There use to be a huge antique wrecking yard in Milford, Ontario. This was south of Belleville way, near Picton, Ontario. A yard that if you did not know how to get there, you would never find it. The Minaker yard was a family run business since 1925 and it actually still had a number of 1920's and 1930's cars there. The father Quentin Minaker passed away in 2008. The bulk of the cars there were 1950's and 1960's and some of the cars still had there plates from when the car was dropped off. Many of the cars there you can tell that they must have been decent cars when dropped off but because of mechanical repair were given up on. Many with the collision damage was obvious. Countless cars of every make, many rare cars when new, convertibles, botton end no frills cars, top end Cadillac convertibles and everything in the middle. There were countless 55 56 57 Chevy's but they were all picked apart clean. There was a very rare 1956 Chevy sedan delivery and a 1952 Chevy sedan delivery there, also a rare 1957 Pontiac two door wagon and a 1957 Chevy two door wagon. A 1957 Pontiac two door post that must have been mostly decent when it was dropped off. From 1986 when i first went there with a good friend until 1998 when i last went there to pickup an extra 261 inline six, i have cherished every minute that i was there over the years. Paul Minaker, the owners son would let you roam around the yard, as long as you checked in first with him. I would spend the whole day there and i have over 180 photos of some of the cars there. Sadly the owners son Paul Minaker had enough of the business, had a "Last Chance" get a part" event and then crushed everything that was there. All gone. The only reason this yard lasted this long is because it is so isolated. I am glad i had an opportunity over the years to see all the vintage cars in there. Enjoy the photos even though it is very sad. George.
-- Edited by long stroke on Friday 27th of February 2015 07:01:57 PM
-- Edited by long stroke on Saturday 28th of February 2015 08:14:16 AM
-- Edited by long stroke on Saturday 28th of February 2015 10:57:37 AM
I visited there in July 2002, on our way back from POCI Charleston WV. The fellow at the office had an aerial photo of the yard, and could pin-point where our cars of interest were. The weeds were quite high, and we should have brought a couple bottles of water with us as it was a little toasty. The bottom foot of most of the 50-60's cars were rusted out, but stuff higher than that on the cars could be salvaged.
I remember coming to the front of a 70 Parisienne that had it's hood up. The ivy was quite overgrown, and I was digging my way through to get to the engine compartment. I was up to my elbows in ivy, and then I wondered, "What does poison ivy look like?" Fortunately it was not poisonous and all was ok.
You got to love old rusty iron. Thanks for the photo's. I lived in Picton back in the early 60's grade one and two if I remember right. To young to be driving back then just playing with toy cars .
Love the pictures! I can spend hours at boneyards looking at everything and looking for nothing.
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I forgot to mention That Minaker's is still in business. They sell parts and repair cars, many of their parts are N.O.S. (New Original Stock) and they have many of them. They have a web site if you would like to inquire about parts for your car. George.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
Yes i was in paradise, spending the whole day there was real easy. Even in the summer heat it was still a real gas to see all those lost treasures. Memories i will never forget and it was well worth the 2.5 hour drive to get there. George.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
I went there in 1974 cause someone took the NOMAD emblem of my 55. I was told about this yard by friends in Belleville. Well the old guy at the yard gets up walks in another room and comes out with my emblem and it cost $5.00. Great pictures George.
Brian
I went there in 1974 cause someone took the NOMAD emblem of my 55. I was told about this yard by friends in Belleville. Well the old guy at the yard gets up walks in another room and comes out with my emblem and it cost $5.00. Great pictures George. Brian
Brian, sadly Quentin is no longer with us. He died back in 2008. Brian do you have any photos of your 55 Nomad that you could share with us.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
Will look tomorrow George, but I think there was only one taken. I was never a photographer back then. I did it in bright yellow, black interior the original power pack 265 cu engine. I had dominion royal master tires on it with 55 hubcaps. I bought the car in California (I still have the License plate).When I bought it the car was green with a white roof. Drove it back to Toronto and fixed it up here Great car.
Brian
I always heard about this yard (having grown up in Cobourg), but never made it there.
Now, Dom's Auto Wreckers in Courtice, I've been there dozens of times!
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
In 2015 I was visiting Quinte and did drive through Milford. I was about a half a kilometer away from where the yard was and I had no idea it was there.
With all the MOE concerns about soil contamination, the old time wrecking yard is becoming a thing of the past. I always enjoyed a visiting them, whether it was Dominion Auto in Stoney Creek, Freelton Truck Parts or some other wrecker on a back road in the Niagara Peninsula. Back in the mid 80s I remember while looking for a 68 Mustang convertible top part one wrecker in Niagara had a '71 Barracuda with a column shift beside the Mustang we ended up getting the part from. The Mustang was a '67 convertible with a 200 six, 4-lug wheels and a factory tachometer. I can't exactly recall where it was, might have been near Smithville or Wainfleet.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
In 2015 I was visiting Quinte and did drive through Milford. I was about a half a kilometer away from where the yard was and I had no idea it was there.
