Junkyarding

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
12/07/2018 at 11:43 • Filed to: Junkyard

It’s been far too long since I spent any time in a junkyard. So, when I junked the RallyMetro a couple days ago, I took a look around while I was there. Here’s the interesting stuff I found.

I’m guessing somebody got fired for driving this news van into a low clearance area. That had to be a crazy expensive accident.

No more zooming for this Oppo favorite.

Yep, it’s bent

Here’s the real tragedy of this truck.

Ooofff, 5-speed 4x4 ... DEAD

This sticker is now ironical

All I have to say about this one being dead, is GOOD RIDDANCE! You people with your weird nostalgia about these steaming piles of ankle breaking crap are freaking insane.

Thankfully this one is out front, because this beauty has no business being in a boneyard.

I’m sad to see this Caprice wagon here. I’m tempted to go back and grab the 9C1 wheels center- caps, it had all four. I should not be spending that $100 right now though. Although I bet I could turn a profit on them ...

This mat green Jaaaaaaaag would’ve made a cool rally vehicle.

Poor Mister 2

So clean. So dead.

Bravada!

This ‘ 03/’ 04 S10 crew cab lead a VERY hard life.

A Saab story

The only vehicle that might have had the part I needed, but somebody beat me to it. It’s a shame the left front door was all dented up, because it’s the same color as my truck, and not all rusty at the bottom like mine is.

It was a quick trip because the sun had set, but it was fun. I need to do this more often.

DISCUSSION (29)

slipperysallylikespenguins > shop-teacher
12/07/2018 at 11:49

Those news vans are incredibly expensive, I’m surprised it didn’t go to a specialty wrecker. Caprice is a sad sight, and yes that Jag would be terrific for rally.

arl > shop-teacher
12/07/2018 at 11:53

I haz a sad for Mr. Two.

shop-teacher > arl
12/07/2018 at 12:01

Yeah, it’s very sad.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > shop-teacher
12/07/2018 at 12:03

No D/W Rams either because they are still on the road or have rusted away

shop-teacher > slipperysallylikespenguins
12/07/2018 at 12:03

I am too. There looks like some very expensive and specialty equipment, that might be salvageable .

asenna > shop-teacher
12/07/2018 at 12:07

That telescoping satellite pole would make for a really cool project if it still works.

asenna > shop-teacher
12/07/2018 at 12:08

They must have left it up and drove into something, I wonder if any other news station covered it.

shop-teacher > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
12/07/2018 at 12:13

Also because they hardly sold any of them. When the ‘94 Ram came out, Dodge only had 2% of the full- size truck market. Which is a shame, because they’re good trucks. Their cabs nice and roomy too.

shop-teacher > asenna
12/07/2018 at 12:14

That would be pretty funny!

shop-teacher > asenna
12/07/2018 at 12:14

Yeah it would!

Urambo Tauro > shop-teacher
12/07/2018 at 14:55

Wow that news van really takes the cake here. I’m trying to imagine how that must have hap pened ...

The boom probably wouldn’t have been able to retract if it hit while extended, right? S o it must have hit something that was low enough to make contact in its already-retracted form. Surely these can fit under your average highway overpass while retracted? And it looks like a HARD hit, too. Harder than I would expect parking lot sp eeds to hit, so I don’t think this was an encounter with the awning of a building.

shop-teacher > Urambo Tauro
12/07/2018 at 16:25

Yeah, that one is a brain bender. That was definitely a hard hit, and I’m sure you’re right that it wouldn’t retract if it had been extended when it hit.

ranwhenparked > shop-teacher
12/07/2018 at 18:03

You could rig up your own mobile broadcast rig, park it close to a transmitter and see if you can hijack their signal.

RacinBob > shop-teacher
12/07/2018 at 19:53

I disagree kind sir ! I bought my Transport with 114,000 and drove it 10 years doing mostly towing miles at 75 mph. With it’s Buick 3.8 and lockup 4 speed it was very reliable and comfortable. I did 1000 miles of towing in one day, averaging 70 mph and getting 17 mpg twice coming back from races. These were excellent vans says the man that owned one.

Kinja'd!!!

shop-teacher > RacinBob
12/07/2018 at 23:20

The one my father in law had broke parts like it was its job. And these things are the most uncomfortable things I ever had the displeasure to drive. I literally wouldn't take one of these for free.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > shop-teacher
12/08/2018 at 07:42

I’ve enjoyed my two junkyard adventures as well! Always fun to read others’ accounts! :D

shop-teacher > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
12/08/2018 at 09:26

Yeah, I enjoy reading about them too. You gotta leave very a good junkyard :)

RacinBob > shop-teacher
12/08/2018 at 10:06

Not sure the reason for the difference. A couple of reasons could be that the 3.8 drivetrain was better than the later 3.4. Maybe the quality was better on the early ones. Also mine had added bilstein struts up front and air bags in the back. Plus no kids ever saw my van..... About the only parts I ever replaced were the wishbone motor mount, an AC condenser and 2 crank sensors.

RacinBob > shop-teacher
12/08/2018 at 10:28

One thing I would agree on though, at 14 years, even though the body still looked good, it was rusting underneath and it was time to go. Also, I wouldn’t have wanted to be in a front end collision. This is the crash test of the newer stronger ‘97. Ouch.

shop-teacher > RacinBob
12/08/2018 at 11:32

Yeah, those vans waded up like a beer can in a wreck!

At my previous district, part of my job was to take kids to a national competition i n then ten year old Chevy Ventures on original dry-rotted tires. It was a 1200 mile round trip that I had to make by myself with 3-4 kids in the summer. The 3rd time I was tasked with that, I already had my new job in my current job waiting for me. I refused to do it unless they put new tires on the van.

Anyways, I'm glad I never saw this footage until after I was done with that job.

shop-teacher > RacinBob
12/08/2018 at 11:37

My father in laws was a ‘93. His youngest kid was driving by then, so it wasn’t that it got beat up by kids. It ate alternators for breakfast, and interior trim parts for lunch. Constant breakage. I also found the driving position to be excruciating.

I’m no interior snob by the way, nor am I a GM hater . I have no problem with the sea of grey plastic that is my base model ‘06 Sierra interior.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > shop-teacher
12/08/2018 at 14:40

I would love to go more often, but the closet pick and pull yards are over an hour from me...I’ve been to the one twice, so maybe I will go to the other next time! :)

fryguy > shop-teacher
12/08/2018 at 15:13

U be the #1 Junkyard Dawg!

fryguy > RacinBob
12/08/2018 at 15:15

Dear RacinBob: What is under the tarp? Can we have a look see?

RacinBob > fryguy
12/08/2018 at 17:08

By the shape of the wing, it must be the Type Argh..... That must have been about ‘08 which was the last year I owned that van.

Kinja'd!!!

fryguy > RacinBob
12/08/2018 at 17:56

Thank you. A very nice ride.

shop-teacher > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
12/08/2018 at 22:09

Most of them aren’t very close for me either. This particular yard, however, is only like 6 minutes from work. I hadn’t been there in about 20 years (I was looking for parts for my first car!), because back then the place kinda sucked. They used to stack cars on top of each other. One would be on the ground, in the dirt, and another would be plopped down right on its roof. Now the whole yard is paved, and the cars are individually on stands. I'm going to be a much more frequent customer now.

fryguy > shop-teacher
12/09/2018 at 08:09

Found your new Rally Cross car. https://racer.com/2018/12/08/bloodhound-supersonic-car-for-sale-after-project-halted/

shop-teacher > fryguy
12/09/2018 at 09:04

I don't think I can flat-tow that one.