1973 Buick and a 1973 Chevy Wagon at Demo Auction

I went to a demolition derby auction today and there was a stripped out 100% rust free Buick Estate wagon there. No motor, no tranny no interior. Just a rolling shell and it sold ffor $2,200 The Chevy had no spare tire well and the left rear quarter was flapping loose. It was also just a roller. It fetched $1,700. So, sadly a solid Buick will be destroyed and this just proves the market for 71-76 Clamshells is stupid crazy for the demo world

 

That's just sad. The GM clamshells are now 40 year old antique cars. It's sad to know they are still being derbied, especially rust-free ones. At those prices I am very surprised that the 1974 Buick and 1971 Pontiac in east Oregon are still for sale. They are priced very cheap comparitively. And the Buick is complete and runs! Derbies must not be so popular in Oregon.

 

Its sad and those derby guys don't care about a 40+ year old classic that is getting rarer everyday, its a real shame. Its important that us wagon fans do all we can to keep them our of their grubby hands (the ones that don't care anything about saving solid classics). A lot of people will say, "but they will give you parts". Well that may be true, but there are many that care less and will discard whatever. Puuh.

My wagon will be turning 42 years old in December.

 

Damn and i sold my las vegas olds stripped out and ready to build for $1800

 

Keep em outta my grubby hands? really?

I always drove what i destroyed. Buy em drive em a few years as a safe winter beater for tenderization and gave them a proper send off! How about the ones who still kill off the 64-66 imperials! Had one of those 2 and redid the whole car twice,and sold it didn't destroy it.

 

Wagonkiller, I respectfully agree with Kingswood and frankly, I'd sooner crush a car and see it go quickly and with what I feel is a certain amount of dignity rather than see it brutally beaten to death and laughed at and regarded as a joke. I see no humor in destroying things - especially old cars. This isn't a personal attack Wagonkiller, but it is how I feel along with at least a few of the other guys on this forum. I know that we can't save them all and I know that how we look at an old wagon is a matter of perspective, but I wont drive anything old or nice in the winter and I will not sell a hubcap to a derby guy. I guuess that I just cannot relate to the "tenderizing" school of thought.

I have a totally rust free and straight '65 Crown Imperial four door hardtop that I bought on an auction that, had I not stepped out, paid the price and gotten it, would certainly have ended up in a derby. It was a derby guy who was bidding against me and he stopped just $25.00 short of my limit. So the car was spared for the sake of $25.00 which thrills me to no end!:banana: Pics of it are below. I am going to sell that car but to someone who will appreciate it and give it a good home and a long life. These big old cars are vanishing at an astonishing rate because of their value as scrap and the parts are getting harder and harder to find.

As for guys selling the parts that they take off a car in preparation for it's slow execution, I have yet to meet such a person who takes the time to remove anything carefully. It's like some kind of high for some of these people to simply rip, tear, smash and destroy a car from the moment they get it. I need parts for my Imperial and what I have bought, I have gotten from Ebay from other guys who like and appreciate those cars. It rips me when someone stands there with a smug grin and describes the lady owned and driven '70 new Yorker that they bought for a few hundred dollars and then derbies it. Sorry - but that just bothers me.

Again, this not anything personal so please do not be offended. it's just how I passionately feel about old cars and the willful, wanton destruction of them in derby's. Sorry for the rant, but this is a really tender spot with me in the old car "hobby". Again - nothing personal - just my views.

 

My personal feeling is in complete agreement with BooBoo59er. To destroy a solid, savable old car in a derby is akin to the wanton destruction of the "Cash for Clunkers" program. To buy a car, like my 79 Thunderbird, for $800, and drive it for 5 years as the already rusted body deteriorated, then to salvage, carefully, anything that could be put to use preserving other old cars, is the way to go. I hate seeing cars that have years of life and use left in them ruined that way. I've always felt like this. As I kid, 6 or 7 years old, I wanted my Grandfather to save the 58 Pontiac Parisienne 2 door hard top I saw in my first, and last, demo derby. That car was mint, and only 8 or 9 years old at the time.

 

We sort of have something in common.. I watched a pristine '57 Pontiac 2 door hardtop still wearing it's original two tone copper and cream demo'd and I didn't know whether to throw up or cry. To each his own and when someone buys a car, they have the right to do with it as they please. But I love old cars but my way of expressing that love is a little different than guys who do the demo derby thing. There's no right and no wrong I guess when it comes right down to it. To each his own. But it still hurts like hell to see good cars destroyed.
I guess that the other thing is that I get no thrills from destruction of any kind be it an old building or most any type of object. Many people today seem to really get off on explosions and hacking and chopping as Hollywood has managed to prove in the movies that it pushes out. I like a good action film as much as anyone but there are limitations and I question why the movie producers destroy so many old cars, some of them classics. I recall reading some years ago where a gangster themed movie was being filmed and the studio bought an early 30's Cadillac and actually totally destroyed what had been a fully restored, pristine automobile. I don't see that as being a whole lot different than a big old Chrysler or GM or Ford wagon or even a sedan being derbied today. Again, I am not throwing rocks at anyone here - just stating my honest opinion.

 

I find your post totally offensive for the following reasons.

