I started driving late 80s, and my first 7 cars were all minis. I loved modding them, engine stuff, other mechanics, interior, exterior etc. I was always down breakers yards looking for interesting bits and pieces, sometimes whole engines an other times just interesting fittings, handles etc.
There were about 5 yards that were easy to get to, and they would all stack cars up, often three high in great long rows. Back then there was no health and safety, you were free to roam, clambering up and down the stacks, hanging off the front trying to get something off, jumping from car to car. It really was great fun back then, just like some sort of adults adventure playground! The best one was massive, it was stuck in the woods, surrounded by trees. Loads of interesting nooks and crannies, fascinating old vehicles in a right state, busses, lorries, a real aladdin's cave of intrigue.
Sadly it all changed over time, they all got shut down eventually.
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I'd imagine a lot of thieving would go on for the smaller parts too. I've got a mate who runs a motorcycle breakers yard and it's huge and although you're not clambering over huge stacks of bikes, it's still interesting walking round and rummaging for various parts.
Ah ,yeah ,those sure were the days !!
I think Rainham in Essex used to have some fine examples, though never managed to get there.
Unfortunately I found most of the ones I visited pretty unfriendly, possibly because of theft & there was also the ever present dogs & their "relics" to watch out for.
As well as the H&S they are probably better as they are now from an environmental point of view. The oil, anti-freeze & battery acid are better sucked out & properly disposed of rather than soaking into the ground. On the other hand I think some places just shred cars now with relatively little parts recycling which seems wrong.
There's still a few around, but are massively controlled these days of 'elf'n'safetee.
Ringleader of the Cambridge cartel, pedal champ and king of the dirt boxes (down to 21)
the only bits they do cheap are the bits nobody needs
I once bought a whole broken Talbot Samba just for the tyres and rear bumper; it was cheaper than buying the parts separately!
Ahhhh...scrap yards, tat shops...the good old pre-interweb/eBay world...I could wax lyrical for hours...
Best not, eh?
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Disappointed.
I still live in Edmonton, on the corner of Montague Road and the A406. The scrap metal yard is a two minute walk from my flat.
Interesting if useless fact; the scrapyard featured in the last episode of "Stig Of The Dump".
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By the way, if anyone lives near Thurleigh Airfield in Bedfordshire, there's a huge amount of classic cars that have been sitting there for years, ready for the crusher. There's uproar among car enthusiasts. I can see why ...