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General MINI TalkShared experiences, motoring minutes, and other general MINI-related discussion that applies to all MINIs, regardless of model, year or trim.
If I'm not working on my R53, I often enjoy heading out to the savage yard on the weekends. I never know what I might find.
While I'm thankful for the opportunity to aquire or make use of hard to find original parts, I often find it bittersweet to see these 1st iterations of Mini's (metaphorically) standing at the gates before their final resting place (aka: the crusher).
Amazing to me how you can nearly stuff an entire Mini inside of a MIni.
This one "you" (I) don't see everyday = '05 R52 in Blackeyed Purple...
There were also 2wo other Mini's on the lot: a 2010 (R55) Clubman and a 2007 Mini... destined to meet their fate.
I thought it might be (perhaps morbidly), interesting if there was a thread or discussion documenting these once enjoyed but poor and soon to be forgotten junk yard gems.
I'm glad I don't get the chance to see salvage yard cars very often, Even when I buy stuff from one of the breakers like Allmag, I feel a little sad. Someone loved these cars. Someone felt that same feeling when they picked these cars up new at their dealer back in the day.
Much love here for Zen in the Junkyards, always love seeing some tranquility bones, but man do I miss analog odometers because it was always neat to see the actual expiration date, never get to see that with these damn digi-doo-doo-odos.
Agree about that tragic element also, 'tis bittersweet no doubt as the R53 attrition rate continues claiming motor-souls, but at least they may sacrifice a last gasp giving something-or-other bits & bobs to a survivor in need for a grateful owner who's hellbent for leather on making piles of miles, so some smiles are shared!
Last coupla months been workin' up north, first was Ft. Wayne and hit a couple of yards there, was awestruck by their suckiness and somewhat saddened by a total strikeout, but I always love seeing Space Blue so there's that I guess, just a weird scene at them digs...
:
...rode back home on an alternate route so I could stop by the LKQ Dayton Ohio location --- had a nice walk despite this territorial goose tryin' to goat my gander:
:
I love how LKQ PYP puts up pics:
:
But I wasn't expecting to find this because bonnet-up shot gave no clue, super stoked because flawless with all tabs intact and damn near mint!
:
Few weeks later back for a gig in Cincinnati but no dice there, next up was Huron so took an hour out-of-the-way roundabout to check the PAP in West Cleveland and OMG the car was utterly destroyed despite only being on the yard for 4 days.
As a consolation prize found a good store for craft beers so hey it wasn't a complete waste!
Saw this old Mercedes there, dug on the Agip sticky.
:
The best part about Ohio is driving through Kentucky to get there,
it is wise to always take the scenic route!
Had an awesome airbnb deep country and woke this morning to some nice scenery...
...highlight on the rideback was 478,
google maps makes it look almost straight but it certainly wasn't,
478 is the road on the bottom:
Eventually made my way back on highway 75
and headed toward Knoxville PAP
YOWZA!
Another apocalyptic scene!
But there was a hidden treat!
Euro parcel shelf already dismounted and just sitting there for the $15 taking, complete with soft pad and blank plate, and I like seeing the grey interior panels also as I haven't seen very many, was tempted to get them as well but a good bit scuffy and dunno how to heal the amoeba pattern hard plastic stuff.
Long line because Saturday.
Also,
saw this orange Triumph there,
bet it was a good looker in its prime times.
Last edited by Oldboy Speedwell; 06-17-2023 at 02:37 PM.
@Oldboy Speedwell Thank you for taking us on that extraordinary journey. It almost rivals the haunted house tour of Savannah!
Although nothing I can share by comparison to your post - I have only a few documented graveyard pics on this "new" phone to add...
Would you look at that rag top. It's in near perfect condition!
Same with the interior.
...and what appears to be a new fan assembly in what used to be the back seat.
I snagged this Orrange FRP Aero spoiler off an '02 R50... It also had facelift OEM projector beam headlights that appeared to be brand new...
