^“Built in St. Louis,” the early 20th Century ads emphasized. That proclamation was no more than a spin on the current “Made in the USA” slogan used by domestic manufacturers to promote their products as being superior to their foreign-made counterparts.

In 1919, Joseph P. Reis was an early adopter of this American-built stance to promote his heavy-duty line of Eagle trucks based in St. Louis, Mo. The reason for his “Made in the USA” strategy, however, was to one-up other domestic truck makers, the irony being a large segment of Eagle truck sales were exports to foreign buyers who appreciated American build quality.

Reis was born on June 29, 1883, and was a lifetime resident of St. Louis. In his youth, he studied to be a mechanic. In 1914, at age 31, he established the Reis Auto Repair Co. It was noteworthy for having the largest tire press in St. Louis, as well as major affiliations with Lyon Batteries, U.S. Tire and Ford Motor Co. Reis’ repair shop also operated a 24-hour towing service.

With his growing repair business, Reis, in an interview with “Who’s Who in St. Louis,” laid the foundation for expanding his business to include manufacturing trucks.

He stated, “The truck industry has a very sound future because it is based on one of the basic requirements of civilization—transportation. Without transportation we would have no large cities, and without large cities civilization would be many centuries behind what it is today.”

Based on his belief in the growing demand for truck transportation, in 1919 Reis launched his Eagle line of heavy-duty trucks. He was now president of both the Reis Automobile Co. (re-branded Reis Auto Repair Co.) and the Eagle Motor Truck Corp.

By 1925, Reis’ Eagle truck assembly plant totaled 21,000 sq. ft. and production was six trucks a day. Reis was an astute businessman and strived to stay ahead of his competitors. The Eagle Motor Truck Corp. maintained an in-house export department while other domestic truck makers relied on distant exporting agencies to conduct foreign business. Reis hired G.B. Bell, Jr., who was fluent in several languages, to run the Eagle export department. Since the 1919 formation of Eagle Motor Truck Corp., Reis also implemented a state-of-the-art photography department to showcase the various models of Eagle trucks to both domestic and foreign buyers.

Catering to foreign markets was important to the growth and continued success of Eagle Motor Truck Corp. Eagle trucks were being shipped worldwide, including to buyers in Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Greece, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain. Many of these foreign-bought trucks saw hard-core use in either mountainous or jungle terrain.

As the calendar turned to 1928, the Eagle truck lineup included models ranging from one- to five-ton capacity. A shake-up in the export department found Michael Castro succeeding G.B. Bell, Jr., as head man. Castro was instrumental in closing a deal with Cuba for Eagle Motor Truck Corp. to supply 100 trucks annually in both 1929 and ’30.

With surges in demand for Eagle trucks from both domestic and foreign buyers, Reis and his fellow corporate officers realized their 21,000-sq.-ft. plant on Bartmer Avenue in St. Louis was too small to handle the needed increase in production. The solution was to build a new, larger assembly plant in the St. Louis suburb of Valley Park. The plan was to have the new plant operational for the start of 1929 model truck production.

According to “The Complete Encyclopedia of Commercial Vehicles” by G.N. Georgano and G. Marshall Naul, Eagle Motor Truck Corp. ceased production after 1928. Whether the new Valley Park plant was ever realized is unconfirmed. As was a typical outcome for other auto and truck manufacturers in 1929, the financial meltdown known as The Great Depression may have played a large part in the demise of Eagle truck production.

As for Joseph P. Reis, he remained heavily invested in the St. Louis community in various capacities. He served as a vice-president of a local bank, was a member of both the Masonic Order and Kiwanis Club and was a patron of both the St. Louis opera house and film industry. He also used his mechanical talents to build children’s toys, including a carousel for his granddaughter, Minette, in 1941.

In his obituary published upon his death at age 88 on July 21, 1971, it was reported that Reis continued working full time until his passing.

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A trivia question in the category of automobile history could be: “Who created the world’s first high school driver education course?” The answer: Professor Amos E. Neyhart, director of the Institute of Public Safety, Penn State University. In 1933, Prof. Neyhart became known as the founding father of driving education.

In the 1930s, as part of his push for driver education, Prof. Neyhart created the first college course for teachers to learn driving instruction. By 1968, according to Ford Motor Co.’s Traffic Safety and Highway Improvement Dept., he had personally trained almost 20,000 driving instructors.

At that point, in support of his efforts, Prof. Neyhart stated, “In 35 years, survey after survey has shown that drivers trained by professional educators before taking the wheel have 50 to 60 percent fewer accidents and serious violations than untrained drivers. No one has ever demonstrated the contrary.”

In 1936, The Travelers Insurance Co. released statistics that supported Prof. Neyhart’s assertion that driving instruction in schools was lacking. That year, 30 percent of all automobile accidents involving fatalities were caused by drivers ages 16 to 24. This age group also accounted for 22 percent of accidents causing non-fatal injuries. Most startling, this age group, overall, consisted of both the least amount of vehicle ownership and miles driven, yet ranked among the worst for causing injury- and fatality-inducing crashes.

While it’s logical to blame the young and/or inexperienced drivers for much of the chaos on the road in those pre-World War II years, a 1946 study by the American Mutual Liberty Insurance Co. (AMLI) of Boston, Mass., showed older, more experienced drivers could also create havoc on the highways, but for a different reason.

Due to World War II rationing restrictions for both gasoline and rubber (tires) to support the war effort, vehicle use became limited from 1942 to mid-1945. The saying “practice makes perfect” defines the decrease in driving skills as vehicle use declined until wartime restrictions were lifted. An AMLI comparison study of the early months of 1946 (unrestricted) versus early 1945 (restrictions in place) show both automobile personal injury and property damage accidents increased nearly 45 percent among drivers of all ages.

Partial blame for this increased accident rate could be assigned to the overall poor condition of vehicles in use in the immediate postwar months. Many vehicles were at or past the end of their roadworthiness for multiple reasons. Mainly, they were improperly maintained due to the wartime lack of replacement parts, or were a last-resort use until a new(er) vehicle could be obtained, which were unavailable to most drivers during World War II.

