Searching for junkyards, old cars in Puerto Rico

 

Island finds. Junkyard Life heads to Puerto Rico in search of vintage cars and junkyards. Rust never sleeps, especially around salt water. Would we find any old cars? I expected to see many small cars and trucks pockmarked with holes of decay and blistered paint. But would we find any classic cars on the roads or junking up yards? Our hopes were high that the salt air spared a few. What did we find?  

Sunset on the beach in pricey Puerto Rican rental van.

Getting around not cheap

Getting around without a car isn’t impossible but was deemed too expensive when having to rely on a taxi or Uber to cross the entire island more than once. Puerto Rico is only 100 miles wide and about 35 miles from north to south and our crew wanted to explore as much as possible. An insider tip said the online prices to rent a vehicle for a week were inflated and that we could find a better deal when we arrived. Sadly, that was not the case. Our vehicle rental costs totaled $1,440, including $279 for insurance for six days. We tried Uber for a few days but could readily see it would be impossible to find an inexpensive return ride from our remote excursions across the island. 

Load them up!

There were a total of five on our junkyard/vacation adventure, so we settled on a Ford 250 Transit van because it was the cheapest large vehicle. A traditional mini van rented for $400 per day. Wow! That is a lot of money. Our 2-seater Transit van, not our choice but all that was available, had a windowless cargo floor for three unlucky souls in our travel party. My son, Joe, and his friends, Seth and Ian, spent more than a dozen hours of travel in the dark cargo area. Their access to the cab area was limited by a metal screen. The trio spent hours sleeping or sliding atop the black plywood. Good times. Junkyard Life brother, Anthony Powell, and I filled the front seats. Let's hunt cars!

Junkyard Life travel crew in front of El Yunque rainforest.

Three teenagers locked in a cage in back of the rental van? Yes!

What we found

Foreign makes rule this land. Besides the ridiculous number of Burger King restaurants, one thing stood out to us through the windshield of the van. 20-year-old Mitsubishis were everywhere. We kept our eyeballs peeled in desperation searching out dozens of classic cars along the winding roads of this land in paradise. Our rental piled up over 1,000 miles during our 9-day stay. We saw lots of 1978-1987 Oldsmobile Cutlasses (G-Body), a pristine 1955 Chevy 2-door Bel Air, and a throng of VWs. The Volkswagens were mostly bay window buses (1968-1979 models), but also a good assortment of Beetles. 

We asked around for leads on old cars in yards. Rambierto Cobian, a charismatic, vocal, off-the-grid supporter of all things that make small beach towns great told us this. “Nobody has a car collection. One car, man. That’s what you find in Puerto Rico.”

We chewed on that bit of info as the evening melted away. We were standing outside the Nacho Libre restaurant/bar in Rincon as we bid farewell to Cobian as he sailed off into the night on his motorcycle. We hoped to discover some automotive island gems as we continued our journey.

We found a yard full of Oldsmobile Cutlasses from the 1978-1987 era.

Undeterred we pushed on.

Anyone who has driven in Puerto Rico will tell you it’s a different experience. I found it a test of my driving skills. Encountering a horse galloping down a country road, gruesome iguana roadkill (those things are huge!), traffic lanes that seemed too small for two small cars, let alone a full-size cargo van and a dump truck meeting head on in a turn.

A 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 was tucked away in a yard near San Juan.

Domes                                                           

No matter how far we traveled a beach was nearby. One of the more interesting was Domes Beach, located on the northwest shore of Puerto Rico. Domes is a haven for surfers, between October to February, when the waves are at peak height. The name comes from the giant blue dome, a decommissioned nuclear reactor site, that sits on a hillside adjacent to the beach. 

I pulled down into the sandy pseudo parking lot into a shady spot with the Ford Transit's sliding door opening facing the beach. Seemed perfect. After a quick swim the crew was ready to leave the desolate beach. A late model Chrysler 300 with a surfboard strapped to the roof was the only interesting thing we saw besides a couple of cheeky bikinis. It was July, not peak surfing season, time to move on.

A bunch of VW vans were spotted all across the island. Most of them were orange.

