How do I get the most out of scrapping a vehicle?

[SpecialFX]

I just got my 7th car and I really could use the space and money from getting rid of a couple clunkers I have. I have an 85 f250 that needs the tanks dropped and cleaned and new fuel pumps and a 78 Cadillac hearse that spews coolant. I can't seem to sell either so I was hoping that the collective knowledge of TCL can teach me how to get the most out of scrapping them. Thanks in advance!

[gtizzle67]

the scrap yard i go to gives you less for whole cars so you may be better off cutting it up and getting the light iron price for the car instead of the car price. also strip out all of the aluminum, heads, water pump, ect because you get more for aluminum. take all the wiring out of the car because copper always bring s a higher price things like alternators and batteries are also priced differently and you will get more for them. hope this helps

[deucestudios]

Strip it everything off of them that could possibly sell, then call a local to come with a roll back and drag the unibody away.
Seperate it out, battery, electrical windings (starter, alternator), wiring, aluminum, #1 steel like rotors & drums & block seperate from the light steel of the body & other junk.
You can sometimes get more for the shell from a whole car scrapper than you would cutting it up and taking it to the recycler yourself.
If you don't have the title, you're gonna have to spend some sawzall time to make it into small enough pieces. Might even take a few trips.

[This is my username]

Never done it myself, but people around here go crazy trying to get a few last dollars. I'm talking about:

-Soaking the interior of the car with water to make it heavier
-Filling the gastank with water and having the car dropped off there (obviously can't drive it)
-Hiding bricks throughout the car.

Frowned upon, and I wouldn't do it, but it works I guess

[MK2*GTI*GUY]

[Cousin Eddie]

My time is more valuable than the extra $40 i'd get for spending several evenings stripping all that B.S. out of the car.

I part out what I can and make money that way, then take the backhoe and load the thing on the 16ft deck trailer and haul it down to the scrapyard. They pay decent and I do very little work.

[romanl]

Never done it myself, but people around here go crazy trying to get a few last dollars. I'm talking about:

-Soaking the interior of the car with water to make it heavier
-Filling the gastank with water and having the car dropped off there (obviously can't drive it)
-Hiding bricks throughout the car.

Frowned upon, and I wouldn't do it, but it works I guess

hahaha this just totally reminded me of my childhood back in Ukraine when it was still part of Soviet Union.
you could recycle paper , there were places that just did that.
so one time my father told me i could clear out his old library/magazines/newpapers, etc, and he worked for university so we had basement room full of books
i spent all weekend tying into manageable bundles ,
i did disguise quite a few bricks wrapped in paper
i was like 7 years old or something, so when all was said and done, it worked
i had a stack of cash in my pocket

[Fe2O3]

My time is more valuable than the extra $40 i'd get for spending several evenings stripping all that B.S. out of the car.

I part out what I can and make money that way, then take the backhoe and load the thing on the 16ft deck trailer and haul it down to the scrapyard. They pay decent and I do very little work.

x2, parting a car is miserable. I'd post it for a few days under auto parts in CL, then off it goes.

[Jatt89]

Sold a 98 Lincoln Town Car to a local scrap yard for $350(they also came to tow it) a few years ago.

Car had a blown engine and transmission.

[DUBLUV401]

find a mechanic that specializes in the cars you are getting rid of. They will pay more for it than a scrap yard.. I got $500 for my GTI that had a blown motor...

[SpecialFX]

Strip it everything off of them that could possibly sell, then call a local to come with a roll back and drag the unibody away.
Seperate it out, battery, electrical windings (starter, alternator), wiring, aluminum, #1 steel like rotors & drums & block seperate from the light steel of the body & other junk.
You can sometimes get more for the shell from a whole car scrapper than you would cutting it up and taking it to the recycler yourself.
If you don't have the title, you're gonna have to spend some sawzall time to make it into small enough pieces. Might even take a few trips.

How much extra do you think I could get if I go to all that effort. So far I've been quoted $450 each with him hauling them from my property

[Noah Fecks]

id buy the hearst if i were closer.

you could try to sell it here maybe... http://www.hearseclub.com/about/about.htm

they have forums

[Broduski]

Remove cats, any sort of radiator (A/C condenser, heater core, tranny cooler.) and sell those all separate, and then tow the rest to the yard.

[Mr. Chaos]

gas tank halfway full with cement and fill the rest up with water

[Harv]

Never done it myself, but people around here go crazy trying to get a few last dollars. I'm talking about:

-Soaking the interior of the car with water to make it heavier
-Filling the gastank with water and having the car dropped off there (obviously can't drive it)
-Hiding bricks throughout the car.