Whether this postwar carnage was due mainly to rusty driving skills or rust-bucket vehicles, AMLI called for a reeducation of all drivers as well as more effective programs of traffic regulation by law enforcement.

By the 1960s, driver education had become mainstream, and often part of the high school curriculum. One of the more controversial teaching tools in widespread use were films such as “Red Asphalt” and “Signal 30,” which relied on shock value to make their case against unsafe driving practices. Both “Red Asphalt” (1964, produced by the California Highway Patrol) and “Signal 30” (1959, produced by the Ohio Highway Safety Foundation) featured actual aftermaths of violent vehicle collisions. Nothing was held back, including scenes of mangled, burnt or lifeless bodies being extracted from twisted remains of crashed vehicles.

“Signal 30,” the police radio codename to describe a fatal traffic accident, won a National Safety Council Award. It also spawned two sequels: “Mechanized Death” and “Wheels of Tragedy.” “Red Asphalt,” which was the first in a series of five like-named films created over many years, went unrewarded. It drew harsh criticism from the LA Times newspaper, which referred to it as “…the ‘Reefer Madness’ of driving. Forget trying to reason with teenagers, just scare ’em.”

Competition, rather than shock value, was the teaching tool provided in a different type of driver education offering named the National Safe Driving Road-E-O. Begun in 1952 and held annually, by 1966 it had attracted more than three million entrants, all under age 19.

The 1966 Road-E-O, held in Washington, D.C., and co-sponsored by the Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Co. and the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce, was won by 18-year-old John Gearhart of Bethany, Mo. He was one of more than 300,000 entrants that year. The Road-E-O consisted of a regional series of events comprised of a written exam, obstacle course drive and an observed drive in city traffic. For his victory, Gearhart earned both a new Mercury Comet and a $2,000 college scholarship. He was also named a Road-E-O ambassador, and had some advice for future entrants.

He said, “There’s no reason in the world why teenagers shouldn’t be good drivers. We’ve got quick reflexes. We have the chance to learn good driving habits—how to be aggressively defensive.”

As driving education has evolved since founding father Prof. Neyhart began it all in 1933, the type of aggression he forewarned about still resonates today.

He cautioned, “Be a good motoring citizen. Just imagine what roads would be like if everyone tried to ‘cowboy’ the other fellow out of the way.”

We now refer to that as road rage!  

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The Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental road in the United States, doubles as Interstate 80 spanning east-to-west through southern Wyoming. Traveling on I-80 just east of Rock Springs, Wyo., Auto Recyclers salvage yard is a can’t-miss site on the south side of the highway, visible mainly due to its unique “beauty” fence fronting the yard.

Current and second-generation yard owner John Liggett took over managing Auto Recyclers from his now-retired father, William, who started the business in 1980. When William purchased the five-acre property more than four decades ago, it included a hotel and diner that catered to weary and hungry travelers passing by on the Lincoln Highway. He cleared the property and opened his salvage yard, seeded with 400 vehicles, according to John Liggett, who added, “It’s now [expanded to] 30 acres and 2,800 vehicles.”

Among the thousands of vehicles in inventory, Liggett estimates 30 percent are of pre-1975 vintage. He said a few 1920s and ’30s cars and trucks exist, but the vintage inventory is mostly 1950s to ’70s. “I have titles for most of them,” he added.

“I have an appreciation for everything. The history,” Liggett explained of his yard’s former ties to the Lincoln Highway. His sentiment for the past may also explain his approach to maintaining the yard’s inventory at a manageable level, admitting he recently scrapped 150 vehicles. “We only crush late-models.”

The aforementioned unique “beauty” fence fronting the property is also part of the yard’s history to be appreciated. It’s made entirely of steel rims welded together. Liggett explained that, years ago, his father wanted one of their cousins to gain experience as a welder. He put him to work constructing this art-like fence from scrap rims. According to Liggett, it took three years to finish.

Another interesting sight among the yard’s inventory is a long row of school buses staged side-by-side, giving the appearance of an auxiliary parking lot. Liggett explained that the local school district is part of a study to replace its diesel engine-powered buses with ones powered by “green” alternative fuels. Similar to the former Cash For Clunkers mandate, once the diesel buses arrived at Auto Recyclers, their frames had to be cut and their engines destroyed so they could never again be re-purposed for road use.

Just as the school buses are grouped together, the majority of vehicles in Auto Recyclers’ inventory are arranged together by manufacturer. Wide aisles and level terrain allow for easy viewing of vehicles, but Liggett cautioned that customers are only allowed in the yard by appointment. The yard is open year-round, and Liggett said he has proper equipment to load vehicles on customers’ trailers.

An additional part of the yard’s inventory, according to Liggett, is 70,000 parts, both vintage and late-model, stored on site that can be described and priced over the phone. Auto Recyclers is a worldwide parts shipper, moving approximately 2,000 parts annually. Liggett said for customer ease, he maintains a multi-faceted internet presence, accessed via www.autorecyclerswy.com.

The yard is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (MST). Liggett added that car club tours can be arranged by appointment. 

Auto Recyclers
654 I-80 Service Road South
Rock Springs, WY 82901
Phone: 307-382-4222
Email: autorecyclerswy@gmail.com  

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Having had a father who dragged home Pontiac and Buick parts cars when he was a kid, it’s not surprising Old Cars reader Chad Ehrlich eventually made the parts business a career. Always being around cars while working with his dad eventually led Ehrlich to start a yard in Great Bend, Kan., in 2011, which goes by the unique name Nobody Else’s Auto. Until she recently left for college, Ehrlich’s daughter, Addie, was also a big part of Nobody Else’s Auto, making it a three-generation hobby.

The inventory of Nobody Else’s Auto contains nearly 2,000 vehicles, mostly vintage and mostly ranging from the 1940s to the 1980s, but there are many vehicles from the 1920s and 1930s, as well as 1990s and 2000s. Cars and trucks are neatly arranged in rows spread over 20 acres. The yard is not open to browsing, but much of the inventory can be seen on Ehrlich’s YouTube channels (Nobody’s Show) and Facebook page (Nobody Else’s Auto). If a customer sees a part they need, they must call him by phone to complete their purchase and verify their part need.