Playing it loud

Ragaeton music blaring from dozens of cruisers who filled their doors with huge speakers or built exterior-facing speaker boxes that anyone within earshot, could feel in the busy city of San Juan. This music was loud, pumping the volume from Suzuki Sidekicks, Samurais, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Hyundai, and Jeep Wranglers. When a rolling parade of cars converged in La Parguerra (on the island's southwest shore) we were inches away from their music blasts. The sidewalk turned into a concert stage as the amped up cars flowed through the streets sharing their music with the crowds who strolled through the shopping district near Bio Bay.

An early (1973-1977) Ford Bronco on a carport in downtown San Juan.

Old San Juan

Most common sights on four wheels were modern Mini Coopers, and Toyota FJ Cruisers on many of the bricked streets. Closer to the modern side of town, regular San Juan, luxury marques such as, Porsche, Ferrari, were revving around the luxury establishments. 

Expensive modern sports cars like this Porsche 911 Carrera S were all over San Juan. 

Nissan GT-R cruising the kiosks at Luquillo Beach.

Ponce? Lou Vega napping and his 1955 Chevy

Making a special effort to land on backroads and side streets was not necessary. The big white Ford Transit made plenty of wrong turns with me behind the wheel. My sense of direction has not failed to disappoint passengers in every state or island that I’ve traveled across. When those sidesteps happened, Anthony and I searched every driveway, carport, and yard for vintage automobiles. Our luckiest wrong turn involved catching a glimpse of a white and green 2-door 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air post.  Our crew unloaded in the street and approached the house to find and wake the car’s owner, Lou Vega, resting in his hammock on the porch. Vega was kind enough to show us his prized ‘55 Chevy. We struggled to overcome the language barriers but found out that Vega has spent many years as a mechanic. The ‘55 was in fantastic condition and a highlight of our journey. 

Beautiful green and white 1955 Chevy Bel Air 2-door post.

Lou Vega has owned the ’55 Chevy for more than 20 years.

Even though we woke him from a nap, Mr. Vega was happy to show us his classic car.

The $520 t-shirt

Our final stop resulted in us staying in a vintage (seedy, if we’re being honest) motel in Rincòn. A tequila bar, The Nacho Libre, an Hispanic wrestling-themed local watering hole fronted the ground floor of the operation. Cool artwork, wrestling masks, and memorabilia littered the walls. The bartender was wearing a “Nacho Libre” t-shirt and I asked if they could be bought. He said they were out of shirts but would have more in stock the following night. That proved to be a problem. We would be away from the Nacho Libre during their “open” hours with little time to spare. By the time we ended our last stop, on our last day, we would be in a city 30 miles away with only 30 minutes available to travel the narrow Puerto Rican roads at 10:30 pm at night.

Anthony, left, holds his camera in a plastic bag as we embark on kayaking trip. The camera did not survive after taking a plunge.

Thrills and Skills

I earned driving duties for the entire trip. Some legal restrictions and an expired license precluded another driver (over 21), Anthony, from having the thrill of Puerto Rico roadway encounters. I’ve never experienced anything like this. Imagine a place where everyone drives crazy but they all seem okay with getting cut-off in traffic or facing near death from hazardous maneuvers their fellow drivers commit. I never saw a road rage incident, just people all trying to get where they were going, and others understanding that, “sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.”

Back to the t-shirt.

Prepared to make a bullet run to the Nacho Libre for my t-shirt. We left the Bio Bay tour at LaParguera where we swam under the stars with microorganisms that sent sparkles and glowing light whenever the water was disrupted. An unreal surprise that should not be missed if you travel to Puerto Rico or one of the other places in the world where it occurs. I hot-footed it to the van with the crew, still wearing wet swim trunks. Things were going great until Mayaguez. The backroads turned into a four-lane highway with traffic lights. Not many cars on the road at nearly 11pm. After several days and logging more than 800 miles behind the wheel, I maneuvered the Transit van down a slight mountainous incline. A traffic light hung high across the road 500 feet ahead. It turned yellow. In a split-second I decided that my sleepy passengers on the floor in back of the van didn’t need a heavy braking experience on that slope of the road. The thoughts in my head sounded sensible. As I committed to not braking, the light jumped to red faster than I have ever seen. The light radiated red and I was 150 feet away. Both of my hands gripped tightly on the wheel, I turned to Anthony and said, “I had to do it.” The light was red as we sped through.

“You definitely did it,” Anthony replied.

I took a deep breath. All good. No traffic around. Just darkness. Twenty seconds must have passed. Then I saw the blue lights flash. Time to pull over and face the music in Puerto Rico.

