Classic car authority, Steve Magnante, pieces together the history, life, and death of automotive relics and rarities among junkyards across the nation. Dissect the bones of old machines, learn their history, check out restoration mock-ups, and meet the owners who run America’s greatest automotive graveyards. It doesn’t have to shine to be gold.
Hot rod authorities Steve Magnante and Thom Taylor hit the road to visit the country’s coolest automotive salvage yards in search of automotive gems hidden in the junk. In their quest, they’ll tour acres-and-acres of classic cars, meet the charismatic people who run and own the yards, and pick their favorite finds.
On this episode of Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante digs through some East Coast rust at Bernardston Auto Wrecking, and uncovers a ’67 Dodge Coronet R/T, an ’89 Pontiac Firebird Formula 350, a ’49 Ford Mercury Woody, and three vintage vans including a ’61 Ford Econoline, a ’64 Dodge A100, and a ’64 Chevy G-Series van.
On this episode of Junkyard Gold, we’re in coal country, northeastern Pennsylvania, tripping through a dormant boneyard packed with classic cars and trucks from the 1950s through 1970s. But is there “gold” amongst the clunkers? Let’s watch as host Steve Magnante unearths a rare heavy-duty, cab-forward Jeep, a classic 1958 Ford Courier sedan delivery two-door station wagon, a 1967 Ford Fairlane GTA muscle car, and a super-desirable Petty Blue 1973 Plymouth Road Runner 340 four-speed. It's all happening right now on Junkyard Gold!
On this episode of Junkyard Gold, we’re in the Mile High City, Denver, Colorado, at Colorado Auto & Parts searching for vintage metal waiting to be discovered! Watch as Steve Magnante seeks and finds a 1965 Mustang 2+2 four-speed, a 1968 390, four-speed Mercury Cougar, a real-deal 1968 Pontiac GTO convertible, and a 1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst convertible mystery car. It’s all right here on Junkyard Gold!
On this episode of Junkyard Gold, host Steve Magnante travels to Sandy, Oregon, to pay homage to the Chrysler Corporation, with a look into the past at Wildcat Auto Wrecking. Watch as Magnante finds a 1962 aluminum block Dodge Lancer GT, a 1961 DeSoto, a trio of 1979 Chrysler 300s, and a 1954 Dodge Royal Pace Car. It’s Mopar or no car right here on Junkyard Gold!
On this episode of Junkyard Gold, watch as urban sprawl, rising property values, and economic downsizing take their toll on a popular Vancouver, Washington, salvage yard, All American Classics. This yard might have been forced to shrink from 20 to only 5 acres, crushing lots of great old cars along the way, but that doesn't mean host Steve Magnante didn't find what we came looking for...junkyard gold!
Steve Magnante takes us to Denton, Texas, where a little bit of rain won't keep him from hooking an AMC Marlin, finding a factory-built V-8 Vega (it's not what you think!), digging around in an ex-law enforcement Plymouth sedan the Blues Brothers would love, and uncovering a super-rare, dual-quad four-door Buick. All this...and more, right here on Junkyard Gold!
On this episode of Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante travels to Maricopa, Arizona, to uncover rust-free rarities at Hidden Valley Auto Parts. Magnante goes where rust fears to tread and explores a Sputnik-inspired ’60 Lincoln Continental Mark V, a Funny-Car-waiting-to-happen ’64 Mercury Comet Caliente, an ultrarare aluminum-block Rambler (RAMBLER? … YES, RAMBLER), and a resto-ready ’65 Plymouth Sport Fury Convertible. They're all hidden no more on this episode of Junkyard Gold!
In the junkyard world, Georgia’s Old Car City, U.S.A. stands out for its no-crush policy. Instead of smashing valuable vintage cars into scrap metal, this unique yard attracts camera-toting car lovers from all over the globe to photograph the thousands of golden oldies on display. On this episode of Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante wanders through this pine forest and discovers a ’61 Chevy Impala bubble top, TREE-eighty-three—powered ’69 Dodge Super Bee (TREE? yes...you’ll see what we mean), a four-speed ’67 Olds 4-4-2 dirt track racer, and a one-of-only-617 ’69 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Cale Yarborough Special. Best of all, since Old Car City, U.S.A. is more art gallery than junkyard, they’re all safe from harm. Watch now, on Junkyard Gold!
