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It has been said that when life serves you a lemon, turn it into lemonade. While the origin of this bit of sage advice is unclear, it is generally attributed to a poem in the early 1900’s that goes something like this:
Turn failure into victory,
Don’t let your courage fade,
And if you get a lemon,
Then make the lemonade.
As it turns out, with the rise of EVs and its predicted inevitable dominance of the automotive market, car enthusiasts who bemoan the fate of the gasoline-only vehicle might discover the potential to turn this bitter fruit into something closer to the sweet taste of success.
Gold In Old Rust Bucket Trucks
That was the between-the-lines message in a recent I Do Cars YouTube channel episode where the host gives viewers a peek into his world of auto parts salvage where junk is turned into cash with some know-how and smart shopping of cheap old trucks sold on the likes of Facebook Marketplace.
According to the host’s YouTube channel description:
“My name is Eric and I own and run a full-service auto recycling business called “Importapart.” I buy complete vehicles and dismantle them for parts, sell off the good parts and recycle the rest. I wanted to cover a bit of how our business works as I haven't really done that much in the past.”
As an example, the host demos a 1999 Ram truck $600-find with obvious rust damage so severe to the frame that the truck is well beyond repair or restoration. However, under all that rust is figurative gold that can be easily stripped in the way of auto parts that someone somewhere will need and is willing to pay top dollar depending on the model.
Related article: Most Reliable 200K Mile Car for $500?
Gas-Only Trucks Will Never Die
If you are a car or truck enthusiast and thumb through the pages of car collector/restoration magazines from Hemmings Motor News, you will find that despite the worry that the U.S. is becoming an electric-only automotive world, one truth that is more powerful than progress and technology is this—boys will be boys…and so will be their trucks.
In other words, do not expect gas only vehicles to go out with a whimper, but a roar that will still turn the heads of even the most diehard Tesla fan.
Related article: Avoid The Traps and Pitfalls of Reviving a Classic Car and Winding Up in Car Project Hell
The Life, Death, and New Life of a 1999 Ram 1500
Follow along with the host in the video below as he demonstrates a bit of how auto salvage as a business opens the possibilities and possibly a new frontier in auto repair and restoration where just because an old truck is as good as dead, its parts can live on and bring new life to a vintage automobile.
In the video you will learn:
- Auto salvage is still a thriving business.
- How salvaged vehicles are processed by some auto salvage yards.
- First steps when considering buying an old truck for any purpose.
- Where the high-ticket items are in an old truck.
- Why checking the VIN is important.
- That there is still life in old ECMs another truck owner may need and will pay for because there is no alternative replacement.
- How $600 translates into two to three thousand dollars in profit.
- Where all the rest goes and how smart reuse salvaging means more money.
NON-REPAIRABLE? $600 '99 RAM 1500 Has A 'BAD’ Frame. How Will I Do Parting This Out?
For additional articles related to old cars and trucks, here are a few for your consideration:
- What to Do with a Used Car That Needs to Go
- Choosing A Classic Car or Truck for Use as a Daily Driver
- Bad Husband Car Repair Projects
Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites and Facebook for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.
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Image source: Deposit Photos
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