New scrapper, couple questions!

Hello everybody, just joined the site and will now be looking for answers. But while i am looking i might as well ask some questions!

First of all i am going to start scrapping vehicles. ( i am however not new to vehicles)
Things my local scrap yard require.
Remove all fluids such as, oil, antifreeze, transmission fluid ect...
Remove gas tanks

These are the things i will be removing and scrapping separately.
Batteries
Catalytic Converters
Alternators
Starters
Aluminum Rims
I will also be removing the tires to make it more prepared.

So Basically here are my main questions.
Is there anything else i should take off to scrap separately?
Is there copper anywhere else i can remove?
If it has aluminum intake/heads, is it worth it to remove them?
What else can i take off my vehicle to increase its value (more prepared)
Should i sell my alternators as is, or take the copper out of them?
What is actually in my starter? Any copper? Or sell that as a motor?

Basically any tips for getting the most out of scrapping a car would be awesome!
Thanks so much!
Jordan

This thread had been CLOSED for some unknown reason. I have opened it for replies/comments.

The radiator is easily removable, there's some wiring in there, and good parts are worth a lot more than scrap.

The alternator is usually worth it to take apart, but that's up to you. Same with the starters.

Welcome to the forum Jordan, Albeit I am not a car scrapper it sounds like you have the basic idea down pat.

For your questions,
Every hunk of copper you pull off or out of the car will improve you profit margin.
You must ask yourself if the time and effort is worth the extra money or is it better to just move the product and let the next guy in the chain spend the labor and reap the results.

Thanks for the quick replies guys!

What exactly can i scrap the radiator for? Is there something in it?
Also, whats in the starter? Copper?
Thanks again for the tips!

You may want to scan some car forums that are related to the vehicle you are scrapping. If you don't specialze you can easily pass up on valuable interior pieces that can be interchanged between models and years.

For example, a set of sun visors from a 96+ VW Cabriolet will bring you $50 since they are the only ones offered in black and fit all 93-99 Mk3s. A black 93+ VW Corrado dome light W/sunroof switch can bring in over $100 for the same reason.

Scrap lap. Thank you for the responce. I know exactly what your saying.. only problem with that is that i do not use ebay, and live in a smallish town, so not a big group looking for parts... but if its a common vehicle. i shall do that! Thanks!

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Originally Posted by BubbasGarage

Thanks for the quick replies guys!

What exactly can i scrap the radiator for? Is there something in it?
Also, whats in the starter? Copper?
Thanks again for the tips!

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Bubba can I ask how this thread was closed the first time?

You seem to want to sound experienced yet ask very basic questions, perhaps you should post an introduction in the intro section so folks can get a handle on who you are first then more people will be apt to answer and help you.

Yes the starter is wound with copper and radiators are most often made of copper core..........

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Originally Posted by BubbasGarage

..only problem with that is that i do not use ebay, and live in a smallish town.........

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Sorry to say but you are deadly wrong. Just because you live in a small town does not mean you can not do Ebay in more than one way.

#1 Do it your self. From me reading your post....you do not want to deal with and or you do not have the know how.

#2 find someone else who will buy it and sell it on EBay....you should find someone in your town (even a very small town) that will have some kind of resell shop. The power of EBay has put the "power" into small shops as well as large...so a one man army kind of person can do ALOT.

#3 find a "company" again this can be a one man army kind of deal once again but they wont buy the item but take it and sell it and pay you a % cut deal that you and them work out.

Great things about option 2 and 3, they spend all the time and work on selling it...you make a small amount but more than scrap. The item is reused (better than being scraped if you ask me) and HELP bring money INTO your town that will be spent in YOUR town.

Just my two cents.

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Originally Posted by BubbasGarage

Scrap lap. Thank you for the responce. I know exactly what your saying.. only problem with that is that i do not use ebay, and live in a smallish town, so not a big group looking for parts... but if its a common vehicle. i shall do that! Thanks!

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Best bet is selling on the classified section of specific car forums. I can put a set of mint visors on eBay for $45 shipped and they just sit, but I can sell the same ones for $60 in the classifieds of the vw forum I frequent.

A tip for you car dismantlers, hop on any 99+ VW Cabriolet you find. They are like gold. If you get one LMK and I'll run you off a list of valuable stuff.

First, i have no clue why it was closed! He sent me a message saying it was unknown, but its all good now haha
I have been dealing with vehicles for couple years now, buying, fixing selling, so i know my fair share. I never really cared what was inside my parts, starters and such, so i never really got into it, but now that im looking to get into scrapping i want to know to get some extra cash! :) I know there is often copper in radiators but arent they only in the older vehicles? And how do i get the copper out of them? :/ thanks again

Once you have a car to scrap, find out what parts on it are valuable.
Things like carby & starter & alternator are valuable.
But having a certain tailshaft might also be valuable, same with seats, or like above, sun visors.

I asked if I could scrap out the wiring loom out of a car up a driveway, they were about to load it onto a trailer & take it away for scrap.
While I was removing the loom (for copper, I strip it & burn it off, lotsa work, but $) I told them what I was doing.

