[AT] Melting it all down.

[william.neff.powell at comcast.net]

This sucks for antique tractor collectors. Now our cheap parts sources are getting melted down. This will not be a cheap hobby for long! Used to be able to pick up a parts tractor (possibly restorable) for about $300. Now at $160 a ton a seller gets more to sell it for scrap. At antique tractor auctions like Bielers in PA the scrap man will outbid most collectors for the rusty iron, before the scrap man would only get the true derelicts. 

All resources are an issue now. I have split about 5 chords of wood this summer and I am wondering if I should park my dozer in front of the access road to my field just to deter wood theft come winter... But maybe that's not a good idea if they start to unbolt pieces off of my dozer. 



 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Terry Welch <terry1955 at sbcglobal.net>
> My son recently rebuilt a 20 speed Mack transmission for a friend of mine while 
> in Tech School. He brought the trans home, but it was going to be a couple of 
> days before we could get it back to my friend. He left it in his truck and some 
> thieves tried to steal it from the back of his truck at the local Farm and 
> Fleet. He took it to a buddies place to store it. He was to take it back to my 
> buddy's place on Monday. So my sons friend pulled it out of the building and put 
> in the back of a pickup they had. Before the next morning some thieves struck 
> and did not get the trans but stole the  aluminum covers off of it, tried to get 
> the trans and did get three out of four rear axles for 3/4 ton Chev pickups. 
> While the shop is in the country,the owners home is right next to it and the 
> owner was home. I just hope the scum bag has one hell of a hernia. 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Indiana Robinson <robinson at svs.net>
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 5:40:28 PM
> Subject: [AT] Melting it all down.
> 
>     I happened to be down past the local salvage yard today looking at 
> (wishing for) a couple of old tractors and I was absolutely amazed by 
> the traffic. This is an old place and has always done well with junk 
> cars but it isn't usually "busy". Today there was a couple of trucks 
> unloading scrap, one on the scales and 3 more waiting in line out on the 
> street... As I left another truck load turned down the street going that 
> direction.
>     I couldn't help but wonder if there were some serious treasures buried 
> in those loads, perhaps already cut up and destroyed forever...
>     I think about half of the unemployed guys and half just looking for a 
> way to make another buck to buy gas has gone into the scrapping 
> business. The biggest problem is that a lot of that stuff is stolen. 
> Thieves hit a local auto dealer last week and took a flock of batteries 
> including from one personal vehicle.
>     Last week one of my daughters took in a stray and injured kitten and 
> she took it to a vet southwest of here that has a heart and cares for a 
> lot of such creatures for almost nothing. She met her husband in a small 
> down on the way and they left his truck parked in that town in front of 
> a business. This was during business hours. When they got back (still 
> business hours) to the truck and he started it up it was quite loud... 
> Yep, catalytic converter was gone... They took a whole string of those 
> from dealer lots a few months back here too.
>     They are starting to crack down on salvage yards more now. Not long ago 
> Indianapolis lost a whole herd of manhole covers...
> =================
>     Just don't leave your toys out where they can grow legs or lose parts.
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> 
> "farmer"
> 
> 
> I wouldn't mind being absent minded so bad if forgetfulness
> could just be a little more selective. Just last week I
> was saying so to "whats-her-name..."
> 
> 
> 
> Hay & Straw Exchange (Buy it, sell it and trade it.)
> http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/HayandStrawExchange
> 
> 
> Francis Robinson
> Central Indiana, USA
> robinson at svs.net
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at