Frowned upon, and I wouldn't do it, but it works I guess

This won't work. People that run scrap yards have seen it all.

Even if you bring in an engine, they wont take it with an oil pan on it. Guys used to fill them with cement and drop it off.

[dodger21]

Big set of wire clippers to remove the copper, pull radiators, heater cores, AC condensors, oil coolers, pull aluminum parts, junk the rest.

I got $500 for an old 87 suburban I had. It would have been $350 but the extra 2 hours I spent pulling things off made it worth it.

Tip, best tool is a sawzall/reciprocating saw. Because you are junking it, you dont need to take it out pretty.

[surefooted]

Big set of wire clippers to remove the copper, pull radiators, heater cores, AC condensors, oil coolers, pull aluminum parts, junk the rest.

I got $500 for an old 87 suburban I had. It would have been $350 but the extra 2 hours I spent pulling things off made it worth it.

Tip, best tool is a sawzall/reciprocating saw. Because you are junking it, you dont need to take it out pretty.

This.

As Adam144 said, time is worth way more than $40-ish, however, if you can put an extra hour or to and get $150, that works. The plus is using a sawzall can relieve stress like nothing else.

[personman]

As Adam144 said, time is worth way more than $40-ish, however, if you can put an extra hour or to and get $150, that works. The plus is using a sawzall can relieve stress like nothing else.

This seems like one of those deals where I'd try to make a quick extra $100, and end up spending $5000 on an ER visit because of a sawzall accident.

[TurboMinivan]

This seems like one of those deals where I'd try to make a quick extra $100, and end up spending $5000 on an ER visit because of a sawzall accident.

Whatever you do, make damn sure to get it on video--a new season of tosh.0 has just begun!

[1985Jetta]

Strip off every part that can be sold and scrap the rest. We usually transport the vehicle to the yard though. I'm doing this with a Maverick parts car at the moment.

One time we took in a 88 Vandura high top conversion van. Even without the dash, front doors, engine and transmission it still brought $380.

[leaftye]

Whatever you do, make damn sure to get it on video--a new season of tosh.0 has just begun!

Preferably with camo pants, wife beater and neck tattoo.

[deucestudios]

How much extra do you think I could get if I go to all that effort. So far I've been quoted $450 each with him hauling them from my property

$450 for the hearse? motor in it? Honestly... take that and run with it. Zero effort is worth the most money...

When I let a Cherokee go, it's just the body, no motor, no axles, no trans, transfer case, bunch of random parts that will sell I take off... Usually get $150 - $200 for something like that.

Like Adam144 said, it depends if it's worth it to you. Pulling a wiring harness to make scrap money is probably not worth your time. Pulling an alternator, battery, starter... yeah maybe. You'd get probably 5 or 10 each for those, pulling a $100 axle... sure.

The Ford pickup probably has more of a market for parts. Fenders, hood, bedsides... all depends what you want to do, and what you feel like trying to store while you wait for it to sell.
Is it a TTB front axle?
If it's a snow king or whatever, and it's got a solid front 60, you're looking at an easy $500 just for that. Could go up to $800 if you find the right buyer. Last front 60 I sold in pieces I got $500 tho.
Again... is it worth your time?

[dunhamjr]

How much extra do you think I could get if I go to all that effort. So far I've been quoted $450 each with him hauling them from my property

$450 each sounds great to me.

i really wouldnt expect you would get enough extra over the $450 to make breaking the vehicles down worth the effort.

however.
if you are unemployed. and just trying to scrap the most you can out of these cars to make rent...

then by all means start posting 'part out' threads on craigslist. maybe see if there is a hearse enthusiast forum where you can post a 'part out' thread.

then get to work pulling out the wiring (copper), battery, glass, anything aluminum, and start working on cutting up body parts for metal scrap weight.

wheels/tires are probably usable on lots of other cars.

maybe get creative (if you can) and build a couch out of the seats or something. list it in the furniture or art areas of CL.

[MagicBus]

I junked a car earlier this month. It was a runner, but with expired inspection, some problems that would be expensive to fix, and 326,000 miles on it. Couldn't sell it locally. Most scrap yards were only offering $200-$300 to pick it up. I found one local yard (1 mile away) that offered $400 if I could drive it in. So, that's what I did. Loaded my mountain bike into the trunk, drove to the yard, and rode home with a check.

[dunhamjr]

Most scrap yards were only offering $200-$300 to pick it up. I found one local yard (1 mile away) that offered $400 if I could drive it in.

this is another good idea.
if they will pickup the vehicle for $450... how much will they give you if you drop them off? $500... $550?

worth a thought.

[al@absolute]

pity i'm not local, i'd look at the F250.