So the guy starts thinking & gets me to remove the starter, walks inside, stays there for a while, walks out, sez
"I just sold the starter for $110, on 'TradeMe' (NZ craigslist, Much much better setout). Moneys already in my bank account.
m They actually have a 'Wanted' section & the ad was in that.
He based the price on a previously sold item & included postage so it was $8 cheaper in the end.
Still, $100 for no work.....

Leave the connections on parts if you can, just run past the connection & leave a inch or two of cable.

Easyrecycle. I did not mean that i can not use ebay, i just meant i do not use it. To much of a hassle for a couple extra bucks. Especially with my schedule. School, work, and when ever i dont work i will be working on gettin vehicles ready to scrap! I appreciate and understand your 2 cents ;)

Before scrapping certain parts check around. Here in my area there is a guy who buys starters alternators ac compressors cv axles and rack and pinions for better than scrap price.He sells them to a remanufacturer who rebuilds them and resells to parts stores

Radiators, ****! Get a magnet.
Radiators, to scrap them, you need to remove it, & rip off the top & bottom if they are plastic or iron (magnetic).
Then you probably have to remove the steel strip down both sides of it, they peel off with a crowbar.

Check it with a magnet, you don't want any iron on it at all.
They buy it for a 'Radiator price' or as Copper/brass mix' NZ$4.31 Kg, say ~US$3 per Lb?

Rip out the heater core as well as its the same thing, just smaller.
Aircon cores Ali.

eesakiwi- Didnt know it was that easy! Never had to mess with a radiators before! Thanks much!

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Originally Posted by BubbasGarage

Easyrecycle. I did not mean that i can not use ebay, i just meant i do not use it. To much of a hassle for a couple extra bucks. Especially with my schedule. School, work, and when ever i dont work i will be working on gettin vehicles ready to scrap! I appreciate and understand your 2 cents ;)

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There very well could be someone from your town that will do all of that for you and pay you. Make a listing in CL and ask around.

fixing them and scrapping them is two different worlds. ive done both, and as to scrapping them you are a noob. read study and learn, then you will know what questions to ask and they will be answered. good luck.

Yes olddude. Agree 100% Just saying that im not new to vehicles!

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Originally Posted by BubbasGarage

Easyrecycle. I did not mean that i can not use ebay, i just meant i do not use it. To much of a hassle for a couple extra bucks. Especially with my schedule. School, work, and when ever i dont work i will be working on gettin vehicles ready to scrap! I appreciate and understand your 2 cents ;)

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To much of a hassle for a couple extra bucks? I dont get this at all. Why not make every penny you can from what ever you are scrapping? I just sold on ebay a hard drive from a computer I scrapped out for $25. Instead of getting $1 in scrap value I got about $18 for it after fees and shipping. Im sure you can do the same with certian car parts. Why would you sell the alternator to the scrap yard for say 5 bucks in scrap if you can sell it on ebay for $50. Just dont get it.

And welcome to the forum read up.

Like i stated. Dont have time, i got school, from 8:30 - 3:30 Then work from 5:00 - 10:00. So the extra time i have off gives me enough time to get the cars, take stuff off, bring them in, get another. Not enough time to dink around with ebay, and paypal ect... and yes like i stated, fixing and replacing parts is completly different i was just stating that i am not new to vehciels!!

All of your questions have been answered before on the forum, They are broken down by sections, and a ton of info in each section. Some radiators I think are aluminum. I even got around $7. for a Volarie fender emblem on ebay. You asked the questions, listen to the ones that have been there and done that. Fordsix is talking about a buyer for cores, they pay quite a bit more than scrap. Also snag the catalytic converter, there's a whole market just for them. Alum wheels, some guys even save wheel weights, just depends how deep you want to get into a teardown.

For kicks I took the last 2 engines all the way down to the cranks and popped out the aluminum pistons.

Was it worth it? Probably not, but I'd never torn one all the way down before.

So we have determined that you are spending time processing cars, so if your time is better spent(more profitable) selling rather then scrapping the parts then it's a no-brainer. Is space an issue, many of the things I sell don't even get posted for several months after getting them.

Space is absolutly no issue. 100x40 foot shed, and 5 acres. Maybe i could save some good/valuable parts... and start selling them in summer when school is over! Aha! Thanks!

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Originally Posted by BubbasGarage

Space is absolutly no issue. 100x40 foot shed, and 5 acres. Maybe i could save some good/valuable parts... and start selling them in summer when school is over! Aha! Thanks!

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thats the technique. good plan

I find that car parts generally sell best in the spring/summer anyways. If space is no issue definitely set aside some high ticket or common failure parts for resale. Dizzys, alternators, starter motors, working transmissions, etc. I have a shed full of back up parts for my own vehicle. You never know what's going to break when doing a clutch or a heater core.

Also if a vehicle is 96+ it wouldn't hurt to pull the ECU (engine computer). Some of them will bring in a pretty penny.

This is how far I go, but I specialize so almost everything has resale or reuse value..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...erks/photo.jpg

Like others said, it all depends if it's going to be worth your time or not. Any auto dismantler out there though REALLY needs to become proficient at Ebay, or find a family member to do it for them. Guys, it can't be stressed enough, how much more stuff is worth on there versus the crush pile. Visors, switches, sensors, lights, etc.

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Is there copper anywhere else i can remove?

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Yea, the wiring harness out from under the hood, your under there anyhow. I think you unbolt and unplug to get it loose from the firewall