Where do old muscle cars go when they’ve been all used up? At least to these five junkyards scattered across Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, North Carolina, and Texas. If you’re looking for old Mopars, Fords, and other cool cars from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, you’re likely to find them in one or more of these places. A recap of where you can find these treasures was collected by the crew of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold” and is available here on Motor Trend. Once again, Barn Finder Larry D brings us another trip down automobile memory lane!
Anderson, Alabama: Stephen’s Performance
Just west of Huntsville, there’s a junkyard called Stephen’s Performance that sits on 58 acres comprising more than 3,000 cars, many of which originated from Chrysler Corp. (they specialize in Chargers). As a personal luxury car with performance options, the Charger was in production from 1966-78, before the manufacturer took the nameplate in a different direction. More information on the find and a history lesson on the Dodge Charger can be found here for your reading pleasure.
Englewood, Colorado: Colorado Auto & Parts
This collection of cars, which leans toward vintage Mustangs, is in a junkyard that is selective how the cars or parts are sold off. They’re likely to want you to take the whole car if your needs are many or if you just need a few things, you can’t dismantle the car to get at them. This has been a family-run business since 1959 and some of these old classics have been hanging around since the beginning. Before making a trip to Englewood, check them out online here and there.
Detroit, Michigan
Here is a cadre of cool old cars that doesn’t come with a name (private collection). It’s just a spot deep out in the woods where dozens (or even hundreds) of vintage iron have come to rest over the years. There doesn’t seem to be a particular brand that consumes the majority of the population, so anything you’re looking for might be there. Such as a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 that has a tree growing through it. There’s no indication that anything here is for sale, just some eye candy for us old car fans.
Piedmont Region; North Carolina
Here’s another one that’s tucked away with its exact whereabouts unknown. The best as we can tell it’s not far from the Randleman headquarters of Petty Motorsports, aka famed NASCAR driver Richard Petty. Some of the Mopar inhabitants came from Petty himself, including a 1965 Plymouth Barracuda known as “43 Junior.” It’s the unrestored twin to the one at Petty’s museum.
Sunset, Texas; Browne Auto Salvage
Last, but not least, is these 38 acres held under the banner of Browne Auto Salvage not far from Dallas. This location seems ripe with old Studebaker products, a company that stopped making automobiles in the U.S. in 1963 (1966 in Canada). If you’re a fan of underdog cars like the ones Studebaker built, this could be your kind of place. You’ll even find some of the 1957-58 “Packardbakers”, the Packards that were built on Studebaker platforms after the two marques merged.
Personally, I would rather spend a week wandering through these junk yards than take a cruise.
Rex, I would agree with you on that unless of course some offers me a week long cruise then I am sorry the cruise takes
Rex,
I suspect you’re “Like” button may end up as having the biggest number of all the BarnFinds like buttons, ever!
Wow, Bill, I hadn’t noticed until you mentioned it. Sounds like a lot of folks have been trapped on cruise boats! I always say people don’t accidently fall off cruise boats, they jump!
Rex,
I used to run a Rolls-Royce limo service that specialized in Weddings, I always checked in [by mail] with the wedded couple a few weeks after the date, to make sure they were happy with the service we supplied.
One guy sent me a reply back and said the entire wedding was perfect, but the only thing that caused a problem was when his bride’s parent’s decided to book [as a surprise, no less!] the same cruise on the same boat, same dates. They even requested [and got] the cabin next door! He said after a couple of nights, the MIL politely asked him to keep the “thumping” sound down so they could sleep!
Trenton’s place in Sunset use to be a nice place to tale a walk in which we’ve done in years passed. Trouble is he had folks coming in walking and taking an emblem here and emblem over there and the fools didn’t know most all the older ones have little nuts on a threaded screw that needed to be taken off. So what did those fools do but pry off an emblem – breaking it and denting up the body with a screw driver or such as well.
Still a good place to visit here in Texas and BUY some parts.
there is another one up in i think its north Carolina, belonged to an old drag racer and when he passed his wife got it you can buy stuff from her, well at first everything was cheap well someone told her that everything is gold and she has taken it a bit to far she is crazy on some of the prices, but still a cool place, i have the location written down somewhere.
selma north carolina?
Would be interesting to learn what the owner(s) imagine selling individual cars for – would they be regarded as junk or gold…?At least some of those ought to be given a 2nd lease on life
Anyone ever visit old car city in Ga?
Im in Ga and its on my bucket list
http://www.oldcarcityusa.com
Old Car City was featured here at BF not that long ago.
It’s in my plans the next time I visit GA, it is near some relatives.
