Wheatbelt Auto Parts retiring, crushing cars

I just received an e-mail from Ken Reeves (Wheatbelt Auto Parts) that he is retiring and has scheduled the crusher to be at his place around March 1:

"We plan to schedule the crusher to be here around the first of March. I am going to start taking parts out of the shop and throwing it in cars soon. (mostly heavy items like cylinder heads etc.) "

So, now is the time to buy what you need or whatever you think you will need, or forget about it. This is a very sad day for old Buick owners.

I am going to try to go up there and spend a day getting what I need at the end of this month, when the Wichita, Kansas Swap Meet is going on. Anyone remotely in the area might want to do the same. The first weekend of February is the annual Sunflower Swap Meet at the Wichita Coliseum, all indoors, all makes and models--about 2-3 hours from Ken Reeves' place.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Leonard, Texas

This really makes me want to make a drive down I-44 for the weekend.

This really makes me want to make a drive down I-44 for the weekend.

my brother and I visited sue and ken a few years ago when I was in ok,had a great time,sorry to see them close up shop,4 bufords from ct

Pete, when do you plan on going? I wouldn't mind meeting up, possibly checking out the swap meet as well.

I talked to Ken today. I may head up, as well.

Looking for Willys & International parts - contact info? Anything besides Buick? Thanks, EH!

Just Buicks

I wouldn't mind getting 1956 Roadmaster 4 door hardtop parts if he has any. I don't own one, but am hemming and hawing on one, and would hate to see perfectly good dry doors, trunk lid, etc go to waste. I'll see if I can give Ken a call. Would maybe need some storage. My sister lives in one of those foo foo suburbs of Dallas and has been wanting me to visit.

OK Pete: Some current pictures might help. When Ken Schmidt shut down I offered him a supermarket sweep. In other words I offered him a cash amount for anything I could scrounge within a couple of days. He went for it but unfortunately he was later coerced by a nameless gentleman who I believed, wouldn't share and he thought I was ripping him (not Ken) off.

Anyway aside from that minor drama this could be a very viable win-win for everybody. Mitch

Mitch,

I'm more than 200 miles away from Wheatbelt. Photos will have to wait. He has over 150 Buick parts cars, though many are picked over.

Pete Phillips

Can someone post Ken's email address here for those that can't phone...........thanks

There's some pictures from the 2009 Buick National After Tour when we stopped at Wheatbelt in this link towards the bottom. http://buickclub.org/2009%20BCA%20Meet/bca_nationals70809.htm

Really still need a right rear quarter for a '70 Wildcat convertible!

He is well picked out. I am returning from a long day of clearing anything that might fit 55 small series cars. There wasn't much, but I have a full size F-250 with an eight foot bed loaded to the max (including the crew cab).

It was a sad day for me when I left.

Ken is a good man who has served us well, and I wish him the very best in his retirement.

then surely there is a heater motor in that pile right?!!

wheatbeltbuick@att.net

then surely there is a heater motor in that pile right?!!

Got one!

A heater motor? With the effects of global warming smothering us.

Bernie

I'm headed up there this Saturday, if anyone wants me to look for something. Please understand that these are all used parts, most of which have been sitting outdoors for many years, so things like interior soft trim will be tough to find in useable condition, and many of the cars are pretty well picked over, i.e., there won't be any 1970 front bumper center emblems; there won't be any 1956 rear bumper J-bars; there probably won't be any upper grille bars for anything, etc. There will be things like frames, inner fenders, brake drums, front spindles, etc.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

See if there are any original 54-55 front shock mount brackets that Mikey just might have missed.

I won't be able to make it down there. Could you check for senior series 58's?

I'm headed up there this Saturday

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Take some pics for the forum and history books Pete!

I forgot to take pics.

I'll put it this way, it looks nothing like the earlier pics posted above. He is down to maybe 100 cars.

Call him today if you think you need anything, the crusher is less than a month away.

Pete is correct. Some sheet metal, some chassis stuff, some bumpers, but anything usable from 54-56 fit into the bed of my truck

Mike, did you happen to see any '53 Special stuff?

I'm looking for a usable trunk pan for a '50-'52 super convert (2 dr. hdtp will work) will e-mail Ken as well

Sorry Aaron, didn't notice. It was 28 degrees with snow on the ground and I was on a mission.

I'm sure he has stuff, just call him and check. He has shelves organized by years. He isn't just giving stuff away, but he would much rather get what he has sold to somebody who can use it rather than crushed.

He isn't just giving stuff away

Maybe not but look at it this way. Paying for it now is going to be better than paying more for it later or even worse case not even being able to find it in the near future. I have watched salvage parts prices increase over the last few months/ couple years and am realizing it is due to supply and demand. When the market hit bottom a few years back and nobody was restoring there was no market for parts but then the prices paid at salvage yards for junkers went sky high so everything got and still is getting crushed. Folks are starting to restore/fix-up again now and parts are getting harder to find. Glad to see Mike take the opportunity to go load up on the tri-five stuff, would have loved to join him but life has a way of getting in the way sometimes.

But just gotta ask...Mike, did you leave any original bottom shock mounts?

Only found one.

Hemmings article: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/01/31/buick-focused-scrapyard-wheatbelt-antique-auto-heads-to-the-crusher/?refer=news

Sorry Aaron, didn't notice. It was 28 degrees with snow on the ground and I was on a mission.

I'm sure he has stuff, just call him and check. He has shelves organized by years. He isn't just giving stuff away, but he would much rather get what he has sold to somebody who can use it rather than crushed.