You asked for it and now you’ve got it, Junkyard Gold is back! Now called Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold, it’s the same show you love, but Steve Magnante has been tasked with a new mission by David Freiburger himself. Follow along as Magnante hunts for the next Roadkill junkyard rescue project car. Kicking it off back at Hidden Valley Auto Parts in Maricopa Arizona, Magnante examines a triple play from 1965 that includes Rambler's first factory four-speed, an Oldsmobile with exotic weed-burner dual exhaust outlets, a fullsize Plymouth Fury I with NASCAR potential, and a rubber-nosed Chevy from a decade later. See all that plus cool info-nuggets on GM engine identification and find out if Magnante can impress Freiburger with his first Roadkill-worthy find!
teve Magnante is back at Turner’s Auto Wrecking in Fresno, California, the spot where David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan performed their first-ever junkyard recovery mission when they revived and drove their 1950 GMC 100 truck, “Pig Pen,” out of the gates. It had sat dormant for 30 years. Now Mags unearths a “funny” Chevrolet compact, a what-if Mopar Hemi car, and a surprising pair of “independents” from Detroit. If you thought the Chevy 454 was America’s biggest V-8, or that Chrysler pioneered unitized construction, think again! As always, we’re on the hunt for the next Roadkill rescue, and this time Magnante discovers something with dirt track genes. Tech junkies rejoice as he schools us on engine cooling and the discovery of the largest driveline ring gear used during the supercar ’60s…is it a Mopar? Find out in this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold!
On this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante has struck gold! Well, more like rusty steel in the shape of a ’64 Ford Galaxie, but that’s precious metal in the Roadkill handbook. After searching through Desert Valley Auto Parts in Phoenix, Arizona, Magnante finally found something David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan agree deserves to be rescued: a four-speed, 390ci big-block Galaxie 500 XL. Along the way Magnante finds some other early factory four-speeds, big-block Chevy muscle, Oldsmobile muscle, and even some disco-era Buick turbocharged muscle. Strap your boots on and cruise through the yard with Magnante in this sneak peek into what’s in store for Freiburger and Finnegan on the next episode of Roadkill.
Steve Magnante is at Vic’s Classic Auto Parts & Cars in South Carolina, fighting the dense overgrowth to uncover a Pontiac that needs its head examined (cylinder head, that is), a law-enforcing Plymouth that the Blues Brothers would have loved, a Ford whose doppelganger was Gone in 60 Seconds, and a Dodge Dart with a ’60s surfer theme. Bonus goodies include an M&H Racemaster–wearing Chevy that's frozen in time and an Imperial with a rum-running past. It's all here right now on Roadkill's Junkyard Gold!
Vegas, Pintos and Colts, oh my! This time Steve Magnante is in a private yard near Parma, Idaho, with subcompact import fighters on his mind. David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan found this yard on Episode 96 of Roadkill when searching for a replacement for the stolen Mazdarati pickup. Now they’ve tasked Magnante with finding something small that can handle a big engine. Follow along as Magnante scours through Detroit’s answers to the fuel crisis of the 1970s. Will he find a suitable subcompact worthy of a Roadkill rescue? Find out on this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold.
Do you have speed on your radar? On this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante is at L&L Classic Auto in Idaho, exploring the strong arm of the law! This yard is packed with things that go fast; classic muscle, race cars, and some of the special ultrarare cop cars that were built to keep up with them. Follow along as Magnante uncovers an old-time gasser, a pair of GM’s greatest muscle cars, two impressive Interceptors, and even finds Roadkill’s next junkyard rescue project–a Roadkill-perfect Pontiac!
On Episode 2 of this season, we only scratched the surface of what Turner’s Auto Wrecking in Fresno, California, has to offer. Now Steve Magnante is headed back to uncover more treasures from this legendary time capsule, including a generational lineup of Rancheros, a ’68 Torino GT with an unusual two-barrel equipped 390 big-block, the ’76 Cosworth Vega the Roadkill guys couldn’t save, along with Pontiac’s first mass-produced turbo V8, and much more. Will Magnante find something David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan can’t pass up? Find out on this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold.
On this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante is in Shelby, North Carolina. Are we looking for GT350s and Cobras? No way! That’s because this Shelby is home to Sundell Auto Specialties, strict purveyors of General Motors muscle. Follow along with Magnante as he uncovers an explosive Malibu M80 built for NASCAR country buyers, an Oldsmobile Rallye 350 that stuck it to the insurance man, an original, aluminum-engine–boosted Chevrolet, and what could possibly be an original “Great One.” Can Steve add up the clues to determine if a true ’64 GTO has been left for dead? Discover all of this and more on Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold!
Cars exist for many purposes. Some are built for work, others for play. On this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante explores a pair of workhorses in the forms of a 1952 Chrysler Crown Imperial limousine and a 1957 Chevy 150 Series handyman’s station wagon. But you know what they say about all work and no play. That’s why Magnante visits a 1965 Chevy Mailbu SS and a 1971 Plymouth Road Runner. With the Chevelle’s four-speed transmission and the Road Runner’s “beep-beep” horn, these cars offered pure, unadulterated fun when they were new. Come explore all of this and more on this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold!
