A FAMILY has been buying and selling junk cars for nearly 70 years and has established itself as more than just a yard in the community.
The yard’s owner prefers the term “wrecking yard” and not “junkyard.”
Alice Corn’s parents established the Colorado Auto & Parts wrecking yard in 1959, where they bought junked cars from locals and listed them as parts vehicles for people to remove and use for their own vehicles or restoration projects.
As of today, Alice runs the 38-acre yard with her husband Gary and two sons, Eric and Adam – who continue to operate the business as a self-service parts yard.
Featured on MotorTrend, writer Elana Scherr found hundreds of classic cars that Alice’s father collected in a separate part of the property.
“See, Alice’s pop was a car collector, and when an interesting classic or muscle car came in during the 40 or so years that he ran the place, he’d stick it off to the side,” wrote Scherr.
“He restored some, but most just sat there.”
As a result, several jaw-dropping muscle cars from the 1960s and 1970s sat, and over the years, began to show the signs of weathering the elements for over 40 years.
Alice and Gary had classic muscle cars – Plymouth Barracudas, Mercury Cougars, Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros, for example – slowly being destroyed by people carelessly removing parts.
“People will destroy a perfect door to get a door handle,” said Alice.
“We didn’t know what we were going to do with the cars, but we knew we didn’t want them crushed.”
So, the couple had the cars moved off of the property to save them from reckless hands.
Now, the muscle cars are available to be perused by people who wish to marvel at them like the time capsules they are.
For those who are serious about restoration projects, though, Alice said that the cars with titles are for sale through eBay Motors.
“There’s no reason for these cars to sit,” Alice said.
“If someone buys them or the parts, they can get a brand new life. I’m pretty big on recycling, renewing and reusing, and making old cars into hot rods and customs – that is recycling.”
On the yard’s website, their inventory of cars can be searched and the vehicle’s location and engine number are provided.
As of May 5, the Corns have a 1958 International Pick-Up and a 1960 Mercury Comet.
A 1980 Datsun B210 is in the Corn’s inventory alongside a 1972 Ford F-350 truck, too.
The property isn’t just used as a place for people to buy parts for classic cars, though.
Alice and Gary have also decorated the front of the shop with an old truck that had an unfortunate run-in with a tree.
However, the tree the truck rests against isn’t the one that did the damage.
After a few years, Alice moved the truck, only to have it returned as people loved the “unique artwork.”
“We moved it once and people asked us where it was, so we had to put it back,” she said.
If you’re up for a visit to the family-friendly yard, don’t call it a junkyard.
“Back then it was called a wrecking yard or junkyard,” continued Alice.
“But now I get mad at my kids for calling it a junkyard. They still do though.”
The yard’s Facebook page shows that the family has used the property to host fun family events for the community like Easter Egg hunts and Black Friday events.
The Corns recently added a tire shop to the property, where people can buy used and brand-new tires.