After I strip them of every little part that I can, I take the shell in for scrap price. And, I’ll sweep up all the rust from the trailer and get a couple extra pounds from that too!
Have you ever cut up a car with a sawzall?
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With the cars that I have cut up, only a few were done for the metal and aluminum scrap value. It is NOT a lucrative endeavor but is a way to make a few bucks at your own leisure.
I usually chop Mopars that are beyond the point of restoring.....stuff that is either mundane or too far gone to fix economically. We often wince and complain when we see a classic get cut up but those cars provide parts to save others. One time at a swap meet I saw a stack of gauge clusters, maybe 12-15 of them on a table. A buddy said something that was a sobering fact:
"Every one of those is from a car that no longer exists."
It is true. Some have to go to save others. I saved the 440, 727, 8 3/4" axle and power window switches from this car:
The 318-904 ...the dash, grille, fenders, K member, 8 3/4" axle and numerous other parts from this rusty wagon...
This truck would NOT sell even at the rock bottom price of $1500.
It was a 76 which required a smog inspection here in CA. It came to me as a partially stripped out cab and chassis with a 360-727 and bad rear end. I put it together with stuff I had here then got it running and driving but had none of the required emission equipment. Nobody made an offer despite 4-5 people coming to see it. It ran and drove fine but had no title. That isn't an issue here, they are a lot easier to get than in other states.
I used the engine and trans in a car I sold later. The fenders, hood, grille, doors and tailgate were sold.
The motorhomes were junk. The only reason to whack them up was to get the 360s and 727s.
THIS car was a R-O-A-C-H from one end to the other but had a 383, 727 and 8 3/4" axle. $250 delivered to my place.
This one was a parts car '75 Duster with Dart fenders, a dead slant six, no interior, 4 wheel drums.....
I usually chop Mopars that are beyond the point of restoring.....stuff that is either mundane or too far gone to fix economically. We often wince and complain when we see a classic get cut up but those cars provide parts to save others. One time at a swap meet I saw a stack of gauge clusters, maybe 12-15 of them on a table. A buddy said something that was a sobering fact:
"Every one of those is from a car that no longer exists."
It is true. Some have to go to save others. I saved the 440, 727, 8 3/4" axle and power window switches from this car:
The 318-904 ...the dash, grille, fenders, K member, 8 3/4" axle and numerous other parts from this rusty wagon...
This truck would NOT sell even at the rock bottom price of $1500.
It was a 76 which required a smog inspection here in CA. It came to me as a partially stripped out cab and chassis with a 360-727 and bad rear end. I put it together with stuff I had here then got it running and driving but had none of the required emission equipment. Nobody made an offer despite 4-5 people coming to see it. It ran and drove fine but had no title. That isn't an issue here, they are a lot easier to get than in other states.
I used the engine and trans in a car I sold later. The fenders, hood, grille, doors and tailgate were sold.
The motorhomes were junk. The only reason to whack them up was to get the 360s and 727s.
THIS car was a R-O-A-C-H from one end to the other but had a 383, 727 and 8 3/4" axle. $250 delivered to my place.
This one was a parts car '75 Duster with Dart fenders, a dead slant six, no interior, 4 wheel drums.....
68_661charger
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Cut up a couple over the years. Not too bad when they are real rusty like this one. 383 4bbl, auto on column, power window car. Missing frame rail and t-boned so bent firewall.
hoover
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The sawzall blades that harbor freight sells are way better than the Milwaukee ones that I have used.
Ceedawg
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3 comes to mind, 1 68 GTX and 2 69s GTXs for the 4 speeds and Dana’s. 68 440 was blown 69s smoked real bad, over 90 thousand miles, one was a B5 vert loaded. All went to crusher after I took the parts off. Dime a dozen back in mid 70s. I paid $125 for the vert and $75 for the other two
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I helped a buddy cut a 69 VW in two to scrap it back in the day. We pulled the engine/transaxle then split it down the center with an axe. We took turns standing on top and starting from the front, worked through the hood, windshield, top and engine cover. Used some chains to peel the sides back then split the pan. Had it done in less than 3 beers!
