TheSamba.com :: View topic - Blake's "Small Car" Salvage

Tue May 15, 2007 3:29 pm

happyhippo wrote: Hey folks, I live about 25 miles north of Blake's. I've been there twice and have been left to tour the yard on my own--took about 2 hours each time. I've looked every splitty over carefully, and trust me, this isn't the parts-nirvana that legend builds it up to be--maybe years past, but not now. There are probably about 30-40 splits there, and no deluxes. Lots of panels and kombis. There are some pre-63 buses, but no pre-59's.

I'm about 25miles south in Denver, it's only exit 232 and I'm at exit 200.
I think there are definitely over 100 Splits there. There are definitely deluxes there. The panels and kombis for sure make the best sheds that's why there are so many. And I would say there are CERTAINLY pre-59 buses. Aren't the brakelight decklids pre-59? They're there.

Tue May 15, 2007 3:31 pm

Awesome, so it wasnt just me.

We were super nice and polite and interested, like the kind of people you would want to show around. We didnt show up like hey fuckers let us scope your lot. We even mentioned that they came highly reccomended from locals and other junkyards and that we couldnt find them originally but the guy from speedway gave us a map. Also FWIW the guys at speedway SUPER COOL.

That yards days are numbered with the shopping centers and all the houses going up in that area. I am sure he will hold out for a bit but i doubt he will move, hell just sell out or get run over by immenent domain.

Tue May 15, 2007 3:34 pm

Don't worry. They will die someday, and their buses will be sold by their relatives for pennies!

Tue May 15, 2007 3:34 pm

EL DUB wrote: Awesome, so it wasnt just me.

We were super nice and polite and interested, like the kind of people you would want to show around. We didnt show up like hey fuckers let us scope your lot. We even mentioned that they came highly reccomended from locals and other junkyards and that we couldnt find them originally but the guy from speedway gave us a map. Also FWIW the guys at speedway SUPER COOL.

That yards days are numbered with the shopping centers and all the houses going up in that area. I am sure he will hold out for a bit but i doubt he will move, hell just sell out or get run over by immenent domain.

Ya, even the girl who worked there wasn't too optimistic about the buses being around forever. She said "ya someday he'll sell it all for boucou bucks, we won't get anything, and we'll all be gone". Sad really. Next time I'm going to show up in my Bus with trailer hopefully with at least $5k cash to take home at least 2, 3 buses.

Tue May 15, 2007 3:37 pm

I may call and ask that question if its really 1500 a bus, I may go up I bet you go with an m-code sheet you can find some unique stuff in that heap

Tue May 15, 2007 3:48 pm

IMO the last thing you wanna do is call and ask that. That's like I put this online and someone said it, go in awhile, now you're calling about it. You should probably GO there WITH cash and buy a bus. Lata.

Please don't call them. Thanks.

Tue May 15, 2007 4:16 pm

I live in Erie about 5 miles from Blakes and stopped in a couple of months ago in my bus. I pointed to it and mentioned that I may need some parts in the future. The guy I spoke with explained to me that the busses were all pretty much picked clean and that they were just used as storage sheds as has been mentioned. They won't sell anything off them that would leave the interior exposed (glass, doors, etc). He told me to come in if I needed anything specific and he would see what he could do. Guess it was a good day, or maybe the fact that I arrived in a bus made me a legitimate customer in their mind.

Will
'67 EZ Camper

Tue May 15, 2007 8:37 pm

wjr3 wrote: I live in Erie about 5 miles from Blakes and stopped in a couple of months ago in my bus. I pointed to it and mentioned that I may need some parts in the future. The guy I spoke with explained to me that the busses were all pretty much picked clean and that they were just used as storage sheds as has been mentioned. They won't sell anything off them that would leave the interior exposed (glass, doors, etc). He told me to come in if I needed anything specific and he would see what he could do. Guess it was a good day, or maybe the fact that I arrived in a bus made me a legitimate customer in their mind.

Will
'67 EZ Camper

I wouldn't get my hopes up. If those buses had been sold to a scrap yard they probably have junked titles and therefore can not be put back on the road again without some sort of manuevering, at least that's how it is in Cal.
--Dan

Tue May 15, 2007 8:51 pm

I went to that yard a couple of times looking for parts. They were customer service challenged no doubt. They told me they were changing over from air cooled cars going to water pumper foreign cars.

All the buses were packed with misc parts and you can't help but wonder what treasures are buried deep in them that they have forgotten about. It's too bad they don't organize these remaining air cooled parts and sell them off.

Tue May 15, 2007 10:35 pm

wonder if they will trade storage trailers for busses? I can get that well lined up i can even get the rack systems in

Wed May 16, 2007 8:36 pm

did you see the sauna bus theyve got!?

Thu May 17, 2007 6:15 am

Kiwi wrote: did you see the sauna bus theyve got!?

a what ???

Thu May 17, 2007 10:24 am

A bus they converted into a sauna,the girl (the one that spits all over) told me they hang out in it after work. :?

Thu May 17, 2007 11:47 am

Kiwi wrote: A bus they converted into a sauna,the girl (the one that spits all over) told me they hang out in it after work. :?

i bet there are a few stories ....to tell there.

Thu May 17, 2007 2:44 pm

**smoke shack***

Fri May 18, 2007 8:05 am

Just stumbled across this thread. I'd wondered what might have changed over the years at Blake's since I was there last. Which was probably 15 years ago. I bought some parts for my 62 bug, and previously I had bought the fiberglass piece that goes below the back window,above the engine for my Baja bug - I think they charged me 45 bucks for it in 1990, but seeing as I still have it on my car today I think I got my money's worth out of it!

I remember they had old School Busses packed to the gills with VW parts when I was there. Do they still have that, or did they stuff all the VW parts into their VW Buses instead?

Fri May 18, 2007 8:18 am

Ragman wrote: **smoke shack***

No, they had a 21 or 23 window up on top of one of the buildings for that. It was facing the mountains, the guys would go up their & watch the sun set & ??
At least thats how it went in the '80's........... 8)

Any of you Coloradains know about a place called the old Volks home in Fredricksburg (?) Co. ???

Fri May 18, 2007 10:37 am

crukab wrote: Ragman wrote: **smoke shack***

No, they had a 21 or 23 window up on top of one of the buildings for that. It was facing the mountains, the guys would go up their & watch the sun set & ??
At least thats how it went in the '80's........... 8)

Any of you Coloradains know about a place called the old Volks home in Fredricksburg (?) Co. ???

Now that sounds like a chill spot to hang out for sure to watch the sun set over the mountains. 8)

Sun Jun 10, 2007 6:46 am

Finally found that pic, sorry for pour quality, its a scanned 26 year old pic.
The place was a old bone yard- The Old Volks Home, I'm pretty sure it was Fredrickson Co..

Sun Jun 10, 2007 12:21 pm

Interesting.