$500 Fire Sale: Vermont Junkyard Clean-Out

Gates Salvage

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For a few weeks now, I’ve been seeing a craigslist ad pop up on message boards and Facebook discussion groups. Part of me wants to keep it to myself, but this is too good not to share: an old-school junkyard in Vermont is clearing out its classics section for $500 per car. You just have to get there before the snow flies to drag home your next project on the cheap. You can find the listing here on craigslist.

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The pictures aren’t overly helpful, but they do give you a sense of scale. This yard is fairly massive, and some of the commentary I’ve read indicates you can easily spend a full day there climbing over hulks. In this picture, I can see a few VW Rabbits, a Triumph Spitfire and what looks like an old Volvo wagon – but don’t worry, this place is mostly stocked with American iron.

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The $500 per car price hits a bit of a snag on trucks, which the seller says are being sold in a range of $500 to $1,000. Whether this is a good deal depends on condition, as most of these vehicles likely spent many years on salty Vermont roads before spending several more years resting in the Vermont mud. I like the Ford Econoline pickup and Corvair Greenbrier captured in this picture.

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I have been meaning to call to see if they have any of the weird Euro stuff that yours truly is into, but all I can see besides the Rabbit and some Beetles is this Bus – which is definitely relegated to parts status at this point. Since they want to clean out the yard before winter hits, you might even be able to negotiate the price a bit further. If I get up there in the next few weeks, I’ll take plenty of pictures! Thanks to reader Rich G. for sending this in.

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Comments

  1. RM

    That’s an a100 nosed up to the corvair.

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  2. Todd Zuercher

    I’d take the early Bronco for $500!

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    • JW

      Todd you took the words right out of my mouth.

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  3. Dominic

    1962 Catalina Convertible would be something I’d LOVE to find, but they’re all $$$$$.

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  4. Rob A.

    Looks like a Peugeot 404 by the Spitfire

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  5. blaine

    not too far from me… be ready for real rust ..there is however a lot of small parts etc that are useful… pressing cars at this time will never make anybody rich at 20-40 dollars a ton so I think the cars may still be there in the spring….

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  6. randy

    Which one of you guys got caught whizzing on the red Camaro?
    I am glad this place is not close to home, or I’d be tempted.

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  7. Healeydays

    I’m guessing there are a few gems in there, but you need to be prepared for lots of rust. In VT they believe in salting the food and roads…

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  8. Coventry Cat

    It’s everything they claim; I recognize cars from a visit over ten years ago. Yes, lots of rust, but it’s worth the walk around just to see the oddballs that once were on the roads up there. There were at the time I went a DKW, Sunbeam Imp, Austin A70, couple of Citroen DS, Jaguar MK2, Jensen Healeys, and a Humber Super Snipe Estate. Most cars have vegetation growing inside them. Lots of old American oddball stuff too. If you’re within 100 miles, it would make a good day out.

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  9. Sukey

    $500 for all and sell for scrap

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  10. Greg W

    I happened on a scene like this 15 or so years ago and worked a deal on a loaded 58 Impala, 100% complete w 348 for $1k. It had set for 30+ Years w dirt to bottom of the doors..

    It was all good until we tried to pull it out and almost pulled it in half from setting for so long. I couldn’t find a single usable part other than some stainless so I passed. It was a good lesson for me and a highly educational experience.

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  11. roger pence

    l think that’s a Dodge (as in the Little Red Wagon!) next to the Greenbriar.

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    • Woodie Man

      I agree . A D-100 no? Its the first thing my eye settled on. Glad this is on the other coast!

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      • Coty

        I bought a car out of here. That’s an A100.

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  12. Troy Shatney

    This place is just down the road from me.” Gates salvage” When I was a kid my brother and I would play”Gates” with our matchbox and Tonka trucks. It consisted of smashing them with a sledge hammer on a big rock. We even crushed a peddle car once. Really wish I would have put them on a shelf instead.

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    • roger pence

      I vividly remember a time when I nd another kid banging the crap out of this younger kid’s Tonka trucks with big rocks. It was not fun later that night when he and his dad knocked on our door. I got my ass beat and had to use my allowance for about five months to buy him new ones. Good times.

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    • JeffAuthor

      Troy, I am considering driving up from RI one weekend. It’s a 4 hour haul…want to make sure it’s worth it. I called and they said they keep old Euro stuff around that I like, but that’s always open for interpretation (1 BMW or 10?). Would welcome your thoughts on whether I should make the drive.

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  13. Mark S

    Sure not like your Arizona and Texas yards is it, by the look of some of thows trees a lot of that stuff has been there for decades. I’m not sure that $500.00 is a bargain most of it is way to far gone to save. You would be better off to pay more for a dry more complete car, at least you’d have something to work with. Small components are all that are worth looking at lights, generators, starters, trim etc.

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  14. dbigb1Member

    There are a lot of parts left here/and possibly some good deals. good thing they did not cash out at 260.00 a ton . back down to 50.00 ton here

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  15. Matt Tritt

    I like the Nash in faded black and the green whatzit to the left of center in pic 2. Anybody make that out?

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  16. sir mike

    neat..in picture 10 is that a DKW??

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    • Matt Tritt

      Sure looks that way. Good eye!

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  17. Bob R

    I like the panel truck

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  18. Jason Houston

    These photos provide pretty compelling evidence that old coots who feed cars like these to the bugs should be regulated and outlawed.

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    • randy

      It is private property and all, but there is a need to make sure the fluids etc do not end up in the groundwater. It would be nice if all people were good stewards, we’d sure have a lot more nice cars to choose from. There is a very fine line between freedom and Gov’t interference. I am with you in spirit. I think it all comes back to good or bad parenting.

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      • Troy

        This is a working salvage yard not a private collection.

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  19. MikeW

    Right in the center of the first pic looks like a ’59 Edsel, not worth much all rusty like it is.

    https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/edselmail/info

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