Road Scholar: One man's trash...

LOCAL JUNKYARDS ARE A MECCA FOR BACKYARD MECHANICS

By Newt Briggs

Perhaps now's not the time to get all metaphysical, but what is junk really? When paired with the word e-mail, it's a nuisance--a daily barrage of "barely legal" porn and prescription painkillers. Add junk to the word food, and it's more bad news: MSG-laden chunks of trans-fatty badness that will clog your arteries, make you impotent, permanently alter your insulin levels and give you glaucoma. The same goes for junk science, junk faxes and space junk--all undesirable consequences of modernity. But in the world of autos, junk is potential--potential to beat the Saturday afternoon parts-store blues (and to save a little scratch in the process).

In Las Vegas, there are two types of junkyards: U-pick yards and full-service yards. As the name suggests, U-pick yards--such as Nevada Pic-a-Part--give you free rein to wander around and take whatever you need from a yard full of salvaged autos. The only catch is, you've got to wrench the parts off yourself. Generally speaking, these yards are filled with older-model cars and are good places to find the little pieces--bolts, brackets, clamps, etc.--that can be difficult to match at conventional parts stores.

"Just make sure you bring the right tools," says Scott Hubbard, an at-home mechanic from North Las Vegas. "Don't expect to get everything you need with a hammer and a crescent wrench. And bring some WD-40. Rust is a killer--an absolute killer."

At the Nevada Pic-a-Part on North Lamb Boulevard, Hubbard drags around a Radio Flyer wagon filled with tools and accessories--everything from sockets (standard and metric) to a flashlight. "Something with wheels is key, too," says Hubbard. "This is a big yard. I don't have any desire to haul a cast-iron water pump--not to mention all my tools--a mile to and from my truck."

Full-service yards, on the other hand, will remove the parts themselves and, if you call in advance, will often have them waiting when you arrive. These yards tend to have newer cars with newer parts (hence the reason they don't want just anybody beating on their merchandise). Some full-service places will let you in their yards, but don't expect the luxury. Just tell them what you want and let their people pull it. If worse comes to worst, you can always turn the part down.

"It's also a good idea to bring the part you need to replace with you, if you can," says Chuck Ward, an avid auto thrifter. "Sometimes, parts from a different model will do the trick, but you won't know until you can line up the mounting holes and see."

After that, it's just a matter of settling on a price, which can sometimes be a process in itself. If you fancy yourself something of a horse trader, you can try your bartering skills, but not every yard is going to be flexible with its prices. For example, Steve, the white-haired gatekeeper at City Auto Pick-a-Part at 2220 N. Commerce, doesn't barter. When asked about his pricing system, he taps his right index finger against his head and says, "It's all up here. And it don't change for nobody."

As if to prove his point, a hasty young mechanic comes in, looking for a deal on auto glass. Steve quotes him a price, $35, and crosses his arms when the fast-talking buyer attempts to begin a bargaining session. Five minutes later the glass is still $35, and the youngster is out of breath. "You're going to pay four times that new," Steve concludes, unmoved.

So goes the average trip to the junkyard--an experience that can be fun or frustrating depending on the weather and the automotive Fates. "Sometimes, it can be a real bitch," Hubbard says, laughing. "You can look in 10 different cars and not find what you're looking for. Or else you might look in a car and discover a pristine radiator. I mean, you aren't going to find cylinder heads for a new Corvette, but you might find an axle for an old Gremlin. Hey, if that's what you need, then it's a treasure."