I love the old, rural, mom-and-pop junkyards that dot the landscape around where I live. But if you want to see things that are between 10 and 25 years old – and lots of them – you can’t beat a self-service yard.
As I understand it, those of you to the south and west especially have it made when it comes to self-serve junkyards. Pick-A-Part, Grab & Go… the list goes on. Around here, though, there’s only one corporate operation where you’ll find a price board and rows of wheelbarrows. It takes me a good 45 minutes to get there, but I always make a point to drop by at least a couple times a month. The counter staff is friendly, the prices mostly reasonable, and the turnover excellent. Just cough up $2 and sign the waiver, and your safari begins.
You never know what you might find when visiting this yard. I’ve seen all sorts of strange things pass through here – some of which I’ve taken home, others I only wish I had. And there’s never a dull moment. Two weeks ago, for instance, I nearly hit the blue leather trifecta… an Aurora, a Caddy, and a Park Avenue whose interior color was debatable (blueish gray).
On this particular day, though, one row of the GM department was stranger than usual: two Azteks and a Reatta within feet of each other.
Strangely, both Azteks seemed to have made it here as the result of right front collisions. The silver one was strictly unremarkable, but the red one was worth a closer look.
The smooth, color-keyed cladding tells us it’s 2002 or newer.
And what a well-optioned beast it was! It even had the uncommon (at least around here) two-tone sport leather. The oil change sticker suggests its odometer had just rolled into the triple digits – surprisingly low for a junkyard car.
More oddball options. I’d never encountered one of these plastic rear organizers in real life until now. My hopes of finding the specially made Aztek tent inside it, however, were dashed.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better (worse?), we see it claims to be AWD equipped – and a quick peek under the rear confirms it. An odd beast indeed! This, combined with the likelihood of low miles and a non-mechanical cause of death, help explain why someone was hard at work extracting its transmission.
Being blinded by the overwhelming presence of two Azteks bombarding my senses, I didn’t even notice the Reatta next door until I began moving down the row. According to the window paint, this is a 1990.
Though clearly an unloved example, this little Buick still had a few decent parts to offer.
Upon seeing the Texas inspection sticker, it becomes somewhat clearer how this one survived the tin-worm.
I’d like to think this one’s parts might be saving other Reattas. But being as the only things missing were identifying marks and the CRT, I suspect only souvenir hunters had been at it thus far.
Backseats? We don’t need no stinking backseats! Just a passthrough for your… um, hockey sticks? waterskis? building materials?
What’s a car I haven’t seen in this yard in a while? Which foreign two-seater do I not need any parts from today? What were those seats I saw leaving as I arrived pulled out of? Yup, I guess Miata is always the answer… you just gotta ask the right questions.
Is this post crushing it, or does seeing so much scrap just weigh you down? Let me know in the comments below! Your input will help to determine whether or not I should do more Junkyard Outtakes in the future. (If the reception is positive, you can look forward to a battle of the low-mile Iron Dukes – among other things – next week!)
Will Aztek infamy ever make it a collectable like the Edsel?
We still haven’t see any interest in the Reatta and a good one can be had for very little money. Its like the era’s Mercury Capri, a two seater with the attraction of a bottle opener.
Too bad about the Miata. A fun toy for anyone’s garage.
No.
Isn’t the Mercury Capri, that eras Mercury Capri?
I absolutely love walking through junkyards. Each car has a story to tell.
+1
I’ve also seen a Reatta in a self-serve yard, about a year ago in Baltimore. It was similarly untouched except for the instrument cluster, but was in much nicer shape than this one.
