don't think the EPA is qualified to tell you how to clean and maintain the soil, you still ought to check into it.

 

DAV, 1st check with your local zoning & planning board to see what is required to open one. Preventing chemicals getting into the soil is going to be a huge factor.

Let us know what you find.

You might just hunt a little harder.


John

 

GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!!

You should do it.

 

Thanks for the responses. What I do know is that there are many small yards around here (but not with bumps). There is a yard that is for trucks only but again they have no bumps. There are businesses that cater to specific models such as Jeep, Mustang, S10, but I have never heard of one that caters to bumps specifically. I am begining to think that overhead, government regs, and shipping costs would be too much for any kind of profit margin. It would be cool to go big such as Jeff's Bronco Graveyard but unless I hit the lottery that is unlikely. Oh well, probably too many headaches anyway....

 

You could take what you can find local for cheap. Not just bumpsides, but all fords 1960-1979 or so.

 

You can probably do it, just don't operate as a business. How many vehicles can you have on your property? You will be the only one pulling parts and packaging. As long as you don't have people coming in at all hours wanting parts, I don't think it will harm anything.

 

Gangstaker-

Right now I have seven bumps. (2) F250 4x4, (2) F100 4x4 longbed, (1) F100 4x4 shortbed flareside, (1) f250 C/S 2 wheel drive, (1) F100 long bed (daily driver). I have a large yard to keep them in. I purchased these trucks over many years and didn't pay a lot for any of them. I would rather own several bumps than a new vehicle. They all start and drive. As you might guess I am always on the lookout for parts. The local junkyards have always been a steady stream of parts until recently. That is why I was so surprised to see no bumps in the junkyard. Local rules require that vehicles must be able to move on there own to be stored in a residential yard. If they don't drive they are supposed to be garaged. I have room for two vehicles in the garage. Maybe I could disassemble vehicles inside the garage. I am thinking that restoring/ selling parts could be my hobby after retirement. Originally I was thinking bigger as in a real junkyard but I don't think that will work for me. By the way, I would not part out a perfectly good bump worthy of restoration!