Went to a couple junkyards today...first off, why do they have to put whole reason (73-79 trucks) all the way in the back left corner of the yard, second, why can't they put the 6-8 of them together. Ok thats enough whining, so I got a couple Ranger emblems I needed, some lenses for the rear running lights, a battery trey, and windshield washer reservoir but the pump didn't work. All in all it was a good day, only spent $35, hell the emblems are worth alot more than that, plus it was cool just walking around the junkyard.

 

Dunno why but at Pick N Pulls at least they're all in the same general area.

Consider picking up these parts if in **nice** condition and ya can get'em for cheap:

Auxiliary battery tray, solenoid, & wiring
Tailgate decor panels and tailgate trim
XLT grill shield
Chrome headliner trim
Factory door speaker wiring harnesses
Factory CB radio
Factory 8-track
Three-spoke "sport" steering wheels
Aftermarket highliner (plastic headliner with provisions for speakers)
Jr. West Coast mirrors (two legs)
West Coast mirrors (three legs)
Grill shells (undented)
Tilt column for manual transmission trucks (apparently rare)
OEM pushbar
License plate light pigtails, lenses, and caps for contour bumpers
Green, red, blue, and brown door panels (Uncut & cherry)
Any colored door panels with OEM chrome trim
OEM 2WD front swaybars, brackets, and end links.
Autolite 4100 carburetors with 1.12 stamped on the side (600 cfm)
DJM dream beams
AIM lowering beams

 

I was at a Pick n Pull, and for the most part the trucks were in the same "general" area, I just figured they'd have them closer like they did everything else. I really went there looking for grill inserts as both of mine are missing pieces/broken near the hood latch but only came across 2 trucks that still had them and for obvious reasons (they were worse off than mine). I don't think I came across one truck that still had a steering wheel much lest a column. I saw one CB and it was sitting on the hood of a '72 F100, not that I was looking for one but it just kinda sticks out in my memory. Most of the grill shells where missing and the ones that were there just made me appreciate mine that much more, as far as interior panels or headliners...that was a no go as well. I think between the 2 yards I went to today there was a combined 15-18 trucks that were in the correct year range and most had been picked pretty clean. Guess I'm gonna have to try a couple more, but to me that's part of the fun, find out a yard that has a couple and go see what's left on them. Kinda like a treasure hunt.

Oh, alot of them had the mirrors, but I just don't like that style, I want something that looks a little cleaner. But I don't like the mirrors on my truck now as they are pretty small and basically useless. I can use the driver side, but the passenger side just can't be adjusted to where I can use it, so I want to put something a little bigger, but just not the old school style on there.

 

HIO I have that list in my JY tool bag back pack.....There like at least 100+ trucks like that in my local Jy and I can haggle over prices too.

I spend hours walking around looking for pieces and parts, its nice to know what truck has what. And then they drop in a new one in the row.....

70 to 80's trucks all day long.

 

How lucky ya'll are. Our only pnp yard the trucks usually start in the mid 80's. Envy is bad! John

 

Well here is a little salt in the wound, sorry.

 

We only have 1 U-Auto-Pull-It here and they usually have about 5-6 dentsides at any given time. While I do wish we had more yards to choose from I'm glad ours don't look like the one Rich posted. I don't like tall grass, too many places for snakes! Ours are all on white gravel and up off the ground on rims that have been welded together like jack stands.
Not the dentside section, but you get the idea.


Wish I could find a tilt column for a manual truck, that's for sure!

 

Yea its a little fun getting jammed up under a vehicle with jake the ol black snake in your face. And yes the ol HB fell a few days ago when some one gave is a push.

Not a safe place at all, but at least they let you crawl all over them and get what you need and haggle for prices and that way I do not load up my tool bag with any extra pieces/parts well.......

Also its a great way to see how stuff comes apart since the all the trucks there are in all sorts of disassembly. As a bonus the owners son who drives the skidder is a Ford nut too, so all the new trucks go to his place first, and then he called me up for a free pre yard look over.

There are others around but not a good as this one, but with times like they are lots of folks are fixing up there ol farm trucks and good parts are getting few and far between.

I'll even stop and holler at him and to get a good deal I will get a part he might need, except for a dash pad I hate taking those off....

 

you have no idea how much that hurts! I need to take pics of the ones that are still being driven on the road here in west virginia, A.K.A. the salt capital of the east. those trucks have better bodies than some i pass on the road. We have state inspections every year but as long as there arent any holes, they pass. pop rivet metal, bondo, have even seen spray foam in holes then shaved down. very strange to see such rust free metal in a scrap yard..... Just plain sucks

 

That is a little salt in the old wound! Here in CO, we have about 4-5 pull and pay type of junk yards but lately, practically zero bumps or dents. And the few that are there, are completely picked over or trashed. My son and I love diggin around in them so we try to check them out once a month or so. Ours are mostly in very "desert" like places but we do always wear gloves and boots due to snakes and spiders, during the summer.

 

I've been pretty discouraged by the P&P places lately. For one they don't keep them long enough, and the employees at the yard don't keep people from destroying other parts to get to the one part they need. When I take things apart, I lay all of the bolts and pieces I don't need in one area so the next person can pick them up easily. It's getting to the point I'd rather pay a premium and have a qualified person removing and inventorying parts rather than P&P free for all where someone wants one piece from inside of dash and basically rips out anything else in their way just for that one piece. One time I climbed up in the back of one of the trucks that was perched precariously on those welded rim jackstands, and the whole rear of the truck came off of the stand. Luckily I wasn't hurt.

 

That is the nice thing here around Sacramento.... Quite a few pick n pulls each with a decent selection. Seem to be managed pretty well too. I would say the issue is almost the opposite of not keeping them long enough; I have been to the one in Antelope several times over the last month and a half and a couple of the trucks have been picked clean yet they still haven't removed them. Time to put those old girls out of their misery.

 

Something tells me thats Scotts Salvage Yard in Humansville, Mo

I hunted that yard many times, esp now that i bought my '79.

 

I'm from NorCal and have been to the Roseville and Rancho yards lately and they haven't had much. Pretty much the same in Chico and Oroville, although there were a couple Super Camper Specials in Oroville last fall. I haven't been able to get to the Antelope or South Sac. 7 years ago I use to bring in over $1000/month selling truck parts on ebay just from the yards in the Sacramento area. Every time I went to one of those yards it was like going to a gold mine. Wish back then I had been on FTE because I know I use to see CB radios and other goodies all the time. Pickings are now starting to get slim everywhere.

 

I spotted a pair of contour bumper brackets...what are those going for?