Steel components last the longest.

In either place, be prepared to Galvanized Metal OEM Customized Stamping Parts haggle over the price. The late-model counter-jockey yard is good for finding that trick Honda (theyre good for pieces, anyway) remote trunk release or door handle. Bring only enough money to buy the parts you really need (the more money you bring, the greater the temptation to buy some eye-candy junk you dont need and wont be able to sell later). Grab your tool bag and head out for the yardtheres gold in them thar parts piles!
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Many of the same rules HOT ROD outlined in Swap Meet Shopping Tips (December 95) apply here. From engine components to wheels, with a little rust and crud removal and some paint or plating, these components can look and work like new at a fraction of the cost of new pieces. And why not? Nearly everything is useable, except some rubber, plastic and glass pieces, which age quickly. If you think something is priced too high, the best way to tell em is to not buy it.

WHATS A CHOICE SALVAGE YARD?
Two types of salvage yards exist: the U-pick yards and the counter-jockey yards. Just dont be a jerk about the price, because itll probably go up. Bring the tools you need to remove the parts you want (a steering wheel puller, if a wheel is what you need), and know how to remove them so you dont foolishly break some very useable part in ignorance. Youre just there to find what you need, then the yard sends an employee to pull the part while you wait. The counter-jockey yard has the pieces you want pulled while you wait at the counter. Some yards arent flexible on their prices, but most are, and if you dont ask, youll never know.

WHAT IS USEABLE?
Its amazing what hot rodders find in salvage yards and bolt to their carsessentially, everything and anything. Once in a while, parts will appear that you hadnt planned on buying but are very rare or are priced incredibly right. Spend some quality time scrounging around the local salvage yard for parts, and you too can have this wonderful shallow-pockets experience.Very few things in life feel as good as scoring a great deal on a part you need for your hot rod. The U-picks are exactly thatyou bring your tools, unbolt what you want and drag it out. Know what you are looking for before you get to the yard. The U-pick yard is good for little piecesbrackets, springs, fasteners, clamps and so onthat you can throw in your toolbox and buy for pennies on the dollar or for general late-model equipment, like drivetrain pieces and suspension components.

Combing the salvage yards for parts can be a lot of fun. In these cases, it is right to buy, but these situations are rare. But to make it fun and useful, you should have a plan so youre not wasting time looking for something you dont need.

Both yards offer used parts at a significantly lower cost than new parts, but they both should be utilized differently. Know what the parts should cost. Some counter-jockey yards allow you into the yard but only without tools. This setup is driven by the cost of the salvaged car: The more expensive late-models are precisely dismantled by salvage yard employees to minimize the destruction of saleable items. In general, the U-pick yards are filled with older cars, and the newer-car yards have employees pull the parts