71charger_fan
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I bought a Shelby Charger parts car years ago without a title. I salvaged the passenger side quarter and a few other panels I needed. Then, I cut up the rest and put the pieces in the county metal recycling bins. I did make sure to remove all the VIN stampings.
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you might be a redneck if........
or, how does the song go? "If that ain't country, I'll kiss your ***"
or, how does the song go? "If that ain't country, I'll kiss your ***"
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Those that do this a lot probably develop a system to get it done quickly and safely.
The metal recycling yard near me has a magnet to extract scrap from trailers but it isn't always operational and the operator isn't always there.
This is another reason why I often chop up the cars into small bits and pieces. If I have to unload it, I'm not going to leave the parts so heavy that I can't lift them.
I remember lifting truck Dana 60s from one end, then the other. I don't want to risk doing that anymore.
It does hurt a bit to cut up a car that may be restorable but sometimes you are stuck in the middle. You advertise the car, nobody seems to want it....The parts can be used to save other cars so out comes the saw...
I've felt guilty for chopping up some of these classics. I try to quell my guilt by thinking that they could have just been crushed or shredded and none of the useable parts would be available. I also think of how if I hadn't bought the junker, someone else might that just crushes it with no regard for any of the parts on it that might help someone.
At the very least, by surgically disassembling them like we do, the parts can keep others on the road.
I have cut up NON Mopars that have zero value to me in parts. I don't get much satisfaction there because it is only money being made, not a potential source of parts. A guy short on cash with a 318 Valiant may be quite happy with a section of floorpan or frame rail that is hard to find for his car. I like knowing that I was able to help. I have saved oddball, otherwise worthless parts hoping that someone might need them. Since I joined the Capital City Mopars car club, I've been called when some enthusiast has a stash of driver quality leftover parts he didn't want to throw out. Most of the stuff I've hauled back home is not great but occasionally I've got some stuff that helps out others. A bracket, a piece of trim, knobs or whatever. The cars are not common in junkyards anymore so these little trinkets can be a bit harder to find now.
The metal recycling yard near me has a magnet to extract scrap from trailers but it isn't always operational and the operator isn't always there.
This is another reason why I often chop up the cars into small bits and pieces. If I have to unload it, I'm not going to leave the parts so heavy that I can't lift them.
I remember lifting truck Dana 60s from one end, then the other. I don't want to risk doing that anymore.
It does hurt a bit to cut up a car that may be restorable but sometimes you are stuck in the middle. You advertise the car, nobody seems to want it....The parts can be used to save other cars so out comes the saw...
I've felt guilty for chopping up some of these classics. I try to quell my guilt by thinking that they could have just been crushed or shredded and none of the useable parts would be available. I also think of how if I hadn't bought the junker, someone else might that just crushes it with no regard for any of the parts on it that might help someone.
At the very least, by surgically disassembling them like we do, the parts can keep others on the road.
I have cut up NON Mopars that have zero value to me in parts. I don't get much satisfaction there because it is only money being made, not a potential source of parts. A guy short on cash with a 318 Valiant may be quite happy with a section of floorpan or frame rail that is hard to find for his car. I like knowing that I was able to help. I have saved oddball, otherwise worthless parts hoping that someone might need them. Since I joined the Capital City Mopars car club, I've been called when some enthusiast has a stash of driver quality leftover parts he didn't want to throw out. Most of the stuff I've hauled back home is not great but occasionally I've got some stuff that helps out others. A bracket, a piece of trim, knobs or whatever. The cars are not common in junkyards anymore so these little trinkets can be a bit harder to find now.
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440 PHIXX
The Island of Misfit Mopars
I cut up a ‘68 Sport Satellite with a torch. I learned when I worked a junkyard for about 6 months. I still have the roof and the cowl.
When restoring a '72 Cutlass vert (one that my mother bought and was passed around the family for years and salty winters) we came onto the cowling and upper dash area. Ouch! We found a clean one in another Cutlass and cut that out with a sawz breaking a few blades and then cutting the remaining, what was left on the '72 piecing that all in. Wasn't sure this could be done as this was my first resto, thankfully my dear-departed handy dad came up with this plan and several others to get me through the project to a nice conclusion.
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