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.
![Sad :(](https://www.fordpinto.com/Smileys/default/sad.gif)
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???