Midway between Atlanta and Chattanooga sits a 35 acre slice of automotive nirvana, all hidden from the road by pine trees. If you stop at the sign that says “Old Car City USA” you are in for an absolute treat; there are 4,500 cars awaiting your discovery along 7 miles of easily navigable walking trails.
In Part 1, we saw the Chrysler Corporation; for Part 2, let us gaze upon the General Motors products sitting inert in a Georgia forest.
Perhaps the biggest thing to keep in mind about this former salvage yard (which ceased selling parts in the early 1980s) is to expect the unexpected. What I thought to be a regular old Malibu was anything but…
One needs to keep an eye out for those tell-tale badges.
The plates on this Chevelle expired in 1983; I guessing that is about the time this former salvage yard converted into being a photographer’s haven. While not a license plate aficionado, I saw many cars with plates that expired in 1983.
Old Car City began life as a general store in 1931. Still owned by the same family, the business branched out into auto salvage later in the 1930s. Many of those donor cars remain and it is not difficult to find cars dating back to the 1920s and 1930s in some parts of the garden.
The finds here are amazing.
When exploring Old Car City, I had no particular goal in what was photographed, other than what appealed to me on some level.
These pictures are being presented in the order taken and so far it seems I’ve been fond of dead brands, particularly Pontiac.
Let there be no doubt these cars are returning to the earth, but that is part of the appeal. The appeal is so great the owner ceased selling parts long ago as he was making more from photographers.
All these vehicles were deemed to be salvage prior to their arrival.
How these cars became salvage varies considerably; maybe the owner simply cut the top off their four-door sedan and lost interest afterwards.
Others have been in wrecks of some degree.
The policy of Old Car City is for visitors not to open hoods or doors. I’m glad somebody left the hood open here, so we could all see that overhead cam straight-six.
Alcohol, firearms, and nudity are also prohibited.
Seeing vehicles with no engine was commonplace, particularly among the trucks.
The current owner is the son of the original owners of the general store. I met him briefly toward the end of my visit and he is a very friendly and artistic person.
Anecdotally, it seems a plurality of the cars and trucks here are between roughly the 1965 to 1978 model years.
The cars are mostly arranged by manufacturer.
Pickups were generally segregated from passenger vehicles.
There were little nuggets of wisdom found on signs throughout the garden. This is my favorite.
Given the combination of cars that have not moved in decades and the tenacity of a growing tree, sights of the two having merged, such as with this 1969 Chevrolet Impala, are not uncommon. We will see more examples in this series.
Wagons of all flavors, such as this 1961 Chevrolet, are found throughout the garden (which is how the yard is referred to by the owner).
A 1957 Pontiac hearse (or ambulance), still a wagon of sorts.
Cars could be found under barns, in the air, or raised, such as this Corvair.
There was a collection of Cadillacs off to one corner of the garden.
This 1975 Coupe deVille was a demonstration about why vinyl tops are a bad idea.
Another example of a car losing to tree growth.
The allure of photographers to Old Car City isn’t difficult to determine – patina galore combined with an always changing way everything is lit by the sun cascading through the trees.
The less frequently seen body styles were well accounted for throughout the garden.
As were the cars that many would discount, such as this 1968 Chevrolet Bel-Air. I like Bel-Airs as they are a bit less common.
This challenge of photographing this Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, as was the case so often, was navigating to a good location while avoiding trees, adjacent cars like that green Mercury, and the cars the Olds was facing.
This 1970 Pontiac LeMans wagon was amazing.
Always look at the badges, which meekly proclaimed this to be an Impala SS.
A 1973 Chevrolet Bel-Air. The back glass is slowly sliding into the truck.
Several sections had cars lined up three to six wide, making pictures and identification difficult to impossible at times.
This Vista Cruiser was more accessible.
Various sources about Old Car City often contain comments lamenting about how having this many cars sitting inert is a waste. Is it? All these cars came here as they were deemed to be scrap. What if this Grand Prix had been crushed upon arrival? Not doing so has allowed it, and all the others, to be enjoyed by people around the globe.
Note the GT badge
This 1936 Pontiac spoke to me. It would not be surprising if this Pontiac has been sitting here since the close of World War II.
I have been hankering for a colonnade Buick two-door for several years. Don’t ask why, these things simply happen.
Another example of not letting what appears to be an ordinary Chevelle escape your attention. I’m glad I walked around to the other side to see…
Available in mid-1971 and again for 1972, the Heavy Chevy was billed as being “heavy on looks and light on price” and was intended for those seeking some performance on a budget. Chevrolet sold 6,700 in 1971 and 9,500 for 1972.
Note the 4-4-2 badge.
When I was approaching this Olds for some pictures, I heard a lot of noise overhead and was soon showered with pieces of sticks. Looking up it appeared I had disturbed a nested turkey and it was flying away.
It’s always good to a see a 1970 Impala.
As stated earlier, some of these cars have been here for many decades and some date back to the 1920s. Our last car is one such example.
