Yea, I would have given him the tires. One across his face other one up his *ss
How Common Is This Nonsense?
- Thread starter motorheadmike
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I've worked on removing parts for three hours before and got down to where the part is just ready to come out... and I didn't have the right tool (like a hacksaw to cut off a spinning balljoint, or at least a BFH to stop it from spinning), so I go off to quickly grab a tool before someone walks up and gets 3 hour of labor for free. Since I'm usually stripping Jaguars, the odds are relatively low, but I can see how a Chevy or Honda guy could get stressed.
Picknpull's computerized inventory means there will be a crowd rushing to the junkyard like locust when a Miata or something newer than 2007 shows up on inventory. I've dropped everything before, grabbed my tool bag and raced to the junkyard only to find the Miata parts I wanted already in a guy's wheelbarrow. I try to use those moments to strike up a conversation to see if the guy has any parts to trade or sell. Last couple times I was there first and scored a perfect top, a real roll bar for and some door trim that usually only lasts hours in the junkyard if they are good. Those trips keep me coming back.
Picknpull's computerized inventory means there will be a crowd rushing to the junkyard like locust when a Miata or something newer than 2007 shows up on inventory. I've dropped everything before, grabbed my tool bag and raced to the junkyard only to find the Miata parts I wanted already in a guy's wheelbarrow. I try to use those moments to strike up a conversation to see if the guy has any parts to trade or sell. Last couple times I was there first and scored a perfect top, a real roll bar for and some door trim that usually only lasts hours in the junkyard if they are good. Those trips keep me coming back.
I am sort of lucky and not lucky that most of the people in junkyards are not very interested in G bodies. Most of the other junkers are after parts from fairly modern, cheap econoboxes POS. Few seem to be hot rodders of old cars looking for discontinued parts.
Remember, the yard in the linked article is in the Detroit area, which is infamous for being rough.
Remember, the yard in the linked article is in the Detroit area, which is infamous for being rough.
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I've been hitting the yards for almost 40 years now. I have been going to 4 or 5 yards every weekend for the last 7 to 8 years and honestly have never had a problem. In most of the yards in my area , I am in the minority being a white boy. I've always lent tools to anybody that asked or just went with the guy and pulled it for him. Just about everyone of them offered me money for using a tool or me pulling a part.
I must confess there have been a couple times that I thought maybe I got played but they always returned my tool.
I have never taken money from these guys either. I really enjoy helping people even though some of them showed up at the yard without any tools...huh? Regardless , as long as there is a chance of a GBody showing up , I'll keep going. Timo22
I must confess there have been a couple times that I thought maybe I got played but they always returned my tool.
I have never taken money from these guys either. I really enjoy helping people even though some of them showed up at the yard without any tools...huh? Regardless , as long as there is a chance of a GBody showing up , I'll keep going. Timo22
Gotta be honest, without revealing what I do for a living, my job involves much confrontation. And when you encounter a person who uses confrontation as a daily means to get by, you often find, if your patient, that those people do get what they have coming to them eventually. Or worse.
My experience with pick and pull around here has been good mostly. Except g bodies are hard to find. The couple of yards I go to usually take those and crush soon after arrival. They tell me they get more money for the scrap value because they weigh more than alot of the newer cars etc. And for my 1966 a body forget about it. Can't find that. But my visits were mostly pleasant and they let me take my sons in with me. 16 and 12 yr olds.
That is weird since G bodies are lightweights compered to overweight modern cars. Perhaps they have more steel content but less total weight. All the yards in my won't let anyone under 18 in.
That may be why...the steel content. That's what I was told though when I ask about malibu's, montes, regals, etc. Yea most yards you have to be 18 to go in but this one allows me to bring my sons. Good experience for them and me
It's 16 around here, which is still dumb because you get a learner's permit on your 15th birthday. My son drove me to the junkyard to get parts for HIS car, then he had to lie to guy and tell him he was 16 to pull parts.
I couldn't say whether or not this type of thing ever happens around here or not, it just never happened to me. Part of that may just be my appearance. I'm far from a badass, but I'm told I give an intimidating vibe. The last physical encounter I had (and it wasn't at a yard) was in self defense with someone who was clearly under the influence. In fact, I really don't like confrontation and I guess I'm lucky it doesn't find me often.
I've been going to yards for about 25 years and have never had any real negative experiences. Closest thing I can recall is the occasional inconsiderate guy who starts pulling parts from the top of a car while I'm working under it. That bothers me from a safety perspective more than anything else.
As far as borrowing/loaning tools goes, I take that case by case. If someone in the next car over asks to borrow something and they look otherwise prepared I'll usually share. If someone shady looking wanders up from who-knows-where and asks for several things, I just tell them I don't have those tools with me. Never goes beyond that.
I've been going to yards for about 25 years and have never had any real negative experiences. Closest thing I can recall is the occasional inconsiderate guy who starts pulling parts from the top of a car while I'm working under it. That bothers me from a safety perspective more than anything else.
As far as borrowing/loaning tools goes, I take that case by case. If someone in the next car over asks to borrow something and they look otherwise prepared I'll usually share. If someone shady looking wanders up from who-knows-where and asks for several things, I just tell them I don't have those tools with me. Never goes beyond that.
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