I know the junkyard in Piedmont Tom is talking about. All the VW stuff is
gone. It seems to me that more than any kind of regulations (most of these
places are grandfathered into what they are doing, and nobody messes with
them) is that the kids don't want to mess with a junkyard so they don't
survive more then a generation or two. Nowadays, even in the remotest parts
of the rural south, real estate prices have risen to the point that once
grandaddy is gone, the family wants the cars gone to develop the land. And
they don't care what kind of cars they are, that's how much land is worth
now.

There are a few old-school junkyards left. I can describe every one I know
of in a single paragraph because they are all the same. They have lots and
lots of VWs. The owners are either ancient or look it because of their
lifestyles and general poor health. They chain smoke in an office stacked
high with parts books and repair manuals. They will talk to you all day
about the parts business, and what parts you want, but they will never
actually sell you anything because they are all bat-**** crazy, living on
disability checks and sitting on thousands of rusting VWs.

I know of five of these places within 100 miles. Is this a southern thing,
or true of elsewhere as well?

Jim