An urban legend that just might exist

[Art Evans #24175]

The other day I was hanging out at my cousins garage when an old timer who was also hanging out started telling us of his hunting trip upstate (NY). He was complaining that all the rabbits kept disappearing under cars of an old abandoned junk yard adjacent his brothers property. He said it must have closed 50 years ago because nothing was newer than 1958. He said the trees had all grown up and the 2000 plus cars are all "in the woods now". He seemed more interested in the 200 or so cast iron bath tubs with claw feet but I kept trying to bring him back to cadillacs. He mentioned a 39 Lasalle that was still pretty solid. My ears pricked up when he said V-16. He added that it was in poor shape. The following week I asked him about the V-16 and he said "well there's a couple of 'em". He said noone is sure who the owner of the property is and people routinely pick through the yard. He told me he's going back up in October and would bring me along if I like. I told him I would walk there if I had to. I'm bringing a camera to document some of the cars and prove that this urban legend actually exists. For you ford enthusiasts he mentioned grabbing a tranny for a '32 ford for a friend of his out of this place. I won't remove anything until I track down the owner via the tax office but when I get back I will be more than happy to share the pics. Maybe it will be a bust but then again theres always that chance I strike gold. We'll see. Art -24175

[Davidinhartford]

Sounds like a great road trip!   

We had a yard like that here in southern Connecticut called "Winnakers".  The trouble with a New England yard like that is everything that is 50+ years old is rusted to the point of being a shell.   But it does make for some great photographs.

Winnakers was finally sold and the cars all pulled out and scrapped. 

There was a yard in SouthBridge, Massachusetts called "Curboys" <spelling?> that also had 75+ acres of cars back to the 1930s.   

[kelly]

Concerning old car salvage yards, I have a dandy in my area. Some of you may have met Bob Zimmerman in recent years at shows in the midwest. Bob had a salvage yard in North Branch, Mi.  He served in the Army during the Korean War era, and ran a very good salvage op for autos from the 1950's to 1970's vintage.  He died last year.
  I purchased a number of bits an pieces while restoring my 57 Fltwd. 75.  He had a lot of NOS and remake parts, plus about 20-30 acres of old iron.  The family has run one auction so far, with one coming. His son Bob, I believe, is taking the lead on selling off the stuff. He can be reached care of his business, Deerfileld Auto Parts, (810)793-4261.  His dad kept very meticulous cards on each vehicle in the yard.  The other son is in the metal recycle business, so I expect at some point they will bring in a car crusher.
Kelly Martin