Oakland was the brand for which Pontiac was introduced as a companion. Pontiac soon overtook Oakland in sales and was terminated.
I hope you enjoyed this part of our expedition.
All pictures were taken March 20, 2026; many have been retouched via the software found on an aging Apple iMac.
What a shame to see a bunch of (previously) stately old Cadillacs!
That’s quite an assemblage, Jason…if I was nearby and had a little time, I’d probably pay the admission and enjoy a good stroll.
I’m curious to know about what percentage still had (more or less) glass and seals keeping weather out of interiors—though I figure nature finds its way in there sooner or later.
“Heavy Chevy”–I hadn’t heard of that one in a while—here’s May 1971:
With the trees and 40 years of weather, most interiors were shot. The Cadillacs shown were perhaps the best.
Thank you for finding an ad from Sikeston, MO. I worked there for three years and it was close to my grandparents, who took me and my sister there often as youngsters.
The filth of that place is unreal, looks like no one there is selling any parts at all, I see lots of parts that could have been marketed years ago before they rusted away.
I suppose you missed the statement about parts sales having ceased in the 1980s?
My kind of garden. No maintenance!
True that.
Fun for those who love strolling through places like that, but otherwise what a shame.
To think of how many highly desired vehicles are just rotting away and for what? Someone to have them just to have them? I’m sure there’s still many salvageable parts that would be nearly impossible to find. But in the end, I just don’t get this hoarding thing.
I don’t think it’s hoarding so much as a transition of business model. These cars are still making the owner money, just in a different (and easier for him) way. Sure the cars are desirable, in theory, but Jim Klein said it all very well below. Interiors are shot, many drivetrains are MIA, and sheet metal is generally iffy – plus many had been wrecked and/or otherwise abused prior to arrival.
Thanks for another chapter, Jason. I’m really loving this…but maybe not for obvious reasons. To wit, I am finding this series, and its subject, equal parts fascinating and disturbing. Which of course is a very good thing in my book.
I love looking at old cars in junkyards as much as the next guy (here on CC at least). And in that regard, there’s certainly a lot to look at. The fascination is enhanced by the fact that so many of these cars are things that I’d love to see still on the road somewhere…and that of course I did see on the road and in driveways and parking lots not so long ago. Of course, I think that the 1970s and 1980s are “not so long ago”. So my perspective is distorted.
But at the same time, the place raises some questions that I can’t stop thinking about. First, property values must be shockingly low in that part of GA for something like this to just sit there as a niche tourist attraction. I don’t see how the owner could possibly make enough from his venture to even cover property taxes…and maybe that’s not a concern for him, but eventually it’s going to be a concern for someone (his estate? the town?). And then there will also be the not-insignificant costs of eventually cleaning the place up. Eventually will happen, eventually.
Second, you mention that the owner’s focus is on photography of the cars. OK, well, I love the photos you’ve taken…but by the time we’ve seen all of these and they’re out there on the web, how many more people need to go to Old Car City and take more pictures? Plus, it’s obvious what the attraction of these photos are to the CC community (see above), but who else? After a while, moss and pine needle-covered cars that are sinking into the ground vs. providing parts for still-running vehicles gets kind of depressing to contemplate. What are most of the people who come to photograph at Old Car City – those who aren’t primarily motivated by an interest specifically in old cars – thinking? (I’m not talking about the ones who come there to get naked…we don’t really need to think about that at all.) My fear is that they’re thinking “ironic”/cynical thoughts about nature reclaiming the follies of humankind, or something like that. And I don’t find that unambiguously uplifting.
Not that there’s anything wrong with being not uplifting. In fact, I rather like the challenge that presents. But I still have a difficult time resolving the various conflicts that this junkyard that’s not a junkyard/museum that’s not really a museum/art installation that’s not necessarily intentional creates. Then again, I once wrote a whole post about a guy who spent his life stacking rocks and now charges admission to his creation. I suppose that I struggle with that one too.
A quick hop to Old Car City’s website clears up some critical information that Jason didn’t include in his posts. OCC is not “charging photographers”; as you point out, that would be a totally unsustainable business. It is essentially a private outdoor museum/installation that charges everyone an admission, and not an insignificant one. From their website:
Hours & Rates
Tue – Sat: 9am – 4pm
Sun – Mon: Closed
Closed on the following holidays: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, 4th of July.
Adult (Ages 13+): $30
Youth (Ages 7-12): $15
Child (Ages 6 and Under): Free
Active Military (valid I.D. required at check in): $15
Admission Info
Ticket is valid for one time use during operating hours.
Admission is for a self-guided walking tour.
Photography/Videography is permitted and encouraged!
Visitors must exit the property by 4:00pm. No exceptions.
Photography is encouraged and of course included in the price of admission. So to assume that this place survives just by charging photographers is misleading and has caused you to make some false assumptions. And I certainly wouldn’t be concerned about them paying property taxes on a few acres of rural land.