Also definitely enjoy this feature
Was that crazy Rays off of Erdman Ave? I have not been there in years but I go to the Crazy Ray’s in Laurel and Mt Airy all the time. $1 to get in and loads to see
Crazy Ray’s in Mt. Airy or the one in Jessup are like walking through a post-apocalyptic Superfund site. But oh, god, the things one can find there. I’m actually headed to Jessup for some browsing this coming week…
This was the Erdman one. I love going to all the Crazy Rays
Keep ’em coming! I just visited my local pick-n-pull a couple of days ago, and was amazed at the variety of what appear to be completely (but most likely uneconomically) repairable vehicles sitting out there. Examples (all of which had zero body damage and no rust) include: A 1975 Jaguar V12 sedan, A 1998 Jaguar V8 sedan (with the interior completely stripped), not one but two completely-intact 1999 Honda Odysseys (most likely both having dead transmissions), the usual assortment of late-1990s Land Rovers (one of which hilariously had “power windows don’t work” written on the back glass – that was probably the least of its worries), two Caddy Cateras, and a near-perfect 1990 Ford F350 crew cab dually tow monster that I removed the bucket/console front seat out of.
Oh, and a Toyota extended-cab pickup that had nothing left but the frame, engine, and box. Somebody had remove the entire front end and cab (probably using one of the portable A-frame hoists normally used for removing engines) out in the yard! I have never seen an entire pickup cab harvested from out there before like that so it must have been in good shape.
I’m in the PNW where rust isn’t a problem, and it both amazes and saddens me to see the vehicles that we are crushing out here that I know people in the rust belt would kill to get their hands on.
“it both amazes and saddens me to see the vehicles that we are crushing out here that I know people in the rust belt would kill to get their hands on”
True, true. I recently bought a 1977 Chevy Van which made it from its hometown of Seattle to Minnesota before the owner ran out of money. It was clean, clean, clean – a real dream for a Minnesotan like me – but he still complained that it was rusty. Why? A few pinholes starting in the front left wheel arch.
If I’m ever given the chance to take a big trailer west and load it up with CCs, you’d better believe I would!
My last yard trip I spotted a Dodge pickup stripped to the frame like that. Made for the easiest starter motor removal I’ve every done. 🙂
1990 and 91 Reattas didn’t come with the crt, they have a large color vacuum fluorescent dashboard, separate climate and audio controls.
I love junkyards. It was fun to see a couple of Azteks, which GM should have perhaps delivered directly from the factory to the junkyard, since they sort of look wrecked to begin with. This having been said, I’d consider buying one if I was in a financial bind and my current car bit the dust. With that face that only a mother could love, they’re probably pretty cheap, unless fans of the TV show Breaking Bad have driven up the price.
Dang, an Aztek. I could be working on my Walter White costume right now!
“Is this post crushing it, or does seeing so much scrap just weigh you down?”
That is a very interesting question!
Probably depends on my mood. In my old car owning days, I walked a few pick-and-pull lots, usually with a friend, and it was always fun to see what was there, wonder why a few decent looking cars were there, and set about the mission of finding, pulling, and heading home to complete our repairs. Those were mainly high school and college summer days. What’s not to like?
But, even seeing a trio like the Reatta, Skylark, and Aztec on the way out is a little sad. These cars were GM’s reaction to earlier criticism about look alike cars, and they certainly did not all look alike! I actually like the Reatta and Skylark, but the Aztec is a head scratcher.
It is sort of fun to speculate what the final approval meeting for the Aztec was like…….
Head Product Honcho: “It’s different. I think it will find a place with young outdoor types. You have to take some chances in this business.” Internal thought: I can’t beat up on my people, I asked for different and got it.
Second Vote: “I agree. It’s easily identifiable, and offers a sports / outdoors ethos without being on a gas guzzling truck platform. It’s a breakout product segment for Pontiac.” Internal thought: But dang, it’s ugly.
Third Vote: “I’ll go with you guys. Let’s do it.” Internal thought: I’ve been raising alarm bells for months, but what can I do?
The sad thing is that the Aztek looks less ugly 10 years after it first came out then it did when new. Perhaps we have gotten used to its looks or numb or there be uglier cars out9such as most Nissan products(i.e. Juke, Cube and Murano convertible)
Wow, I’m not alone here…although I’d probably say “all Nissan products except the Cube”. Like CARMINE, I have a weird attraction to it. :p
I don’t like the Cube?
I was just kidding.