“There are so many variables with these old vehicles that a short phone call is the only way I can ensure you are looking for the right part you need,” Ehrlich says.

Customers calling with a part request must identify their car’s year, make, model and body style, and the specific name of the part they need. In addition to parts sales, Ehrlich also sells whole cars and trucks.

Besides his phone sales, Ehrlich sells many parts on eBay with as many as 1,400 items listed at one time. As a result, he’s well equipped to ship parts to customers all over the world.

Ehrlich also hosts a popular weekly YouTube video program that provides further insight into his business, as well as the hobby in general.

Nobody Else’s Auto
522 Morton St. (mailing address)
322 N. US Hwy 281 (physical address)
Great Bend, KS 67530
https://www.youtube.com/c/NobodysShow
www.facebook.com/nobodyelsesauto
620-793-3557
620-786-4428 (mobile)
cse2@yahoo.com

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Story and photos by Ron Kowalke

Those in the know promote finding a need and filling it as a key strategy to running a successful business. This strategy has worked well for B&S Auto Wrecking, a family-owned salvage yard located in Hines, Ore., a remote, mountainous region in the east central part of the state.

Yard co-owner Larry Foster said he specializes in pickups because that’s the type of vehicle common to the Hines area. “We’re so far from population, that’s what’s working for us.”

The “us” Foster mentioned includes his son, Gary, and Gary’s wife, Toni, who co-own the yard with Larry. In addition to the focus on light- and medium-duty trucks, the business also includes a towing and recovery service and Toni’s work as an upholstery specialist for both modern and vintage vehicles. That diversity — filling several needs common to central Oregon — is what keeps B&S Auto Wrecking successful in the face of its many challenges.

The yard, according to Larry Foster, is comprised of 40 acres that house 300 vehicles, mainly pickups and utility trucks spanning the 1950s to current. Vintage automobiles in the yard range from the 1950s through ’70s, although a fair amount of both prewar cars and trucks exist. Foster said he has titles for “most everything” in the yard. Also, the inventory is divided into project vehicles, from which no parts are allowed to be removed, and parts vehicles that can donate items.

While the business has neither a website nor computerized inventory, Toni Foster said between her, Gary and Larry, the staff has a good memory for what’s available. She added that customers can walk through the yard, but no toolboxes are allowed on the property. The Fosters will remove all parts customers select. Parts shipping is offered, but she cautioned that, due to B&S Auto Wrecking’s remote location, there are “lots of restrictions” in place.

The yard’s terrain is flat with significant aisles between the rows of vehicles. There’s lots of scrub brush surrounding vehicles, but access to viewing cars and trucks up close is generally good. With a few exceptions of like makes or models clustered together, vehicles are randomly staged throughout the yard with cars mixed with the trucks.

The 300 vehicles that compose the current inventory, according to Larry Foster, is about one-fourth the number of vehicles in the yard under its previous ownership. He explained that the yard was started by Roe Davis in 1931 at a downtown site that’s now occupied by a high school. “He started with about 100 to 125 Model T and Model A Fords.” Foster said Davis moved the yard to its current location on the west side of Hines in 1958. With more room than the downtown location offered, inventory dramatically swelled. At its peak, Foster said Davis had 1,200 vehicles on the property. “He had everything, including airplanes and boats.”

According to Foster, Davis sold the yard in the 1970s and the new owners held an auction “and sold everything of value.” Foster said he acquired the yard in 1988 with what little remained in inventory after the auction. Since then, with the help of his son and daughter-in-law, the Fosters have built back the yard into a key supplier of vehicles and parts to those in need.

“We love it here,” Foster maintained of the yard’s remote location. He said B&S Auto Wrecking is open year round, with hours of operation being Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon (Pacific Time).

When asked about the availability of tours of the yard, one of Foster’s buddies who stopped by for a visit jokingly chimed in, “Nobody comes here. We’re 120 miles from everywhere.” Even so, tours can be arranged by appointment.

To contact the yard, use postal mailing address: B&S Auto Wrecking, 29390 Wrecking Yard Lane (or P.O. Box 757), Hines, OR 97738; phone 541-573-7260; or e-mail bsauto@centurylink.net.

More treasures from the yard…

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Take a minute to think about how much the old car hobby — as well as life itself — has changed in the past half century. Little is the same as it was 50 years ago, but one constant has been L&L Classic Auto. This salvage yard located in Wendell, Idaho, has been a major parts source serving hobbyists that entire time.

Having been in business for more than 50 years, yard owner Larry Harms estimates his inventory has grown to “somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 cars.” He added that 85 percent of his cars and trucks are vintage (1979 and older), with the starting point in the 1920s. According to Harms, the majority of the vehicles in his yard range from the 1940s to ’60s, but there’s also a depth in ’30s Ford coupes, Tudors and Fordors. He further breaks down the yard’s offerings to being 70 percent cars vs. 30 percent trucks.

The inventory arranged over the 160 acres that comprise the yard is unique. While walking among the randomly clustered vehicles, stopping and doing a double-take becomes routine. Inventory includes rare cars, muscle cars, coupes, an original postwar hot rod, sedan deliveries and even a Citroen DS19 sedan whose love-it-or-hate-it styling stands out parked among a row of domestic cars.

Harms has segregated “project cars” from parts vehicles in several sections of the yard, explaining that parts removal from those project vehicles is forbidden. “We only put the project cars on our website (www.llclassicauto.com),” according to Harms. He stressed that titles exist for most of the vehicles in inventory, or a title can be obtained if one does not exist, although he cautioned that it takes “a couple of weeks.”

Among the hundreds of project vehicles noted while touring the yard were a 1970 Dodge Coronet Super Bee hardtop, a rare ’53 De Soto Firedome convertible (1,700 built) and the aforementioned original hot rod roadster. The roadster appears as if it drove off the silver screen from vintage “B” movies such as “Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow” or “Hot Rod Gang,” and has been parked ever since.

