Zen in the junkyard

It is an e motor. Car wasn’t wrecked either and trans was taken. If it wasn’t wrecked and got junked it’s a fair bet either motor or trans was done.

Wait, is this the thread where we post junkyard pics?

We have a few yards in the town I live in, but one of them is my favorite and has been since I was in college, when I stumbled upon the place between a long break in classes one day. I've scored a ton of different parts here over the years. It's one of the reasons I moved to this town! Anyway... I went to the yard a couple weeks ago to find a new rear view mirror for the Power Wagon. I always snap pics of interesting stuff I see there, including this thing:



1965 Rambler Ambassador sedan. Fairly uncommon sight in the Northeast in 2020! This one was thoroughly used up, and formerly owned by a nutter (aka typical AMC guy ). More pics:

The last time I spotted a Rambler in a junkyard (a 1966 Classic) was about 12 years ago. I found a Vectrex video game console in the back seat of that car, which is my best junkyard find ever! All I found in this thing was trash and mold. Lots of good dash parts though.

Also, I found this on the ground, which is self explanatory:

 

In reply to Tony Sestito :

Junkyard pictures are always welcome. 

In reply to Stampie :

If you see any 70's Dodge trucks down that way in the yards, especially a 1979-80, let me know!

In reply to Tony Sestito :

Pretty sure my normal yard has a couple me a few weeks ago. I'll check next time I'm going. 

On Sunday I went for a bike ride on one of the paved trails into downtown. Since the trail connector I parked at is right next to the junkyard I decided to walk around and see if there was anything new. I spotted a roll of toilet paper in the back of a p2 XC70, I wonder what they would have charged me if I brought it up to the counter. 

I keep thinking that I'll make a junkyard visit once I'm good to go out.  Pretty easy to social distance in a junkyard and it is an essential transportation need.

It's been a while.  Earlier this week I got a 25% off text from my favorite yard. With my membership that's 50% off the total.  I figured this was the perfect time to get a $10 custom Challenge driveshaft. 

I looked yesterday morning and they had the donor vehicle. 98/99 Izuzu Rodeo has an aluminum driveshaft the correct length. I'll combine it with a dime a dozen Nissan yoke for my perfect driveshaft.  It was raining and I started thinking about how I really didn't want to lay in mud removing two driveshafts. Decided to wait until today.

I checked into the yard this morning then pulled out my phone to see where the 99 Rodeo was and discovered that it wasn't anymore. Guess they removed it yesterday. I really didn't want to waste the 50% off so I wondered the yard. 

Going though the GM section I didn't see any old cars but was checking all the F bodies for that unlikely chance at an LS was hiding in one. Saw this one:

Then discovered that it wasn't American.

F body not American?  That just ain't right.

When I got to the end of the GM section I discovered that they had started the old car section again.  Then I saw this.

1972 Cadillac Eldorado with ...

500 cubic inches of loving. I thought long and hard about pulling it. I'm still thinking about pulling it. 

Moving on. Hudson?

Still hadn't found anything to use my 50% off on so I decided to see if they had a Miata.  Sure enough they had this silver one.

It gave up it's injector rail and injectors.

Then it gave up it's passenger side headlight motor.

Not a bad day for $60

In reply to Stampie (FS) :

That oldy is no Hudson. Looks like a small gM, and the engine looks Chevy. Hudsons were flat heads.

When are you going to wax the yard cart? Lookin' faded.  

In reply to Shadeux (Forum Supporter) :

Marty is a lot like me.  Rough around the edges but very useful when pointed in the right direction.

Today's main goal was grab a Cadillac 500 and it's transaxle. Unfortunately when looking at it someone had buggered up the transaxle driveshaft nuts. That made it not worth the effort.

On to Plan B which is custom junkyard driveshaft for the 350T.  Yesterday I got a text saying the yard has gotten three new Rodeos in.  Looking at them they all had the 2wd driveshaft I was looking for but in Rodeos the driveshaft hangs down low enough that the fork lifts had damaged all three. That sucks. 

Then I remembered one eBay seller saying the Axiom used the same driveshaft. I went and found this one and sure enough the driveshaft is the same.

Pretty tight on the front flange but I finally figured out the right angles and extensions that would work.

And driveshaft out.

Couple of rolls over this Xterra donated it's driveshaft for the correct flanges. 

I found a semi shady spot to work in.

First I removed the front flange from the Isuzu driveshaft.

Then took the Nissan yoke off and put it on the Isuzu driveshaft.

Repeat the the rear with it fighting me a little more.

Then checkout with my $19.99 custom aluminum driveshaft.

Get home and test fit it up to the R200 diff. There is a lip on the rear flange I might have to grind away.

At this point I look at it and say this looks long. I measure it and it is. In fact it's about the length of the 350z driveshaft not the ~7 inches shorter that I wanted.

I go back on eBay and look up the driveshaft dimensions. Yep I screwed up. I needed the rear driveshaft for a 4x4 Isuzu.  

So that's how you custom make a wrong sized driveshaft in the junkyard. 

Bummed about the caddy stuff not working because you know my reasons, but also probably saved me from myself for a little while longer 

Can you paint? I think the yard cart could use some flames on it.  

I'm agog at what you're doing! Way over my head. Can't wait to see how this works out!

In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :

Yeah that probably saved me from myself also.  I was having visions of a half budget 500 cid Model A build which would be like 3 builds down the road.

In reply to Shadeux (Forum Supporter) :

Can I paint?  That's debatable.  Lil Stampie judges me by the Q45 not taking into account that it was my first paint job, done in 4 days and no time left to buff it out.

Stampie (FS) said:

In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :

Yeah that probably saved me from myself also.  I was having visions of a half budget 500 cid Model A build which would be like 3 builds down the road.

Wow, this had me thinking of a Pontiac Astre I saw many years ago at Carlisle that had a Eldorado drivetrain in the back of the car.  I thought it was pretty slick.

Scott

I got up the other morning and my wife asked what I had planned for the day? I told her I was going hunting. She said, "you don't hun..........have fun at the junkyard". A day in the salvage yard for me is like a day at the pool for her. Spent about three hours "Hunting", measuring and calculating. Project design about complete. Did score replacement headlights and taillights for the Avenger. Only really cool thing I saw was an old MG Midget. Too bad they won't sell the whole car.

Couple of interesting cars in the junkyard today, Dodge charger, Porsche 924, and a humber super snipe I forgot to take a picture of. It was awesome.

Someone sent a humber super snipe to the junkyard?

In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :

Snagged a picture from the JY Facebook page, it was very intact still today. Never seen one before, really good shape

Ugh that's awesome

WOW Super snipe estate , that has to be rare beast anywhere , I hope someone saves it....

They won't sell it whole will they?  Because nobody is going to buy parts 

They don't sell whole, sadly.

That firebird you saw is the twin of mine. Mine is also red with ratty paint and a maroon door.