Yes, I have been to Old Car City. It’s about 50 miles north of Atlanta, a few miles off I-75. It’s fascinating, and not just because of the cars and trucks. The owner has collected old bike, gas pumps, material from decades past, and has them displayed all over the place. And he has a butt-load of vintage vehicles.
As you probably know, none of this stuff is for sale. You pay a price to get in — more, if you intend to take photos — and can wander as long as daylight holds.
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-atlanta-journal-constitution/20160316/282243779705104
Looks like a place to find ones self in the tranquility of yesterday’s muscle cars 😉😎. Some photo ops too for your next calendar
Where have all the old cars gone,
long time passing.
Where have all the old cars gone,
a long time ago.
Where have all the old cars gone,
Gone to junkyards every one.
When will they ever learn? That was a powerful song, my friend, and got them in a lot of trouble,, may “Mary” Travers rest in peace.
Not as much trouble as “Puff, The Magic Dragon” did!
I’ve lived an hour away from one of these yards for 7 years, and didn’t know until now. Defib please!
Colorado Auto and Parts is an old school yard (one that hasn’t been gobbled up by the big corp yards). They definitely have that old junk yard vibe and you can find some cool stuff there if you just want to wander the aisles. AND free popcorn too! haha
Wow! didn’t know about these places. Anybody know of any like these in PA. I’d gladly go check them out. Especially now before it gets hot and muddy.
Closet one is Winkel in New Hampshire.
One MOPAR yard the article left out is Winkel Auto owner Gary. Located at 199 Mount Vernon Street, Milford NH.
The last MOPAR yard on the East Coast.
I got this 69 Coronet from a NC junkyard, neat place to visit. Not any 68-70 Chargers, Cudas or Bees left, and Coronets are disappearing, but still some Challengers.
SC Classic cars in grey court sc has some gems but his pricing is out there big$
He’s actually more than just a little nutty on prices.
i love scoping out old salvage yards…there is 1 in southern ontario ca. that the owner wont let you in….30’s,40’s.50’s and 60’s…you order the part ,he takes it off and has it delivered…very hard to deal with and expensive….if i get to ‘pick’ a yard as soon as i see a snake i’m gonedee…lol
I know of one off Hwy 49 in NC and have talked to the current owner many times. They offer a great service and have some very hard to find pieces, including first/second generation Barracuda back bubble windows.
Richard’s is the name of the yard on NC 49, south of Asheboro. It’s a well known place.
426 powered Roadrunner at the NC junkyard Billy West Racing Garage, only open Saturday mornings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te8ZdB_JmkY
Most of those cars looks way better than many expensive Charger , type 2 VW bus, or Porsche 911 that we see every now and then on Barnfinds. I love Barnfinds, though, it is a daily coutume to relax for a few minutes watching the “today’s selection” when I come back from work at midnight. Nice junkyards, where I would love to take a walk.
They should build a campground next door for all of us crazy bastards I would stay for weeks!
There is Ingrams in Boaz Alabama. Hundreds of cars & trucks, nothing newer than late 60’s. I’ve walked through it a few times, but I’ve yet to be able to buy anything from him. Sadly, everything is slowly returning to earth.
When we were raising our two daughters, teaching them to drive, had a few bangs and bruises with the cars. Nothing serious but they were upset, thinking that we’d be upset. Would tell them: next time you’re driving by a junkyard, stop the car, look over the fence. See all those cars in there? At one time, every one of those cars was BRAND NEW. Somebody looked at it on the lot, said ‘that’s the one I want’, drove it away, put the first mile on it. Was the apple of their eye. And you see where it ended up? Except for the ones that are chased / coveted by the Hemmings-type lunatic fringe, that’s where your car will end up to, no matter what you do. So don’t sweat it – it’s JUST A CAR!!
I visited Billy West Peedin’s in Selma, NC about 20 years ago, looking for parts for my 67 Belvedere Convertible. Mopar heaven, there was a ton of mopar, and it seemed like one Ford and one Brand X. Needed a steering wheel (the days before after market), searched, and searched to no avail. Billy told me, I had one more chance, as there was a GTX shell, full of nothing but steering components. Sure enough, I found a perfect, non-cracked BLUE steering wheel. As we were removing the wheel from the column (he had told me $125), he commented that he bet that wheel would bring $200 at a SWAP MEET!! He looked at me and grinned, and said but we ain’t at a swap meet! I’ve been told that his wife has passed also, but I have a 67 R/T project that was titled in her name!
i love the mopars and wish i could save them and breed new life into them
i love mopars,fords,gm