You’re being too kind to GM, I picture that meeting going something like this…
GM Exec 1: “So, this is it, huh?”
GM Exec 2: “Yeah, pathetic little Pontiac if you ask me.”
GM Exec1: “Hey, it’s what the boys on the 14th floor want and the psychographics say it will be a huge hit once we spin it off to Olds and Caddy.”
GM Exec2: “Caddy!?, You’re giving the Aztek to Cadillac?” (face-palm)
GM Exec3: “Sure, the Aztek will give Cadillac the youthful shot in the arm it needs”
GM Exec2: “Does any one here remember Cimar…?”
GM Exec3: “We’re too close to retirement to rock the boat and it’s almost happy hour, so let’s get out of here. Look, the Aztek will do fine, after all we’re GM where else are people going to buy cars?”
A leather-wrapped wheel wasn’t standard on the later Reatta?
Leather steering wheel was standard. Only options were 16 way driver’s seat, sun roof and cd player. I may have forgotten an item but they were very well equipped.
Keep them coming!
That Miata looks pretty solid. A little accident damage but rare to them hit the yard.
It had something like 275K miles, though, and thoroughly kid-beaten on top of it all. Plus, I never saw the top condition – perhaps it had none?
Seems like a rag-top getting too ratty is usually a tipping point when people decide whether to fix or scrap their older verts.
count me in as a fan of aimlessly wandering through a wrecking yard. I haven’t gone in about 10 years, which makes this the next best thing 🙂
The local junkyards in my area are a wonder as you never know what you will find. $1 and a signature on the sheet saying you will not sue if you cut your arm off, gets you in. The other day I saw this 1980 Mercury Zephyr Z7 in one of the junk yards and it is in good shape other then the dent in this fender. A while back there was a post about a 2 Door Fairmont or Zephyr(I cannot remember which) that was wrecked in the front and i mentioned that they could easy find the parts in the junk yard and repair it only to be shot down by somebody who was sure that the Zephyr and Fairmont could not be found in good shape with out being a total rust bucket in the junk yard but these cars come into this junk yard at a regular pace.
Where is that junkyard located? I’ve got an ’80 Fairmont that I need interior parts for
If you don’t keep posting junkyard-visits, I’ll have to start doing it. Love this stuff.
Of course there are times when you can find interesting things in the local junk yard. In Sept 2011 a large part of Upper Marlboro Maryland flooded including Ron Bortnick Ford.
In May 2012 the local junk yard in Laurel Maryland had a lot of late model Fords in the crushed area. Late model Rangers, F150’s,Tauruses etc. The vehicles came from the Flood from Ron Bortnick Ford. They decided to crush them since they could not sell flood cars. It is a shame they were not gutted for parts like lights, doors or other things that did not mind the wetness. There must have been a hundred or so cars back there. There were rows and rows of them. I took other pics but have to find them
That is incredible.
Wow, what a waste. You would think at least doors/trunk lids/hoods and trim bits could have been reused.
It’s amazing and sad how many Reattas have ended up in junk yards like this. You’d think they’d be more of a collector’s car given their rarity and uniqueness for a Buick.
As for the Aztek, I agree that it actually doesn’t look quite so horrible in 2013 when compared with other crossovers currently on the market. What still really turns me off is how small the wheels were on these and the Rendevous. Totally going for the Elephant in Ballerina Shoes look.
Those leather seats in the Aztek actually look half decent for a GM car. Good for Pontiac, but I guess sadly for Cadillac, they look like the exact same grade of leather used in the ’09 Escalade a relative of mine drives.
Brendan, go to the aaca.com web site and scroll down to the Buick Reatta forum. Check out the number of people on the forum. It is usually the most people signed on.
Here’s a sad one — this Reatta was at the scrapyard. Never saw a “GSX” Reatta before! The emblem did not look aftermarket but must have been. One little encounter with a curb at high-speed…sadly it could have been fixed.
I put a battery in it & took it for a virtual spin. The headlight motors still worked.
