[Doug]

A few years ago there was a boom in scrap metal prices and it sucked up a lot of junkyards and cleaned out a lot of rusty cars from backwoods salvage yards, corn fields and weed patches. Many “parts cars“ were crushed.

It appears that the imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum will cause another boom in metal prices which will perhaps be the final round of crushing and selling of the fewer and fewer remaining parts cars that are still around.

If you have had your eye on a parts car ANYWHERE, you better hurry and make a run at it before it disappears.

Remember, a lot of the old-timers with yards during the last go around several years ago are now SEVERAL years older and will be inclined to cash it in and sell it all out this time.

[dataway]

Last go round they cleared out a local yard of about 15 acres. They lined up all the "valuable" cars along the road for sale as the scrappers were clearing the place out. Still I hate to think of all the compatible parts scrapped on the cars that were not immediately recognized as valuable.

[72projectbird]

There's nothing of any value in the scrap yards around here. The people who still have old car sitting in their yards are the ones who are delusional, thinking they're sitting on gold. I doubt they'll scrap them for what the yard would pay, but in reality that's probably all the car is worth.

[1965gp]

This is spot on- I work for a domestic foundry and we are expecting significant increases on scrap now. This is on top of big increases in 2017

[ta6point6]

Man I never thought about that but I hope you know who backs down on tariffs. The last time metal prices were high there were 2 local j-yards closed down and cleaned out in a month. There are still about 4 good yards within 40 miles here but 2 of those yards are already asking a arm and leg for some parts. My side hustle is selling j-yard parts on ebay but finding older GM cars is getting harder to locate good parts. The local swap meets are the only thing supplying me with good stuff every now and then.

[GTOLiam]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-ste...and-1520430223

U.S. Steel and Century plan to fire up idle furnaces and increase their workforces

[muscle_collector]

back in 2011 when prices were at record highs i ended up crushing around 2000 old cars. the next time it gets up there, i have between 2500 and 3000 left and will finish them off and call it quits.

[64speed]

When I was really young there were two around here. Weatherlys and clinkscales. Both had a tremendous amount of old cars and both were very reasonable. Nothing wild like ram air IV or anything like that but plenty of 400 Catalina’s and bonnevilles and a few trans AMD and grandvilles with 455s. Last steel boom we had these places literally vanished overnight. The core engine supply in this area has been dead for years. There are no Pontiacs to be had at any reasonable price and damn few left at unreasonable prices. I think about all I passed up as just a four door when I was younger and it makes me sick .

[Ben M.]

After all this time, most of what's left in yards is either picked to death or junk. I wouldn't shed too many tears if they clear what's left out. If people have been leaving cars out in the elements for 30-50 years, there's very little left worth saving except in select locations out west.

[racer_x]

Sigh. Boneyard Stan had the greatest Pontiac junk yard once upon a time...

[1965gp]

At this time I think most of what will be scrapped will be 90’s cars- most of which are not collectible

[West Coast GTO]

Just went to the local auto recycler here to pull some parts off of a 72 Le Mans Sport that was rear ended.
Nope! 300 cars were crushed last week.

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by 1965gp

At this time I think most of what will be scrapped will be 90’s cars- most of which are not collectible

Many of the largest longtime auto salvages with a monstrous stock of 40's-50's-60's -early 70's American cars, I don't see them crushing. These yards typically segregate certain areas with the older stock and always have a crusher stack setting for totally cored out, well picked over 80's & 90's junk & occasionally, some really old unrecognizable totally picked junk. Such monster yards, the longtime owners are often hobbiest as well, & understand what they are setting on.

Today, I made a run to the largest steel/crusher yard in OK. Bought more nice used HD pallet rack beams, crossbars, and some steel plate. Price per lb was the exact same as it was last July.

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

After all this time, most of what's left in yards is either picked to death or junk. I wouldn't shed too many tears if they clear what's left out. If people have been leaving cars out in the elements for 30-50 years, there's very little left worth saving except in select locations out west.

Disagree, every time I'm on the road & have time to spend methodically going through off the beaten path yards & even some well hit monstor yards, have no problem pulling much needed parts.

[Greg Reid]

Older stuff in yards has dried up noticeably in the Atlanta area over the last 5~6 years. The last two times I went to my regular go-to yard, ALL of the usually reliable old stuff was gone. Not a single thing earlier than a 1990s car and just a few of those.
They used to keep a good supply going all the way back to the '50s. I don't think it's that the yard doesn't want them, the supply just may be drying up around here. At least in the city.

[68azbird]

Used to find 1980's and earlier in the AZ pick and pull yards up until the last scrap peak in 2007-2008. At that time I scored a 1968 400 short block for $85 out of a Catalina.
Was at a local metal supply house last week. The prices for remnants and new steel used to be posted. They took all the prices down. So you better bring a jar of Vaseline when you have to pay.

[bird72]

The last place I would think of looking for a 72 Firebird part would be a junk yard. And then I wouldn't look.

[70 bird]

Good news around here, mills will pick-up and it will speed up the demolition of old buildings.

[Mister Pontiac]

Originally Posted by West Coast GTO

Just went to the local auto recycler here to pull some parts off of a 72 Le Mans Sport that was rear ended.
Nope! 300 cars were crushed last week.

Damn.

We’re still fortunate here in metro Phoenix. We have a couple yards left with our vintage iron still around for picking. I was at one last week to get a few misc pieces. I go as often as I can. I like to store up parts for my future plans on the fleet.

But I can envision that day when these yards will move on and clear out the vintage stuff. Geez, I don’t want to think about that day. I do what I can to save what I can, now!

[BOB VIDAN]

The last yard is this area with anything old, place called All American Classics, leased about 3/4 of their 37 - 40 acres to an insurance towing company back in January and crushed about 1500 cars, all old. Owner let me pickup and save a few loose pieces but I'm sure some good stuff is now gone.