balthazar

>>"To cure our inflation the elected government must balance the budget / start paying off our debt or increase wealth generators here with relaxed restrictions, to increase tax revenue. "<< Keeping tax- & spend-happy socialist candidates out of office is a great first step. Addressing corruption, waste, fraud & increasing beaurocracy is a nice follow-up.

>>"The point is that the corvette was considerably outside of Chevy's normal price range for the time..."<< Granted... but the car as well as the price was outside the 'ladder', therefore, this example is immaterial to the ladder itself. There was no progression to or from the Corvette to anything else. In other words: I don't believe any buyers went from a $3500 '53 Corvette to a $4300 '54 Skylark, and after '54, the only other halo car is the Eldorado @ $6300 ('55). Corvette stands alone outside the Model. >>"The style and luxury of the Impala was (and is) considered by many to rival that of the higher division,... ...if customers felt that an Impala was as good as a Cadillac then they might not feelt the need to move on up."<< If, by "higher division" you mean Cadillac here, let me assure you there was and is no comparison in either reality or perception. There is a very real gap between the Impala and any Cadillac, and anyone who felt the two were comparable simply did not actually compare the two. Cadillacs of this period were impeccably built and outfitted, and the Division's image was second to none; no one who could afford a Cadillac would ever consider an Impala in the late '50s. >>"The others divisions weren't upset that they didn't get their motorama cars, but that the corvette was somewhat bending the carefully ochestrated ladder system. "<< Do you have any source for this information- it's news to me. IF you accept the logic of my first response in this post- there is no legitimacy for any other division to be 'upset'- there was no cannibalization or competition from the Corvette.

Fleetwood Series 60 Specials were sedans only, SdV's were offered either way.

What I don't get is: scrap price for cars is only up 50-100%- if your in the 'yard busniess, I can't see one saying 'no' to $200/car and 'yes!!' to $300. 66- I'll look up your yard tonight...

Hardtop or sedan?

Meh- there's only 3 (TNPK, PKWY, A/C XWY)- I use 1 of them maybe twice/yr and I'm 10 minutes from the TNPK. Not a big deal unless you HAVE to use one to commute.

IMO, you have 2 worries: hitting the back of the vehicle (which you will plan against), and if it takes more than 10 minutes to pull out, you are going to be putting some heat stress into your trans... but I can't see that happening; it's either going to move within 10 seconds, or it's not going to come out without more work. Go for it.

I believe 87 is right around $3.63 today (I don't look at gas prices anymore)- paid $4.55 for diesel on the Turnpike tonight. See, Jersey IS good for something...

For all the coolness of Blanchard's, be aware that they crushed out a WHOLE MESS of stock. They don't think you know this, but you do now : 2007: I know this one is harder to make out (apparently satellite lense technology has grown by leaps & bounds ), but that yard used to be packed. 1998: Blalicki's looks the same as far as area/volume vs. 1998, but looks suspiciously neatly packed- and that always suggests major late model stuff to me. 2007:

That is so friggin awesome.

I hear you about Blanchard's, but think about this: with scrap prices rising steadily, not to mention EPA pressures, rising land values & taxes, and the average age of the typical 'yard owner... these places are getting squeezed on numerous fronts. Unless they're internet-savvy, unless they do enough business to make it worth their while... how long are they going to hang around?? Sure, there's a few rotten apples in ANY bunch, but if everyone kept their 'secret stashes' secret, the secrets are going to disappear by themsleves. Besides, the years of weather aren;t doing the parts themselves any favors. Besides, XP already spilled yer beans! :wink: Time is NOT on the hot rodder/ shade tree mechanics side anymore. I'll look these up tonight, thanks!

c'mon Sixty8- pony up with the info on that MA yard you've been in!

Recently have become mildly obsessed with the twilight era for vintage junkyards, which is happening right now. I have developed a small cyber toolbox (GoogleMaps, GlobeXplorer, MapQuest, Switchboard) to gather before & after aerial pics of junkyards across the U.S. Mostly this is to document where they were and their size, but it's also useful to today's scroungers to assess whether a given sight-unseen yard today looks worth the trip. I have gotten adept at recognizing ex-yards from space. Many times these automotive DisneyWorlds disappear when one's back it turned, leaving but a faint scar on the landscape. I've been in about 15 different yards over the years- I am seldom as euphoric as when I am clambering over acres of vintage iron & steel, searching for anything off the long list of my, my brother's, my friend's, or internet buddies' vehicle's needs. Check it out: Hoctor's Auto Wrecking, Phoenix AZ, 2005: 2006: {cue softly whispering wind track...} Here's one I spent hundreds and hundreds of stupidly happy hours in: Manchur's Auto & Truck Parts, Pittstown NJ, 25- acres, that's roughly 3500 vehicles. 1995: Crushed out after the owner died circa '98. Here is it in 2006: {cue crickets chirping track...} -- -- -- -- -- So..... anyone have any recollections or info on where vintage/classic junkyards were/are? Given my cyber toolbox & GlobeXplorer's ability to show images back to the early '90s in most cases, I can track down the images for my 'Rust Scrapbook'. Appreciate even the scarcest of info. Thanks for feeding my demon.

I believe that's the Kaiser Vagabond. Olds was finished prior to being currently 'unfinished' :

This would be more akin to a hatchback (the first?), but I think still meets the intention of a dual-use, cargo-centric car. Old '54 Olds custom- love the changes & proportions on this one: The only literal '4-door coupe' possible:

Come & Get it - AC/DC

Can't put my mouse on the '59 version of this concept ('Pontiac El Catalina')...

I always marked my GP's birthday in the 4th week of October via it's data plate date code, until I got it's papers: born 10-25 in Pontiac MI, sold new from Grossinger Pontiac in Chicago IL. I am at least her 4th owner. Buick has no papers available, close as I can get is (based on factory production records & frame date vs. date originally sold): born in June, built in Wilmington DE, sold new from Pollino Buick-Pontiac in Ambler PA. I am at least her 3rd owner. I have not looked into the dates for the 2500HD (no papers), but it was built in Flint MI and sold new from Malek Chevrolet in Hopewell NJ. 2nd owner.

>>"Who's to say a direct-injected LS-family V8 with efficiency tech like hybridization and/or cylinder deactivation wouldn't be just as effective at meeting the federal fuel economy requirements that begin taking effect a few years from now?"<< Well... DUH !!

The general consumer body doesn't get nearly the saturation level we as enthusiasts do- so seemingly overdoing it is necc. IMO to spread the word. BTW- it wasn't that long ago (a few years) that all I ever read was 'why doesn't GM promote car X- what are they waiting for??' Seems like the perfect PR could balance on the point of a pin for some.

Here's yet another pick-up Buick, a '53 Roadmaster, tho it's rather crudely truncated:

I'm really a '62-'64 guy (ESP '64), but '65s definately are sweet: '68s do nothing for me, frankly.

This one's a Parisienne, so it's on a narrow-track Chevy chassis, likely with an anemic 283 underhood. Pontiac sheetmetal almost redeems the whole deal tho...

Not nuts about the 'casket canopy' sticking up, but the overall proportion (and the Kaiser's lines) are awesome. Thanx, HE!