Alas...I don't know where my head was at at the time and neglected to pull them while I was there.
I was a late adopter to smartphones and held onto my flipphone until it totally crapped out, but still didn't develop the "photo absolutely everything" vibe until kinda a little later but still very much an old fogey so I'm missing abuncha graveyard shots where I forgot or didn't bother, wish I had snapped a pic of every R50/R52/R53 that I've came across because it'd be a neat portfolio to go through, or lament not getting something when I had the chance which has happened more than once, like one quick example is leaving this exhaust behind, should have been a no-brainer but often I have no brain LOL wrote it off as an unworthy Invidia ripoff but would've been neat to have around and maybe even install just to hear how it sounded...
...but speaking of haunted tours,
did find a crazy old ghostyard once and took a stroll for photos because it was just so singularly unique by the fact that it was euro-centric and located in smalltown Alabama --- too many pics to share here and offtopic because vintage euro, but did post up about it at TCL where I've been since wayback just for general car discussion stuff, if you wanna see here's the link:
@Oldboy Speedwell Ahhh, The memories we share.
Forgive me for straying a bit off topic but we seem to have similar experiences. Your photos bring back so many memories, reminiscent to when I was an aircooled driven young adult.
I spent many thousands of miles traveling across the US interstates...without a roadmap. Your last (recent) image at the old Texaco station stirred up such an emotional impact. I often loved stopping at places like that.
If not...anyone else remember Stuckey's?
Way off the topic of graveyard Mini's....but...
To your mention of that Triumph TR6(?) -
I had recently come across and inquired about this.... 1972 Porsche 914...
...but Wait there's more!...
GM 43L V6 swap w/Porsche 5 speed transmission (couldn't get the rear engine compartment open but could peek through a gap).
Sadly @ $22k asking - the undercarriage was so rusty and worn it was definitely a no sale!
I apologize for the non Mini related interruption.
Yeah it's fun stopping at such spots, had to look it up when I got home.
Also tend to stop for old signs in general because I have a good friend who collects the old gas & oil stuff, so like to send him "as found in situ" pictures.
And oh man!
No apologies needed because my favorite sort of thread bounces allover everything and highlights how great forums are for conversational indepthness when compared to other online formats.
V6 5sp seems a good choice on that 914, but YIKES! on the asking price!
Everything is so distortedly crazy now eh?
At some point I began to look for old copies of Auto Trader just because I find them fun to look back upon, but they are hard-to-find due to ephemeral nature of disposable birdcage liner so surprisingly few copies survived despite the fairly large print runs they had in each region, and often the asking prices are totally ridiculous, but did find a cheap 1988 copy from the PacNW area which is always good for import stuff, so here's a few ads to go down memory lane:
Much big obsessive thread on that topic at the aforementioned TCL but all goofy from recent formatting update changes which in my opinion make it less legible and more difficult to read, but seems like many forums are making such changes for the worse, we're very lucky here at NAM to have such a nice interface and hope it never gets ruined,
anyway linky:
Craigslist is almost as extinct as print edition AutoTrader these days but still hanging on thankfully, FB and other sites have taken over it seems but it was a great spot for finding cars and I used to constantly keep up with it --- back when I was looking for an R53 but having a hard time finding a non-sunroof I began to get frustrated (after like 5 months of solid scouting) and started to consider other options, and vintage stuff was never off the table. I almost bought this '73 Opel Kadett with Manta front swap that was only 15 minutes away from my house and if I did then perhaps I'd never have gotten my R53 and would be hangin' on the sparsely populated Opel boards instead LOL
What were we talking about again?
Junkyards but also mid-engined sportscars too.
MR2 Spyder was also on my option list, but much prefer tin roof and although available, the hardtops for MR2's don't exactly float my boat.
Everything is so random,
art is the daily mundane.
Missed oppo to get these Wilwoods because the Alfa was still behind the gates and all closed off.