Obey all traffic laws in Puerto Rico, even when no one else does.

Not from around here

"Quiet everyone! Here they come."
From the darkness beneath the blue lights, two female police officers approached on each side of the van. My first thought, "Please, don’t look in the back." Would I get a ticket for unbelted, unseated passengers? 

The officers stayed just behind the side glass of each door. My license in hand and stationed at top of steering wheel. The officer to my left shined her light onto my Alabama drivers license. She reached for it along with the rental agreement papers and walked away. It was a painful wait.  My son, Joe, thought I was going to be asked to step outta the van. She returned with my license and a ticket.

Failing to yield at stoplight, “rebasar luz roja sin detenerse” - penalidad: $500.

The Nacho Libre, a wrestling-themed watering hole, is quite a spectacle at night.

"Ouch!"

And I thought an Uber would have been too expensive. I guess I should have stopped at the light. A split-second decision can make a great trip, a great trip with a great story. I won’t say I am proud of my actions but I wanted the t-shirt. I hustled into The Nacho Libre with my ticket and my story. Two minutes after closing time. The friendly barkeep, not so friendly this time, heard my story, looked at my ticket and angrily said, “What do you want?”

“My $520 t-shirt,” I blurted with a bit of regret.

Vintage VWs on an island at sunset are hard to beat.

Lesson for travelers to Puerto Rico 

If you live a budget-minded life like me you will need to make transportation arrangements early. Also, don’t assume you can squeeze one more guest into a room. These were costly lessons which made our “vacation on the cheap” mantra a joke.

The island has plenty of hidden automotive gems and we came nowhere close to finding them all. How about another trip around Puerto Rico? This time no tickets!


Jody Potter
– Junkyard Life 

Another 1955 Chevrolet was spotted deep in a yard. This one was a bit rougher than Mr. Vega's.

Florist with an ambulance on a pole as their sign.

This early 1980s BMW 323i caught my attention. I guess nobody restores old BMWs here.

Some blunt force trauma was likely cause of death.

This mid-1990s BMW sedan has been transformed into a truck.

More G-Body action. This Buick Regal is still getting the job done in style.

The big-eyed Cadillac caught Anthony by surprise.

El Camino parked curbside in Mayaguez.

This island adventure was packed with fun food stops. Left to right, Jody, Anthony, Seth, Ian, and Joe.

Just to prove Junkyard Life was in Puerto Rico, I wore a JYL shirt everyday.

Four-wheeling fun in an XJ Jeep Cherokee.

Fox Body Mustangs representing in Puerto Rico.

Favorite big city stop - Old San Juan.

We toured the narrow, winding LaPerla neighborhood that borders El Morro Fort.

The far end of the street is where the tourists hop off the cruise ships to buy souvenirs made in China. Cool original P.R. souvenirs can be found if you look beyond the busy areas.

Favorite remote location – house just outside El Yunque National Rainforest.

The hungry ate at Popeye's when we were pressed for time. Live chickens walked around the parking lot.

Bay window VW bus that was not orange. Most were.

VW bus parked beside a Flamboyan tree.

A slick VW Westfalia bus with Porsche wheels at the beach.

Interior of the VW Westfalia bus. The friendly owner was camera shy.

Do you have a car story? Maybe you found one on a trip? Send us details!  Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com & Ron Kidd at Kidd403@bellsouth.net

Junkyard 1999 Firebird: One White Hot Slice of Wonder Bird

 

The internet savvy Junkyard Life brother and Firebird enthusiast Jamie Lee alerted the troops to the one sole solitary Firebird in our local pull-it-yourself parts place. We did indeed find the Artic White 1999 Sport Coupe as he promised us. A few things occurred to us as we eye-topsied* this loaded-out V6 Coupe. Not minor things, but large ones.

Such as the leather interior. It occurs to us that even after years on end of attending The Trans Am Nationals and various Bird gatherings, we cannot in complete confidence recall seeing a Sport Coupe with leather interior. It also boasted a classy “split code” interior. Something we have only noticed in Trans Ams and a select few Formulas.

Turns Out You Could

So after a date night with the options catalog and an angry woman, we did learn that with certain colors such as Artic White, you could have it! Prado Leather is the Pontiac nerd word for the exotic seat cover. Maybe we should not say “you could have it” because it was really expensive. You could not just have it. At the time, a vehicle equipped with leather usually stickered for a grand more than cloth.