I was just wondering what the charge was to walk in. Now can you get through the entire lot between 9-4 only by hoofing it or can you be a bit more casual? Not that I will ever be out in that region of the country for anyhting.
I was casual and it took me 5.5 to 6 hours. Just wear good shoes and eat light the day before.
He is geared for photographers, but is open to anyone who pays admission. I admit $30 sounded a bit steep, but where else is one going to have a similar experience? I know I’ve paid more for a lot less.
The owner had a calendar near his office. It was of local high school girls in prom dresses who had posed in front of various cars. His website shows a woman in a ballerina costume doing what ballerinas do in front of various cars. He has haunted tours at Halloween (the ’57 to ’59 Plymouth from yesterday still had lights under the hood and an extension cord running to it). The backdrops are endless and unique. Plus the ever-changing lighting makes cars look different by the hour (weird, but true, as I experienced it).
He gets visitors from all over the world…while he sits in his office doing artwork. I admire his business model. He has zero overhead, one employee who is there as a retirement gig, he sells the obligatory t-shirts (yes, I bought one and found out I’m too fat to fit into it) and he can do what he wants all day. It’s great.
Imagine being the poor guy who was told about the Heavy Chevy or the SS 396 and planned to go check on it for parts, just in time for the owners to throw down the “No Sales” sign. There may not have been any such actual person, but that never stops my imagination. 🙂
I am not trying to remember if I have ever seen an Oakland outdoors.
There was undoubtedly someone who felt he was robbed of a parts source.
I’m pretty sure Don Kincl is hiding behind one of the Chevies.
This is probably the highest and best use for these cars (and the land) at this point in time. It looks like most of the stuff anyone would want is gone from the cars and most anything really desirable or “rare” seems to be available as a repro or there are a dozen on ebay… And you said it was a working scrapyard for years, so…yeah, $30 a pop per visitor and no worries about managing employees makes sense for the guy until another automaker wants to buy the land to build another Southern assembly plant and will bulldoze it all into a pile. I can’t imagine what some of the other commenters are thinking about when they seem to imply that people would happily drag their tool bags across the country to take a rusty bumper with a dent in it from a ’74 Buick and pay $200 for it without damaging ten other parts and leaving junk strewn around for fifty yards in every direction while doing so. Or pay ten people on staff to do it for them, leaving precisely zero profit. For all I know as a museum he perhaps gets a tax break on the land as compared to it being a scrapyard business where he then has to deal with accounting for toxic fluids etc…
You’ve hit the nail on the head. I think the owner has found an ideal business model.
Three of the Cadillacs appear to be wearing chef’s hats.
It was really weird to see the chef’s hats spin in the breeze, also!
Using a roof vent as garden art… I’ve seen weirder. You did say the owner was artistic.
Fascinating .
I grew up in rural New England where junkyards full of beautiful old cars were nestled amongst the trees, like most of these they were all rusted paper thin and not possible to resurrect .
I think the last image answers your question about the plethora of #10 tin cans .
I hope you’re not done yet, I’d love to see imports and Motocycles too .
-Nate
Fords are tomorrow and AMC / Independents / Foreign is Thursday.
No motorcycles, but he did have an assortment of chainsaws. Some looked like they had near motorcycle sized engines.
More great stuff, Jason. The long-term effects of tree growth on (in, and around) inert cars is fascinating. Funny thing – the picture of a c. 71 Grand Prix made me realize how “Stutz for everyone” its styling was.
Thank you. My enjoyment of seeing all this is hard to describe, but it was well worth the trip. Sure beat what my wife had going that day in Atlanta.
This is really neat. Thank you for sharing. It’s on my bucket list, and I hope to eventually do this one day. I may need to do it over a few days but it looks really neat. Can’t wait to see the Fords and AMCs you post. Great photography, too, by the way.
Fat ass tree for a fat assed Cadillac Wood Fleet.
Fascinating – such a thing is impossible in England due to spatial and meteorological reasons, let alone pettifogging bureauprats.
At least he is in the backwoods. North Georgia is gradually losing a lot of its rural charm. And a change from the ruin porn that is so popular to photograph. A local mechanic had a collection of cars in front of his business that he collected for 40 years. Tended to be 60s-70s Volvos, Saabs and such. But he was on a main road and eventually became a visual and environmental hazard and all the cars were removed. Living in the “Rust Belt” I’ve seen a lot of this most of my adult life. Attached is a photo of the mother of all dead malls, which went from brand new and exciting, source of income for my young business, to Amazon warehouse in 40 years.
Thanks for sharing!
Regarding the ’36 Pontiac, I would be surprised if it had been sitting there since the end of WW2. Remember, no cars had been built since Dec. of ’41 and there was such a shortage of and demand for cars for years after, that I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pontiac was 15-20 years old when parked.
What an interesting variety of some great classics.
“Heavy Chevy” is something that escaped me…learned something new today.