By James Raia
One person’s junkyard full of rusted classics is another person’s pot of potential automotive gold. At least the owner of a junkyard in Great Bend, Kansas, full of cars, trucks and RVs in various states of disrepair, hopes that’s the case.
As detailed on eBay.com, Craigslist and BarnFinds.com, the owner has so many vehicles, he’s not exactly sure what’s in the salvage yard. But the owner, who lists an address and phone number but not his name, knows he has some desired relics.
He also has specific instructions for potential buyers: “CALLS ONLY!,” he details in his Craigslist post. “Due to scams and incomplete e-mails and texts, I ignore them and I don’t even open them. If you text or e-mail, I won’t see it and you won’t get a response. I have given up trying to sort through incomplete, unanswerable e-mails. Ninety percent of the time, the e-mail is not complete with enough details for me to work with.”
The owner states: “I am dual licensed in the state of Kansas as a Salvage Dealer and a Car dealer, so I can sell parts or complete vehicles. I do take trade-ins.”
According to the owner: “More than 1,000 vehicles are in stock for parts and projects.”
“We specialize in American cars and the majority of our inventory is 40s-80s, GM, Mopar and Ford. I do have newer and older vehicles and we have cars and pickups. We have six buildings and five semi-trailers full of parts and project cars. There are around 100 cabs that are already off of trucks and lined up on pallets ready to go. New inventory coming in weekly.”
The owner has a Facebook presence, “Nobody Else’s Auto,” and a YouTube channel, “Nobody’s Show!” The junkyard entrepreneur is also on eBay with username ID nobodyelsesauto.
Available inventory also includes: 1941 Willys Pickup, 1949 Studebaker 1-ton pickup truck, 1950 Chevy pickup, 1951 International L-110, 1953 Ford F-2 Pickup, 1954 Ford F-350, 1962 Chevy Shortbed step side pickup, 1964 Dodge Pickup 1/2 ton shortbed and 1977 Ford Pickup truck F-150 Super Cab.
The owner’s final instructions:
“I can only answer one phone at a time, so if I don’t answer, leave me a message. Tel. 620-786-4428 or 620-793-3557.”
James Raia, a syndicated automotive columnist in Sacramento, Calif., publishes the website, theweeklydriver.com and its corresponding free podcast and e-newsletter. Contact him via email: james@jamesraia.com.
##RVT951
Where is the wrecking yard for all the old RV’s? Where are the Popups and Teardrop trailers, the slide in pickup campers, all the RV’s that used canvas, the unique motorhomes and trailers that weren’t boxes?
Just a thought, but maybe it’s because the quality of these old-timers was far superior to today’s RVs, and they’re still in use! I live full-time in a 2016 fancy-schmancy-brand 5th wheel. My 1988 Bigfoot travel trailer is FAR superior in construction, craftsmanship, and common-sense use of space than this 5th wheel could ever hope for in its wildest dreams. Too bad the industry has ended up here.
I asked one of our local men’s mall owners about the RV’s. He said they do show up at auction, but e did not know who bought them or where they were going.
Re the 800k RV resort; does not cost much more to go first class – just cannot stay as long..