The other option this car rolled out with is generally not a favorite of all Firebird enthusiast… the W68** appearance package. It's what we describe as ground effects. These were starting to make appearances in the after market, so Pontiac thought they would offer it to you from the get go. I would be interested to know how that went over. We don’t necessarily care for them, and it seems this example did not hold up. The rocker moldings were supposed to give the car a wind tunnel ready look. We prefer the smooth and sexy lines that the Bird already had.

I Could Have Had a V8!

This car was already like a space ship with its remote entry locks. Click-click. Like James Bond. It has the ever fun and always in demand T-tops. You know what goes well with T-tops? An awesome stereo. The top shelf sounds from the Monsoon sound system with steering wheel controls made that happen. Cruise control and seemingly power everything rounded this Bird up to Rockefeller. The only thing left to get was a V8. The 200-horsepower V6 was a smooth machine. This Bird has a 3:08 rear gear without a posi unit. 

Still, the options it does have far outweigh the things it does not. This would have been one expensive Firebird. Could this be a bargaining point for a crafty salesman? To paint the picture of the bottom number on the sticker for this Bird, and then a less optioned Trans Am or Formula for same money… Most of us would lean toward the LS1. You have to admit, that is one packed-out Firebird

You're Grounded!

How did it wind up here? It didn’t seem wrecked. I would not be surprised to learn it ran up until a year or so ago until it got pushed out for something else. The car presented well overall and had not been in the wrong hands very long. Then it was here. The pull-it-yourself yard where it will be relegated to the next “over the scales” deal. 

They were kind enough not to do it but image a combined Pontiac and recycling advertising campaign…“Firebird… coming soon to a soda can near you!”

I shudder.

Ron Kidd
– Junkyard Life

Editors Note:
*Eye-topsy: A new word Ron came up with meaning to look over the remains of a cool car. We don’t know if we will let him keep it.

**W68 RPO code also made an appearance in 1979 as the appearance package for the Firebird Esprit Redbird. Odd that it went from representing a package level we loved to one that we didn’t care for in the 4th generation Firebirds.

Do you have a car story?
Send us details and we’re on the way!  
Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com
and Ron Kidd at kidd403.rk@gmail.com

1970 Pontiac Grand Prix Model J

“If This is Real, Should I buy It?”

There is no vaccination for the Grand Prix virus. Once you get bitten, you begin to notice them. Then you admire their unique place in automotive history. If you are lucky, like Junkyard Life brother David Owsley, a Grand Prix will practically show up in your driveway. Owsley has always been a Pontiac man. He has an extensive history with Pontiacs and a few of them still reside in his garage. We are long time friends of Owsley, so we were privy to watch his Grand Prix affliction unfold in real time. A 1970 Grand Prix J! And by “show up”, we mean Owsley found this car four miles from his house! None of us ever knew it was in his neighborhood.

“Come into my Parlor,” said the Spider to the Fly
When you ask a self admitted Grand Prix nerd if you should buy a 1970 Granada Gold Grand Prix J Model with a 400 and plenty of options like power windows and deluxe lighting... You know what we told him. There is not enough “Yes” in our response to properly reflect the yes-ness of our answer. As far as we are concerned John DeLorean is still our commander in chief. We smile when we say words like “Castilian Bronze” and “Cross Fire Mahogany.” Grand Prix nerds indeed.


Third owner
Owsley scores a gold 1970 Grand Prix. Not only is the car fully documented via a build sheet and the treasured Protect-O-Plate, but how often do you become only the third owner of an important piece of Pontiac history from the height of the famous Detroit horsepower and styling wars?

Details

A large hood covers the 400-V8 engine. The mammoth hood was a bragging point for the new to market personal luxury genre. Under the hoods was even more fun. Gone from the menu was the exotic 428 from last year. Buyers had two engine choices of 400-cubed variety and for those who dared… A new for 1970 behemoth motor… the 455. It was capable of 370 horsepower. Who knows what numbers it really churned out. Pontiac was notorious for underrating their power plants. Transmission choices were limited to a Hydra-Matic and a couple of manual gearboxes. Though we have never seen a manual three-speed, Pontiac listed it as an option. However, out of 65,750 Grand Prixs produced in 1970, only 329 got a 4-speed. The affluent buyer of the Grand Prix probably didn’t want to shift their own gears. Pontiac did admit that Owsley's 400 with a Quadrajet was throwing down 350 horsepower in stock form. That engine had been around since 1967 and had quite a good run through 1979 and remains to be a solid favorite of Pontiac fans.

