Car junkyards are sad for two reasons. First, they tell stories of vehicles that have been discarded when newer cars became available. Second, only a tiny fraction get rescued and restored. But even so, some junkyards are nice places to hang around, especially those no longer operating.
The scrapyard you see here is not your typical place to look for parts. This yard has been closed a very long time ago. Moreover, it's a somewhat remote location. And like most properties that haven't been maintained, nature has taken over. With most cars scattered among trees, this junkyard is the perfect setting for a post-apocalyptic movie.
But you should know it's not the usual US junkyard you see on these pages. Documented by YouTube's "IMSTOKZE," this retired scrapyard is located in Sweden, Northern Europe. It's called Kyrko Mosse, and it's pretty much an open-air museum nowadays. And yes, it's open for visitors, so there's no need to sneak in to check out the cars.
Kyrko Mosse has been a junkkyard since the 1930s, but new vehicles haven't been brought here in decades. All cars appear to be at least 40 years old. Based on the information I found online, the owner even offers guided tours of the junkyard. They cost 500 Swedish krona for groups of 8-10 people, which is around $46 at the current exchange rate.
But if you're not planning on traveling to Sweden anytime soon, this video walkaround provides a detailed look at the country's biggest junkyard. In fact, with more than 1,000 vehicles scattered on the massive property, Kyrko Mosse is one of the biggest car scrapyards in Europe.
As you might have already guessed, this junkyard does not include American-made vehicles—at least, I haven't seen any throughout the footage. I'd say it's a tad surprising, given that Swedes are big fans of classic American rigs, but I guess they'd rather keep them on the road than in scrapyards. All told, this property is mostly loaded with European-made automobiles.
Unsurprisingly, the forest is home to many Swedish vehicles wearing the iconic Saab and Volvo emblems. If you're a fan of the tiny Saab 93, 95, and 96 series, you'll see quite a few of them resting there. As for Volvos, I spotted a few PV-series models and at least a couple of Amazons.
The PV series dates back to 1944 when Volvo introduced the PV444. Produced until 1958, this two-door fastback was very popular in Scandinavia at the time, but it's quite rare to find anywhere else. Volvo launched the updated PV544 in 1958 and kept it in showrooms through 1966.
Perhaps an even more iconic nameplate, the Amazon debuted in 1956 and soldiered on until 1970. The same platform was used as the basis for the P1800. Volvo built nearly 670,000 Amazons in 14 years, but solid survivors are scarce.
The junkyard also contains Volkswagen Beetles and Opel Kapitans, two of Europe's best-selling automobiles of the past. Our host also found a first-generation Ford Cortina and 15M and 17M versions of the Taunus. Surprisingly, a Mercedes-Benz W110 "Fintail" (an early predecessor to the E-Class) is also rotting away in this junkyard.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like any of these vehicles will be rescued anytime soon. But that's not surprising since they all are in very bad shape. They've been sitting for so long in humid weather that they can't even be sourced for parts. Check them out in the video below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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