Is this the world's finest car junkyard?

According to the scribbling on the side of this car, it was built in 1979.

Cadillac Catera

Like us, you’d probably forgotten all about the Cadillac Catera, which isn’t surprising considering that less than 100,000 were sold between 1996 and 2001. Built by General Motors in Germany, and badged as an Opel or Vauxhall Omega in Europe, these cars featured a UK-sourced 3-litre V6 engine. 

This is one of 25,411 that hit the road in 1997, its most successful year.

AMC Eagle 1980

Who would have thought that cash-starved AMC would spawn an entirely new class of car? But that’s exactly what happened in 1979, when it launched the four-wheel-drive Eagle. 

It’s just a pity that the world’s first crossover vehicle was about 30 years ahead of its time. This four-door sedan appears to be a 1980 car, one of nearly 10,000 built in its first year of production.

Lincoln Continental MKIII 1971

The Lincoln Continental MkIII two-door hardtop coupe, Ford’s flagship vehicle at the time, apparently came about when Ford vice-president Lee Iacocca instructed the designers to put a Rolls-Royce grille on a Thunderbird. Unfortunately, the grille is missing from this 1971 example.

DeSoto Fireflite Sportsman 1957

The Fireflite was introduced in 1955 as DeSoto’s top-trim car. 

However, in 1957 when this Sportsman hardtop was built, the Adventurer had taken over the top spot. Of the 28,430 Fireflites to find buyers, less than 7217 were Sportsman hardtops, making this a genuine rarity.

Jeep SJ 1974

Hidden behind one of numerous rocky outcrops, we discovered this reasonably tidy 1974 Jeep Cherokee SJ. 

We wonder why it ended up here, and more puzzling still is why it hasn’t been rescued yet. Built between 1974 and 1983, the SJ was basically a two-door version of the Wagoneer. In 1974 Jeep used the term Sports Utility Vehicle for the very first time.

Rambler Station Wagon 1962

In the early 1960s AMC was on a high, and its Rambler brand was consistently the third or fourth best-selling make of car in the US. But the position wasn’t tenable, and a decade later AMC had dropped to ninth place. 

This Rambler Classic is one of 100,000 four-door station wagons built in 1962.

Opel GT 1968

German car-maker Opel, which was owned by General Motors between 1929 and 2017, turned a few heads at the 1965 Frankfurt and Paris auto shows when it showed its GT concept car. It was well received, and three years later full production commenced.

Between 1968 and 1973, 103,463 of these attractive fastbacks were built, proving particularly popular in the US, where they were sold through Buick dealerships.

Plymouth Gold Duster

Over the years Plymouth made several special editions of the Duster, including the Feather Duster, Space Duster and this, the Gold Duster.

Introduced in 1970, amongst other things it featured distinctive decals,improved insulation, and plush carpets. But the pièce de résistance was a snakeskin pattern vinyl roof. But this car’s wire aerial and hole in the front fender weren’t part of the Gold Duster package…

Ford Cortina

Relatively undesirable European imports, like this British-built two-door Mk2 Ford Cortina, can sit in salvage yards for years without yielding a single part. Surprisingly though, this one has actually donated one of its rust-free fenders.

The Mk2 Cortina was sold in the US between 1967 and 1970, achieving 60,000 sales. That might sound like a decent figure, but it was dwarfed by the Cortina’s small-car rival, the VW Beetle, which was consistently selling over 350,000 units per year in the late 1960s.

Desoto Custom 1948

When it left the factory this 1948 DeSoto Custom four-door sedan was finished in Butterfly Blue, but there’s not much evidence of that color left. What we do have though is a very solid and complete restoration project.

The car’s inline six-cylinder motor still runs, and the optional semi-automatic Fluid Drive (with Tip-Toe shift) transmission is working. Admittedly the exterior has one or two battle scars, and there’s a smashed window, but other than a missing center grille piece and hood ornament it’s complete. 

It’s a similar story inside, where just a sun visor, gear-shift knob and radio buttons are missing. It could be yours for $4500.

