Possibly the best scrap yard in the world....

[Mr Jelly]

As I was at a bit of a loose end, thought I would have a drive down to what is possibly the worlds best scrapyard as I needed a few bits for the Renault fleet. The yard is a bit of a timewarp - like scrap yards used to be ten or fifteen years ago. The yard has hundreds of old Jags as well as stuff you haven't seen for ages - Allegro's, Triumph Acclaims, Moskovich's (sp?), '02 BMW, old Saabs and loads more. Turns out the owner is a Renault enthusiast so keeps a lot in. Stuff I saw was R4, R5, R12 (by the dozen), many R15 & 17's, dozens of R18's and a few others. Have a couple of pictures anyway...

F6 van still has a couple of good panels, but thats about it.

Amongst the undergrowth were 20 - 30 R12 and Dacia Denems.

R5 Le Car 2 had plenty of decent bits, but was virtually inaccessable.

Another R12, rotting away alongside a few Triumphs.

Very rotten BMW


Oh, if you want to know where it is, just off the A483 near Wrexham, North wales.

 

[malcolm]

Good find - you don't see many scrapyards like that anymore (unless you live in a more sensible country that believes in recycling that is). Was there just the one Renault 4 there?

Have you had a problem with speed cameras recently?

 

[Mr Jelly]

There was only the one 4 that I saw. The owner said there were others though, but they were not to be found.

 

[malcolm]

Oh - you've changed your speed camera avatar. Shame - I liked that. I disapprove of speed cameras. Aggressively. Fair enough to use them to restrict speed in urban areas, but more often the intention seems to be to generate money from progressive drivers who pay more attention to the road conditions than to their speedos.

One worry - I've recently heard of people being prosecuted for driving at 2 miles over the speed limit. Hmmm. "Sorry officer, I didn't see the small child as I was too busy looking at my speedometer".

 

[Mr Jelly]

I hate speed cameras with a passion! Most are used purely to raise money... there are far bigger issues in terms of road safety than speed - ignorance, poor driving and inappropriate speed kill, but it's easier for the authorities to trot out the overly simplistic 'Speed Kills' which is a bit like saying that flying causes plane crashes....

Avatar returns....

 

[sH]

I still have the scars from when I ventured into that pile of R12s to nab a rear spring. Great fun. The F6 van in the photo has just arrived when I was there and the body/chassis looked do-able - in fact I didn't think it would end up in the main yard. Shame - been after one for ages. The guy who owns the place is into R15s and R17s mainly but anyone with any time for '70s Rens is a rare find. There's also a '67ish R16TS which he wanted about £200 for. Mostly there and very restorable. I keep trying to put it out of my mind...

 

[Chris H]

I love scrapyards.

Thing is I usually end up coming home with something that I shouldn't if its a yard with old stuff in it.

Go for a trim clip come home with 3 new cars etc.

 

[malcolm]

I found a series of photos from a wonderful French scrapyard on http://home.12move.nl/~sh595385/scrap.htm Sadly the cars have gone for ever.

Why do they insist on clearing these wonderful scrapyards? I'm sure the owners of the yards would have kept them going for ever. It's the EC regulations that demand we all run sensible modern cars and get rid of those horrible, old, er.... extremely light and economical, and er... largely recycled cars, that we prefer. It's all for environmental reasons you know.

 

[La Poste]

I found a fantastic place just outside Sault-en-Provence (in south-east France) about 5 years ago. There was a small garage in the village square which was owned by a Citroen enthusiast, and he had four or five Tractions and a DS parked outside, plus numerous other pre-war rarities inside. The best bit was his parts department though: on the edge of the village was a scrapyard (owned by the same man) which was overflowing with mouthwatering French cars from the early 1930s to the late 1970s. As well as a couple of lovely early R4s (both scruffy, but apparently rust-free!) there were Dauphines, 4CVs, a Frégate, an R17, Panhards, Citroens, Peugeots... Paradise!

I don't know whether it's still there, and obviously I can't find the photos :evil: but I do hope it's still there. It was amazing.