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#248844 Tue Apr 19 2011 09:55 AM
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I have got to ask (and this is directed to everyone who is reading)... WHERE IN THE HECK DO YOU FIND THIS STUFF??? I wear the antique places out around here and there is nothing cool. Everything is either waaaay overpriced or completely rusted out/delapitated. Do you guys just drive around checking things out? If that's the case, I'm sure I can handle that, but I need a little strategy here.

thanks in advance

BIGTOM

Last edited by Oldgas; Wed Apr 20 2011 10:13 AM. Reason: edit title to be easier to find
Please use For Sale forums to sell

Please - NO offers to Buy or Sell in this forum category

Statements such as, "I'm thinking about selling this." are considered an offer to sell.
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Put WANTED ads in all available free online classified ads in your area and surrounding areas. Most of my stuff comes this way. Also visit antique stores, many of them will take your name and contact you if something comes in that may be of interest. Other source for me is local auctions and eBay. But 80% of my stuff comes from word of mouth or classified ads.


Colin Latreille
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Hey Colin - You have better luck than me with the ads. I have better luck in barns and old buildings but you gotta always dig and can't be afraid of coonsh*t! Like the hole I dug this out of last week.....

PS: Colin that came from Casey, going to a friend in Toronto - making a pit stop on my barn for a while inbetween.





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Hi Bigtom,

Good question about where to find this stuff.As it happens, I have been asked the same question many times because I display stuff from all over the country.Ebay always comes up and I point out that maybe a dozen pieces in my collection came from Ebay that I know of.

I work almost entirely within collector circles.Be patient and you will find the good stuff.For starters,subscribe to both PCM and CTO and read the classifieds.Watch Dan Matthews'auctions and check out Scott Benjamin's website.Check the for sale forum on here every day.I do.

Some guys do really well on Ebay,it's just that I prefer to talk to guys who use phrases like "hey,the mail goes both ways".Good luck!!

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Thanks for the tips - my "collection" consists of 2 cans and my pump that I am restoring. I will check into the auction sites, cant do that at work - FIREWALL!!! For this type of stuff, I stay away from fleaBay as there are too many fakes as evidenced by the numerous threads on this site - the fakers are pretty savvy and for a noob like myself, I just stay away. I think I am going to just take some time and drive around the local towns, get out of the city and the stupid high prices.

Thanks again for the tips - I am going to check into some auctions too!!!

BIGTOM

Last edited by Oldgas; Wed Apr 20 2011 10:20 AM. Reason: Move topic to General Discuusion forum from Showcase
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start dropping by on guys collections that lives near you!


Kyle DeKoning


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I find 99% of my stuff on local cable companies claasifieds. Most small town areas like mine, have small internet/cable companies, with classifieds. Lots of others here are doing what I do, but none pay for their ads. Mine are at the top of each page, color pics and bold. 11 bucks a month per ad. I have 4 running non stop. 5-10 emails and 5 calls a day.
PS put them in section where people you want look. I dont put mine in Antiques or cllectibles all the time. I go to... classic cars, home for sale, trucks for sale and the best place I have found... farm equipment ! Think about it, whos look in that area smile

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Originally Posted By: BIGTOM
Thanks for the tips - my "collection" consists of 2 cans and my pump that I am restoring.


I'll make you a deal Tom. Pm me with your address, and I'll send ya' a box of goodies...


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Back in the day when DB, me and a few others were cleaning out bulk plants, the stuff shown above is what we left behind. That kind of stuff had to be NOS for us to bring it home.

You need to decide what to collect. What is shown above is to me not a collection, it is an accumulation. I once had over 600 different handy-oilers, that was a collection, but I even had a friend who had over 3000 handy-oilers in his collection.

Decide what you want to collect, concentrate on finding that, buy other items that are first "nice" (something someone might want to display in his collection), second "cheap" so you can resell them for a profit to use to buy things you collect. Don't believe postings where guys say "I only buy, I don't sell." Everybody sells. If you found 10 identical Texaco globes you would sell 9 and keep one.

Check with other collectors, get ideas from them on what they collect.

I collect air meters and literature.
DB collects very early general store pumps and rare gas pumps.
Dennis M. collects very early gas pumps.
Scott B. collects globes.

Lastly, if you are looking to accumulate items like the ones shown above, check with the old timers like me and DB, I know I have boxes of stuff that I would sell for what I paid for them back in 1988, and that wasn't much, and I'm just too old to load a truck, and drive to a swap meet to sell it.

Hell, I gave away a working three wheel computer at the last show I did, because I didn't want to pick it up and put it back in the truck.

Jack Sim


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Ha Ha, I have Thrown stuff away, because some didn't want to pay for postage!
[WISH I had a RARE PUMP, only what I have or had Built!]

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Originally Posted By: Jack Sim
What is shown above is to me not a collection, it is an accumulation


Actually that was just stuff we unloaded off the truck after clearing out a building slated for demolition, which was a cool opportunity - some advice there for BIGTOM. You may not find (or afford) homerun pieces every time (bulk plants, thats a different story, but don't hold your breath 'cause all these old hands did them years ago) but clean up what you find and put it into your collection, it can/will be something to be proud of.

I really wished I lived closer to you Jack - I'd be over there with two strong backs and a pickup tomorrow!





Last edited by barn_raider; Wed Apr 20 2011 08:37 PM.
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BIGtom, Don't listen to Jack, Collect a Variety of items at this point and you will be much happier. Trying to collect just one certain type of item today is frustrating and not easy. Collect anything and everything you can afford and then at a later time you can re-focus and fine tune your collection. As you know, It is not easy finding stuff for everybody. Rick


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Try this on-line mall for VINTAGE Advertising.
www.icollect247.com

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Even in a bad economy, the price on gas items is very strong. Finding items that are priced right based on condition is the hardest thing to find. It all depends where you are located in the country. If you are in a urban city area-it will be a challenge to find this stuff-If you are in an area where the property does not change hands as much you will have better luck(barns and garages). Tag sales and garage sales are a good place to start. It's very hard to find good items at garage sales and estate sales but you get lucky once in a while. The stuff is still out there but most of the people selling the stuff "think" they are educated on what the value is. Finding good deals is a challenge, but they are out there.

This is my best find from an estate sale:



Last edited by 57tbirdkid; Thu Apr 21 2011 08:27 AM.

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Bigtom, I feel your pain. Most of the state of vt was picked clean a long time ago. Most of what you do find is overpriced in antique stores. However, the best bet is to have your wife drive whenever you go anywhere and keep your eyes peeled. Special attention to the sides of barns and outbuildings. Good luck.
John


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