Grand Forks, North Dakota

In the late sixties I was fortunate to meet  Myron " the wrecker" Weekley or Mo as he's always been called.  As a struggling college student, purchasing new parts to repair my various Studebakers was out of the question.  The answer to the dilemma of "food versus parts" was to use used parts.

I had come from Chicago to attend school at the University of North Dakota and was struck by the size of the salvage yards and the abundance of old parts. The most spectacular of the yards was owned by Mo. 

Mo and I spent many a time riding in the wrecker to the various yards in search of an endless stream of chassis and body parts. I got to appreciate the depth of his knowledge and was  amazed at his memory.  Like Gus, Mo never seemed to forget a car.  At that time there were over 1,000 vehicles under deconstruction at several locations. If you asked for an electromatic clutch assembly for a 48 Packard, Mo would go to the aerial map and pinpoint the row and placement of the vehicle and send you out to retrieve the part.

As was true with all the excellent mechanics I have known, Mo had a colorful past.  Born in East Grand Forks, Minnesota he was a tinkerer at a young age. He always wanted to know how things worked. He'd became a B-24 pilot in World War II, flying missions from England over Germany and France and although dangerous, he loved it. Following the war, although he wanted to stay in aviation, he found there was now a "glut" of pilots on the market. Adaptable, as always, he chose the next love. He went into the mechanic trade.  It was a lucky move for all of us. He worked for the local Chrysler dealer rising to the shop foreman level and was then offered the opportunity to manage the dealer's small 7 acre salvage yard.

Mo took to it like a natural and utilizing his mechanical abilities, keen mind, and business sense the  yard transferred to the Weekly name and prospered.  It now boasts 10,000 units and although now 82, Mo is sharp as a tack, like always, and still works in the yard along with his sons Scott and Larry.  Mo, like Gus and the mechanics of that generation, had a knack for figuring out a problem and providing excellent service, quality parts, and a breadth of knowledge that is hard to replicate now. Try asking the service tech what an electromatic clutch is.

Mo made a difference in many peoples lives by enabling people to keep the cars on the roads in good times and bad.  His advice was always right on the money. Betty, his wife has kept him in line, no mean feat, and Cindy his daughter is a successful teacher.  Thanks Mo, for everything you did for me.  You made a difference.

Mike Hammerberg