North Georgia Junkyard

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Has anyone ever been here. They claim to be the biggest in the world. I hope to make it up there over the holidays just to look. If anyone sees anything they want me to look at, just let me know.

Classic Cars Rotting

[JohnD1956]

Hey Mr.Earl

Any chance of checking those 56's for rear "J" bars on the bumpers? They are probably gone, but...

Also I need some new top bumperettes for my Super. I'm thinking these must come from the Super or Roadmaster.

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Actually John I think they only sell whole cars. Man I just sent a pair of J bars to New Zealand and threw in a set of bumperettes for free. I'll keep my eyes open though.

[JohnD1956]

Will those whole cars include the trees?

I can't believe I missed a pair of J bars, and bumperettes too. I feel so stupid!!!

Oh well, Merry Christmas.

JohnD

[Guest]

Lamar,

That place is CRAZY. I wonder what the prices are. Is this going to be a salvage yard selling whole cars where they want $1500 for a car that been sitting there 20 years or more. I have seen some of these yards where no cars are sold for years and they end up scraping almost all of them. Remember about 5-7 years ago Cars & Parts magazine (which does a lot of salvage yard tours) reported on that yard up in Indiana or Ohio that was forced to vacate? Actually that was a private owner who just accumulated all of these rare Pontiacs and Cadillacs. When pictures were taken, some of these rare Eldorados and Bonneveilles, etc looked like a spider had built a natural vined "web" around them. Ditto for this yard. Just seeing the list made me want to go just to walk around all day and see them but realistically, I can't believe there are any good parts cars there or restorables.

Bryan Moran

Crazy4abby

[ice man]

This reminds me of a salvage yard in Old Town, Florida I visited a year or so ago, named OLD GOLD CARS & PARTS. I thought I hit pay dirt , UNTIL!! I found a 67 GS that had a decent set of hood scoops. The hood itself was beyond saving, so I asked "how much for the scoops" Well, they would only sell the scoops with the hood as a package. OK, HOW MUCH ??? Are you ready for this! $ 425.00 I hope the Georga yard isn't one of those get rich quick operations. And they wonder why younger people don't get into the hobby.

Good luck

Tom

[jscheib]

I guess we know where the "Old Gold" term came from. The EPA is cracking down on these guys all the time and a lot of owners of the sites will not part with a car for just over the "scap metal" price, but expect to make a profit for holding and rotting them. You all might refer to the efforts elsewhere where somone had the idea to form a cooperative to hold these cars and parts somewhere with a central inventory control, holding Buick and Buick parts only. The more of this I see, the more I think it a good idea.

John

[Guest Shaffer]

That place looks great. Ironically, there is a old salvage lot identical to that about 2 miles from my house. Some of you may remember me mentioning it in the past. The old man has owned the lot for over 50 years and has brought in old cars since then. Most of the cars range from the 1930s thru the late 1970s. Most being 50s-70s. I would say there are about 1500 old cars there. Some with trees growing up through the floors, just like some of the cars on this site. Actually, back in 1992, I traded a good running 1972 Cadillac Sedan deVille for a 1960 Oldsmobile Super 88 that he had. The Olds is long gone, but to this day, he still has my old Cadillac- and it looks about like the cars on this site- all grown up with weeds. He has a 1964 Cadillac Eldorado convertible that has trees growing up through the floors, that my grandfather said was drove in there in like new conditions- as were most of the cars. He also has a 1960 Electra convertible- drove in there in the early 70s- parked where it has set since. It is now "wedged" between two trees.

One of my favorites he has is a 1971 Pontiac Grand Safari 2-seat wagon. It is a rare car, as it was even back in 1971, as only around 3000 2-seat Grand Safari wagons were made in 1971. It went in there like new- has set for at least 20 years and is now basically a rusty hull, setting under some pine trees. Actually, just like the cars here at this site in Georgia- are like the ones here- they are all in a "wooded" area, all tangled in weeds and wedged around trees. I have walked through the salvage yard here before, but not have covered anywhere near 1/2 of the place. I used to go there to get parts for my grandfathers old cars as well as my old 71 Caprice. One thing about the place here- is that he will rarely sell whole cars, and rarely even sell parts unless he knows you well. He has known my grandfather for years and years- since they were kids, so that is how we know him. Even when he does sell, it takes him a while to "decide" what he wants to sell something for, but he eventually does. One time however, my uncle wanted a 428 HO engine out of a late 60s Grand Prix and the man would not sell it. It set for years until it stuck. Then he finally sold it to someone.

