Harold

One junkyard I haven't mentioned was off Route 57 near Phillipsburg, NJ. I don't recall the name but it was there in the late 1980's when I went with a friend who needed a hood for his '66 Fury. They had plenty of everything, but one thing stands out vividly in my memory. My favorite car is the '51-'52 Plymouth and this yard had about 50 of them, neatly parked in rows. A breathtaking sight for fans of forgotten Plymouths! I wanted to take them all home with me but obviously I couldn't. I'm sure the yard is long gone but the memory survives!

My parents didn't change cars very often so we had a '52 Plymouth Cambridge until 1965. In the summer of 1964 my father and I took the Plymouth on a road trip to Niagara Falls from Brooklyn. It was just he and I because my mother couldn't leave due to her job obligations. The Plymouth developed a bearing knock in Western NY so we stopped at a gas station to see if they could help. The attendant recommended a junkyard several miles up the road to see if they had a running car we could buy and continue on our trip. The owner, Stanley Stauba, had a good reputation in the area. According to the gas attendant he would treat us fairly. Stanley didn't have a suitable car to sell us, but did have a '51 Belvedere with a good engine. We ended-up arranging with a local mechanic (who happened to be at the yard at the time) to R&R the engine. Next day, the tech dropped us at a local restaurant. We waited several hours but the tech didn't return to get us so my father and I started walking back towards the shop (about 5 miles). A car stopped near us on the road as we were walking....it was the gas attendant from the day before! He gave us a lift and we got to the shop just as the mechanic was finishing up the job. We paid for the repair and went on our way. The price? $46.00 including parts and labor!

Maybe not as grand as the properties already discussed, but the deal that got away from me in the early '80's was one of several attached brownstone row houses that were walking distance to the State Capital in Albany, NY. The area was pretty sketchy in those days and the City was selling the houses (and they all needed lots of work) for $1,500.00 each. A few years later the area became gentrified and the property values soared. Not to point fingers, but my family talked me out of buying one. Oh, well...

Glad to hear the car has been recovered. My aunt had a '55 Century that was stolen and recovered 3 times. Maybe these Buicks have a 'charmed' existence! I think the 'Lock-Off-On' ignition switch is a very bad idea. Makes it too easy for thieves to get the car.

Times sure have changed! When I sold new cars in the '80's the message from dealership management was 'sell what's on the lot'. Occasionally we'd locate a car at another dealer for the customer or reserve an incoming inventory unit for them. A true factory order was frowned upon and salespeople were made to feel inadequate if this occurred. The dealership made money regardless, but quick delivery was king.

How about the warning to never get gas while the tank truck is making a delivery because it stirs-up all the dirt and water in the bottom of the storage tank. Factual or old wives' tale?

I remembered I have an actual MING brochure amongst my stuff. I posted a quick scan of the front and back pages just for fun....

Try shining a UV light on the tag. It may help.

Six vintage automotive trade magazines. Worn and dirty from age and use. Lots of repair tips and other articles. Great decor for your man cave or she-shed! Includes 5 issues of Motor Service Magazine (5/65. 7/65, 2/66, 6/66, 8/66) and one issue of Brake and Front End Service Magazine (2/68). $20.00 for all 6. Shipping is extra. Send your zip code and I'll figure it out.

Both 1981 prep manuals are gone. The rest are still available!

Both 1981 prep manuals are gone. The rest are still available!

Still available!

Still available!

In the 1970's there was a shop near where I lived that specialized in rebuilding totaled Granadas, Monarchs, and the occasional Versailles. One day, they had the cowl, front floor, and front suspension of a Granada sitting in their shop. The owner told me to come back in a couple of days and it would be a whole car. He was right! This shop later discovered it was a lot easier to steal a car matching the paperwork they had and then swap VINs. The police came by one day and arrested the shop owner. That was the end of that!

Don't have a picture, but there was a '51 Dodge on the Darnell's Auto Wrecking sign in the movie Christine.

In the early sixties, when I was about 10 years old, a local junkyard in Brooklyn had a Pierce Arrow behind a fence near the sidewalk. I was too young to inquire about it but the car made an impression. Another yard a couple of miles away had a Model T roadster up front. Hope they both were rescued.

This seller swapped a modern chassis onto this '36 Olds. Maybe he still has the original drivetrain and you can buy the trans. Located in southern NJ. Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1572221919803132/

Are you sure it's the tank itself leaking and not a hose clamp on the filler pipe?

