How Arizona junkyard came to have 10,000 unrestored classic cars

A sprawling Arizona junkyard is home to more than 10,000 unrestored classic vehicles. 

Desert Valley Auto Parts (DVAP) is the ideal place for gearheads who are looking for a new project or hoping to complete one they’ve already begun. 

Situated near Phoenix, the junkyard has been operating since 1993 and has grown over time to two sites totaling around 40 acres. 

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The wreckage yard even got its own TV show

Car wreckage yards aren’t exactly rare – check out this 22-acre example or this one in Montana which has cars up a century old.

However, even amongst other junkyards, DVAP stands out due to its sheer size, with more than 10,000 vehicles in various states strewn across the desert. 

In fact, the site was so unusual it even attracted the attention of the Discovery Channel, which created the show Desert Car Kings all about the junkyard. 

DVAP specializes in classic cars – dating from all the way back in the 1930s up to the 1980s. 

“What amazes and impresses customers is that the amount of classic car inventory on both DVAP lots is so vast that items are still being sorted,” DVAP explains on its website. 

Arizona is the ideal spot for such a junkyard, as its climate and weather conditions means cars avoid rusting and have some of the the cleanest sheetmetal and chrome around.

The junkyard has has cars dating back to the 1980s

The cars, which date from between the 1930s and 1980s, are in various states – with some in great condition and others that will only be suitable to be used for parts. 

Speaking to Fox, the general manager of DVAP explained that the main inventory at the site consisted of classic American vehicles, such as Fords, Chevvys, and Dodges. 

However, the junkyard also has some rarer vehicles, including a 1988 Yugo, a British-built Hillman Minx, an Opel Manta, and a Cadillac Allanté.

DVAP’s junkyard is so vast that the team hasn’t even had the chance to inventory all the items it has on offer, with new parts being sorted and added on a regular basis.

You can take a trawl through the DVAP inventory here – where you may just find the car of your dreams – but if you can’t the team even offer a ‘request’ feature to track down tricker cars or parts.

“The staff at DVAP loves cars, but even more so they love a search challenge,” the company explains.

“DVAP’s team will scour the yards. You’d be amazed what has been found for customers.”

Sounds like a challenge.