Eye candy
Dave’s 70 GP was adorned in Granada Gold (code 58) and slides you into a gorgeous Sandalwood bucket seats. The designers wanted an aero inspired cockpit feel behind the wheel. When you sit in Owsley’s Grand Prix, you begin to relate and connect to their original intentions. Thank you again, John DeLorean.

High praise to the previous owner who really went above and beyond when he had the vinyl top redone. Top notch work on a Sandalwood roof that includes the classy halo top trim. A pricey option available on most of the GM line that made the car appearing to wear its vinyl top as a halo.

Inside the headliner is in superb shape. The 14-inch Rally II wheels (or hub caps if Ron has his way) are going to be an easy restoration. Owsley already has his radar on for a deck lid (his experienced a strange accident) and other Grand Prix swag that he could use.

We welcome Owsley to the Grand Prix family. The personal luxury experience awaits. We at Junkyard Life are quite sure Owsley made the right choice!


Ron Kidd
– Junkyard Life

Dave O’s Grand Prix Fun Facts:

• Owsley’s Grand Prix was built in Fremont California and delivered to Inland Pontiac Olds in Corona, California.
• Owsley’s Grand Prix has the odd 2:93 axle ratio.
• The “J” and “SJ” designation was borrowed from Duesenburg.
• Owsley has been our eyes on Pontiac matters for years. I (Ron) have actually called him for factoids for past stories
• Owsley was actually looking for a station wagon when he stumbled upon this Granada Gold ’70.
• Owsley’s GP experienced a freak accident when the previous owner somehow let it roll down a hill backwards. Lucky for him, there was a tree to catch his fall. Gravity stinks sometimes.
• Despite never being rebuilt, Owsley’s transmission seems to be in excellent shape.
• All of the air conditioning parts are intact, just not functioning at the moment. I anticipate Owsley will be cool very soon in more ways than one.
• Owsley’s Grand Prize still has the original AM radio! This leaves him wide open for one of those old/modern stereos with the retro feel. We can wait to see what stealthy tune maker he comes up with.
• Owsley’s Grand Prix has travelled the country despite only showing 66K. It began life in California and then up and over to Indiana before winding south into north Alabama when it began the wait for Owsley to come along.

Do you have a car story?
Send us details and we’re on the way!  
Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com
and Ron Kidd at kidd403.rk@gmail.com

.

The primer on the driver's side of the Grand Prix will get some attention in the future

14-inch Pontiac Rally wheel with trim rings.

Only 66k miles on the odometer of the 1970 Pontiac Grand Prix.

Do you have a car story?
Send us details and we’re on the way!  
Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com
and Ron Kidd at kidd403.rk@gmail.com

How to get scammed buying car parts on Facebook Marketplace, Buy and Sell Groups

 

Selling or stealing? Buyers beware! Buying used automotive parts online has been made easier and supposedly safer than ever before for the do-it-yourself junkyard parts shopper. But the scammers are getting smarter and the ability to scam has gotten easier. Scroll around on any number of social media apps and you will find new avenues to buy and sell and fall victim to a scam. Entire business models have sprung up from people's basement because they can sell in the global marketplace using Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and more. Beware! A new profile is just a click away for scammers who happen to get caught or have too many "bad" seller reviews. A scammer can setup a new alias in the same amount of time it takes you to think up a new password for your email account. It's best to know the seller before you hit send on that payment.

I bought a used oil cooler for a Mitsubishi Evolution for $200 shipped. It looked like garbage right out of the box, plus it was missing parts that were shown and listed in Facebook ad.

How it started
Finding parts for your latest project heap in the basement in getting harder. You've always tried to buy parts that you can see and hold in your hand but the local junkyards have dried up on the old stuff, or rare parts, and the swap meets are few and far between. Taking a stroll on the web to look at cars and parts is a daily occurrence. Making purchases can be scary but easier than ever before with transactions done in seconds and the immediate gratification of expedited shipping. Facebook Marketplace is the hot spot for reasonable deals without the extra fees that beat you up, such as Ebay. Another option, Craigslist, which used to be my "go-to" place to find deals before the car dealers ruined it. Sellers jumped off Craigslist when they were forced to start charging a listing fee for vehicle ads to temper the massive flow from car dealers.