Examples sighted of rare vehicles in exceptional condition included a 1954 Mercury Monterey Sun Valley hardtop (9,761 produced), its chrome and tinted Plexiglas half top appearing like new. More modern, and a perfect restoration project for a youngster just starting in the hobby, was a 1977 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon, originally marketed as a mini Econoline van. Aside from a damaged grille, this Pinto retains its mod graphics, porthole-in-a-panel rear treatment, styled wheels and roof rack.

Having a period-original hot rod in his inventory seems only natural, as Harms is a former hot rodder/drag racer. He proudly showed a 1961 photograph of his 1930s Ford pickup he converted to a hot rod and raced both on the street and strip. “I ran a 12.88 [elapsed time] and 113 mph at the Pocatello (Idaho) Dragway in 1962,” Harms recalled. “That was really moving back then.”

The background for that 1961 photo was Larry’s Body Shop in downtown Wendell, where Harms got his start in the salvage business. Having accumulated cars and trucks through his body shop work, Harms said, “We took up half a city block in town and had over 300 cars.”

Outgrowing the downtown site, Harms said he opened the salvage yard at its current north Wendell location in 1967. He used the first letters of he and wife Linda’s first names to title L&L Classic Auto, which remains today. During our visit in May 2014, Harms had four employees, including yard manager Ron Ewing, who’s been in that position for 22 years.

The yard’s terrain is mildly hilly. Aisles are well defined, but there are rocks jutting from the ground that can cause tripping. Also, Harms employs free-range cattle to roam the yard and keep the grass down. Aside from tripping on rocks, watching where you step is critical to avoid stepping in dung.

Harms stated he tries to group same-make vehicles together, but there remain enough other-make cars and trucks randomly inserted into rows (such as the aforementioned Citroen) that searching thoroughly is essential.

Harms also said he and Ewing have a good handle on the yard’s loose parts availability, as there is no computerized listing for this segment. There are numerous parts piles scattered throughout the yard, so the thrill is in the hunt as rigorous searching may uncover some forgotten treasure.

Customers must sign in at the office before being allowed into the yard. Parts removal is done only by L&L Classic Auto employees, and only after a price is agreed upon in advance. Harms added that parts shipping is available to destinations “all over the world.” He said Wendell gets little snow, so the yard is open 12 months a year. Tours of the yard can also be arranged by appointment.

L&L Classic Auto is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Mountain Time). Saturday hours can be arranged by appointment. Visit the yard’s website address at www.llclassicauto.com to view project vehicles for sale.

L&L Classic Auto
2742 SH46 (mailing address)
Wendell, ID 83355
208-536-6607
208-536-6734 (FAX)
www.llclassicauto.com

More scenes from the L&L yard…

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Diversity: Little Valley Auto Ranch much more than a salvage yard

Story and photos by Ron Kowalke

In personal finances and in business, diversity is often critical for success. Having only one core product or focus invites failure in lean times. This pursuit of diversity has served Dan Barkley and his wife, Dee, well for 30 years as the operators of Little Valley Auto Ranch (LVAR) in Belton, Texas.

The 10-acre property houses 500 vintage salvage vehicles, but also encompasses a restoration shop and a thriving collector car sales outlet. Three times annually (April, July and November), the Barkleys also open the property to vendors and host swap meets on the grounds. Diversity also plays a part in these meets, as Dan Barkley said, “We get a little bit of everything ­from Model T’s to street rods.”

Since the economy tanked several years ago, the multiple facets of business within LVAR meant the company didn’t need to rely solely on the salvage operation to remain profitable.

“The [salvage] business has slacked off the past two to three years. [Because of that], we redefined our operation,” Barkley noted. He said the salvage lot once contained 800 vehicles, but approximately 300 vehicles Barkley described as “low-dollar stuff” were culled out.

“In the old days,there were lots of cars in backyards.” That’s no longer the case. “The salvage business is different today.”

No matter how much the salvage business has changed over time, location is still important. It seems that Barkley nailed that part. LVAR’s acreage is adjacent to Belton’s major thoroughfare, Highway 190, so the collector vehicles for sale and staged in rows out front get plenty of eyeballs every day from passersby.

“I bought this place 30 years ago,” Barkley said, “and started from scratch. Geographically, it’s perfect. It’s in the center of Texas, [no more than] two hours from every major city.”
Barkley has titles for most of the vehicles for sale out front, but if one doesn’t exist, it’s not a problem. Continuing the diversification theme, he added, “I have a title company, so I can [always] get a title.”

Weaning from the salvage business the past few years, Barkley’s restoration shop has become the focus going forward. “We specialize in 1950s Chevrolet restorations,” Barkley said of the business he operates under the banner of American Hot Rodz. “I [also] do a few street rods.”

To feed the need for parts to restore all of those ’50s Chevys, LVAR’s salvage lot has a depth of those cars, primarily four-door Tri-Chevys. The lot also has plenty of 1950s and ’60s General Motors cars (especially Buicks), and quite a few ’50s Willys Jeep station wagons. Most of these vehicles are rust free and offer restoration-quality body panels. Throughout the salvage lot and out front, there are also many piles and stacks of rust-free body panels such as doors, fenders and hoods.

Customers are allowed in the salvage lot, but they must stay on the aisles that run between the rows of vehicles. The lot is flat and vehicles are staged randomly, rather than by any particular make or model. Vehicles are sometimes partially obscured by scrub brush, but overall accessibility is good. LVAR has five employees, according to Barkley, who stressed, “We pull all parts.” He added that shipping parts is also available by appointment.

Car clubs are welcome to tour LVAR with a prior appointment. The business is open year-round, and hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

To view what collector vehicles are currently for sale at LVAR, visit their website at www.americanhotrodz.com. (Additional images also are included below.)

Barkley also admits to having a passion for the variety collector vehicle hobby offers. “I love all old cars,” he said. “I’ve been in [this] business for 40 years and pretty much know everything.”

