At the county fair: old cars and mud

When a car approaches the end of its useful life, there are two main approaches to automotive recycling...

Cars can be put into a crusher that subjects them to 150 tons of pressure. The much flattened vehicles are then transported to a huge shredder that converts them into small pieces. Cars are about 65% made of steel and recycling steel uses 74% less energy than new production. Therefore the remains of an old car has a value north of $200/ton.

The other approach is a salvage yard. That would be the spare parts market. Where else would you go if you need a tail light to your 1967 Cadillac Eldorado? It is a slow process, but the value of a much needed component is certainly greater than the spot price of scrap steel.

That about sums up our lesson on automotive recycling. No, wait! There is a third and much more entertaining alternative: the Demolition Derby! The premise is simple, although there are surprisingly many rules: take a dirt field, apply water to create mud, and bring in a number of cars. The last vehicle still moving wins!

M and I recently took in the derby at the Carver County Fair. To the young car enthusiast it was two hours of car crashing fun. After viewing the spectacle from the front row he came home with a smile on his face and mud in his hair!

If you are old enough I'm sure the 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V going down in a blaze of glory will tug at your heart strings! After this the salvage yard isn't much of an option...