Words and photography: Will Shiers
Our intrepid salvage yard explorer brings you junkyard jewels from across North America.
1. I’ve just returned from a 2500-mile road trip through Southern California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada, in search of more abandoned cars. With salvage yards closing all the time, spurred by high scrap metal prices and environmental pressures, it gets increasingly difficult to find these unloved classics. However, look hard enough and it is still possible to unearth some real junkyard jewels, like this rust-free 1976 AMC Pacer. 2. Only 4000 of these incredibly rare 1979 Chrysler 300 two-door hardtops were built. The limited edition car, which was basically a souped-up Cordoba, had a 195hp V8 under the bonnet. All of them were finished in Spinaker White, and had red leather interiors. This one desperately needs rescuing from a Phoenix, Arizona salvage yard. 3. From 1970 to 1978 the European-built Ford Capri (in Mk1 and Mk2 guise) was exported to America. Although it wasn’t given any divisional identification, the car was sold through Lincoln Mercury dealers. But in 1979 it was dropped in favour of this, the Mustang-based Mercury Capri. This solid 1981 example, which is in need of a little TLC, could be yours for $3000.
