Most automobiles have a metal body mounted on a metal chassis holding a metallic engine and metallic transmission system that drives metal wheels. That is a lot of metal and it is metal that, in Chicago and throughout the world, can be put to good use once the automobile’s useful life has ended. Any vehicle can become “unwanted” for any number of reasons – it was “totaled” in a crash; its engine “blew up”;or other parts and components failed to such an extent that it was not financially viable to bring it back into safe, roadworthy condition; etc, etc.
What Happens To These Dead Vehicles?
Leaving them lying around the countryside or cluttering up the city streets is no longer considered acceptable so; most of them, have to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. Most of us will have seen a scrap yard baling press in action on TV or in the movies; these automobile crushers or compactors are shown accepting a whole motor vehicle and then turning it into a pretty small cube of compressed metal. What the fiction does not show is that it is principally the vehicle body that is being crushed – large, solid components like the engine having been removed before going into the press. These presses are the ultimate graveyard for all those dead vehicles.
It’s Like Organ Donation
The cube of crushed metal from the baling press will be sent to a steel melting furnace for recycling into reusable steel – anything not made of steel will be burnt away and discarded. The engine and transmission were not in the cube and other items such as windshields, water pumps, carburetors; etc will also have been removed prior to crushing. These could also go to scrap recycling plants; but, many of them can be better recycled by returning them to their original automobile use.
Some, like a good condition windshield can simply be fitted into another vehicle that has a broken windshield. Others, like a starter motor for example, may need some renovation work before they can return to duty.
Who Benefits?
There are two main beneficiaries; people who are in need of lower priced, renovated components for their daily running motor vehicles; plus those who have an interest in restoring old vehicles where brand new components may no longer be available. Companies like Aero Auto Parts run a two sided business in so much as they buy junk cars from which they extract (for resale) Used Car Parts In Chicago. Visit the site aeroautoparts.com for more info.