A. you group me with all the other derby guys when i in fact have always unbolted and tried to save every single sellable part of my cars when i did derby,selling them cheap or in fact GIVING them away.( need a good am-fm radio for that imp?) It took me 3-4 times longer but i have ALWAYS respected the classic car! and those who drive them.


B. Those guys who bought those wagons will more than likely have $6000 to $8000 in them by the time they run them with COUNTLESS hours of hard work with the possibility they MIGHT win some money! 95% of the time they don't make squat.And as for laughing about it? really they have nothing but respect for the cars as they are spending that much to USE em!

C. I once bought a 75 impala wagon from a woman at a little local motel that had set for years savable? maybe but it was pretty rusty and smoked like mad. They knew what i was doing with it and CAME to see it run at the local fair It's name was Arthur and they were very attached to the car. They knew me,they also knew i knew what i was doing and also CAME to watch Arthur meet his demise and KICK AZZ and did he EVER! They talked to me after the show and were VERY happy he went down fighting rather than simply being "crushed". They had a good time and became friends of mine too.

So in closing let me tell you something about derby.It takes talent to build one properly. it takes MORE talent to DRIVE one. We don't go in a straight line nor do we drive around in circles,and it sure as he!! takes more talent to drive a derby than any other motorsport! And really laughing at a car while your derbying it? is it fun yes it is but let me tell you this if you think for one second it';s an easy cakewalk doing it think about this,Stand out in your front yard and let James Harrison run you over like he does an opponent in a football game and see what you feel like the next day! Take THAT times however many hits you make/get in a derby i think you get the picture or well maybe not! And remember unlike the other motorsports we have to have a new car(at least i did) every derby i went to. THATS a lot of work and comitment. I can see where your comming from to a point but don't group ALL people as the same as those you don't like!

P'S. Oh and by the way the 64 imperial crown coupe i had I SAVED from the other "derby guys"!

 

This I SAVED from other DERBY guys!

 

Well, we have not seen a link or pic to the wagons mentoned above soooooo.........



How can you debate a wagon, truck, car....even a tractor with no pics.....



Anyways...should this not be in the proper forum, "disck" Kusk shions" not in staition wagons for sale?

 

PLEASE DELETE, I didn't want to start a b*tch session. Was merely trying to show what the market would bear.

 

My limited dealings with attempting to buy parts off derby guys have not been pleasant. I've been looking for perfect lower door panels for my damn-near-mint '78 New Yorker Brougham Salon. Found a complete set from a guy that was selling a car, in parts, on another forum. He got into a keyboard pissing contest with another forum member, so the seller decided he'd spite all the guys that were wanting parts by posting the fact that he had "run over those rare parts with his backhoe", versus selling parts and maybe actually MAKING some money! He was a fool and a moron, and I called him out on it. He didn't care. He takes "pride in destroying pristine cars" (his words).

Not saying all derby guys are like that, but most certainly seem to be.

 

Yea i get where your comming from BUT as an example that Imperial BooBoo has listed. I have a pass side rear view mirror for that car and have it listed on Imperial club. FIND ONE! It is damn near impossible i looked for YEARS for one for mine and ended up lucking out and finding an extra and "saved it just in case". i sold the car so i listed the mirror for sale. I got an e-mail from a guy just last week wanting pics. No prob i sent some. You know what i got oh thats not worth $100 it's all rusty? RUSTY? i had to explain it's POTMETAL potmetal doesn't rust! It has a few pits(really not bad) don't get me wrong but is sure as he!! nice enough to have on your car and impossible to find.And i told him as with all my ad's it IS OBO. He said oh i can get a reproduction for $199 that is almost exactly the same thing. I told him almost exactly isn't a factory original part but thats cool.But if you think i'm going to give it away for $10 i will be happy to smash it with a hammer and toss it in the garbage and send you pics of that!

Another guy calls me about the 66 imperial headlight covers i have they are complete and absolutely PERFECT not a scratch or pit on them. He wants me to disassemble them and sell him the glass,for way less than the set. I told him no i won't do it. This guy gets all bent out of shape and pissy with me on the phone because i won't split it up and sell him the glass for $20?

Another guy e-mails me from germany and wants my perfectly funtioning auto pilot unit for a 64 imperial. Send me pics ok no prob. Then what do i get? Oh well i will send you the money to ship the part to me and when i GET the part i will send you the money FOR the part???? Really? I told him i don't know how things work in your country but here we get paid for the parts BEFORE they leave the house let alone the COUNTRY!

Just SOME of the things THIS former derby guy puts up with from saving parts for years and filling my basement to help that "classic car" guy.

And really i hope you don't stereotype the "derby guys" from that CRAP they spew on television! Seems the cameras have a habit of finding the drunkest dirtiest scrubs they can possibly find at the contest! they're not all like that.

 

Patrick80, you forgot to mention that the people on that Chrysler forum told Jimmy his car was worth nothing as it was torn apart, didn't have a good title, and he should haul it in for scrap at best. He was trying to save it, I don't blame him at all. Everyone wanted parts but they wanted to steal them, and then once he destroyed parts everyone jumped all over him. I have bought tons of Buick parts from Jimmy , some very hard to find parts for fair prices. So don't paint him as a bad guy. He was trying to save that car, but was insulted in trying to do it by multiple people in the process