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\\ U c r - ItgmemBeT when Monday, April 17,1995 Men scream politics on old seat Originally, Lucas bought 10 acres. -However, he says, he sold some to Thurlow township -- which Hillcrest used to be a part of -- so the municipality would grant him his business license. Lucas and Lloyst remember wondering when they would be ready to send a load of cars to a metal company. "I thought we would never ever have enough cars to call the scrap in," Lloyst recalls. After seven years of business, Lucas had a yard full of junk cars ready to find new life. "We had our own transport for years. We would load them on -- not crushed -- and take them to the steel mill. (The the tow truck for 42 years. scrap steel companies) have Butch runs the place...Larry's been coming to get them since been here about 15 years. Eric was here about 12 years, all 1960 or so," Lloyst says. The next load of scrap drove told," Lloyst says. The family atmosphere is out of Hillcrest four years later, and eventually the business easily noticed. A bench out of old school bus leans across sent a load every three years. an shelves of parts across from Only the last three shipments the counter. have been sent every other Lloyst remembers Jack Mcyear. an employee, used to "I don't know what the City Murter, nap on the bench every day. of Belleville would have done "By (1:10 p.m.) he was sound without this place. It would asleep with Mr. Lucas* younghave been an awful mess," Lu- est son Todd asleep in his cas says. lap...He would work all mornLucas -- who has seven sons go for his lunch and within and four daughters -- could al- ing, 10 minutes he'd be asleep. And ways count on .his family to then he'd be fine for the rest of help him out. the day," she smiles. "One son, Leonard, drove That bench was used for more than just napping. Lloyst says the wreckers' yard has always been like an old barbershop. "There's a seat out there where they sit and argue politics and talk about the railroad -- they all worked there at one time...They scream politics, they get really mad," Lloyst recalls, amusement in her voice. Since he started, Lucas has enjoyed selling car parts. But, over the years, one event in particular made the business difficult. "It's been an awful change over the years, a terrible change over the years in automobiles and automobile parts. We went into this metric -- that was the biggest change we ever had. Tires, bolts, nuts, everything is metric now...We came from one generation into Bud Lucas ^and friend Blake Keller sit on a 1932 or '33 this generation of metric and Ford. The young girl is not identified. Continued from Page 1. I it's damn hard to cope with," Lucas says. A minor problem Lucas has to deal with is curious kids. Glimpses of rows of crushed cars peak curiosity and on occasion, Lucas tries to warn kids of the dangers of poking through the lot. But, he says with frustration, instead of listening, the kids always run away. After 45 years in the wrecking business, Lucas still keeps an eye on the front counter, ready to help a customer out. He takes a daily walk through his colorful field of metallic memories and, with awe, he wonders about the millions of dollars that were spent on the cars in the first p^ace. Perhaps he feels a sense of peace knowing the scrap will one day live again as part of a new car. "This business has been very good to me," he says.