On this episode of Roadkill's Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante is at Desert Valley Auto Parts’s hidden Casa Grande, Arizona lot discovering rust free, but dusty sheet metal. Follow along as Steve uncovers Chevy's first all-coil-spring suspension passenger car, a 1958 Del Ray. But, unlike its upscale Bel Air and Impala siblings, this entry level Del Ray has Steve thinking it'd look great reborn as a high riding Gasser. Steve also explores a Canadian-built 1966 Studebaker Wagonaire and a 1967 Coronet R/T that blended road and track and lots of supercar sizzle. But can this once proud 440 Magnum, 4-speed, Dana 60 muscle car be revived? Steve makes the call. There’s all that and even more finds in this episode of Roadkill's Junkyard Gold!
On this episode of Roadkill's Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante teaches us about the birds and the bees, Plymouth Road Runners and Dodge Super Bees that is. We know these are some of the hottest muscle cars going, but how did they come about? Follow along as Magnante scours a private New Hampshire yard and discovers an “x-ray vision” 1969 ‘Runner and a 1973 ‘Runner with colors fit for “The King.” On the Dodge side of things, a B-5 Blue Super Bee shows off its factory installed Hurst floor shift, and a 1971 ‘Bee gives us a look at the very last Super Bee of them all…or is it?
On this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante is at Rambler Ranch to explore how American Motors transitioned from making basic cars for economy-minded buyers to building exciting muscle for 1960s baby boomers. Follow along as Steve dives into a 1950 Nash Airflyte, a ’64 Rambler American 440 convertible, a ’69 four-speed Javelin, and more!
On this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante visits Cadillac King to explore full-size and pintsize Cadillacs. Follow along as he uncovers a massive ’68 Fleetwood and a double-vision ’75 Calais six-door limo. But can Steve bust the notion that all Cadillacs were gigantic with a 1979 Seville Milan Roadster and final-year 1993 DOHC Northstar V-8 Allante?
Steve Magnante is Chevy hunting! This time he’s snooping around other people’s project cars. He discovers a ’67 Chevelle SS396 that was born a true Super Sport factory four-speed, an unassuming ’73 Vega GT station wagon that’s got a V-8 surprise, a ’55 Bel Air with early Gasser roots, and an incredibly special ’67 Camaro. Is it a pilot car? All is revealed in this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold!
In this episode of Roadkill's Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante is back East, exploring how Chrysler's A-Body Plymouth Dusters and Dodge Darts appealed to buyers looking for the smallest platform with the biggest engine. He also takes a look at the midsize B-Body for those searching for more interior space. Follow along and discover a first-year ’66 Charger fastback and a 440-powered ’70 Coronet R/T and more!
Dive into AMC’s rich history of 4x4 vehicles with Steve Magnante on this episode of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold. Back in Colorado, Steve uncovers the go-anywhere versatility of the Eagle Wagon Kammbacks. Watch as he schools us on the difference between the Jeep DJ-5 and CJ-5 and shows us AMC/Jeep’s once-built heavy-duty 4x4 pickup. All that and more rare treats can be found by watching now!
On this midseason finale of Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante takes a look at some of Cadillac’s groundbreaking offerings, from a 1949 Series Sixty Special Fleetwood with Cadillac’s first modern overhead-valve V-8 to a 1969 Eldorado with revolutionary front-wheel-drive and America’s first midsize ultra-luxury car, the 1976 Seville. All that, and plenty more episodes coming soon!
Steve Magnante is at an all-Mopar yard to show the evolution of the iconic Charger. He starts with the first generation '66-67 fastback with bucket seats and electro-luminescent gauges, then moves to the famous second generation and beyond.
Steve showcases a cross-section of European sports cars, where tight handling and swift braking more than make up for reduced horsepower. Cars include a ’66 MGB Roadster, ’73 Jensen Healey Roadster, ’82 Fiat 124 Sport Spider and a ’71 Porsche 914 Targa!
Steve Magnante examines a ’62 Gran Turismo Hawk with Studebaker’s first-ever four-speed manual trans, a ’53 Starliner dragstrip time capsule, a ’58 President Starlight Hardtop with an unfortunate, too-little-too-late “million dollar makeover” and more!
Steve Magnante is exploring Chevy big-block and small-block-powered V8 muscle cars. Dig in with an ultra-rare '68 Impala SS 427 and a '67 Chevelle SS 396, both being true four-speeds. Steve also unearths an '80 Camaro Z28 with factory T-tops and an electric air induction hood, plus more!
Steve finds three great Furys and also zeroes in on two C-body convertibles with four-on-the-floor. The '68 Plymouth Sport Fury and a '69 Dodge Polara 500 are big-block powered, and the 440 Super Commando in the Fury triggered a special rear axle upgrade. What could it be? Find out now!
As muscle goes, Buick isn't the most popular of GM's divisions, but any adorned with red "GS" emblems were capable of serious performance, comfort, and class. Steve Magnante finds some GS high-performance equipment: the '66 Riviera GS, '69 Skylark GS 400, '70 GS 455 convertible and an ultra-rare '70 Stage 1 GSX.
