In what is not my first time being defeated at a junkyard, I was again turned away from two today and prevented from looking, at my leisure, at the cars in the junkyard lots. My experience has prompted the following questions:

What can I say and how should I present myself that will encourage junkyard owners to let me wander around their lots looking at the 240s (and 740s) from the various years?

Apparently at most junkyards their policy is not to let customers wander around the yard. Officially, that may be the case, and I don't mind that since it's probably for liability reasons, but there have been a few times where I've been allowed to wander freely. I think, for the most part, the owners don't mind if I take a look around the lot. However, I don't always speak with such laid-back people when trying to take a look around a junkyard.

My specific encounters today came while I was seeking out the power antenna wiring harness (the wiring between the motor itself and the plug in the 240 trunk). I went to a junkyard and explained to the person at the counter that I was looking for the wiring for the antenna, not the motor itself. He asked the year of the car and I said that it was a 1989 model. He said that they didn't have any models from that year and that stuff from other years wouldn't work. I knew that to be blatantly uninformed and false (frustrates me INCREDIBLY), but I let that slide. He also said that they normally sold wiring harnesses to body shops. I began asking about 740s, finally saying that "there was a gauge or something" that would work in 240s as well; could I take a look at the cars on the lot? The person said that they don't let people in the yard and directed me to another nearby junkyard that might have something useful.

What frustrated me is that I wasn't allowed to look at the cars on the lot, that they probably have exactly what I need in one of the 740s/760s, that they turned away a customer who was ready to spend money on the part he found, and that all junkyards are so insistent on matching the year. Unlike other cars that changed significantly yearly, everyone here knows that parts from 240s can be used on many other year cars (I've got headlights from an '80 and a seat heater switch from an '86 in my '89), and even in some 700-series cars!

How can I politely correct junkyard people who think that they don't have the part I want? What can I say that will give me free reign of the cars there?

In other instances, if I go to the junkyard with a specific part in mind, then they will get it themselves and I won't get to wander around the lot. If I don't have something in mind, then they'll marginalize me and turn me away. Either way, I don't get to search out rare and unique parts.

Fortunately, the junkyards in my hometown have let me wander the yards without problems. Unfortunately, I won't be home from school for another month, and I'm stuck in a location with the unfriendly junkyards. I would like to get this power antenna installed now. Does anyone have any other tips (or perhaps the part I need)?
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'89 244 GL -- 111,490 miles (see profile for info on car)