LVAR
(postal mailing address)
Little Valley Auto Ranch
1151 Wheat Rd.
Belton, TX 76513
PH: 254-939-8548
FAX: 254-933-2877
E: texasexports2000@cs.com

More scenes from the salvage yard:

The post LVAR salvage yard parks Model T’s to street rods appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Story and photos by Ron Kowalke

Hands-on-type old car hobbyists know the value of having good neighbors; those next door who understand, or at least tolerate, an occasional parts car in the driveway and hammering and grinding noises coming from the garage. This type of understanding is vital to a hobbyist’s ability to get fully immersed in restoration projects while keeping the peace in the neighborhood.

While having good neighbors is vital in residential areas, they are also essential to business success for salvage yards. There have been countless yards done in by urban sprawl. The yards began in the middle of nowhere, only to eventually be surrounded by hard-to-please homeowners who make life impossible for the yard owners.

That hasn’t happened to Manthey Salvage, located on the fringe of Mauston, Wis. Bob Dziewror has been a customer of the 100-acre yard for 25 years. When he decided to build his home on property adjacent to the yard, Manthey Salvage owner Jeff Manthey told him: “Good. You won’t complain about the yard.”

Beneficial relationship

Manthey Salvage existed in its current location long before Dziewror built his house. According to Dziewror, Jeff Manthey’s father, Jerry, started a scrap metal business on what was his father’s farm property during World War II. He expanded the scrap business to include a late-model salvage yard in the 1950s. Jerry, now 83, retired 10 years ago, and Jeff and his wife, Ann, took over the business.

Manthey Salvage has eight employees. Jeff runs the scrap metal business while Ann handles the late-model salvage and office operations. Due to time constraints, up until eight years ago, vintage cars that came into the yard were crushed. This had been the policy since Jerry Manthey initiated the yard business in the 1950s.

“Jerry and Jeff were basically in the scrap metal business, and nothing got saved,” Dziewror explained.

It was during one of Dziewror’s parts hunts in the yard eight years ago that the policy to crush old cars got revised. Salvaging a “nailhead” V-8 from a doomed Buick for a hot rod project he was working on, Dziewror said the guilt stemming from his preservationist nature compelled him to confront Jeff Manthey about the importance of saving old cars. “I told him it’s a shame to crush these cars,” he said.

In a be-careful-what-you-ask-for moment, Dziewror said Manthey immediately challenged him by replying: “I don’t have the time or knowledge to deal with vintage cars, so if you want to do it, fine.”And that became the moment when Manthey Salvage again expanded to include a section of the property devoted to saving old cars. That area now numbers close to 250 cars and is managed by Dziewror.

Education and restoration

Prior to becoming manager of Manthey Salvage’s vintage inventory, Dziewror’s frequent visits to the yard as a customer stemmed from his need for parts to complete his project vehicles. His devotion to restoring old vehicles was an outlet from the pressures of his job as an art teacher at Mauston High School for 34 years up until his retirement two years ago.

“I loved art, and I loved old cars,” Dziewror said. “[But] I had a teacher when I was in high school who warned me against making my profession my hobby. So I taught art during the day and worked on old cars at night.”

It’s evident that Dziewror’s meticulous nature and attention to detail gained from decades of teaching art have carried over to his restoration skills. He does all his own restoration work, including interior rehabs and finish paint work.

His high school teacher’s advice to find a hobby outside of the art world was the catalyst for Dziewror’s first project acquisition, a 1959 Volkswagen Beetle with a rollback top. While a “Bug” would have been an economical choice of transportation for a young teen-ager, Dziewror had other plans for the car.

“That Beetle got cut up to make a dune buggy,” he recalled. “It didn’t mean anything to me at the time, but it was a rust-free car.”

The dune buggy remains part of Dziewror’s current car collection, which also includes of a 1935 Ford Tudor powered by a Chevy 350-cid V-8, a ’48 Chevy pickup street rod and an almost-completed ’34 Ford pickup street rod that houses the aforementioned Buick “nailhead” V-8. Possibly to atone for chopping up the rust-free VW in his youth, Dziewror also has a 1930 Chevy heavy-duty truck that was in Manthey Salvage and destined to be crushed. It was too far gone to be restored, so Dziewror parked it on his front lawn as yard art.

New direction

In defiance of his high school teacher’s warning not to mix business and pleasure, Dziewror now spends his days managing Manthey Salvage’s vintage inventory and his nights restoring his project vehicles. Two years into his retirement, though, the “all old cars all the time” lifestyle seems to be working fine.

One of the ways Dziewror finds balance is to allow customers to view the Manthey Salvage’s vintage collection by appointment only. Customers showing up unannounced or calling Jeff or Ann Manthey to gain access to the vintage section of the yard will get referred back to Dziewror. Once an appointment to visit the yard is made, Dziewror will accompany customers into the yard to answer questions and help with navigating the property. The vintage vehicles are neatly staged in rows separated by wide aisles, but in no particular grouping by manufacturer. Having Dziewror along to point out what’s what is a definite time-saver.

During the warm weather months, the yard property is in full bloom with thorny vines and tall weeds. Wearing long pants is recommended, and bringing a garden shears along is a necessity to get decent looks at the undersides of vehicles.

Parts aplenty

Having spent time on the winter-salted roads of Wisconsin, much of the vintage iron in Manthey Salvage has suffered the ravages of rust. The majority of vehicles in inventory are parts cars. There are no titles to any of the vintage vehicles in the yard. Any whole cars purchased are done so on a bill of sale. Dziewror also mentioned that the yard currently has no muscle cars or 1932-’36 Fords.

What Manthey Salvage’s inventory lacks in muscle and rust-free examples, it makes up for in variety. Included among the rows were three Kaiser sedans, three Lincoln-Zephyrs (one sedan and two coupes, all missing engines), a handful of first-generation Ford Mustang hardtops (no fastbacks, but one equipped with the rare four-speed manual transmission), several 1961 Fords in various body styles and many Ford trucks of various body styles, dating from 1947 to ’50. Also in abundance were station wagons (several two-door models) and convertibles from a variety of manufacturers.

While Dziewror pointed out that most of the vintage inventory of Manthey Salvage was of parts-car quality, exceptions exist. Among the solid, restorable models are a 1961 Dodge Dart Seneca two-door sedan, ’61 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 sedan whose interior is as tidy as the day it left the dealership, a “barn find” ’51 Nash Statesman Super two-door sedan and a rare (only 1,535 built) ’63 Chrysler 300 Sport Series convertible.