Chevrolet Corvair 1960

This 1960 Chevrolet Corvair looks a bit down-in-the-mouth, but then with its windows and interior missing, it has very little to smile about.

Despite Ralph Nader declaring it “unsafe at any speed”, in actual fact the Corvair is the only vehicle ever certified as ‘safe’ by the US government. In total, close to 2 million of them were built between 1960 and 1969.

Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser 1968

Oldsmobile Vista Cruisers used to be favorites amongst Demolition Derby drivers, but that’s when they had very little value. These days they’re far more sought after, receiving a popularity boost when a 1969 example had a starring role in That 70s Show.

This one, with its characteristic raised roof and panoramic skylights, was built in 1968. Note the rabbit on the right of this picture, one of hundreds that live amongst the cars.

Mercury ParkLane 1964

Only 2420 buyers parted company with the $3413 needed to secure a brand new Mercury Park Lane Breezeway hardtop sedan in 1964. That makes this impressively straight and rot-free example rather rare. Look how the chrome gleams in the Idaho summer sunshine.

Buick Riviera 1972

While some salvage yards are fastidious about ensuring that doors and trunk lids are always closed, it doesn’t seem to be a priority at L&L Classic Auto. This 1972 Buick ‘boattail’ Riviera’s driver’s door has probably been open for years, which explains why the seat has been totally destroyed. 

We wonder how many years it has sat in this same spot to have sunk this deep into the Idaho dirt.

Frazer Standard 1948

Fancy restoring a rare Frazer Standard? If so, spending $3500 on this rust-free 1948 four-door sedan could make a lot of sense. Although there is a bit of external damage, particularly to the front and rear bumpers, other than a missing taillight and rear windshield, it’s all there.

The six-cylinder engine and three-speed manual column-shift transmission are still in place, and other than the door panels, the interior is complete too.

Pontiac Grandville 1973

The Bonneville’s reign as Pontiac’s flagship car ended in 1971, when the Grand Ville arrived on the scene. It was big and brash, and well received, and this 1973 example is one of 90,172 built that year.

However, the oil crisis of late 1973 had a detrimental effect on the demand for gas-guzzlers, and in 1974 less than half that number of Grand Villes found buyers.

Ford 1959

Although this picture only features a tiny portion of the yard, you do get a feel for the sheer expanse of L&L Classic Auto. Stick to the miles of dirt tracks which meander through this yard, and it’s relatively easy to navigate around the place, but venture into the tall grass and you’re dealing with uneven ground, boulders and hidden car parts.

It’s no wonder that they asked us to sign an insurance disclaimer before being allowed to explore. At the forefront we have a 1959 Ford.

DeSoto Firedrome 1953

Some of the rarer vehicles have been kept undercover, like this desirable 1953 DeSoto Firedome V8 convertible. It’s one of just 1700 built, and it’s looking for a new home. 

Incredibly, the car was driven into the shed some 30 years ago, having covered just 70,897 miles. It is solid, rust-free, and other than a few missing bits of trim, is pretty much complete. This particular barn find has an ambitious $16,000 price tag.

Rambler Cross Country 1960

As you can tell from the 1964 Cadillac and 1990s Chevrolet Lumina behind the 1960 Rambler Cross Country, there isn’t a whole lot of order to the yard. And how the employees are able to locate particular vehicles on the 120-acre site is a mystery to us.

At the time of taking the picture the Rambler was pretty much complete, but seeing as it’s not being sold as a project car, it could well have lost a few more of its valuable parts since then.

Nash Ambassador Country Club 1953

This rare 1953 Nash Ambassador Country Club hardtop coupe’s final journey must have been a traumatic one, as it clearly suffered a massive rear-end shunt. Whatever hit it must have been travelling at quite some speed to inflict this much damage to such a solid car.

Chevrolet Step-Van 1960s

An early 1960s Chevrolet Step-Van is another resident of L&L Classic Auto that ended up in the yard after a crash. Judging by the damage, it clearly rolled onto its side, and probably slid for some time. That said, it’s a mystery how the door handle survived the accident. 