Looks like a great salvage yard here on this site. I am only about a 2 hour drive away from the north Georgia state line- so perhaps I will be able to go down and browse around someday.

[Guest]

Lamar,

I would like to come down and check it out in early spring, as maybe a spring break trip. I would like your comments after you visit because I would need to know how friendly and assessible they are. In other words, is it really OK to walk around and take pictures for future reference - and get an idea on prices if you can.

Thanks

Bryan Moran

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Bryan,

My son and I are headed out tomorrow morning early to check it out. We won't be able to tarry long however but should get an idea of prices and conditions. Will let you know.

John

I'll be looking close at the fifty-sixes as there appears to be quite a few.

[Guest]

Thanks Lamar.

A person could spend all day there so I understand about not being able to stay long. I am mostly interested in attitude and contact information. I would hate to drive that distance from Iowa and have a hard time dealing with them - also prices for their cars.

Thanks again

Bryan Moran

crazy4abby

1972 Centurion convertible

[Guest AlK]

Sometimes you would be surprised how "parts" can hold up. I would be surprised if there were "not" some good parts. restorable cars?? only in your dreams. Oh let me introduce myself. My name is Al and I can usually be found on the Packard forum, but I lurk elsewhere just to see what is going on. This one caught my eye because I live just across the border of georgia in Phenix City Al. over the river from Columbus. Outside of Packards and 63-66 Dodge Dart convertibles, my third passion would be Buick. I have always suspected that the people who built buicks were somehow Packard/Mopar affiliated, I just have a hard time believing that Buick could be made by GM, however be that as it may, Mr Earl if you go to this yard could you see if you spot any Packards out there or is this strictly a GM yard????? Another yard closer to you is old car city in White, GA. Have any of you checked this one out. As to the prices, it is unreal, they all seem to think that they have the lost dutchman gold mine and they are still living in the 80's when you could sell just about any kind of old car for a fortune no matter what it was. We had a Packard yard south of atlanta. the man had over 110 Packard from the 30's thru the 50's. Wanted an arm and a leg for parts. He finally crushed everything this past fall, what a waste.

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Bryan and Allen

Given that it was going to take about 2.5 hrs to get there and we had to be back in Athens by 2:00 we decided to put it off for a couple of weeks. will let you know when we do make it and if it's worth your time.

[Guest AlK]

your efforts will be most appreciated. will wait to hear from you. here is a shortcut to me: lordladymopak@webtv.net

[jscheib]

Mr. Earl,

I would appreciate it if you would let me know if you come across any Cabellaros in this yard and what they may be like.

I did not se any in the photos.

John

[JohnD1956]

Thanks for keeping me in mind Lamar. My wifes uncle lives in Myrtle Beach. He was telling me about a big show coming up in March. Would this yard be very far from that area?

JohnD

3757

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

JohnD, probably 400 miles/7-8 hours inland from Myrtle.Honk and wave as you go by...

John, I've got you down for a Cabalaro. The guy I talked to today said there are still a lot of cars they haven't posted photos of yet. I believe they're going to be a little out of my price range.i.e 2-500 for a fairly complete 50's parts car.

[jscheib]

Thanks,

Yes, those prices do seem high, and like so many others, they sem more willing to scrap them for less money just for spite. I am afraid we have to look at it as a way to make the existing ones (we have) more valuable. But also for those we may want to buy/drive.

John

[Guest Rojo22]

Mr Earl, glad to see you might get time to go out there, I am still so busy at work that I cannot get any time off. The yard is not open during the weekend, which makes it tough for me to get there. For those of you who like to walk through old yards like myself, I have found two new outlets here in Georgia. I will be visiting them over the next couple of weekends. I plan on taking many digital photos, and I will adequately cover whatever make or model someone is wishing to see, so give me requests on what you are looking for and I will see if I can help you out. I am also planning on visiting the yard that was just featured in the last edition of Old car and parts. This yard is only an hour from my house, and will be easy to cover....

[Guest Shaffer]

One thing is still not clear, as to where this salvage yard is located. It says northeast Georgia mountains, but it does not list any town, road, or anything. Northeast Georgia covers a lot of real estate. Does anyone know exactly where they are? A town name, or a town it is close to? I know of Rabun County and Towns County, as well as the towns of Mountain City, and Blairsville- is it close to any of those counties/towns? These areas are in extreme northeast Georgia- near the Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina state borders.

