As should be obvious by my posts I live in proximity to the second largest city in the nation - Los Angeles. And I am (becoming "was") a frequent user of the areas Self Serve Auto Wreckers. A year and a half ago the independent U-Pick Parts yard closed having been open since the 1940's. This was a very sad thing because I was more likely to find older cars at this lot than the corporate LKQ - Pick Your Part. In general I'd likely find at least one Pinto (even if I saw it last time) during my monthly visits.
With Pick Your Part being the only game in the area now (and cutting the available cars by 50%) I think I've seen ONE Pinto in the year and a half U-Pick Parts has been closed. Pick Your Part has a "Classic" section (that cost an additional $2 over the $3 admission) but it is only a few rows and the so-called "Classics" are often 1980's Mercedes and early 90's Miata's. So, if your only going for the classic section it is $5 to get in and you can walk it in about 2 minutes - or less only to see 80's Mercedes and Miata's. (did I mention their prices/core fees constantly rise and their 50% off sales have become 40% off?) I haven't seen a donor Turbo Coupe for many, many years. A Merkur - forget it. Try even finding a 80's Mustang for a T-5 trans., I've looked for a few years now with no results.
Today I did a full search of EVERY "Big Three" manufacture on their inventory thinking surely there would be something "Classic." Chevy, one 1973 Nova. Ford, one 1971 truck. Plymouth/Dodge, one 1964 Valiant. Pick Your Part may be valuable for drivetrain upgrades, modern seats etc. but they are no longer a parts source for older cars. So..., if you have parts cars I wouldn't be quick to dispose of them because they may be the only source left the way things are going.
After U-Pick Parts closed in Jan. 2016 I still went to Pick Your Part every month for their 40% off sales. But, frankly I found little to nothing and didn't have the hope that "the other yard" (U-Pick Parts) might be another source. So I just stopped going. Sad to me because I had been doing so
every month for about 15 years. It is like your home town closed down and everyone but you moved away.
And if things are getting this bad in the #2 most populated place in the nation, with generally rust free cars, how bad must it be elsewhere???