And, to end mini again:
mellow yellow R50 found in Nashville a couple of years back...
I paid $3,000 for a 1967, 6cyl, 911 Carerra back in 1984.
$200 for my 1973 2.0 liter 914 back in 1986.
Both were my first short lived attempts as restoration projects.
One of my biggest car related regrets is not getting a 105 Alfa GTV back when they were affordable, although I had several good opportunities it just never happened, a yellow 1969 1750 GTV in particular which got away still haunts me in my dreams...
Sometimes I'll check in over at Ratsun hoping to score an old ratty 510 wagon, but it's also fun to read/see,
the pic above is from their Wrecking Yard Report thread:
Sometimes I like to browse the salvage auctions just to see what is on offer, would love to buy a few if cheap enough but I lack a truck/trailer and have no space to keep a fleet of derelict R53's either LOL
This one is located in Loganville Ga. and looks like it might actually be driveable as the accident damage appears fairly minor,
wonder if they'd let you drive it away instead of tow?
Another thing is the somewhat high price of becoming a registered buyer and all the various fees involved,
really have not much of an idea about how it all works as I've never looked too deeply into it.
Headed out for an early morning drive whilst the crazies were still fast asleep in their beds...
I had received a notification earlier this week that 2wo Mini's had landed in the salvage yard. Both '09 R56 (non S).
Since I was out far enough and near by; curious, I decided to deviate and head out to the yard to see what kind of condition they were in.
Looks like the R56's seem to be more prevalent these days as their current demise seem to increase...
This '09 R56 had only been in the yard for 2wo days...
Seats gone and ransacked like some tenants in default fleeing in the pre dawn hours. If you notice in the pic above; Even the curtains (aka: pano sunroof) were gone!
I guess someone was in too much of a hurry (or lazy) pulling the intake and other parts to even bother removing the front bumper or radiator.
Only been on the lot four days prior
Not necessarily Mini related but surprisingly, I happened upon a couple of other noteworthy Euro-brands one doesn't often see in today's graveyard "marketplace".
Thats r52 with BRG and Green top is so rare. Most people just went with a black top. Blue tops are pretty rare as I had mine built that way. I seen a handful of hot orange with green tops.
What a shame...Seemed to once be a pretty nice looking '09 R56 ("justa")
The interior looked to be in damn good condition with a very minor tear in the driver's seat bolster being the exception.
What's your guess - Pole or big *** truck & trailer hitch impact?
Well, I suppose that's one way to get t the door actuator...
Not much of a wow factor from this '04 R50 that had once been lovingly abused by a young adult
C'mon people; It's a pre-facelift for cryin' out loud! - Have you forgotten that there's a hatch release cable under the back seat? - Gee-wiz!
I did manage to take home these CravenSpeed strut tower defenders as a $10 for the day parting gift
Some other things you just don't see every day...
Wow! Tagged as a 1969 Triumph TR6... @Oldboy Speedwell can you confirm???
Now THIS is the kind of body stuff I used to love to build when I was a young adult
Although I know it may seem petty to some... But having been a life long aircooled guy since I learned to drive...
This Beetle was tagged as a 1973. It is clearly (to me) a 1970 model.
The difference being: 1970 was the last year built with the "apron" front nose. From there on after (1971) they went with the curved front, Super Beetle design with rounded windsheilds in 1972.
No big deal - Just my observation.
Looks great and I love your thread too, just been more of a casual reader lately and not logging in much, but deffo enjoy seeing your documentation and progression of work.
The couple of Gulf pics above are from rural southeast Tennessee, if I see old petroliana signs I'll often stop to snap pics for my buddy who's big into collecting that stuff because you rarely see them in situ anymore, it's pretty crazy what people pay for those signs.
Failed to get a good pic of my car at this stop but the gas station was supercool, on the same rideback as spotting the old Gulf stuff too, in Tenn.
Last edited by Oldboy Speedwell; 08-05-2023 at 04:53 AM.
