Advice sought on how to part out a vehicle
 

Hey guys,

wasn't sure where to post this, but figure most of the knowledgable folks own diesels :D

I'm considering parting out a vehicle and was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to do so smoothly?

Most importantly, I'm wondering what people do with the body after most of the desired stuff has been removed? FYI, I'm in N. California so I'm not sure if the pick and pulls will take a stripped car.

tips, comments, floggings...
post 'em here.
-Tony O

Dynomite ?

well, if the body is fairly rust free, you might be surprised at who (or what :D ) might come and take away a good hunk of it and put it to good use. A fella from Canada once actually PAID me $25 (happily) to take the front half of a Corvair. Other than that, just cut it into big hunks, throw it in the back of your truck and toss it in the scrap metal bin at your local dump. That's what I've always done. It's been a few years though, thank god. :rolleyes:

Sure JJ (Jimmy Walker from Good times!)
 

Somehow I think that might completely legal in Texas...

but I doubt that would work here in Santa Cruz, CA. They might classify it as a hate crime against a "vehicle"...vehicular homicide maybe? :P

Someone had told me they cut up their vehicle, but that seems like it would take an eternity with the tools I have on hand....

I do have AAA, maybe they won't notice the car has no tranny or motor and can tow it to scrapper?
-Tony O

I should have been a little clearer. While you can certainly cut it up, this assumes you are taking a LOT of stuff. Otherwise, it's a lot less work to haul it to a scrapyard, even if you have to pay a bit.

In Santa Cruz... you cut the top off.. take the wheels off... and fill it with good dirt....and plant some nice flowers in it... ' container gardening' ....

When you finish stripping all the parts off you need, gather up all the heavy things around the house (such as old lawn mowers, worn out brake discs etc.) and throw them inside. Then call a junk yard to haul it away.

The last I heard, scrap iron was worth $230 a ton. That's not what they pay, that's what they sell it for. A stripped car will weigh a ton, maybe 2 tons if you fill it with junk. So they should be happy to get it or even pay you for it.

If you can tow it in they will definitely pay you.

P.S. The last stripped car I got rid of was a 1981 Dodge Diplomat. They came and got it and paid me $100.

The planter idea might be the best idea in California. They tend to "appreciate" the artsy-fartsy ideas. :D If you make money off of it they may tax you. :eek: :D

crusher
 

if it is rusty take it to a yard that has a crusher.

the last one i parted i took to a small local yard. he was very impressed at how hard his crusher had to work to crush the rusty old (81) 123 bod. he said that he had crushed a race car with a full roll cage recently and compared to the benz it was easy!

Thanks guys...contemplating another idea as well
 

On the street that I live on there always seems to be at least one or two abandoned cars. They sit here for a month or so, then they get tagged and about 2 weeks later, they get towed away and impounded.

I'm half contemplating, taking all the parts I want, and then rolling the thing out in front of my house. I will then call up the "abandoned cars" hotline and complain about the car parked in front of my house. Other than ethical issues with this, do people think this will work? I figure, they don't bother to run the VIN or anything like that. Anyone ever had one of their abandoned cars taken away? Did you ever hear from the town about it?

I know when I lived back in Boston, I had an old Celica that they towed for it not being registered. The tow company kept sending me bills and registered letters (they are probably required by law to do so), but I just ignored them and never heard back from them, but I'm not 100% certain that there isn't some record of it - but living 3000 miles from there, I don't care at this point.

-Tony O

Tony,

If it has a W126 ACC unit in it, I'll give ya $20.00 for that and up to $15 for ground shipping....sound like a deal?? :)

Pick-n-pull Wont take it
 

I am also in N CAL San Jose to be exact we stripped a parts car for all the good stuff then found out pick-n-pull wont take a stripped nor will any other junkyard. The donate a car charity wont touch them. We did not want to just dump it on the side of the road the abandoned car lady same one that tows it from the drivway for free will tow it in about a month and the registerd owner gets a $1200 bill for the towing and storage ECT fee's. Finally I called the city and asked what the heck we are supposed to do with a junk car. I was referred to the code enforcement Dept who came out and called a tow truck and we signed some papers and she had it towed. the next day we saw it at pick-n-pull 3 piles from are house. A few weeks back we had to get rid of 12 cars in a back yard. Some were sunk in the ground so deep the doors could not open they had been there over 20 years. We called the biggest tow company asked if they wanted 12 cars for scrap metal they came right over with 2 trucks and a fork lift not only did they take all the cars but they packed them with every piece scrap of metal on the lot.
DHS :)

stripping abandoned car
 

i would not think this would be a good idea. the car may be abandoned by appearance but until you have title to it stripping it would be i think classified as stealing.

Ah, so your tax dollars (basically you) paid for the tow to Pick-N-Pull! Be sure and tell your neighbors that Pick-N-Pull thanks them for paying for tow jobs. Or then again maybe not. :rolleyes2

Why not get out the phone book and call all the local scrap metal dealers and junk yards to see who will give you the most money?