# junkyard audio



## werkeng (Jan 5, 2012)

Just wondering if anyone has gone audio equipment hunting in junkyards or U-pulls. Anything, amps, speakers, xovers/eqs, cables, ect ect. Or maybe even factory car audio that's worth tinkering with or just kinda interesting.


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## thomasluke (Jun 10, 2011)

Well, the biggest problem with it is the elements. Anything that has been sitting in the trunk or door in the junk yard will most likely be ruined.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

Many people find the subie mac units.


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

chad said:


> Many people find the subie mac units.


This makes me want to go dumpster diving this weekend :worried:


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## werkeng (Jan 5, 2012)

I didn't know subarus had mac's in them. what did they come in, legacys?


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

Bricks will be shat......

Older auction....

Subaru McIntosh Radio Tuner CD cassette AM/FM/WB | eBay


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## Jericho941 (May 24, 2011)

Do you think that whoever works at the junk yard has already picked them clean of anything good? Seems like there only might be factory replacement stuff there.


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## werkeng (Jan 5, 2012)

No, you just have to look. It might take some time but you can find stuff. So far Iv'e found two 4 ch. amps, a kenwood kac846 and an alpine 3531 which i'm currently in love with because it has surprising output for being such a small amp. The kenwood I found under the carpet in a grand am and the alpine in the trunk of a cavalier bolted to the rear seats. I usually look for cables going nowhere. Just gotta take the time to peak in everything you think might have something.


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## Jericho941 (May 24, 2011)

Sounds like fun. What do you have to pay for the stuff you find at a pick'n'pull type place? I've spent lots of money on nice new equipment, but I also really enjoy the hunt for a deal.


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## werkeng (Jan 5, 2012)

It depends on the yard. The one near me charges $20 flat rate for aftermarket amps. 7 bucks for stock ones. Thats actually one of the reasons for this thread, to see if anyone has came across any decent factory amps worth pulling. If anything just to play around with. Oh, that alpine 3531 was small enough to fit i my pocket on the way out, can't beat zero cents/watt lol


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## Jericho941 (May 24, 2011)

A $20 flat rate would be fine if I knew they worked before I parted with my money, I bet you could carry around a charged jump box, some wires with alligator clips, a small speaker(maybe in a box) and an mp3 player with phono to rca cord to check amps in the yard.

Hard to say what factory amps might be available, but I'd start with cars that had premium stereo systems. You aren't likely to find any powerhouses, but they could be made to work with some improvisation. I know there was a run of tiny 1 channel kicker amps that got sold on Parts Express last year that were made for the sub channel on dodge chargers so there is at least one to look for. My scion tc has an amp under the seat that powered the 6x9. The neat thing about some of these factory amps is that they were made for lower impedance drivers. Both of my origninal door 6x9s were 2 ohm.


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## SHAGGS (Apr 24, 2011)

Never ran across any electronics. All of my local yards pull that stuff and put it in the case, in the office, with nearly new prices on them. Can't even recall how many feet of power wire I've pulled, thou. Probably close to 200ft. Last time I went pickin' I pulled two 20ft lenghts of 4awg and two 15ft 12awg speaker wires. Brought it to the office fully expecting to hear 30 bucks, or something stupid. Shocked when he said "is it worth 5 bucks to you?". Couldn't get the money out fast enough. Oh, and a pocket full of fuses, as usual.


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## ou812 (Oct 25, 2008)

werkeng said:


> I didn't know subarus had mac's in them. what did they come in, legacys?


H6 3.0 i believe.


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

chad said:


> Bricks will be shat......
> 
> Older auction....
> 
> Subaru McIntosh Radio Tuner CD cassette AM/FM/WB | eBay


I found this website regarding these Mc units

McIntosh « My Blog


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## r_marcinko186 (Apr 23, 2012)

> Oh, that alpine 3531 was small enough to fit i my pocket on the way out, can't beat zero cents/watt lol


I know I'm the new guy and all, but why on earth would you brag about something like this? That is straight-up theft and WRONG. Hope you feel good about stiffing them for $20.


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## benny (Apr 7, 2008)

Im currently running a pair of circa 1978 home audio 15s in an infinite baffle setup in my Saturn. Got the pair of cabinets, complete and functioning, from my local landfill.


