PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

“That old car’s worth money!” Anyone who grew up in Chicago knows the commercial by heart, since that same green beater of a ‘71 Chevy has had its door fallen off for almost thirty years now. Of course, a couple things have changed, that the car “may” be worth money now, and that there’s an area code provided with the phone number. But darn it if that bushy blonde hair, wide banded wrist watch and bell bottoms donned by the star of the commercial aren’t as vintage as the cars on the lot!

Victory is a gear head’s wildest dream come true, where just about any part you can possibly think of can be found here. Since this salvage yard has been in business since the’40s, those looking to find a hood or door hinge for a classic muscle car will certainly be able to find it - without having to pay ridiculous eBay costs or getting a second rate knock off.

Of course, the whole thrill of the hunt deal gets involved, wandering through all those acres of classic cars, not unlike hitting up a flea market with a shopping list of specific finds. I remember many a rainy day walking around with my dad, tracking down parts for him to bring to his mechanic buddy. Regulars head down with their tool sets strapped on and jeans tucked tightly into their grungiest mud boots looking to find that rare part at one heck of a deal. Yep, even in drought season, this place is pretty muddy, and one has to wonder if the oldest cars haven’t gotten sunken down by the Morlocks. But hey - who cares! This is the sort of place that pretension gets thrown right out the door, uhhh… if there was a door. Just keep an eye out for a car that looks like yours, bust out your tools, rip it off and bring it up to pay for it. It can’t get any more simple as that, and hey - it just plain feels good to recycle!

A bonus is the folks who work here are straight up honest and tell it like it is, especially when it comes to junking your car. Since the value of scrap metal has gone down over the years, the thing they’re really looking for is the wind shield. Even if you lost the title, they seem to find a way to buy your car, and will come out to you to pick it up and will provide a receipt.