Got a big rusty car pile in the woods, what equip't would you use?

**murt** · 04-13-2011, 06:41 PM

Back where I grew up in Vermont, the farmer that used to own the land before my folks built up an old car pile. I'd say maybe 20-30 Model T's and that kind of stuff rusting away. Newest car on the pile is probably 40 years old. There's about 150 yards to a truck-accessible woods road up the hill from the pile. Terrain is smooth once a few dozen trees are cut for access. Biggest problem: it'll take a tight turn to get onto the woods road from the the road that we can cut to the pile (wish i had a picture to show)
Wondering, what kind of equip't would you use to get this out? 1st consideration is anything cutting into profitability. My brother has a ton 1/2 truck, 30 hp 1960 ford tractor, all we have right now is real small firewood trailers for the tractor. Also (dont laugh) a team of steers.
Right now I'm thinking if I'm up this summer a bit we may just skid it all out piece by piece with the team since he's working on training them. Got to work them anyway so might as well use them for the pile. Only thing is if rusty pieces of metal are falling off in the path we're really gonna have to take care to clean em up so they dont cut their shins, or switch to tractor and FarmI winch arch. They're still 2 years old right now.
Big problem is we got nothing hydraulic to load a trailer with. Skidding is my idea right now.

Would you get a roll-off from the scrapyd or haul it yourself? We may have to rent a trailer so I'm not sure which would be cheaper, trailer or container?
Neighbors have loaders with claws but basically that would kill all our profits to get them to come in.

**Mick** · 04-13-2011, 06:56 PM

Do you know anybody with a skidder? If not, use those steers. Maybe rig up a kind of Forwarder Arch to put on one end to help their load. Also, think of this as a funding opportunity to get a tilt-bed trailer and winch.

**street1850** · 04-13-2011, 07:55 PM

I assume your joking right? Hauling 30 T models to the crusher. You know if word get out old men will be fighting and shoot at each other to pay 10 time what the yard payed you to buy them after you destoyed them getting there and when they get them home set and look it over and say I wish I coulda found the before that guy *(*)()>ed them up I woulda payed 20 times scrap.

I have been there my rod was destroyed by a fool before I found it and he was going to crush it after doing thousands of dollars of damage trying to get a hundred dollars of copper. I payed $900 after he f*((ed it up, woulda gave 2500-$3500 easy if he hadnt touched it. I turned down $3500 sight unseen when word got out. Everything he did lowered value.

**TheMetalizer** · 04-13-2011, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by murt

I'd say maybe 20-30 Model T's and that kind of stuff rusting away. Newest car on the pile is probably 40 years old. There's about 150 yards to a truck-accessible woods road up the hill from the pile. Terrain is smooth once a few dozen trees are cut for access. Biggest problem: it'll take a tight turn to get onto the woods road from the the road that we can cut to the pile (wish i had a picture to show)

WOW! Model T's that's awesome stuff. Don't go scrapping those, they probably are worth more then shred value, especially the least rusted ones. They probably aren't all Models T's but anything with that type of historic value is worth more then shred for sure!

**vamped400** · 04-14-2011, 04:50 AM

x2. theres some stuff i wont scrap, and model t's would be on that list.

**parrothead** · 04-14-2011, 05:10 AM

The first thein that I would do with that pile is pull of anything easy for resale like hood ornaments, hubcaps, etc. that would be an E-bay goldmine for me for sure.

Look here for an idea of what may sell.
http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...All-Categories

No matter what you do, before completely scrapping, check under all of the seats and cracks of seats for silver coins and what not that may have fallen out of peoples pockets many years ago.

**murt** · 04-16-2011, 06:13 AM

I'll try to get some pics up...there is nothing in the pile that is not rusted into multiple pieces, everything is definitely past refurbishable condition. When I was little i used to just pull steering columns out by hand for my Mom to use as tomato trellises
I'll keep a search for trinkets in mind though, that could be cool.

**street1850** · 04-18-2011, 05:41 AM

I wouldnt just start hitting it with a sledge before you let someone that knows look at it. If they is a 32 ford 5 window coupe shell any condition period just let me know and i'll hire some guys to help me cary it outta there for ya and pay you more than scrap.