There is also one vehicle that defies logic. Someone invested much time and money to completely restore an early-1950s International L185 Roadliner wrecker, and then abandoned it in the yard. It features a diamond-plate front bumper extension that accommodates a winch, a diamond-plate tow boom bed and every imaginable siren and safety light in place. Needing only some spit and polish to regain its post-restoration luster, this is a project vehicle needing minimal work.

Keeping it safe

Dziewror cautioned that he does not offer shipping. “I’m a one-man crew,” he explained. He previously offered parts shipping, but “there were too many hassles, and too many bad outcomes” to continue.

What the yard does offer is the equipment to properly load vehicles on customers’ trailers. Customers can bring in tool boxes, but parts can only be removed after both getting approval from Dziewror and coming to an agreement on a price. Any torching can only be done by yard employees, and there is no smoking on the yard property. Any hoods, doors or trunk lids opened when searching for parts must be closed when finished. This is a rule about which Dziewror is adamant. “All I ask is that customers show some respect for the vehicles when removing parts. Just so the next guy has a chance.”

As I was was preparing to leave, Dziewror concluded by saying, “Jeff is doing a real service to the hobby by saving this vintage iron when he could be crushing it and making money. Most guys I bring over are very thankful to have this stuff available to them.”

To make an appointment to visit Manthey Salvage’s vintage collection, contact Bob Dziewror at 608-547-7794. Available appointment times mirror the yard’s hours of operation, which are year-round, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon.

The postal mailing address of the yard is: Manthey Salvage, N3584 Townline LL Rd., Mauston, WI 53948. The phone number for the scrap metal or modern salvage operations of the yard is 608-847-2202.

The post Manthey Salvage makes room for old iron worth saving appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Story and photos by Ron Kowalke

Taking the road less traveled often leads to great discoveries. While that sounds like a phrase found in a fortune cookie, it sums up a recent road trip to Colorado where I discovered Ernest and Sons Auto Wrecking, after a meandering drive on unpaved State Highway 15. Based at the tip of the eastern shadows of the Rocky Mountains near the small town of Capulin, this salvage yard offers one of the largest collections of complete, rust-free vintage cars and trucks I’ve come across in all my years of yard tours. According to the yard’s owner, Ernie Quintana, it’s also the largest salvage yard in Colorado.

Quintana, along with his brothers Chris and Mike, operate the yard, which was originally established by their father, Ernest.

“Dad started the yard in 1958, about two miles from this [current] location,” Quintana said. “He started with half an acre and outgrew that, so he bought this property in 1974.”
Ernest passed away in 2008, but while working with his sons in the yard as they grew up, he instilled in them a drive to work hard to get ahead, as well as a passion for preserving vintage iron. The sons’ business education at the hands of their father has allowed them to expand the yard into a 40-acre, 4,000-vehicle collection of mostly complete cars and trucks. One of the yard’s added benefits, according to Quintana, is that “most of our vehicles have titles. We also embalm their engines with transmission fluid to make sure they run after they get parked.”

Quintana said he has two uncles who also operate salvage yards in Colorado, adding, “If we don’t have it, we know someone who does.”

Looking back

Ernest Quintana clearly made a positive and lasting impression on each of his sons. Their reverence toward their father came out in several stories about his life.

“Dad was always into cars,” Ernie reminisced. “He liked the drag races, and he drove a 1957 Imperial, which I still have.” Another interesting car in Quintana’s vehicular inheritance from his father is the ’49 Ford formerly owned by Jim Nabors of “Gomer Pyle” TV series fame and longtime singer of “Back Home Again in Indiana” prior to each year’s running of the Indianapolis 500.

In addition to maintaining his father’s beloved Imperial, Quintana learned some important lessons on how to successfully operate a yard business through good times and bad. To supplement income during slow periods, Quintana said, “Dad was a truck driver for a while. He would see (old cars and trucks) from up in the cab and he’d bring them back to the yard.”

The brothers also marveled at their father’s ingenuity to make due with equipment on hand.

“Dad had a 1965 Ford tandem flatbed to haul and crush cars,” Quintana said. “He constructed an A-frame, and used a weight anchored to the truck bed [that looped over the top bar of the A-frame]. He’d park a car under the A-frame, put the truck in neutral and the weight would fall and flatten the car.” While this clever device worked both inexpensively and well, Quintana winced as he recalled many of the cars his father crushed were from the 1930s through ’50s.

Working both sides of the road

Ernest and Sons Auto Wrecking is actually two salvage yards in one location. The 40 acres that comprise the business are split into north and south yards bisected by State Highway 15. Old Cars Weekly toured only the south yard, the inventory of which spans the 1930s through ’70s, with emphasis on cars and pickups of the ’50s and ’60s. Another category that had surprising depth within the south yard was vintage buses. The north yard houses vehicles from the 1970s and newer.

Among the interesting and complete or near-complete cars parked in the south yard were rarities such as a 1960 Chrysler New Yorker station wagon, ’57 Ford Courier sedan delivery, ’57 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer hardtop equipped with a Hemi V-8, ’41 Ford “shorty” school bus, ’68 Dodge Charger, ’56 Mercury Monterey “woodie” station wagon and ’67 AMC Rambler Rogue hardtop.

The terrain of the south yard is level with wide aisles and a dirt base that is punctuated by scrub and brush growing around many of the vehicles. There are pockets of similarly grouped manufacturers. However, there are enough random gatherings of brands and decades to offer constant “wow” moments.

Whole or parts

The majority of the vintage vehicles in the yard have been preserved in as complete a state as possible, and Quintana stressed that this is how they are sold, with no exceptions.

Whole vehicles, many still retaining titles and many that ran when parked, require customers to “buy it all” or admire it and walk away. However, parts hunters need not be discouraged, as Quintana added, “We have lots of loose parts available,” and what’s available is well known among the brothers. While currently no computerized inventory of cars or parts exists, Quintana said he and his brothers will photograph asked-for items and e-mail images to anyone requesting them.