I always love seeing old stuff at the yards, but also such a shame!
Just got back from working in Ocala Florida and we were on a harsh deadline so no days to spare but did get off early on Sunday at like 4:00 so drove out to a cool joint because they had more than several R50/R52/R53's listed, it was 45 minutes away so pressed for time but was gonna at least scope the scene to see if I should take time out on the rideback and revisit to pull some stuff, but ended up just coming straight home...
...although did snap some pics and it was a cool independent place too which is a nice change from the conglomerate-owned operations all over everywhere nowadays.
Rusty yank tanks in the entryway pasture to greet me, yellow R56 in the background.
Had a bunch of cars by the office,
21 year old R50 hiding in the corner.
Oh,
and that van!
w o w
They had motorbikes too.
Then,
finally got back to the yard proper...
First one I came across had leftover beer cans!
LOL
R53 in Astro Black is somewhat rare,
just don't see too many of them.
I always look at strut tower tops too,
and it was odd seeing a battery still in the car at a junkyard.
Yellow seems more common than black!
I wish S-Lites were actually light LOL I think they look fantastic but not willing to take the weight penalty.
Was rather astonished how unpicked and clean these cars were,
superchargers usually get ripped out quick.
Another reminder of the robust aftermarket from wayback with this fuel cap which emulates a flush-fit Mocal style instead of the R53 Monza style.
This R52 suffered a cruel fate.
Last edited by Oldboy Speedwell; 08-05-2023 at 04:56 AM.
Another weekend....Another salvage yard.
This weekend I headed out to Gray & White - a salvage yard I've never been to before.This particular one was about 35mi away from within my metro surroundings. Needless to say there's not a lot of Mini drivers out in them there parts.
So all (most of the time) or most of the good stuff could still be had! Opposed to seeing stripped Mini's in the metro yards a day after they land the lot.
I scored a driver side facelift projector headlight off this '06 ragtop
I looked for one of these aftermarket arm rests in anthracite for about a year or two. Too bad someone had to rip apart and break it's console.
As I was leaving the yard for the day...
As a life long aircooled nut - I could spot this old gem a mile away = A 1964 convertible Corvair! My once dream was to stuff one of these 6 cylinder engines in the *** end of one of my classic VW Beetles. Damn shame I'm not 24 years old anymore.
Really? - When was the last time you've heard the name Renault? Better yet when was the last time you saw one of these 'Le Car's ?
Yup - a 1966 Tbird.
Another Triumph bites the dust. Some people are either tired or just loose vision = Sad.
The lot mistakenly stickered this as a 1967 - Although in fact it is a 1969 Pontiac Bonneville. No big deal. But would you just look at that beautiful beak!!! sweet lines.
The 1967 AMC Javelin has been my "Eleanor " since before I could drive Just look at those sails!
I know I have deviated a bit far from across the pond but...
More poor Mini's to come next time around.....
Spotted this '06 'Just-a' at a local salvage yard in mid November...
Man look at the condition of those headlamps! Wow - what a wonderful score those would be if those were only the Xenon projectors I've been looking for...
This what became of this very same 'Just-a' by late November.
Several months back I came across a couple of guys at the same salvage yard cutting out the pano sunroof off another Mini.
They were planning to re-purpose/weld it on to the roof of a '87 Olds....Looks like they've been at it again.
Here's what remains of the interior of this 'Just -a'
'Tis the season for R52's
An '05 R52
I never could or spent enough time, figuring out how to access a locked rear hatch on an R52, without dismantling the back seat or otherwise breaking the rear glass
I guess somethings are better left a secret.
I often wondered what or if the R52's underside X brace would fit an R53?
I've since read that the brace does not line up (among other things) with the frame of an R53....and probably wouldn't make much difference anyway.
But anything can be made possible with a little ingenuity and the right tools...if someone really had the desire.
06-04-2023, 12:04 PM
- the undercarriage was so rusty and worn it was definitely a no sale!