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## werkeng (Jan 5, 2012)

Why, I do feel pretty good. Thank you. And do you want to know who also feels really damn good, the guy who got a $4000 bmw v12 for a measly 200 bucks! Thats from the same yard where i got my amp from, you decide if they care about a little amp or not when they just lost a potential 3800 dollars. Anyway, Notloudenuf that's a good site, but now it makes me curious of the clarion parts he was talking about. And benny, how do they sound? I'm assuming their in a wagon


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## jdsoldger (Feb 14, 2012)

I believe the mac gear was in the LL Bean subarus.

That said, the head unit in my last car was $20 at the junkyard. Nice sony xplod unit. Would have been $400 in 2001.


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## eye_see_you (Jan 14, 2012)

got a mtx 250x out of a trunk once and seemed like it was brand new. Still have the amp its been hammering for years cost me 10 bucks


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## werkeng (Jan 5, 2012)

nice score, that thing is still worth about 50 or 60 so who knows how much it was back then. Has anyone actually seen or been in one of those mac equipped subies?


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## benny (Apr 7, 2008)

My 15's arent in a wagon, they're in a trunk baffle in a 2000 saturn sedan. For the price I (didn't) pay, they sound great!


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## r_marcinko186 (Apr 23, 2012)

> Why, I do feel pretty good. Thank you. And do you want to know who also feels really damn good, the guy who got a $4000 bmw v12 for a measly 200 bucks! Thats from the same yard where i got my amp from, you decide if they care about a little amp or not when they just lost a potential 3800 dollars. Anyway, Notloudenuf that's a good site, but now it makes me curious of the clarion parts he was talking about. And benny, how do they sound? I'm assuming their in a wagon


What are you 12 years old? It is not your call whether or not the guy "cares" about his stuff being ganked. Your strawman of an axample has exactly diddly squat to do with the fact that YOU stole his property. 

Sorry for the rant and getting off topic but BS like this is just a small example of larger problems in our society that piss me off to no end. THis guy's sense of entitlement and laissez faire attitude toward stealing needs to be called for what it is. What A ****bag.


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## werkeng (Jan 5, 2012)

Ok dude, I didn't say anything derogatory toward you so I don't appreciate the insults. Considering you going after me when I'm not even the only person in this thread who said he, or she, took something from a junkyard. I don't know if you've seen how much fuses cost but I'm sure a pocket full's worth is a bit more than 20 bucks. 
And benny, I see what your talking about now, lol. For some reason I had something completely different pictured in my mind.


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## wide.awake.nightmare (Apr 26, 2012)

Around here all the yards pull any parts that are time or weather sensitive hence the walls of faxtory HUs and piles of stock papercone speakers in their office. Some have whole warehouses full of salvaged stereo stuff u can rummage through. I've found old RF american made amps with all its crossover cards and 'stylish' heat dissipators and paid less than a cup of coffee... Other places they want 200 bones for some Team Kragen XXtreeem audiovomit subs cuz jim bob pulled em out of homeboys caddie and is sure their expensive because they have wires and it lights up. All my ramblung could have been summed up with a simple 'its hit or miss, kid' but for me well enough is never worth leaving alone.


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## wide.awake.nightmare (Apr 26, 2012)

Oh and guys, an argument over what merrits a junk yard in BFE as being a deserving victim of spontaneous petty theft is not a topic worth going to blows for... The damage is done, I don't agree with the action or its principle but let him carry that cross (if u can even call it that) besides I liked where the post was heading.... Digging up rare equiptment and coming up on epic deals... Example- a tow truck driver who was friends of my dad had a few yard cars (u know, 'the work in progress' project car thats wheel well deep in dandelions and opaque windows thanks to dust and cobwebs) wellthese were his potential projects that he saved from becoming future junk yard autopsies. At the time I had 91 integra that needed a new hatch, he had one in his fleet similar and asked if I could buy the hatch lid and glass, he said 'yeah, if u take all the crap and wires out of the back of that thing with u and can it, u can have the damn lid' stoked on the aspects of a free 3rd door I brought some raid and hefty. Bags to pay my part and clean out the back hatch of aome integra that I've never even seen till today... Pop the hatch and find the crap and wires was infact 2 kicker l7 15 (the nicer black and red badging ones circa 04 ) in a specd kicker off set vented box... Only damage was that whatever. Amp that some bozo screwed onto the enclosure was ripped out (apparently the theory of a phillips head screw driver still eludes some people) ...a tube of silicone, some wood bondo and some spare felt and those badboys looked and sounded like new


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## werkeng (Jan 5, 2012)

Exactly, it's not _that_ big a deal. But, yeah wide.awake.nightmare, those are exactly the kinda stories I had in mind when starting this thread.