What went wrong?
I'm a recent Facebook Marketplace shopper that was burned on a $200 purchase from a seller in California. I made a deal to buy a used oil cooler, two oil cooler lines, and a plastic shield for a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The cross country seller, also a member of two Mitsubishi Evolution parts/car classifieds groups on Facebook, sent only one of the four parts listed and photographed in the description. It appeared that this seller was highly-rated and maintained frequent postings. I assumed built-in safeguards would protect me as a buyer but my claim with PayPal was denied because the seller produced a shipping receipt that shows he sent something (but not everything) to me. When questioned, prior to my filing a dispute with PayPal, the seller said he sold the other parts (that were pictured and listed in description) to someone else. The seller even boasted that he sold the oiler cooler lines for $150.

Not cool.

Two oil cooler lines and a plastic shield were the missing items.

A little digging
After a few minutes of searching Facebook, I located some heated exchanges between this seller and other unhappy customers in the Evo parts groups. The rogue seller in question even launched a pre-emptive strike on one unsatisfied customer by posting a "SELLERS BEWARE" listing warning other sellers to watch out for the buyer he scammed. He included a photo of the buyer and their text exchange. Others in the group, who are also sellers, seemed quick to side with their seller friend and come to his aid. They belittled the buyer by bashing him in the comments.
  I've learned that it can become an ugly scene in the groups. There must be others who keep quiet and take getting burned by bad sellers as a lesson. I sent a message to that buyer and learned that he is still waiting on a resolution. The "SELLER BEWARE" post that featured him is now 31 weeks old and has 673 comments. That feud continues. 

Face to face
I'm sure this bait and switch tactic (or misrepresent items), is a proven and common practice for those, like the seller who don't mind scamming buyers 2,000 miles away. Get caught? Ha! The game continues. Without the threat of an unhappy buyer showing up at their door, these scammers continue to operate without a conscience. You will find many of these egregious sellers are eager to post and sell but slow to ship or respond to issues. Their excuses for bad business practices are lame as well. Too bad I don't live in California. I'd like to discuss my issue with the seller in person.


New rules for buying
This may shutdown many of my internet sales possibilities but I believe meeting the seller is the safest way to do business. My new rules for buying used parts online from individuals:

• Meet the seller.
• Inspect the part.
• Discuss any issues.
• Agree on a price.
• Complete the transaction.

Other options, such as brick and mortar junkyards or online salvage parts resellers have some recourse if a part is damaged or incomplete when shipped. I purchased another part for this same Mitsubishi Evo project from an online parts dismantler without issue. 

Tough luck
You think you are covered? Think again. FaceBook Purchase Protections are enabled when you use their checkout or shipping features. If you were "smart" enough to use alternative payment options such as, PayPal, Payment in Messenger, or Venmo you are out of luck. Facebook Purchase Protections will not help you. Your purchases may be secured with other buyer protections provided by PayPal and others. Just follow their rules. PayPal's Resolution Center turned down my repeated efforts at making my case. Scammer know the loopholes and these loopholes are easy to overlook when you want a part in a hurry. Do your homework and check the seller's ratings and their longevity as a seller.

$200 paid for a junk Mitsubishi Evolution oil cooler. Everyone is not your friend.

Another lesson
I learned more about turbo cars and shady salesman in one purchase than I anticipated. Never, never buy a used oil cooler. After unpacking the oil cooler from the soaked, dripping cardboard box, I decided my first step was to flush the cooler with gasoline. I found metal shavings everywhere on the black t-shirt I used to filter the contents of the flush. The engine this oil cooler was removed from had internal damage. This cooler was unusable. I wouldn't want to install it on my Evo with metal shavings embedded in the cooler. I would never be able to flush it completely. A closer look at the fins on the cooler showed evidence of previous welding repairs and damage from burns or a wreck impact. Total loss.

At least the oil cooler lines and plastic shield were on the way. Haha!

Jody Potter
– Junkyard Life

Garbage for sale: $200

Do you have a parts purchase horror story?
Send us details and we’ll try be supportive, maybe even share your story.
Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com 

Hidden Jewel: 1969 Kingswood Estate Wagon

 

Long gone! Do you know what Granite Falls, Washington was known for? People there just leave their 1969 Kingswood Estate Wagons under carports to taunt unsuspecting travelers such as Chris Dear from Byram, Mississippi. They “were” known for antics such as that because Chris bought the last one!

