Buying That Nice Used Car - Has It Been Wrecked?
Check the joins, too. Look where the cooling coil connects with the tanks. If you find an accumulation of sediment or mineral deposits from external corrosion, this is a pretty good indicator of poor condition.
As the parts came off, I would use a paint pen like a wrecking yard, so I didn't lose the identity. Next, I would clean each part, and lay it out on one of many big tables, ready to photograph.
The only time that I had ever seen a rattlesnake was when I was six years old. I thought it was interesting, almost getting to it before my favorite uncle Hugh, who I was visiting, drew his pistol, shooting it's head off. I really didn't want to see any. Robert, though, had learned all about them in the Boy Scouts handbook. We stopped to cut two, four-foot long, branches with a Y at the end. Robert said, "If we see any rattlers, we'll pin them down to the ground with our sticks. They can't bite you if you push the Y stick down on their back, just behind the head." It sounded good, anyway.
I expect that after just a few encounters with the local crooks, all they would have to hear in the middle of the night is a loud bang from a big tail smacking a fender and they would be over the fence, out of the junkyard, and trying to look innocent in just a few seconds. Not long after, "My Wife is Meaner than a junkyard Beaver" starts to climb the country charts.
Did you know that, on average, three quarters of an inoperable car's parts can be reused because they are still in working condition? An auto salvage yard could have just the pieces you're looking for! Even small, locally owned salvage yard can have a few thousand cars' worth of parts on hand. That's over a million parts! And junk yard near by is it likely that they'll have the parts you need, but some places will also install the parts for you on-site. Some salvage yards also encourage you to call ahead with the description of the part you need so that they can pull it from the yard and have it ready for you when you arrive. This saves you time AND money!
Auto flea markets and swap meets are another great way my Dad finds the right used tire for his latest car or truck. Make sure you have cash on hand to make sure you can easily negotiate the price for your wheels from the seller. This will give you a better bargaining angle to get your new wheels at a used tire price.