A-1 Auto Salvage to hold auction, then close

Roswell, N.M., is the source of many secrets, one of which is among the hobby’s best-kept secrets — A-1 Auto Salvage. That secret is coming to an end with the yard’s closing and sale of its contents at auction on Sept. 20.

“The owner wants to get rid of everything that is on [that property] and close it down,” explained yard manager Mario Silva. “The owner’s main focus is recycling.”

Rather than recycle the yard’s 350-400 old cars, A-1 Auto Salvage & Recycling will offer its stash of prewar to 1970s cars, trucks and parts to collectors in a no-reserve sale held on-site by Bill Johnston Auctioneers. Those cars not sold at auction will be crushed.

Silva said some of the cars have titles, but the staff is still sorting through the paperwork to determine which cars have them.

A full inventory has not yet been posted, but the yard has many of the solid New Mexico cars pictured on its Facebook page. A flip through these images reveals many 1956-1964 full-size Fords and four-seat Thunderbirds, Studebakers as old as 1940, Falcons galore, several mid-1950s Oldsmobiles, a couple 1957 Buick two-door hardtops, many early Chevelles and 1960s Impalas, finned Imperial four-doors and a few Jeeps, including at least Jeepster convertibles. There are even first-generation Mustangs and a healthy smattering of trucks.

The yard’s inventory of thousands of parts will be offered on pallets and includes many body panels. Silva said there also seems to be a surplus of Volkswagen parts, which correlates with the number of Beetles and Karmann Ghias in the yard’s inventory.

For information, contact the yard or auctioneer. To view Old Cars Weekly’s 2009 article on this yard, go to http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/blogs/salvage-yard-ron/a1_salvage_new_mexico_yard

A-1 Auto Salvage & Recycling
204 N Brown Road
Roswell, NM
575-317-8685

Bill Johnston Auctioneers
PO Box 747
Portales, NM 88130
575-356-5982

Additional vehicles to be sold: