Dumpster Diving. Dump Picking. Etc. What automotive things have you found?

[stretch cab]

As a kid growing up we went to the "dump" often and I always said that our house was furnished in "Early American Dump"  My parents had the money to buy new, but my mother loved to refurbish.

When I was a teenager, I found a very nice 56 (I think) Chevy at the dump and many of the parts would work on the car I had.  It was at that time I discovered that government doesn't want to help!  I tried and tried to get permission to get the car that was going to be trashed but finally only was able to get some trim pieces.

[8E45E]

A few sales brochures, and that's about it!!

 

 Craig

[JACK M]

At our transfer station they watch for what they call thieves.

They own the load when it goes thru the gate. Some pissant newbie jumped me for taking my garbage cans and broom home.

However, the recycling center isn't manned, only has signs "NO SALVAGING". I must have missed that one a few times.

I wonder how high they would hang me had I been caught taking that antique push mower that I sold at the swap meet.

[auburnseeker]

1 hour ago, JACK M said:

At our transfer station they watch for what they call thieves.

They own the load when it goes thru the gate. Some pissant newbie jumped me for taking my garbage cans and broom home.

However, the recycling center isn't manned, only has signs "NO SALVAGING". I must have missed that one a few times.

I wonder how high they would hang me had I been caught taking that antique push mower that I sold at the swap meet.

Careful salvaging at the transfer station/ dump is a real crime,  not like all the other stuff that goes on out in the streets there. 

[JACK M]

HA, here in Portland you would get in more trouble swiping something out of the dump than you would vandalizing and burning the federal building.

[1937hd45]

Just swapped three bags of my garbage for a five foot American Flyer sled and a really nice old Colonial red blanket chest. Careful seat moving and it all fit inside a Ford Focus. 

[8E45E]

29 minutes ago, JACK M said:

HA, here in Portland you would get in more trouble swiping something out of the dump than you would vandalizing and burning the federal building.

Same in Edmonton.  Once something gets disposed of at the city dump, its becomes 'their' property, and one is not able to take it and load it into the vehicle, even if it is 'used'.  After dumping some lightweight excess foliage and other yard waste, my former neighbor loaded up some interior doors and trim, etc, that was from an old turn-of-the-(20th)-Century house someone was renovating at the time.  Issue was, he weighed MORE exiting the yard than when he weighed entering, and the city landfill staff went to look inside his van to see why.  He was ordered to turn around and empty it, or face a huge fine for property theft!!  (So much for encouraging recycling of still usable goods.)

 

Craig

[Walt G]

Not to many dumpsters here in our area or room for them and they usually need a permit to have one on the street in front of a house or business that is being cleared. BUT there are certain days assorted "stuff" is placed at the curb for pickup. This original unrestored  'loader' for a toy truck was made by the Keystone Company who also made great strong toy trucks that had a Packard radiator shell. Quality toys. This still operates with a crank and a chain to move the buckets to drop the load of what they are carrying into the toy truck. It is 19 inches high, 16 inches wide and 6 inches deep at the wheels. Kids would use them to play in sand boxes using their imaginations - without the aide of the internet.

It was found by at the curb by my late friend Marty Haughey of Albertson, NY. Marty called me up after he rescued it and said come over , have some tea and I have something for you. He knew I liked old steel toys and gave it to me because I helped him get the transmission in and out of his model 10 Buick touring car and got a screw back into the carburetor on his model G Franklin touring car that dropped out .

[jimy]

Our town provides a dumpster for metal recycling at the town barn.  I’ve dropped lots  of scrap there and always take a look at what is in the dumpster and what is next to the dumpster.  The good stuff is often left next to the dumpster. 
 

I grabbed this vintage hand truck several months ago from next to the dumpster.  I think it is really cool.  But now I have three hand trucks and I’m not sure I need any!   
 

Edited February 14, 2023 by jimy (see edit history)

[SC38dls]

We had a dumpster at the house. Every week I would roll it down the driveway so the heavy truck wouldn’t have to come on the driveway. No one ever dumpster dived in it and it was full of used horsepower crap, literally. We had four horses in the barn and the dumpster was full from them! 
dave s 

Edited February 14, 2023 by SC38dls (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

Yeah crazy in alot of places,  even "green" areas that are so concerned with our affect on the environment,  have these rules,  because reusing something is the best recycling, but they think trucking and shipping it around the globe is a much greener way to go.  Most probably got butt hurt at one time when they saw something they wanted being toted off by someone else, or something they foolishly threw away,  someone else decided still had worth. 

[Soupiov]

Found this in a dumpster outside of  home renovation project

[Frank DuVal]

Lawyers, not green people. I know of a dump that used to encourage picking, as it lessened the load of stuff going onto the ground. But, if someone got hurt, then  lawyers would have a field day suing the city, so rules got put into place. Same with where I go now, you drop stuff into rolloffs (even though it is at the dump, not a transfer station) and they are afraid someone will fall into the rolloff, so no leaning over to pick something out.🙁 I keep looking for a lawn mower when I'm there hoping to catch it before it is dropped in.

[TAKerry]

I feel like the bad guy here, most of the things you guys have 'picked' looks like stuff I would throw away. I am a self proclaimed pack rat and cannot afford to go into dumpsters looking for discarded items, I have enough junk of my own, LOL.

 

I do have an interesting dump story. We had a contract with a local bank to clean out their basement storage area. We would go in early on a Monday and load the dump truck full for a trip to the landfill. The bank rep. would spend the week tagging things to be removed. One load was filled filing cabinets. Their records being duplicated in the computer or outdated. About 20 minutes after I made the drop, I got a call from my boss to bee line it back to the landfill. Apparently there was something (I have no idea what it was) in one of the cabinets that was important enough for the bank president to call the county commissioner to have the dump closed whilst we looked through the mess trying to find it. The operator knew exactly where I dumped, as well as I had a pretty good idea. We spent about 3 hrs scraping away 3 in. at time and never found anything that even remotely resembled what I had dropped off. 

[Skvitt]

Once I pulled 70hp Evinrude from the dumpster. Hoping that I can fix it, but upon inspection realized that it was there for a reason  . Ended up selling some salvageable  parts from it, and rest went for scrap metal. At least paid for my efforts to get it out of dumpster by myself  

[Steve_Mack_CT]

When I was a kid growing up in West Hartford, CT our dump was not pickable, but it was cool.  You drove up a big ramp into a huge garage and backed up to a big pit, at least 100' x 50' and maybe 25' deep, maybe bigger.  Same pit the garbage trucks used was open to public on Saturday mornings.  Fun!  A family friend fell in though and broke a leg.  Didn't stop it then but I cannot imagine they still keep it open today.

 

Oh the incinerator was on the other side of a big wall and ran on weekend as well.  Smoke and ash everywhere...

 

@prewarnut, @Shipping reccomendations

@jscheib  maybe you remember this wonderful place! 😊

Edited February 15, 2023 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

Our 'dump' when I was a kid was a privately owned converted gravel pit. They had a big hole leftover from building the highway a couple of miles away. People would just back up and throw their stuff in. There were always fires burning, the owner had an old dozer and would move stuff around as needed. I have no idea what he charged. We always used a pick up service but my neighbors dad would go about once a month. It was a big trip for us kids to ride along for a trip to the dump! It became an epa superfund site, county took over and now its a transfer station only.

[prewarnut]

8 hours ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

When I was a kid growing up in West Hartford, CT our dump was not pickable, but it was cool.  You drove up a big ramp into a huge garage and backed up to a big pit, at least 100' x 50' and maybe 25' deep, maybe bigger.  Same pit the garbage trucks used was open to public on Saturday mornings.  Fun!  A family friend fell in though and broke a leg.  Didn't stop it then but I cannot imagine they still keep it open today.

 

Steve I think I missed that era slightly. All I remember is the current transfer station with cameras, fences, needing to show ID and maybe there'd be room to dispose of a limited amount of oil (making oil changes a pain in the...). Now the scrap metal recyclers in Stratford are an interesting group of places.

[1937hd45]

 

Walt, Nice quality toy, with a great look to it. Have you ever thought about that hand crank handle that can move 180 degrees? Safety feature, or did it allow it to fit in a smaller box, and cost less to ship? 

[joe_peter]

People have reported finding various automotive parts and accessories such as car batteries, tires, rims, hubcaps, car stereos, speakers, headlights, tail lights, side mirrors, car seats, steering wheels, and more. Some people have also found tools and equipment used for automotive repair or maintenance, such as jacks, wrenches, socket sets, and oil filters. However, it's important to note that dumpster diving and dump picking can be dangerous and illegal in some areas. It's important to obtain permission from the property owner before taking any discarded items, and to ensure that the items are safe to use before attempting to use them in a vehicle.

Edited February 18, 2023 by joe_peter (see edit history)

[Grimy]

1 hour ago, joe_peter said:

However, it's important to note that dumpster diving and dump picking can be dangerous and illegal in some areas.

Yeah, but that part is a portion of the fun and challenge!  🙂

[George K]

12 minutes ago, Grimy said:

Yeah, but that part is a portion of the fun and challenge!  🙂

Alway go to the back door to ask permission. Those guys know what’s in the dumpster. Never go to the front door.

[dship]

Besides dumpster picking, there's nothing more exhilarating than spending a morning/afternoon at an auto "pick n' pull".

[1937hd45]

1 hour ago, joe_peter said:

People have reported finding various automotive parts and accessories such as car batteries, tires, rims, hubcaps, car stereos, speakers, headlights, tail lights, side mirrors, car seats, steering wheels, and more. Some people have also found tools and equipment used for automotive repair or maintenance, such as jacks, wrenches, socket sets, and oil filters. However, it's important to note that dumpster diving and dump picking can be dangerous and illegal in some areas. It's important to obtain permission from the property owner before taking any discarded items, and to ensure that the items are safe to use before attempting to use them in a vehicle.

Next time in Australia I'll remember that. 

[Walt G]

11 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Walt, Nice quality toy, with a great look to it. Have you ever thought about that hand crank handle that can move 180 degrees? Safety feature, or did it allow it to fit in a smaller box, and cost less to ship?

Bob, Yes, to both things you mention.

I have never tried this in a sand box though. the top part of it flips down to allow the sand from the cups on the chains to flow into the back of the toy truck. the top piece in the photo is folded in the up position for storage and non use. All the larger pressed steel toys of this era were heavy and there were quite a few companies all independent of each other , but some connected to the production of auto parts as well.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Walt, I will be along to the jobsite in the Keystone Packard to get the gravel load! 😉😁

 

Ok not a dump find but they would look nice together.  Dad picked at an antique shop in 74 or 75, receipt still here, $25.  We did have it restored though, but have not put many miles on it...

[1937hd45]

Nice display, I often think of  making display cases for the nick knacks I've picked up over the years. I do have one for the sparkplugs but it is somewhat depressing if I place a value on one plug then multiply it by 77.