Customers entering either section of the yard will be supervised at all times. Tool boxes are allowed into the yard, but parts removal will only be allowed with the help of a yard employee. During Old Cars Weekly’s visit, Mike acted as tour guide.

When and Where

Ernest and Sons Auto Wrecking is open year-round. Summer hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Winter hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., also Monday through Friday. Saturday hours year round are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Yard tours by clubs or groups are available, and can be scheduled by appointment.

To contact the yard, use postal mailing address: Ernest and Sons Auto Wrecking, 6262 State Hwy. 15, Capulin, CO 81124, or phone 719-274-5224 or FAX 719-274-5235.

Quintana’s four daughters are too young to know whether or not they share their father’s and grandfather’s passion for older vehicles. But the time may come when the business’ name has to be expanded to Ernest and Sons and Granddaughters Auto Wrecking. It would only be proper to keep it in the family.

More “scenery” for you to enjoy…

Another finned looker from the 1950s, this ’59 Plymouth Belvedere hardtop is also a prime candidate for restoration.

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The post Project Heaven appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

The automotive equivalent of Woodstock, attendees of the Nov. 3-5 Lee Roy Hartung Collection auction will remember this event decades from now, and the buzz from the sale will continue on the internet and in print for weeks to come. Prices paid for a handful of featured items in the collection exceeded all logic when compared to fair market value, but Hartung’s eclectic collection accumulated over much of his lifetime was mind-boggling itself in scope and originality.

The three-day auction, held on the grounds of Hartung’s museum in Glenview, Ill., was presented by Auctions America by RM. Plenty of pre-sale publicity, generated both by the auction house and “grapevine” word-of-mouth by those familiar with Hartung’s stash of vintage vehicles, automobilia and non-automotive antiques attracted a standing-room-only crowd each day inside a large tent erected on-site to host the auction.

A video created by Auctions America by RM chronicling Hartung’s life in still photographs labeled him as “Chicago’s Best Picker,” in reference to his scrap metal business that serviced the wealthy northern suburbs of Chicago beginning in the late 1940s. It was in this line of work that Hartung acquired much of his collection from the cast-offs of others.

While prices paid for several custom automobiles and vintage motorcycles garnered much of the attention (see listings), Old Cars Weekly would like to share a broader range of items rescued and saved by Lee Roy Hartung as a tribute to a true car enthusiast who had vision beyond his years.

AUCTIONS AMERICA BY RM
LEE ROY HARTUNG COLLECTION
Glenview, Ill, 11-3/4/5-2011
Ron Kowalke reporting

Vehicles listed were declared sold.