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

It's around Cartersville, GA. about 45 miles north of Atlanta and 60 miles south of Chattanooga just off of I-75. Bankers hours and closed Wednesdays and weekends. by appointment only and "tours" are 12.00 person

[Guest Shaffer]

Thanks. That is actually in northwest Georgia. I have no idea where I got northeast Georgia. LOL.

I did a travel check and I am 285 miles from there or a 5 hour drive from the northeast Tennessee - southwest Virginia state line. Not too far at all for me. I actually have some family in Atlanta. Not sure if I will go there though. I am car poor now. No room to squeeze another in.

[imported_48Rdmstr68Skylrk]

I'm glad to see you said NorthWEST GA. My parents live in Dalton right along I-75 and not far from Cartersville. I will try and visit the site next time I vist mom and dad. When I do, I'll post here and ask if anybody needs a scouting report.

[Guest Rojo22]

The actual name of the town is White, GA where the yard is located. Hope that helps. I have an actual exit number but it is at my work email and cant get to it from home. Will post exit number when I get back on Monday.

[Guest imported_Thriller]

I shouldn't post here, but what the hey...if they will part with parts, I could use front and rear bumpers for the '56 Special and '52 Roadmaster and possibly a left front fender for the '56 as well...aw who am I kidding? Neither of these cars are actively being restored and I don't have the storage space let alone getting them here from down there.

Sigh.

[WQ59B]

Interesting (tho it does me little good here in NJ). The complete address for the junkyard can be found on the site under: 'auto recyclers- GA- White'.

Now... anyone interested in an aerial pic of the place in question??:

http://www.terraserver.microsoft.com/add...ite%2c+GA+30184

Yard looks fairly sizable by comparison to others I've looked up on the same site (slightly smaller than one I know was 25 acres). Note the cars winking at the satelite from under the trees. Enjoy!

[Guest Rojo22]

The yard only sells complete cars. I learned that there are 200 cars parked at the front, that you do not have to pay to see. The exit off of I75 is 293 and you head north towards White, Ga, and it should be 2.3 miles from the expressway. Hope that helps out of towners.....I love the satelite shot....I need to let my wife know that I have increased my searching ability for old cars to include new technology.....If you are coming into town during the spring or summer, wear long pants, and a wide brim hat, the chiggers, and ticks will be plentiful in that area....

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Anybody in for goin here Monday.(Robert, Brad) I'll be heading out early-thirty if so. Be back home around dark-thirty.

Anybody have any particular car they want me to look/inquire about let me know.

[Guest Rojo22]

Lamar, I would love to go with ya, but I am down here for three straight weeks in Columbus. We are working weekends and all. I dont guess I will be looking around till maybe sometime in February. Would be interested to hear your stories about the place though.

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

So now we know why it takes computer programmers so long to complete something. Now get back to work

and I'll do the same....

[Guest Rojo22]

I work with programmers all day, and you are right about that! One good thing about workng down here is, I get to interface with all kind of new people, who know about places "where this guy has this old car just sitting". I have a lead on a guy that has 90 plus old cars sitting around about an hour from here. I think I am going to leave work early one night and try to get out there and have a quick look around. I will take pictures of anything interesting. HOW WAS THE TRIP TO THE NORTH GEORGIA JUNKYARD?????

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Hi all,

What better way to spend a Martin Luther King Day than hiking amongst 4000 old cars. Beautiful, cold (24 degrees warming to 42), sunny, North Georgia day. Took about 3 hours to get there. My son Jordan and I arrived at 9 in the morning. This place is awesome. I had already talked to the owner a couple of weeks prior and for some reason he let us take a walking tour versus the standard $12, 1 1/2 hour riding tour. His partner let us know right quick how lucky we were to be walking around the 50 acre lot free to crawl around and look at whatever we wanted to. Dean Lewis is the owner and told the story of when back in the early 70's he had borrowed the money from the bank to build a motel. After not being able to get sewer to the property and having all this money to do something with he bought several hundred 40's, 50's and 60's cars and commenced to collecting old cars and just parking them in the field around his lake.

