What is it with old Holden wrecking yards?

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

There have been a few threads recently showing photos of old holdens in wrecking yards or paddocks. What gets me is the condition of the panels on most of them. You would expect them all to be smashed at least on one side from an accident, but most look as if they were still driveable when left there.

Can anyone shed any light?

[HARKO]

My spin on it Stinky is wrecking yards try to buy sellable cars/panels but apart from that I think its more the Era than anything, Cars just seem to have been left on farms and in backyards when they were upgraded and we are the lucky buggers who get to find them - Treasure hunt for adults  

[FC0058]

Hi Boys
I am with Harko on that one, the paddock full of cars I have found are mostly clean skins, the owner tells me he started collecting them at various auctions around the district and then people from the area just started driving them there for him. He was into the resale of parts and panels as a side line. He has an old fire engine in his shed that is one of only two in the world, his wife just accepts his addiction to cars, trucks and any thing that can be driven on the road.

The old bloke has 2 FC's one ute and a sedan that have both been around the clock atleast 3 times and are still going strong.

[Effie C]

Oh to have the space, to many cars not enough room
John M

[mcl1959]

You have to remeber that in the late 70's and early 80's, an FE or FC was worth nothing at all.   No car yard would give you a trade in value and even if they did - the cars were simply scrapped.  Consequently when people were finished with there FE or FC in this period, wrecking yards picked them up for nothing or just a few dollars.   My first FC bought registered in Ballarat in 1982 cost $45 and had no rust and was a good runner.  I looked at about 3 cars before choosing this one and knocked the guy down from $50 for it.
I used that car as a paddock basher and destroyed it totally on our bush race track by "accidentally" hitting trees.  My brother and I both had FC's and we would race them around this track which when wet was treacherous.  BLAT racing was definately the only way to go and this meant a lot of side swiping of trees.  We tried desperately hard not to hit trees head on as this would destroy the radiator and cause a cease to racing until repairs or another car was located.
I remember looking at an FC in a Holden dealership in about 1984 which had about 500 miles on the clock as it was a showroom car which had been collected by the dealer from new and never driven on the road.  Price was $1000 and I thought that was ridiculuos since no FC was worth that much money !!!

And you think some of the decisions you have made in your life have been bad - lol.

Ken

[FEHOLDEN]

GIDDAY ALL

WHAT YOU SAY IS RIGHT KEN. MY DAD GOT $600 TRADE IN ON HIS FE WHEN HE TRADED IT ON A NEW HQ IN DECEMBER 1972 AND WHEN HE TOLD PEOPLE THEY CALLED HIM A LIAR!!! IF ONLY I HAD THAT CAR NOW.


DENIS

[graham_fuller]

I also clearly remember when dad bought his HJ Kingswood in the 70's.A guy at his work offered him $90 dollars for our Fe.Fortunately for me I was able to talk him out of selling it.But he seriously considered selling it.
Cheers,
Graham

[59er]

What a crack up, $90.00 . Unbelievable isn't it. Now that doesn't even get you a decent spare part.... Lucky doesnt seem to cover it mate, your car is superb. Now people are realising just what classics these cars are. All the best , Kev.

[dam-mad]

One of my first cars was an $150 FE with rego!! I gave it away in the end still going with no rego

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

OK guys I have heard enough!
Makes me want to cry