Year/Make/Model Price/Condition
1934 Armstrong-Siddeley 4d Sed,
OHV 6-cyl, RHD, SMts $2,000 4
1959 Bentley 4d Sed,
LHD, 35K, chassis #B332LCK $16,000 4
1958 Cadillac-Eureka 4d Hearse, 44K $6,500 4
1948 Crosley 2d Sta Wag,
9,600 orig miles $2,000 4
1959 Edsel Ranger 4d Sed $200 5
1932 Essex Sup 6 Terraplane 4d Sed,
6-cyl $6,500 4
1959 Fiat Spyder 2d Conv, 4-cyl, 90K $7,500 4
1909 Ford T Chassis Mod, ’09 4-cyl #3195,
w/Rbt body conversion $13,500 4
1914 Ford T Express Mod, w/’16 T 4-cyl $4,000 4
1915 Ford T 4d Trg, 4-cyl $9,000 4
1916 Ford T Rbt Mod, trg conversion,
w/police lights & graphics $5,000 4
1920 Ford T 2d Center Door Sed Mod,
4-cyl, w/’15 radiator & hood $5,500 4
1920 Ford T Mod,
4-cyl, w/horse-drawn carriage body $3,000 4
1922 Ford T 4d Trg, 4-cyl, w/o top $2,000 4
1922 Ford T Depot Hack, 4-cyl $5,500 3
1923 Ford T 4d Sed Mod, w/’26 T 4-cyl $4,000 5
1924 Ford T 4d Sed,
4-cyl, w/radiator water bag $6,000 4
1924 Ford TT C-cab Tanker Mod,
4-cyl w/o cyl head $3,500 5
1926 Ford T 2d Sed, 4-cyl, w/o hood,
w/sun visor & Hayes WW $3,250 4
1928 Ford A 2d Rds PU, 4-cyl, SMt $4,500 4
1928 Ford A 4d Sed, 4-cyl, w/Briggs body $2,750 4
1928 Ford A 2d Sed $2,500 5
1928 Ford A 4d Phae, 4-cyl $6,750 4
1928 Ford A 2d Sed,
body shell & chassis only, w/o title $700 6
1928 Ford A 2d Spt Cpe, 4-cyl $2,750 5
1929 Ford A 4d Phae, 4-cyl $6,000 4
1929 Ford A 2d Cpe, 4-cyl, 5W $6,000 4
1929 Ford 2d 1T Stake,
4-cyl, w/worm-drive rear gear $5,000 4
1929 Ford A 2d Sed,
4-cyl, w/radiator water bag $3,000 4
1929 Ford A 2d Rds PU, 4-cyl,
SMt, w/whiskey barrels in bed $10,500 4
1929 Ford A Std 2d Cpe, V-8, 5W $6,500 4
1930 Ford A Std 2d Cpe,
4-cyl, 5W, w/radiator water bag $6,250 4
1930 Ford A DeL 2d Rds Mod, 4-cyl,
w/o fenders, w/’35 16-inch whls $10,000 5
1930 Ford A 2d PU, 4-cyl $7,500 4
1930 Ford A 4d Town Sed $4,000 4
1930 Ford A 4d Town Sed, 4-cyl $2,250 4
1930 Ford A 2d Cabr, 4-cyl w/o cyl head,
68-B straight windshield model $3,750 5
1930 Ford A Std 2d Cpe, 4-cyl, 5W $4,250 4
1930 Ford A Open Mod, 4-cyl, converted
to open car w/double rbt seating $1,500 4
1930 Ford A 2d Sed, 4-cyl $3,500 4
1930 Ford A 4d Town Sed, 4-cyl, SMt $3,100 4
1930 Ford A Std 2d Cpe,
4-cyl, 5W, w/radiator water bag $6,250 4
1930 Ford A 4d Sed, 4-cyl $3,500 4
1930 Ford A Open Flatbed Mod,
w/printing press mounted on bed $1,000 4
1931 Ford A 2d 1-1/2T Flatbed $1,000 5
1931 Ford AA 1d Bus (factory) Mod,
4-cyl, dually, Chicago paddy wag replica,
red & green headlight lenses $4,500 4
1931 Ford A Std 2d Cpe, 4-cyl, 5W, SMts $5,000 4
1931 Ford A 4d Town Sed, 4-cyl $2,500 4
1931 Ford A 2d Cabr,
4-cyl, 68-C slant windshield model $10,500 5
1931 Ford A 4d Town Sed,
4-cyl, slant windshield model $3,000 4
1931 Ford A Mod, 4-cyl w/Winfield cyl head,
cowl & chassis only, #7 racer replica $1,750 5
1931 Ford A 2d Vic Sed,
190A “steelback” model $5,000 4
1931 Ford DeL 2d Rds Mod,
4-cyl, R/S, w/period-correct
aftermarket trim accessories $22,000 3
1931 Ford A 2d Spt Cpe, 4-cyl $6,600 4
1931 Ford A 2d Cabr, 4-cyl w/o cyl head,
68-B straight windshield model $6,900 5
1931 Ford A DeL 2d Sed, 4-cyl $3,000 4
1931 Ford A 2d Sed, 4-cyl $4,000 4
1932 Ford B 2d Sed, 4-cyl $8,000 5
1932 Ford B 2d Sed,
4-cyl, w/o pass rear quarter glass $16,000 4
1933 Ford BB 2d Stake, 4-cyl,
ex-Everitt Resort, Eagle River, WI $9,000 4
1934 Ford 4d Phae Mod,
w/59AB flathead V-8 $22,000 4
1935 Ford DeL 2d Cpe, V-8, 5W $9,000 4
1936 Ford 2d Cabr Mod,
w/’40s V-8 w/Fenton heads &
dual carbs, w/o front clip $5,000 6
1937 Ford DeL Slantback 2d Sed,
w/amber fog lights $3,500 5
1938 Ford DeL 2d Sed, V-8, 85-hp $1,750 5
1940 Ford DeL 2d Conv, V-8,
w/amber fog lamps & grille guard $27,000 4
1941 Ford Sup DeL 4d Sed,
V-8, w/amber headlamps $1,750 4
1927 Henney 4d Limo,
Lycoming 8-cyl, 7P, believed
1 of fewer than 10 in existence $7,500 4
1925 Hertz D-1 4d Trg,
Continental 6-cyl #10V-1688, 5P,
non-folding top w/side windows,
w/Yellow Cab chassis #95030,
used as Chicago taxi until ’34 $11,000 4
1936 Lincoln Zephyr 4d Sed Mod,
V-12, custom twin grilles,
19.5K, w/fender skirts $9,750 4
1941 Lincoln Cont 2d Cpe Mod,
w/o engine & rear bumper $2,500 4
1941 Mercury DeL 2d Conv,
w/o engine, bumpers & top $2,400 5
1937 Pontiac 6 4d Trg Sed, 6-cyl $1,750 4
1933 Rolls-Royce 20/25 4d Enclosed Limo,
6-cyl, chassis #GAF77,
w/division window, SMts $8,500 4
1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30 4d Spt Sed,
6-cyl, RHD, chassis #GPG49 $9,500 4
1922 Studebaker Big Six 2d PU Mod,
SMt, touring conversion $1,500 4
1934 Sunbeam Talbot 4d Sed,
6-cyl, RHD, S/R, w/Lucas headlamps $6,500 4
Miscellaneous
1950 Edwards R-26 2d Rds,
Jaguar XK-120 6-cyl,
‘50 Ford whls, believed to be ’50
Pebble Beach Concours winner $125,000 3
1950 Veritas BMW 2d Conv,
one-off custom, KO disc whls,
BMW #5098 chassis/#97812 engine,
49,800 orig kilometers $170,000 4
1930 Worthington Lawn Tractor,
w/’32 Ford Model B drivetrain $2,250 4
Motorcycles
1942 BSA M20 $6,500 4
1958 Cushman Eagle Motor Scooter,
flathead 318cc, 2-Spd $2,250 4
1911 Excelsior, 1-cyl $40,000 4
1917 Excelsior, w/sidecar $27,500 4
1921 Excelsior $42,500 4
1904 Fabrique-Nationale,
4-cyl, shaft drive $48,000 4
1911 Flying Merkel, twin belt drive $175,000 4
1912 Harley-Davidson, 1-cyl, belt drive $100,000 4
1915 Harley-Davidson, 1-cyl, 2-Spd $50,000 4
1934 Harley-Davidson VLD,
1200cc, w/o front fender $11,000 4
1945 Harley-Davidson WL $12,000 4
19?? Henderson KJ $35,000 6
1926 Henderson, Glenview F.D. livery,
w/reverse gear $55,000 3
1926 Henderson, frame only $26,000 6
1928 Henderson, 4-cyl $47,500 4
1911 Indian, belt drive $45,000 4
1913 Indian, twin $48,000 4
1913 Indian, twin $15,000 6
1931 Indian Scout 101, w/o engine $10,500 6
1936 Indian, 4-cyl $40,000 4
1936 Indian, 4-cyl $32,500 6
1938 Indian, w/rigid frame $56,000 4
1941 Indian, 4-cyl $40,000 6
1911 Pope H, L.R. Hartung 2nd owner, orig
owner’s widow stored it in closet $72,500 4
1909 Sears $57,500 4
1910 Thor $32,500 4
1913 Thor, twin, w/side car $47,000 4
1902 Wagner $28,000 4
1912 Wagner $12,500 6
1948 Whizzer Motorbike $1,300 4
1950 Whizzer Motorbike $1,200 4

The post Hartung Collection spurs bidder frenzy in Illinois appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.