GSX was a package for the 95+ Regal. It was built by SLP. Yes the same SLP that did the Firehawk and SS350 Camaro. IIRC it was those GSX emblems,stainless steel exhaust and ram air style air cleaner. You could order one directly through your friendly Buick dealer.
I’m assuming someone ordered or pilfered that GSX emblem from one of those cars. Heck maybe it’s a geniune or reproduction emblem from a 70-72 GSX.
Interesting: thanks. That does satisfy my curiosity somewhat!
In case you didn’t know how fast a Reatta is programmed to go, you do now. Since the driveaxle had been pulled from the transmission in the mishap, I wasn’t going anywhere so what the heck. I often crank up death-row inmates when I’m interested in purchasing the drivetrain but sometimes I do it out of morbid curiosity.
My Reatta joyride ended when the oil light came on: evidently the crash had knocked a hole in the oil pan. Even though I always wanted to blow an engine sky-high once before I die, there was no way I could do it to this poor car so I shut it off immediately. Since this place doesn’t sell parts to the general public, everything got smushed except the instrument cluster, front signal lights, headlight assemblies, “Reatta” side moldings, and whatever small bits I removed & sold on ebay.
The CRT was hosed up which meant both the audio & climate control functions were inop: an incredibly stupid design from more than one standpoint.
That Reatta cluster would have brought you a good amount of money as the Reatta and that era Buick Riv had issues with the clusters burning out(it was a stupid hard to find resistor if memory serves me correctly)
I actually forgot what the parts brought, but the above picture was used in the Ebay ad itself: serving as proof that the unit still worked. I kept a log of my ebay sales for awhile & this is in it…but it’s packed away somewhere & will probably never be found.
As someone that owned a loaded 2001 Aztek, I have to say that the slide out rear cargo tray was truly genius , and i hope this one gets rescued and gets used in another Aztek
I owned a 2001 1SC, 2004 Rally and now a second 2004 Rally. The 01 had the cargo net system which was neat, but it was still a long reach over the tailgate to get anything back there. Really tough on the old lower back. Both 04’s had/have the tray, one of the best things ever in a car with a tailgate. I use mine just about everytime I get in that car. Supposedly, they were inspired by a similar tray used in contemporary Saab station wagons (back when there were still SWs to be found).
Regardless of the origin, a wonderful device.
There’s a Reatta for sale on the local craigslist for $800. Supposedly it’s red, has 90K miles, and is refusing to start after being in long-term storage. No pics – might be part of the reason it’s gone weeks without selling.
I’d probably have went and looked at it by now, but I really don’t have any particular use for one, and I know that trying to resell it would be a losing proposition.
A nearby used car lot has had a pretty clean looking black one all summer. I forget the price – $2000 perhaps? Doesn’t seem to matter, though; I haven’t seen it go out on even one test drive so far.
I had a chance to buy a used 1988 Reatta in red but had to turn it down because of both time and family matters. In 2009 my grandmother died and her funeral was in Shillington PA(outside of reading pa) My mother and my father had gone up to get things ready the week before and I came up on the day of the funeral because I had to wait till my brother arrived(he is in the NAVY and they had to fly him off the ship to get him to the funeral) We arrived early in Shillington PA so we drove around and visited all the places we used to go to when we were growing up as kids. The local mom and pop car dealer there had a 1988 Reatta but was not yet open for the day. Had it been and had I had time I would have gone in and bought it and had my brother drive it back for me. It could be tagged historic in maryland(as it was 20 years old) and I could keep it in my drive way till I got it all up to snuff.
They are nice riding cars
You would be surprised how much of an interest these cars get(maybe not in your area but in other areas)
I love these junkyard posts, keep them coming. Stuff like that cargo tray likely gets good money on ebay. Years ago, I used to have a nice little sideline going selling cargo covers that people in San Francisco would forget to give back when returning their leased Land Rovers, Audi Wagons. Volvos etc. They’d give them away for free on Craigslist after they found it in the garage, I’d zip over at lunch, have it on ebay by 2pm and they’d always sell. The most I ever got was $175 for a Land Rover Discovery Cargo Cover. Plus shipping of course…
Some people think Aztecs are worth fixing.