Thanks Mike...I did talk to them on the phone, but I just asked for any interior/exterior trim. I didn't have anything else specific in mind, so I guess I'm not even sure what to ask for!

Still looking for a '69 or '70 right rear quarter panel, there were several there see my pictures in previous post. could never get a price out of them. So sad, too bad.

I got home at 1 a.m. today after a marathon trip to Carrier, Oklahoma and back, rushing to stay ahead of the latest snow and ice storm. All I can say is "HOLY COW", Ken and Sue's place is still half full of wonderful used Buick parts and it will be a travesty if this stuff isn't saved. My friend and I worked like crazy until sundown, dismantling and saving and loading up two pickup truck loads of good, useable parts. I was like a kid in a candy store--you don't know where to start! Yes, the easy and most in demand parts are gone, but there is SO MUCH still there! 1951 and 1952 4-door parts galore; 1958 small series 4-door trim, hoods, doors, trunk lids in perfect condition; at least a dozen first- and second-generation Rivieras with good parts; a '65 LeSabre 4-dr. hardtop with almost nothing missing; several 1949 4-door sedans (Supers), several 1955 and '56 4-dr. sedans some with 90% complete trim; I think I saw a couple of big series '55 and '56 Buicks well picked over, but still with good parts to pull; a 1951 Special 4-dr. sedan with fabulous stainless sweep spear trim and perfect doors & hood; oldest car in the place is a '41 Special 2-dr fastback, no drive train but a perfect trunk lid, good rear fenders, nice dash radio grille; two rare 1957 2-door sedans well picked over but one had a perfect hood and trunk lid, no '57 bumper ends worth saving though; nice '66 Special Deluxe 4-dr. sedan maybe it was a Skylark, with nice doors, dash, decent interior, good glass; there must be over 100 parts cars still here. Wheels & tires everywhere; loads of good sheet metal parts that no one wants to pay to ship, but my gosh there are doors, hoods, trunk lids galore. Anyone with a small series '58 4-door needs to get over to this place fast--it is a dream come true for those owners--must be 5 or 6 of those, many with 90% complete trim. I opened the door on a '58 Special 4-dr. and a perfect headlight bezel fell off of the front seat and into my hands. There are quite a few loose parts buried inside these cars, already pulled but needing to be dug out from the mess inside. I did not see any lower rear bumper returns for '58 and I did not see any upper series '58s. There is one '57 Super 2-dr. hardtop with a few parts still left, but no bumper ends worth saving.

I bought front fenders, a '58 trunk lid, a '58 two door hardtop door in perfect shape, a '50 sedanet rear quarter panel, several early 1950s bumpers, a couple of grilles, some '63 Riviera exterior trim--my gosh, the '63 Riviera parts are everywhere but you have to pull them--replateable rear bumpers, replateable tail light bezels, dash gauges, cowl vent grilles, etc. Photos later, when I get a little more organized and rested here. I worked in 25-degree weather all afternoon, pulling and unbolting parts as fast as I could. If you go, don't forget to bring tape and marking pens to I.D. the parts you pull. That was what I forgot to bring!

Ken and Sue are going to sell this property and move to Arkansas, so it has to be clean by March 1 in order to appeal to prospective buyers who want a nice home and outbuildings on five rural acres in NW Oklahoma. The crusher is coming on or about March 1.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338,

Leonard, Tx.

wow...thanks for the report.

Photos from yesterday. 25 degrees and a 20 mph wind out of the north blowing all day. This stuff is ALL going to be crushed if someone doesn't get up there and start pulling more parts before March 1.

Pete

More photos. Look at all of the good parts here!

Now is the time to fish or cut bait, if you need any of these parts or might have a need in the future.

Pete

OK Pete: I personally appreciate the passion you have for saving these old Buicks. Going out in the cold and all that driving not to mention what it took to remove many of the parts, load them....and unload them.....wait!!!....and store them, is certainly beyond the call of duty.

Unfortunately many times the square peg is not going to see the square hole. I have 15 1960 Buick parts cars and another 6 First-gen Riv parts cars. My 21 year old son has a cush job and doesn't need to hustle. All his homies are in the similar situation. All good kids and none who needs to make a few extra bucks hustling. I am offered parts cars all the time too. I'm now retired and have turned the page on hustling anything. That's unfortunately how it is. Like I mentioned in previous posts on this topic it's not that easy.

I know of a half-dozen several First-Gen Riv hustlers here on the West Coast and several others throughout the country. The logistics? They get you almost all the time. Perhaps there are enthusiasts overseas who have considered transporting these things for local redistribution in their areas.

Finally. What is the difference between a dismantled First-Gen Riv and a cherry 1969 Camaro? I would much rather see the Riviera in person or in a picture than that Camaro! Mitch

Thanks for the pictures Pete. Wish I could buy the entire operation just as it sits.

I was thinking the same thing yesterday John!

Well. he does plan to sell and move away, so here is someone's chance to "Go West, young man, Go West". Avoid those ever climbing NY taxes. But, he may already have a buyer for the land.

John

It's not a bad idea, to buy the whole thing. Make it a National Buick Salvage Yard. I am still locating hundreds of old Buicks on craigs list, so restocking is possible.

*LIKE*

It's not a bad idea, to buy the whole thing. Make it a National Buick Salvage Yard. I am still locating hundreds of old Buicks on craigs list, so restocking is possible.