There's no end to shady deals. In my case, every transaction was in-person at the DMV office and legit.

Here's an NOS rear fender for the passenger's side of your 1950-'52 Plymouth. Never installed on a car! Fits the DeLuxe, Special DeLuxe, Cambridge, Cranbrook, Concord, and Belvedere. Does NOT fit station wagons or fastbacks. Has some dirt and surface rust due to storage. NOTE: The stainless steel fender trim (not included) is mounted lower on a 1952 fender compared to the 1950-51. This fender intentionally doesn't have mounting clip holes so you can drill them to suit the car you have. $300.00 for local pick-up only in or near Freehold, NJ 07728. Sorry, will not ship.

Here's an NOS rear fender for the passenger's side of your 1950-'52 Plymouth. Never installed on a car! Fits the DeLuxe, Special DeLuxe, Cambridge, Cranbrook, Concord, and Belvedere. Does NOT fit station wagons or fastbacks. Has some dirt and surface rust due to storage. NOTE: The stainless steel fender trim (not included) is mounted lower on a 1952 fender compared to the 1950-51. This fender intentionally doesn't have mounting clip holes so you can drill them to suit the car you have. $300.00 for local pick-up only in or near Freehold, NJ 07728. Sorry, will not ship.

No paperwork may not be insurmountable. I haven't done this for a number of years, but in my experience, the New York DMV has been easy to work with and much more user-friendly than other states. If you appear in person, bring documentation, be clean, and act politely, you may end up with the ownership papers you need for registration.

Looks like an aftermarket '51-'52 DeSoto knockoff.

I have several original Mopar service training manuals from a small-town Dodge dealer that closed in the early 1980's. They're in excellent nearly-unused condition. Here's the list: 1979 1980 Dodge Colt Plymouth Champ Air Conditioning Service Manual Supplement 1981 K-Car Service Highlights (Aries and Reliant) 1978 "Road Ready" New Vehicle Preparation Manual (Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon) 2 available 1971-1979 Parts Application Guide for Mitsubishi Import Engines and Carburetors (D50, Colt, Arrow, Challenger, Champ, Sapporo) 1978 Dodge Omni Plymouth Horizon Service Training Manuals (3 volume set) 1981 "Road Ready" New Vehicle Preparation Manual (North American-built Chrysler Dodge Plymouth) 1981 "Road Ready" New Vehicle Preparation Manual (Mitsubishi imports Colt Champ Ram 50 Arrow Pickup Challenger Sapporo) 1978 Service Highlights (domestic passenger car and truck) 1978 Service Highlights (Arrow, Sapporo, Colt, Challenger) 1980 Features and Service Preview (Dodge, Chrysler, Plymouth, Mitsubishi) Using the Infra-Red Analyzer as a Diagnostic Tool (undated, probably early 1980's) Any manual above is $18.00 postpaid by Media Mail in the lower 48 states except the Omni/Horizon 3-volume set which is $30.00. If you have any questions please let me know. Harold

I have several original Mopar service training manuals from a small-town Dodge dealer that closed in the early 1980's. They're in excellent nearly-unused condition. Here's the list: 1979 1980 Dodge Colt Plymouth Champ Air Conditioning Service Manual Supplement 1981 K-Car Service Highlights (Aries and Reliant) 1978 "Road Ready" New Vehicle Preparation Manual (Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon) 2 available 1971-1979 Parts Application Guide for Mitsubishi Import Engines and Carburetors (D50, Colt, Arrow, Challenger, Champ, Sapporo) 1978 Dodge Omni Plymouth Horizon Service Training Manuals (3 volume set) 1981 "Road Ready" New Vehicle Preparation Manual (North American-built Chrysler Dodge Plymouth) 1981 "Road Ready" New Vehicle Preparation Manual (Mitsubishi imports Colt Champ Ram 50 Arrow Pickup Challenger Sapporo) 1978 Service Highlights (domestic passenger car and truck) 1978 Service Highlights (Arrow, Sapporo, Colt, Challenger) 1980 Features and Service Preview (Dodge, Chrysler, Plymouth, Mitsubishi Using the Infra-Red Analyzer as a Diagnostic Tool (undated, probably early 1980's) Any manual above is $18.00 postpaid by Media Mail in the lower 48 states except the Omni/Horizon 3-volume set which is $30.00. If you have any questions please let me know. Harold