San Diego Junk Yards?

[Pop N Wood]

Any one know a good Z junk yard in the San Diego/La Jolla area?

 

I am flying out there next week and want to pick up a front diff crossmember. Wouldn't mind getting a set of 280 stub axles but don't want to bring that many tools on the plane.

[AKWIKZ]

First off, La Jolla has no junk yards. The only junk yards are in Chula Vista, about 30-45 minutes south of La Jolla, near the border. They are on Energy Way. You can look them up for exact directions. There is an Ecology and a Pick Your Part. Unfortunately, parts are pretty slim even in So. Cal. junk yards now. And the pricing is outrageous. We call it the "whiteboy" rate. About 2 years back, I spent an hour pulling out stub axles just to have them charge me $120 for them. Needless to say I left them on the ground and`walked out. It may not be P/C to say it, but anyone that does not speak Spanish seems to be charged twice as much. I stopped going there after that. The parts were too hard to find and when you did find them they were far too expensive. It's better to look on E-bay in my opinion.

 

Brian

[Okimoto]

http://www.ecoparts.com/locations.htm - Ecology

 

http://www.pickapart.com/sandiego.html - Pick your part (50% off 10/6-10/9)

[Z-TARD]

I've had decent luck finding parts at both. Ecology seems to be the more pricey of the two, but normally has more old Z cars on hand. Pick a Part almost always has women working the cash registers. I'm not saying all women are stupid about car parts, but the ones at that junk yard are kind of oblivious as far as parts ID goes. I'm not saying you can take a windshield up to the check out window, and while holding it in plain sight say: "Door Handle....", but there is a certain amount of bull$hiting you can get away with. I'm not really doing much next weekend, so if you want the "Platinum Package Tour" of San Diegos finest junkyards I'll be more than happy to show you around.

 

Mike

[Pop N Wood]

Man, love this site.

 

Thanks guys. I know right where that place is. Was stationed in Corranado almost 30 years ago now. Use to have a buddy who rented a place in Imperial Beach.

 

Thanks for the tour offer, but I won't get in until Monday afternoon. This will be my first business trip/pick and pull excursion. Wonder if I can put the yard entrance fee on my expense report?

 

I wonder if those 280 stubs are still laying on the ground.....

[Pop N Wood]

Mission successful.

 

Got a crossmember, tach and voltmeter/fuel guage from Ecology for fidy bucks. Easy to do when the cars are up off the ground like that and the dashes are already torn up.

 

This was my first time underneath a 280. Man, there sure is a huge difference betweent the floor pans of a 240 and 280.

 

 

Thanks again guys.

[Okimoto]

Congratulations on your find. How did you get the parts home? Carry-on's?

[Pop N Wood]

Checked luggage.

 

Found a note in my case when I got home saying the TSA had inspected my bag.

 

Wonder what made them suspicious? The tool box, the big metal bar or the bag full of gauges and wires?

 

The R200 cross member is a good bit thicker than my R180 bar. Was going to cut them both in half and weld them together to gain dual exhaust cut outs. May have to think about that one some more.

[Guest daveoh]

This guy is in the San Diego area and has helped me find a lot of parts. He visits several yards each week. He hunted up door sashes, air scoops, and other items for me, and he also rebuilt my wiper moter and tail lights. Nice guy, too. No ego or attitude. -DJO

 

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