Before we get going on today's Junkyard Gem, let's talk about what gem means in this context, because that term has caused some readers to foam at the mouth with rage when applied to, say, a Daihatsu Charade or a Chevy Beretta. Sometimes a penny-pinching commuter hatchback from several decades back can be a historical gem, even — as is the case here — when it's rusted all to hell and full of rodent poop. You might not want one in your garage, but we can learn some lessons about American automotive history from it. Here's a rare example of the cheapest new Ford car North Americans could buy in 1986, discovered in rough condition in a Denver self-serve yard last month.