STEVE. GREAT POST!!! I have been doing what you are sugesting here for years, And it WORKS. I try and buy all the derby parts i can get my hands on. Otherwise they get broke off with a hammer and in the dumpster they go. Just got the parts off a 30,000 mile car the other day thats headed to the track, Tryed to buy the whole car, but to late. Hate to see a beautiful car go that way. But he ownes it and all i can do is offer. At least the parts were saved. Just my 2 cents. THANKS Bob H Imperial heaven impparts@xxxxxxxxx ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brad Hogg" <roadhogg@xxxxxxx> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2002 10:54 AM Subject: Re: IML: Demolition Derby - Let's take the high road > I agree 100%! The fact is, there are a lot of cars that are just too far > gone to be anything but parts. In an ideal world, I think derby guys and > restorers would work together because the derby guys could stand to make > alot of money from their parts that most often, currently, get scrapped. I > know it is a rarity but there ARE derby guy who have a heart and will not > derby a good car. I know one here and I have gotten some nice stuff (for > cheap) from him. I would like to see the restoration world develop a > relationship with the derby world (as unpalatable as that may sound) because > that relationship could prove to be mutually beneficial in a big way. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <ImpSvcs@xxxxxxx> > To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2002 6:23 AM > Subject: IML: Demolition Derby - Let's take the high road > > > I don't wish to open a lengthy debate on the use of Imperials for > other than enjoyment or restoration, I would just like to throw out some > ideas of how to deal with something we can't change. > > I'm afraid that if you search the "Parts for Sale" section of the web > site, there are many parts that are for sale that were pulled from Imperials > headed for the Demolition Derby. I bought what was supposed to be a 413 > (turned out to be a 361) from a gentleman in Wisconsin on my return trip > from > Iowa when I picked up my '63. He is connected with the people on the listed > link. I don't remember for sure, but it seems like I got the lead for the > engine from the IML. > > Anyway, there was a '64 in his barn being prepared for Demo Derby. > The car was pretty well rusted, with previous body damage, and most all of > the good trim and stuff had been removed. We talked about Imperial parts, > and it seemed that they were selling the parts from the cars that they were > to Demo. He did say that there are large stashes of Imperial parts around > from cars that had been Demo'd in the past. I'll contact the guy and see if > I can locate some of those. > > Sad as it is, this has been popular for a long time. The up side is > that many, if not most tracks now forbid the use of Imperials for regular > Demo Derby use. The fellow explained that the '64 he was preparing was for > an "Unlimited" class, that is only run occasionally and had quite a large > payout. > > As much as it pains us all, there is no way to stop the use of these > cars for Demolition Derby. The market value of these cars in deteriorated > conditions makes them prime candidates for Demo Derby, or as drivetrain > donors for hot rods and race cars. I bought my '68 out from under a racer > who was going to pull the 440 and transmission for a drag car and scrap the > 47,000 mile body. I think the '63 would have seen a similar fate, probably > the Demo Derby. I paid less than $1000 for each of these cars. > > On the positive side of things, I think we can do the following: > > 1. Contact as many Demo Derby contestants as possible, and locate > any > Imperial parts available, before they end up being scrapped. Put them up on > the IML. Put them on eBay. Put them in your basement. Just save them from > the scrap yard. > > 2. Consider sending older deteriorated Imperials to the reputable > Mopar parts yards like Murray Park in Ohio, rather than selling them for > bottom dollar. There are other yards like Murray's all over the country. > This will keep parts available to those who need them, and help support > people like Murray, who support people like us. > > 3. Offer up stripped bodies to the Demo Derby guys. I've seen more > than one Imperial that has been parted, and not much more than the frame and > body are left... this is exactly what the Demo guys are looking for. > > 4. Get the word out to members when you find distressed cars for > sale. Better for someone on the list to control the fate of the car than > let > it go to someone who may not share our passion. > > Maybe I'm still suffering from years of Corporate Brainwashing, but > it > seems like this is the perfect opportunity to implement ideals that were > nothing more than buzz-words like "Win-Win", "Synergy", "Networking", and > best of all, "Recycling". > > My $.02 worth > Steve Charette > > > >