This Kingswood wagon had to be the last one. Its option list is so long that it probably had two window stickers because all the goodies would not fit on just one! Junkyard Life Pal and wagon enthusiast Chris knew this was special…and he was right.

Top of the line, highest trim, top shelf, high priced, Grey Poupon, house in the Hamptons buyers with impeccable taste were the demographic for this wagon. If family man or soccer mom needed a station wagon, they could have had one much cheaper than this. This buyer knew what he or she was doing. 

Chris brings the Butternut Yellow wagon back to Mississippi and the fun began. Junkyard Life loves research and codes. Chris had them all for us. This wagon is full of things any wagon would love to have. Comfort and trim aplenty with power windows, power locks, cruise control, air conditioning, luggage rack, and to rock its easy trip down the highway, an AM/FM 8-track found its way into the comfortable cabin. Wagon-only goodies such as a rear air deflector and the awesome tailgate that had an identity crisis. Do we install a tailgate or a swinging door? Tailgate or swinging door? Tailgate or…Can’t decide? How about BOTH! A dual-action tailgate that lays down like a tailgate or swings open like a door! Which ever you need it to do. So cool.

This tailgate folds down or swings out. Multifunction tailgates are not a new thing. 

This vehicle was made to move on down to the next adventure. Traveling must have been on the mind of the buyer who ordered this Butternut Boogiemobile to be powered by a 300HP 350-V8. Plenty of power and torque to move this trip down the road. Want to go extra fast? Someone did, seeing as this wagon has a 2.59:1 geared 12-bolt rear end. Cross country at speed all day and not even trying hard.

Peepers closed
Now, we love love love rare options. Who doesn’t? Chris makes us green with envy. Chevrolet didn’t just give a buyer everything. They had to jump through some hoops to get this one….Hide Away Headlights! Super cool! In order to get this rare option, one had to opt for the higher trim level of the Kingswood Estate Wagon. The regular Kingswood and subsequent lower trim packages stood not a chance. The hidden lamps lended themselves a classy and powerful presence. 

So, now that Chris has this ultra cool piece of automotive history, what does he plan to do? He promises to use this new power for good instead of evil and make all the Power Tours and Cruising the Coast that he can. He is making us jealous and that is kind of evil, but what can we mere mortals do? I hope he lets us cruise with him!

Ron Kidd
— Junkyard Life

Butternut Yellow and hidden headlights make this 1969 Chevy Kingswood wagon stand out on the road. Notice the lack of woodgrain down the side?

Junkyard Life Full Size Wagon Fun Facts:

• In 1969 “Bewitched” was sponsored by Chevrolet. In the episode where Samantha was having a baby, Darrin is rushing her to the hospital in a new 1969 Caprice with Hide Away headlights!
• Chris’s wagon demands a sharp eye. Although it appears to be the original engine, he found the power plant to be a 72 era Small Block 400. Whomever the transplanter was did a great job. It fooled us!
• The hidden headlamps were offered for the first time on the full size Chevy in 1968. It has been suggested that they only could be found on 427 Caprices and such equipped wagons. Not many people have seen or even know of the option on the 1969 models.
• 1969 was the last year for the 327 engine. It could be had in wagons as the base V8, despite the 307 starting to make appearances on other vehicles in the line up.
• Though often adorned in wood grain this example shows no signs of it. It has enjoyed a re-paint at some time in the past.
• Chris’s wagon was born in Canada. It is pure Chevrolet seeing as Canadian Pontiac buyers often found a Chevrolet power plant under the hood.
• New on the wagon and even at the time of Chris gaining ownership…this wagon had our favorite wheels! The finned hubcaps we speak of all the time. Chris went with a more modern rolling stock, which leaves two options. Junkyard Life suggest these should be either in the Smithsonian or in Ron’s garage.*
• If you wonder where the build sheet (body broadcast sheet) is located in a 1969 Kingswood Estate Wagon, mystery solved…under the rear seat! (Or the middle seat in 3rd row equipped wagons such as Chris’s car.)

Editors Note:
We knew Ron could not survive this article without mentioning those cool finned caps. He is our resident hub cap nerd. 

Do you have a car story?
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Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com
and Ron Kidd at kidd403.rk@gmail.com