My junkyard Experience

[sewlow]

Never have figured how the get the gauge pod out.
I kinda get perturbed at the ham-fist'd wrecker rats that'll destroy a couple of hundred bucks worth of good used parts just to get at a $20.00 one.
But nobody wants anything off of an Aztec. I don't know anyone that owns one. When was the last time you saw one rolling down the road? Collectable? Hmmm...don't think so. Not high on the list for restoration.
As much as I try not to do excessive damage to any parts surrounding the one I want, just in consideration of someone else that may need some or all of those other parts, for the Aztec needles,
(...& this kinda hurts to say out loud...)
I'll...
I'll...
(Deep breath!)
Take a look around to see if anyone's within earshot, and...
...break the clear plastic. (Ow! Damn! That hurts! Feelin' guilty. For a minute. It's 'just' an Aztec!)
Give it a quick smack or 3 with a tool of some kind. (Everything's a hammer!)
Watch the edges on those broken pieces when reaching in there. They're sharp. Break off what needs to be.
Pop the needles off with a fork. (You don't have a fork in your toolbox?)
Takes 2 Aztecs to make a set for a 400. Aztecs only have 2 of the small needles.

'04 -'08 Grand Prix's, & IIRC there was maybe one other Pontiac that had the same needles.

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The Grand Prix needles are different in a couple of small details.
They need some additional minor mods that the Aztecs don't.

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/aztek-needles-yessssss.17491/page-5.
Post #42. A lot of the pix are gone but the ones that are still there are enough to show the diffs & the mods required over & above the Aztec's.

Montana needles. A little short on the tach & speedo, but they matched the truck! After almost 10 years of driving it that way, didn't even notice.

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[HotWheelsBurban]

Yup, I think those are a car nobody but Breaking Bad could love. I may have to give it a smack next time I'm at my new favorite yard. Thanks for the tip!

 

[RedneckWithPaychecks]

As much as I try not to do excessive damage to any parts surrounding the one I want, just in consideration of someone else that may need some or all of those other parts, for the Aztec needles,
(...& this kinda hurts to say out loud...)
I'll...
I'll...
(Deep breath!)
Take a look around to see if anyone's within earshot, and...
...break the clear plastic. (Ow! Damn! That hurts! Feelin' guilty. For a minute. It's 'just' an Aztec!)
Give it a quick smack or 3 with a tool of some kind. (Everything's a hammer!)
Watch the edges on those broken pieces when reaching in there. They're sharp. Break off what needs to be.
Pop the needles off with a fork. (You don't have a fork in your toolbox?)

I try not to be “that guy” go uses a pitchfork to get tail lights out, but with gauge needles it’s hard not to. I carry a cheese spoon, one side has a flat end, very useful.

The only thing about the Aztec in Breaking Bad is that it should’ve been blue. Don’t remember them cooking up some off whiteish green... math.

 

[frito-bandito]

Went to the junkyard this morning, only walked out with a couple of dually fender marker lights and all four braces for the fenders

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Even though I could technically save this fender, I just couldn’t justify buying this at full price in this condition.

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[bretcopsey]

Went to the junkyard this morning, only walked out with a couple of dually fender marker lights and all four braces for the fenders

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Even though I could technically save this fender, I just couldn’t justify buying this at full price in this condition.

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I wish my local P-n-P had more duallys. One came in a couple months ago and I got there within a few days hoping to get a rear marker light to complete my set and someone had already pulled the entire bed.

Oh well, I did score a few small parts today and managed to spend less than $35 on some parts for overhead console, a door harness and wasn’t even charged for the wheel “clamp ring.” Great way to spend a few hours outside!

 

[east302]

Great way to spend a few hours outside!

I love going to the pull-a-part here. For $5 admission, it’s the same as having been able to drive yourself to the Toys-R-Us when you were eight years old.

My wife doesn’t get it.

 

[frito-bandito]

I wish my local P-n-P had more duallys. One came in a couple months ago and I got there within a few days hoping to get a rear marker light to complete my set and someone had already pulled the entire bed.

Oh well, I did score a few small parts today and managed to spend less than $35 on some parts for overhead console, a door harness and wasn’t even charged for the wheel “clamp ring.” Great way to spend a few hours outside!

They are far and few in between around here. I've taken the left fender and then the lights and braces from the right fender

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

That's what I noticed; I imagine the duallies get worked until they can't. Why I posted when I saw the two of them at my new favorite yard. I'm not going to be able to do anymore parts fetching till after the big show though. Too much organizing to do.....

 

[Cadillac Bob]

Those see though needles are really sharp and give the gauges a way newer gen looks! Wow it’s always the little subtle details that really makes big differences once you add them up!

 

[bretcopsey]

Got a text alert that the local PnP got a new Suburban in and saw that it had red interior so took a couple hours off work and headed out. Grabbed the pass side manual seat tracks to swap out from the EC tracks currently in my CC. Also got a small pile of pigtails and the master power window & mirror switch for the eventual upgrade to power mirrors. Cost was only $40, well worth a couple hours out in the sun to clear my head!