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## werkeng (Jan 5, 2012)

And why not post up some craigslist finds as well. I managed to get a zed audio esx 275.2 for 5 bucks. Hell, I used more than that in gas just to get to the guys house lol. I gotta admit I'm pretty proud of that one.


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## Hohn.Ian (Feb 10, 2018)

All. The. Damn. Time. 

You wouldnt BELIEVE the stuff in,some of thoae rides. Aparently the yard workers dont pay mufh attention, and neithwr do the customers pulling parts. This month alone:

Ford Ranger Tremor Edition landed me 4 Pioneer 5x7's & Headunit

Ford Explorer Sport was good for a 500w amp and a 10" JBL woofer

Subaru Outback- McIntosh Door Speakers and headunit (pure gold)

Drop down display LCD's and controller boards, Eclipse 6.5's, and a half-grown pot plant comming out the trunk of a '93 Mustang. 


This junk is addicting.


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## Hohn.Ian (Feb 10, 2018)

werkeng said:


> And why not post up some craigslist finds as well. I managed to get a zed audio esx 275.2 for 5 bucks. Hell, I used more than that in gas just to get to the guys house lol. I gotta admit I'm pretty proud of that one.



Last week on Letgo. A pair of Cerwin Vegas CS-150's for $40. And ive double checked em, theyre legit and perfect condition. Another guy GAVE me a 90" mitsubishi DLP with black screen no picture problem, and a near-mint Harman Kardon Three Thirty "Nocturne" that he said was blown. Plugged the TV in when i got home.....it just needed the time unpugged to reset... and came right on. the HK took 2 caps,and about 15 minutes. 


its almost TOO easy to build a system these days


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## Lou Frasier2 (Jul 17, 2012)

Notloudenuf said:


> This makes me want to go dumpster diving this weekend :worried:


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## RRizz (Sep 4, 2012)

6 year old thread. I guess you could say its back from the dumpster. Wonder if the OP is out of prison yet for shoplifting?


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## Batryoperatedboy (Jan 11, 2011)

RRizz said:


> 6 year old thread. I guess you could say its back from the dumpster. Wonder if the OP is out of prison yet for shoplifting?


Having just read all of the same stuff I guess I'll say I'm the only one in this group who calls it Pick N Pocket. (Though of course only thing I really take are fuses and relays)


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## Hohn.Ian (Feb 10, 2018)

My local audio shops dumpster in 4 months, i go about 3 times a week. JBL 12" SUB with torn (easy fix) surround, four 10' woofers, 4 fosgate 6.5s, half dozen super tweets, memphis crossover (8), 4 foot square carboard box of brand new speaker covers total, audio wire of all guagesand types... including a 12' length of zero guage, tek flex, trim acessories, Jensen Touchscreen, adapter plates of all kinds, decals for all brands, interior upholstery of over over a dozen new cars and probably 50 pieces of leather o er 2 feet square each,five double-12" woofer enclosures, one double-15" enclosure, seven solo 12" enclosures (2 of stealth variety)...

And the place is respnsible for the police rescue vehicle hookups for city, so two HD LED light bars (50" and 30"), 4 strobes, an SUV front end ramming grill, 2 fire engine front bumper sirens, and 2 speakers from a tornado sire.&

And that doesnt count the stuff that was broken....

(MIC drop)


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## Weigel21 (Sep 8, 2014)

Damn, they toss out some decent stuff from the sound of it, wish it were that way around here. Got two audio shops, one of them seems to only toss out complete junk as I found out employees tend to grab anything worth grabbing before things hit the dumpster and the other one I learned purposely breaks everything they toss so people can't find any free goodies.


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## Hohn.Ian (Feb 10, 2018)

i understabd employees...hell, id get everything too. I guess untill i couldnt do anything else....or maybe its like the saying "the cobblers kids have no shoes". The second shop....they all should be shot.


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