Chevrolet Step-Vans were built from 1940 to 1999, and older ones are gaining popularity as quirky mobile catering vehicles.

Jeep Wagoneer 1982

We spotted a number of ex-Police cars at L&L Classic Auto, our favorite being this 1982 Jeep Wagoneer. It belonged to the Sheriff’s Department in Gooding, a small town about 10 miles north of the yard, with a population of just 3500.

Dodge Charger 1972

This was one of two almost identical 1972 Dodge Charger hardtop coupes we spotted. The better of the pair was a project car, and had a $5500 price tag, but this one is gradually being stripped for parts. You’d need to spend well in excess of $20,000 to pick up a decent one today.

Plymouth Valiant Signet 200 1962

If this 1962 Plymouth Valiant Signet 200 two-door hardtop coupe had a Facebook account, we reckon it would use this rather misleading photo for its profile picture, as it’s definitely its best side, believe it or not. 

But look a bit closer, in particular at the blue sky that’s visible through the nearside turn signal orifice, and you soon realise that things aren’t what they seem. The driver’s side is almost completely missing.

Dodge Seneca 1961

It almost looks as though this 1961 Dodge Seneca was mid-way through a Dukes of Hazzard-style jump when the photo was taken. That said, although the V8-powered wagon could certainly get up to speed, managing 60mph in a fraction over 9sec, it weighs 4000 lb, so wouldn’t be airborne for very long…

Ford Edsel Ranger 1958

Considering it was one of the biggest automotive flops of all time, a surprisingly large number of Edsels have survived. 

This one is a 1958 Ranger four-door sedan, and with 7414 being sold, it proved to be the most popular of the 18 models offered in its first year of production. By 1959 the model range had been slimmed down to 10, and dropped to just seven in 1960, its final year.

Imperial Crown Coupe 1965

Whoever purchased this Imperial Crown Coupe two-door hardtop in 1965 specified it with the optional vinyl roof. But unfortunately there’s not much left of it now. It’s also lost its front right fender and a couple of bits of trim. On the positive side, the tan interior is complete, the V8 engine and auto transmission are in place, and it’s rust-free. 

This classic could be yours for $4,500.

Chrysler Newport 1973

Look at how incredibly straight the bodywork is on this 1973 Chrysler Newport sedan. While this car is huge, measuring 230in bumper-to-bumper, it’s certainly not the biggest barge to sail out of Detroit. That honor goes to the 1974-76 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 nine-passenger sedan, which measured 252.2in.

Mercury Cougar 1977

Despite having not been on the road since 2001, this 1977 Mercury Cougar Brougham sedan still looks incredible. From this angle it appears to be 100% complete, and gives the impression that a little bit of elbow grease is all that’s keeping it from winning trophies at a classic car show.

However, it probably has some serious mechanical defects, and the fact that the hood is cracked open, means it may well have parted company with its V8.

Lincoln Towncar 1976

Here’s another incredibly straight car from the same period, which looks like it could be driven straight out of the yard, and onto the highway. Judging by its condition, you’d think it had been parked here yesterday, when in actual fact the sleeping giant arrived at L&L Classic Auto in 2007.

It’s a 1976 Lincoln Town Car, which weighs a whopping 5344 lb. It needed a 7.5-liter V8 to propel it to 60mph in 12.4sec.

Dodge Coronet 440 1969

1969 Dodge Coronet 440s are relatively desirable: after all they can accelerate to 60mph in just 7.5sec, and do a quarter mile in 16sec.But in this condition they’re worth little more than their weight in scrap metal, which in this instance, isn’t much at all.

Chevrolet Nova Custom 1973

How do you fancy rehoming a classic? This 1973 Chevrolet Nova Custom four-door sedan is desperately seeking a new owner, ideally someone with deep pockets and plenty of time on their hands, who will restore it to its former glory. It seems to be in relatively good condition, so justifies its $4000 asking price.