With all the MOE concerns about soil contamination, the old time wrecking yard is becoming a thing of the past. I always enjoyed a visiting them, whether it was Dominion Auto in Stoney Creek, Freelton Truck Parts or some other wrecker on a back road in the Niagara Peninsula. Back in the mid 80s I remember while looking for a 68 Mustang convertible top part one wrecker in Niagara had a '71 Barracuda with a column shift beside the Mustang we ended up getting the part from. The Mustang was a '67 convertible with a 200 six, 4-lug wheels and a factory tachometer. I can't exactly recall where it was, might have been near Smithville or Wainfleet.
Vanryan`s Auto Wreckers just above Grimsby
-- Edited by 70 SS ACADIAN on Saturday 5th of January 2019 10:03:35 AM
These old yards should be protected as " Heritage sites ". for car guys.I know of a few yards like that that they just dug a huge hole and buried them.
These old yards should be protected as " Heritage sites ". for car guys.I know of a few yards like that that they just dug a huge hole and buried them.
I like the way you think! Heritage site indeed.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
70 SS ACADIAN wrote: Vanryan`s Auto Wreckers just above Grimsby
Kevin, I thought you would probably know. Yes, perhaps it could have been. I see it is near Grassie. I don't know, I seem to remember the yard was further south towards Erie but then again it was a long time ago. My sense of direction has always been pretty good but it is not infallible.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
Jackson's eh? I looked them up and it may very well may have been the place. It would have been back in '85.
By the way, when I looked them up and viewed them via Google Maps Street View, what is sitting in the lot in 2018 but a derelict 1954 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery! Street View 2018
For a minute I thought it was a 1950 Pontiac Sedan Delivery, but when I scanned around from different angles it looks more like a 54 Chev.
I just could not help myself in bumping this because i miss this yard so much. I use to love spending time there for hours on end checking out the sad wrecks of a bygone time. It is all gone now and to me that is very sad indeed. I still have my memories and my many photos. Cheers.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
Thanks for the photos George. Myself and the guys I still hang around with used to do exactly what you did . One yard was in Matheson that was owned by Bustard Brothers A Chev Olds dealer. They had a farm with a huge field of old cars. We would stop at the dealership and speak to one of the owners and tell them what we were looking for and they would let us tour the yard by ourselves. This was in the mid 70's. We were always on the lookout for tri five parts.
It was at this yard that I spotted my first Canadian 1955 Pontiac sedan delivery. I initially thought the car had a Pontiac front clip on a 55 Chevrolet body because of the rear quarter panel style with the Chevrolet tail light openings. After checking out the dash and seeing it was a Pontiac dash I realized it was a real Pontiac.
The second yard was at home in Timmins at Boychuck,s salvage yard that was unattended and we just roamed it and again stripped at lot of tri five stainless that we could save. The Boychucks had a small ford dealership.
The only local yard left is Creative Recycling that is owned by James Cramer that has at least 500 cars from the 30's to 60's. He is being pressured by the MOE to meet a lot of new standards and he will be crushing all his newer above 1980 vehicles this fall.
The idea of these type of yards becoming Heritage Locations is a great idea. I could tour thee old yards all day.
Thanks for the photos George. Myself and the guys I still hang around with used to do exactly what you did . One yard was in Matheson that was owned by Bustard Brothers A Chev Olds dealer. They had a farm with a huge field of old cars. We would stop at the dealership and speak to one of the owners and tell them what we were looking for and they would let us tour the yard by ourselves. This was in the mid 70's. We were always on the lookout for tri five parts.
It was at this yard that I spotted my first Canadian 1955 Pontiac sedan delivery. I initially thought the car had a Pontiac front clip on a 55 Chevrolet body because of the rear quarter panel style with the Chevrolet tail light openings. After checking out the dash and seeing it was a Pontiac dash I realized it was a real Pontiac.
The second yard was at home in Timmins at Boychuck,s salvage yard that was unattended and we just roamed it and again stripped at lot of tri five stainless that we could save. The Boychucks had a small ford dealership.
The only local yard left is Creative Recycling that is owned by James Cramer that has at least 500 cars from the 30's to 60's. He is being pressured by the MOE to meet a lot of new standards and he will be crushing all his newer above 1980 vehicles this fall.
The idea of these type of yards becoming Heritage Locations is a great idea. I could tour thee old yards all day.
Al
Al, thanks for sharing your thoughts on these great old car yards. Cheers.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
