Fellas,
This junkyard called Hidden Valley (520) 568-2954 in Arizona is going to be closing it's doors and all of the cars are going to be crushed to make room for development. According to the guys on the Toyota,Mazda and Datsun forums this place is willing to sell the cars for the price of scrap, but you need to go and save them. Check out this link and prepare to cry. There are some bad ass cars that are going to die a less then admirable death.
That RX3 looks in such good shape! I wouldn't even worry about the motor, thats gonna be scrapped anyways... But the condition it "looks" to be in is great. Such a sad story... If I was rich I'd go down there and save as many as possible lol. That place looks like a gold mine.
"I believe that they have already crushed the majority of the American cars, which is a crying shame. You just flat wouldn't believe what was there.
But let me tell you something about that yard. Don Hoctor had the forsight to buy that land in the '70s and put all his older stuff in it, rather than have to crush it to make room for the newer cars at his Phoenix yard, like all the others did.
But, it was by far the highest priced junk yard in all the land, they wanted $400 for one quarter panel, no matter what car it came from, no matter the condition. $50 for one stick of chrome, $200 for a bumper, $250 for a fender, and all body parts were sold bare, no trim parts which were extra. You could buy any car for $3,500, complete or a shell - same price. The prices were all firm, no haggling at all. Old man Hoctor ceded the business to his son, who was possibly the biggest jerk in the business. Nobody liked him, because if you balked at the price of anything, (or were left speechless in many cases) he would get angry and say "That's the price there, bud." and walk into the back. They had all that stuff there, and so intact, for that reason - they priced it all out of most hobbiests' range. The business mainly catered to "rich rustbelt and international customers who needed the parts at any cost" however many of them there actually were. Most local enthusiasts steered clear, relying on swap meets, Hemmings, local ads, buying whole parts cars, and more recently, eBay and the like.
Reportedly, the land was sold to a developer for 7 million dollars, and the developer got most of the cars in with the deal. Hoctor was already rich, and flush with fresh millions, couldn't care less about what happened to the cars. I believe that an employee took a few dozen, or maybe a hundred cars and started a new yard way out by Casa Grande, and the rest were ordered crushed by the developer. The Hoctor staff oversaw the crushing, and while the yard was opened to the public during the destruction, there were no deals to be had on parts period, the price was the same as always right up to the time that the car was loaded in the crusher. I believe that Hoctor junior enjoyed that, his way of "getting back" at all of his imaginary demons.
If they are now selling cars for scrap value, that's great, but very un-Hoctor like. Strike while the iron is hot (literally) because the US southwest desert is probably the only place in the world where all those little, ugly, horribly rust prone European cars are still rust free, complete, and restorable."
Rob
YOu are so right!
here in Maple Valley,Wa is 4 Corners Auto Wrecking. Man The guy wanted 20$ for a L16 alternator mount and a New one was like 33$.That was 10 years ago. I told him I could go to AAA auto wrecking in Kent(10$) he said Go ahead. I told him Im going to put the part back. Then he said 15$ which I took.
Then I ask How much for a 77-79 200sx trans? He said, $400. I about crapped my pants. I was thinking of Gang Raping him with a 5 D cell Maglight Flashlight This guy is in outerspace but I have noticed this in most places close to a metro area(high prices for junk). They will not lower the price of the parts right up till it goes to the crusher!!!!!!!!!!!
Years later the place caught on fire and I said to myself couldnt have happen to a better person
Thats why I dont deal with junkyards anymore and its EZer to find Datsuns in backyards or get stuff from people getting out of the scene.
But I hear the Pullapart in Tacoma is like the good old days. a set price but cheap.
yeah, see I plan to go to arizona when a finish with school and buy some big piece of desert and just collect cars. THEY WON'T RUST! Maybe one day open a wrecking yard and save whats left of the old cars..
There is a wrecking yard like that one here near eugene. They have a huge yard and most of the year the place is covered in huge puddles and mud so for most of the year they can't get to crush certain cars. So many OLD cars are sitting in the far corners for years. They have a complete Datsun 411, a few totally complete 620's and 521's. I mean you could likely drive these trucks out of there! They have only one 510 which is a wagon which has been pretty much stripped. I ton of diffrent Z's some complete. Just all kinds of other stuff. Some what resonable prices but yeah like most its a rip off...
I just wish I had a ton of cash to go and save some of those cars...
One day i'll have a wrecking yard. It'll be fun ;p
Dig that pic of the F10 hatch....wahoo!!
I think I've only seen two of those....EVER!
A few years ago, I saw my first ever F10 wagon - didn't even know they made one.
Thanks for posting anyways, but they all go to heaven eventually.
Byron
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
