The south of Riverside area, ones in San Berdo, Corona, down in Imperial Co are all gone. Used to be lots of "wrecking yards up in Sunland (NE of downtown LA if you remember where that is (was a Hells Angel's area, lots of "chop shops"), now all gone. Old cars and trucks for scrap are hauled to Nevada or Aridzonia-kittylitter-land now for scrapping and parting out.
I know what you mean about that on the job wrecking mechanics "job training" in wrecking yards. I grew up on a huge family farm in Nor Central Illinois 58 families all retated from grandparents, their brothers and sisters, nephews, nieces, cousins to 4th cousins, etc like the massive farms in central Europe. On a big farm the "wrecking yard" is the "back 40" behind all the barns and silo's 'cause farmers NEVER throw away anything, you might need it fer somethin' someday. My first truck was a '48 Willy's PuP in 1962 (freshman in HS) with many parts from Studebakers, other Willy's International Harvester PuP's and Fords, etc. "harvested" from the farms back 40. I put a 1950 Ford 255ci Flathead V8 with a Holly quad in it from a Ford Delivery truck that a combine hit on the road on a thick early foggy morning on a spur road near the farm. nearly tore the truck in half, not a dent on the Combine, just some scratches. That 255 ford Flathead started me on building race motors and transmissions at 14 years old. I left the electrics, suspensions and brakes to others to learn.
Maybe I'll look for a pulled complete Alternator online to rebuild myself, how late a model Ranger Alt will fit and work on a 1997-1999? ..... I did know that the originals are only rated to about 95amps.
Any tips on where to find good Alternator rebuild parts at bargain prices?