Junkyard Hunter Walks A Monrovia Yard Looking For Two Dodges And Finds One With Peanut Bumpers A Slant Six And Manual Everything He Calls Rad

There is a special kind of joy in walking a junkyard row with a short list and an open mind. That is where @ROLLINGHEAVYMAGAZINE finds himself in this one, back at the LKQ yard in Monrovia on another hot day, hunting for what is supposed to be two Dodges. He cannot resist a joke about another day, another dollar before he sets off down the rows.

A junkyard Dodge video cover beside a stock photo of wrecked cars stacked in a salvage yard.

The first Dodge, the maroon one, turns up quickly. There it is, he says, one of them right there, and he thinks it is supposed to be a 74. It is a pretty cool find. It has a couple of captain’s chairs on pedestals, and he pokes around to see what is still good, since a yard visit like this is as much about checking what people might want as it is about shopping.

The man behind the camera talks about what he sees the way a lifelong parts hunter would. He notices the power brake booster, remarks that it was dialed up back in the day, and points out that the shrouds on these Dodges are always busted or gone. People are always looking for those, he says, because owners rebuilding a Dodge have a hard time finding them.

Finding the Second Dodge

After a look at the maroon one, he sets off to find the other, wandering past a little high-top Ford along the way. The white Dodge is not hard to spot once he is in the right row, and it is a short-bodied Dodge sitting among the rest of the yard cars. His first words when he sees it: this thing is rad.

What makes it rad is a short list. It has peanut bumpers. It has a slant six under the hood. And it has manual everything. He says people would call this a stripper model, a bare-bones model built without options, and he likes that the dash is relatively complete. He even gives the engine its famous nickname, the leaning tower of power.

The Legend of the Slant Six

The slant six is one of the best-loved engines Chrysler ever built. It is an inline six-cylinder, named because the cylinders are tilted to one side, which allowed for a compact, efficient intake setup. It earned a reputation for being almost unkillable, the kind of engine that kept running through neglect, bad gas and long stretches of owner indifference. Many mechanics have stories of slant sixes that would not die, and the engine has a loyal following to this day.

It is not a powerhouse, and nobody will confuse it with a big V8. But what it lacks in muscle it makes up for in toughness, simplicity and easy repairs. Those traits make a slant six Dodge a good starting point for anyone who wants an old Mopar that is simple to maintain and cheap to keep on the road.

Why Peanut Bumpers Get Noticed

Bumpers changed dramatically in the early and middle 1970s, as federal rules pushed manufacturers to build bumpers that could survive low-speed impacts. That brought bigger, heavier designs that changed the look of vehicles from the era. A nickname like peanut bumpers is the kind of shorthand enthusiasts use to describe a particular shape, and it is a detail that instantly places a vehicle in a certain stretch of automotive history.

The host also looks over the small stuff that Dodge guys care about, like the little back seats. He says these are pretty cool cores, the kind of thing that owners restoring a similar Dodge would love to find.

Junkyard Hunting Tips

If you want to try your own luck on a yard day, a bit of preparation goes a long way.

Check the yard’s website or phone line first. Many self-service yards post inventory lists, entry fees and rules about tools and torches.
Wear sturdy boots, long pants and gloves, and bring water and sunscreen. A big yard can be a long walk on a hot day.
Bring a basic tool kit, including sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, pry bar and penetrating oil. A small battery impact driver saves time and knuckles.
Photograph the vehicle and the part before removal, and keep track of every bolt in a labeled container.
Inspect each part before you pay. Look for cracks, rust, leaks and worn bushings.
Be careful around vehicles on stands or stacked. Never get under a car that is not secure.

Reading a Yard Car Before You Pull Parts

A car in a self-service yard has often lived a hard second life, so a little detective work helps. Check the date on any stickers, the build tag and the condition of the interior to guess how long it has been sitting. A car with a clean interior and dry floors may have good small parts, such as switches, trim, glass and brackets, while a car with water stains and rust will not. Remember that the best prizes in a yard are often the small things that are hard to find elsewhere: emblems, knobs, lenses and original hardware.

Also think about the price of what you pull. Compare yard prices to the cost of a new or reproduction part, and consider whether the used part will need cleaning, rebuilding or paint. Sometimes a new part is the better deal, and sometimes the original is the only way to keep the vehicle correct.

Walking Away With Nothing

Here is the funny part. The host does not need anything off either Dodge, so he leaves them where they sit. He says they have lots to give, but nothing he needed. He tells viewers that if they need Dodge parts, they should come on out, and he adds that there is also a second-generation Ford camper van in the yard with a lot of good stuff on it.

He points out that both the maroon Dodge and the Ford camper van have swivel seat bases. Then it is too hot to hang around, and he heads for the truck. That is a very honest way to end a junkyard day.

The Appeal of Simple Machines

There is a reason a Dodge with manual everything makes a person smile. It is mechanical honesty. There is no hidden software, no touchscreen to fail and no sensor to confuse a repair. You turn a crank, press a pedal and the vehicle responds. For many owners of a certain age, those machines bring back memories of first vehicles, family wagons and driveway repairs on a Saturday.

That simplicity also makes them a smart choice for new hobbyists. With a service manual and a few hand tools, you can learn to do most of the work yourself. Parts for the slant six and for many Dodge models of the era are still available through aftermarket suppliers and enthusiast groups, and online communities are full of folks willing to help a newcomer along. For the full tour of the rows in Monrovia, follow @ROLLINGHEAVYMAGAZINE.

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