After walking a while it began to become obvious that what was there had been there AWHILE. Also there was never any empty spaces where cars might have been sold from.Maybe every once in a while in the 55-57 Chevy section. Upon taking my "wish list" back to Dean and asking the prices of a few 54-55-56 Specials, Century's and Roadmasters it became evident why not many cars ever leave this place. His prices ranged from $1,000 to 2,000 for typical "parts cars". And no need to even ask about buying parts. I begged for a bumper jack but his answer was "the car will be worth more with the original jack in it" and I had to agree with him. The trip was quite an adventure.Some of the sights were eerie, some sad. We spent all day there, leaving around 4:30. We took some cool pictures I think. So Robert, you ask

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> HOW WAS THE TRIP TO THE NORTH GEORGIA JUNKYARD????? </div></div>

EDIT) The link that was here to direct you to junkyard photos did not work and will be replaced in the "near" future (i hope)

Oh and JohnD, I did find you a set of mildly rusted through J bars... $1,800.00 which included the bumper, trunk, body, hood, engine, transmission, etc etc

[55PackardGuy]

I couldn't open the pictures but you description alone got me to thinking what a great place to shoot a scary movie. Like "Night of the Living Wrecks" where some of the cars, Christine-like, come to life. A Georgia moonlit junkyard, complete with rabid guard dogs and confused cops.

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

GS, the link is to Webshots where I have a "photo album". I just signed up with them so don't know enough to understand why you can't view the photos. Has anyone else been able to view them.

Re the "Junkyard Ghost Stories". This would be the set for it. There use to be a haunted junkyard where we as teenagers would go.I never heard any screams and such but others swore they did. That was around the time of the songs Dead Mans Curve ("Where oh where can my baby be") and aother one called DOA or something like that.

I'll try and figure out why you can't view them and fix it.

[Guest Rojo22]

Mr Earl

I kind of knew that was what was going to be the case. When I hit the website and saw all those cars with some parts that would normally be gone still on the cars, I figured that the guy was a whole car or nothing guy. I am dissapointed that the prices he wants keeps the old girls rusting instead of having some hope of being put back on the road, or helping another old girl get back on the road. Well it sounds like you had lots of fun, and I envy you that you got to walk instead of ride. Wish I had been there. I still havent made it to the place I described above. Working till O DARK HUNDRED every night.....

The error on the picture link is "You are not the OWNER of the Book, please use your back arrow on your web browser or log in"

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Robert and everyone following this thread. Sorry for the mis-directed link I put up. Apparently it takes Webpages several days to put albums into a community where they can be viewed by others. That together with the fact that I can't use my photos for images sorta sucks if you ask me. I'll attach a few photos tonight and maybe send a few to the AACA Photo Post so they can be viewed there. Again, I'm sorry about the link that took you nowhere. I know that's aggravating.

[JohnD1956]

Lamar, Thanks for taking this venture on and keeping me in mind. But $1,800 I think I'll take that $1,800 and invest in painting the home 56 first... Maybe in a few years the owner will change his mind...

It is an interesting story however. Borrows $$$ to build a hotel, but makes a junkyard where he sells nothing... Sounds like a scene from COPS.

Thanks again.

JohnD

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

John,

would these do ya

bumperettes on eBay

[55PackardGuy]

"Dead Man's Curve" was a pretty big hit--Jan and Dean, right? But I also remember "DOA" which came some years later and only got a bit of air play. The chorus line: "We were flying low and hit something in the sky." Hokey, but it had a pretty haunting siren. Unfortunately, the fascination with cars and teenagers dying young was something that some didn't get a chance to grow out of. But the morbid fascination remains. I like the spoof style horror, and the "Georgia junkyard ghost story" has the makings of some of that kind of humor. There was an Australian movie a few years back based on "killer cars" that was quite funny in a creepy way. Don't remember the name off-hand. I remember somebody was running people off the road and stealing stuff that he liked, including a Jaguar hood ornament. I guess some people would kill for one of those.

Neat story about the "real" haunted junk yard. Thanks for the response.

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Here finally, are a few photos of the Buicks in Old Car City USA located in White Georgia.There is certainly beauty in seeing all these old Buicks. But at the same time a sadness too. I was affected for several days by the images that my son and I saw that day. They seemed to stick in my mind. A feeling of a kid seeing a puppy in the pet store window day after day. He knows the store owner doesn't really care about the puppy and worries at night that the puppy is all alone and hungry. So many of these cars would have been very restorable a few years ago. But now, and I take this from an old Neil Young album, RUST NEVER SLEEPS

I don care what you do wif me Brer Fox, so long as ya don fling me in dat briar patch amongst dem Buicks

I was bred and born in a junkyard briar patch, Brer Fox, bred and born in a jukyard briarpatch!! Der's no place I love betta!!!

56 amongst the broomsedge

swamp rat

59 at the lake

tree hits car

Look closely and you can see the original three pinstripes on this 55 Century dog dish and beauty rim set

Diamonds in the rough

fancy