That was a good description of a junkyard. You make me want to go there even
thought I'm about a 4 days drive away. I have always been a sissy about mice
that I encounter in junkyards. I guess I would just die on the spot with a
rattlesnake.
Mario Henry
1955 Plymouth Belvedere
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Graefen" <WGraefen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2002 9:59 AM
Subject: [FWDLK] TEXAS Gold Mine!
> I've been delinquent in not sharing "my favorite yard" with y'all. It is
not
> far from where I live and is simply loaded with Forwardlook cars. I mean
to
> tell you there may be close to 100 in total in the yard. This place has
had
> very little inventory added since the early '70s and is owned/run by the
> grandson of the original owner and he is near 60 yrs. There is some
> association, I think, between a long-gone nearby (Boerne, TX)
> Plymouth-DeSoto dealership and this yard but those answers never seem real
> clear. There was also a Chrysler-Plym dealer in San Antonio by this same
> family name but he says it is unrelated.
>
> But you just want to know where it is and how to get there and what the
> inventory consists of and how he is to deal with and whether you pick the
> bones yourself and the condition of the cars and of course whether the
> prices are fair.
>
> John Spencer, Mgr.
> Spencer's Auto Parts and Used Cars
> P.O. Box 392
> IH-10 3 miles south of Comfort
> 512-995-2363
> (That is what is on the business card.)
>
> General location is about 40 miles west of San Antonio, TX, on the north
> side of Interstate 10. The yard sits buried in red mountain cedar trees
> visible from I-10 on that north side. Coming west on I-10 the exit is
> immediate when you spot the yard's small (3' x 5') orange and black
> deteriorating sign. Coming east on I-10, get off at the second Comfort,
TX,
> exit and follow the frontage road paralleling the S. side of the
interstate
> until you reach a bridge that drops you 200' from Spencer's gate. I'm
> serious about the trees: I take a chain saw in there and wear heavy boots.
> ASK for permission to use the saw and be decent about piling branches out
of
> everyone's way!
>
> The inventory is everything from '55 Plymouths to a '61 DeSoto sedan
(little
> left). There are NO convertibles from the forward look years. This
general
> area of Texas was quite poor 40-50 years ago so most models are low-end
> sedans and wagons, some 4dr hardtops and just a few 2drs. Probably the
real
> top line car is a '58 Fury which is stripped of almost anything valuable.
> There are several dozen (no kidding) of '57-58 Plymouths and DeSotos and a
> very good representation of Dodges and a small handful of Chryslers and
> Imperials. Almost all the hemi and poly motors were pulled out by an old
> hot-rodder in San Antonio during 2001. There is a '55 DeSoto sedan with a
> partial hemi and super rare overdrive in this yard. Not much in
accessories
> although there is quite a bit of air conditioning parts to be found.
> Most cars are well "Texas sun-burned" meaning the paint fried off of them
> from the intense summer sun. Cars that ended up here from the north or
from
> Houston and east do have some rust. Overall, this is still far better
than
> a yard anywhere North or East of here.
>
> John Spencer, like any old junk yarder, has a somewhat gruff appearance
and
> is a little on the quiet side. BUT, you be totally fair and honest and
> upfront and patient with this man and you will find he has a heart of gold
> and is uncommonly fair with his prices and will help you find something.
If
> you act smart, can't relate to local country ways, take advantage of him
or
> hide some parts under your seat, he will know it and run you off with a
> rifle (this IS Texas!) after soaking you on price. ALWAYS talk to John
> FIRST before searching out parts. You need his directions as to where
your
> cars of interest are because this place is a MAZE.
>
> Yes, you pull your own parts. Safety is somewhat of a concern.
March/April
> is when our rattlesnakes are out slithering everywhere but I have never
seen
> so much as a skin in the yard. On humid days, the hubcap pile area and
> lower yard (it goes uphill) can be very heavy with mosquitoes. If you are
> here during the summer, bring lots of Gatorade and water and a hat as it
> will be 100o and you will be working so hard you will be subject to heat
> stroke. Bring your lunch or go to the D&D restaurant in Comfort when you
> are done. EMS services would have a heck of a time finding you if you
have
> a jacking or chain saw accident. The ground is very rocky with soft clay.
> UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you light a cigarette or torch in this yard.
> Ask John if you must have torch help and he will stand there with you.
> Catching the grasses and cedar trees on fire would wipe out this gold mine
> and John's adjacent residence in less than two hours. DO NOT go to John's
> house ever. He either has the gate open and is in the old office building
> or the gate is closed and you are out of luck that day.
>
> What limits this yard is that John is ONLY OPEN on Saturdays from about
9:30
> (sometimes 9am) to about 3pm (sometimes 4pm). And that is if John does
not
> have a doctor's appointment or a family thing. He has a cordless phone
with
> a limited range and does not usually carry it with him. In other words,
> there is no guarantee that he is there on a particular Saturday but you
can
> try the phone number.
>
> CASH ONLY. Yes, you can drive into the yard and the "roads" have cedar
> branches scraping your car if you don't cut them back.
>
> Lots of other brands in the '50s and lots of everything in the '60s. John
> just bought a '56 Fireflite green 4dr sedan for himself. Don't touch it!
> And don't touch the '58 Fireflite black wagon that he sold to someone 8 or
> 10 years ago and he is still holding the car for the guy to come back!
> Everything else is for sale. One of these years very soon a developer
will
> purchase this property and it will be gone like a Gulf Coast Hurricane.
>
> You can ask me about specific years and body styles and I'll try to give
an
> answer. In MOST cases I can't identify them all by model name.
>
> If I get lots of reply e-mail questions, I may try to give some
generalized
> answers to the whole list rather than get back to everyone individually.
> I'm housebound with a broken leg for a while but will help you as best I
> can.
>
> Enjoy! and again, TREAT JOHN RIGHT and he will do the same for you.
>
> Wayne Graefen
> Kerrville, TX
>
> PS. There are two '60 Mercurys in the yard and that is what I am
currently
> building (I have a Colony Park wagon) I'd appreciate it if you would
leave
> those two Mercurys alone!!
>
> -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
> Calendars are still available. Don't miss the chance to get yours now!
> Details for ordering may be found at:
> http://www.forwardlook.net/calendar2002/index.html
>
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Calendars are still available. Don't miss the chance to get yours now!
Details for ordering may be found at:
http://www.forwardlook.net/calendar2002/index.html
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