Love the Junkyard Outtakes. More, please!
You are lucky the lot you visit leave the wheels and tires on the vehicles. At my nearest pull-a-part only a small number of tires are displayed separately for sale, and factory wheels (except for some cheap steel wheels that serve as jackstands) are sold for scrap metal value as soon they hit the yard. Hard to understand why the lot sells for scrap aluminum prices the gorgeous alloy wheels that came with Lincolns, Escalades and many others.
I generally try not to look at junkyard posts, as they depress me. But this one got my attention due to the Azteks. I bought my third on back in May, a Rally without the Versatrack and the rear air suspension (kind of an odd option set).
I need to hit a boneyard though, as the jack is missing and the rod to lower the spare tire, too. Plus, I need to source a new lip spoiler (broken off) and the plastic “slat” that holds the headlight in place. When I first saw the car, I didn’t notice that it had been in a minor accident, enough to break that delicate plastic headlight holder. Ugh…
FWIW, the leather seats shown in the one photo are really, comfy. I have the exact same ones in my Rally, other than the fact that mine came with the word “Rally” embroidered in them. I’d like to get another set of those seats for my garage, they would make a great throne for bench racing sessions…
Here’s a pic of my “new” Aztek…
Another comment about the slide out tray in my Aztek. It was always a hit with (actually envy ) the hockey moms in their Suburbans and Explorers . Loaded with hockey bags I would easily slide it out, to hear them say “What a great idea”
“Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better (worse?), we see it claims to be AWD equipped – and a quick peek under the rear confirms it. An odd beast indeed! This, combined with the likelihood of low miles and a non-mechanical cause of death, help explain why someone was hard at work extracting its transmission.”
The nice thing about the Versatrak equipped ones, was the four wheel disc brakes that came standard with the unit. Versatrak is a viscous coupling AWD system, on-demand only when you need the extra traction. I think it’s a 35/65 split at max output. I don’t remember what the production numbers were like on these, but safe to say the majority were FWD. I’ve run across quite a few AWD Azteks in my travels, but I see more FWD ones.
If you think about it, the Aztek was like the early millenial re-creation of the 6000 STE. It had (optionally) many of the features and toys that were available in the STE, but in a larger (and higher center of gravity laden package). I would have liked to have seen a production version that was not jacked up to the sky, but lowered and with more aggressive road tuning focus, rather than trying to play in the same space as the utes of the time.
Definitely keep articles like this coming. It reminds me of a find I once made in a junkyard myself. During the later months of 1995 (while I was in my last year of high school), I decided to put the 1981 Camaro I recently was given by my mother due to her replacing it with a new Monte Carlo (the Camaro being given to her by dad when it was brand new) into winter storage. The mechanic that my family was using at the time (and had for quite a while) recommended that I go to an auto recyclers to find some K-car jacks to put it up on. I went to the local auto scrappers to try to find a set; I never did. However, being a huge Cadillac lover at the time I spotted one car in the yard I would’ve killed for. It was a mid 80’s Fleetwood Brougham with a 305 V8, it had a navy blue cloth interior, navy blue vinyl roof and a light sky blue paint job…and the car looked like it just rolled off the assembly line! It was an absolutely gorgeous car…I have no idea what compelled the previous owner to junk it, and I didn’t ask the yard why it wound up there. What I did ask is how much they wanted for it, because I wanted that car, and badly! The person behind the counter told me that they couldn’t sell me the car because they already pulled the VIN off of it. I have no idea if that was an excuse or what, but that really made me disappointed.
Being that the 305 and 307 were reliable and that it was not cursed with the 4.1l V8, I am guessing that the transmission took a dump.The THM-200C and THM-200-4R were not exactly in the record books for worlds most reliable trans. It probably blew the trans and it was junked or had several transmission replacements and was junked
Junkyard Outtakes rock. It’s always interesting seeing partially disassembled cars, as it gives an idea how they were designed and built. More posts please! 🙂