Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Is that VALVOLINE sign still here?

Back before the days of the Interweb, Spacebook, My Face, and Computers in general: Before the days of cell phones, bag phones, and pagers: Even before crystal type two way radios, I was picking up signs, bottles, coins, and gas pumps, etc. My parents were perplexed as to this type of illness but soon found out that many were afflicted and needed help with this need to drag things home that were worthless in their opinion. I worked in a shop for my dad and was driving to the parts house when I was eleven as I wasnt that good of a mechanic,,,yet. Thats when I first saw the sign that has eluded me for almost forty years. "Can I have some of the old signs youve taken down here at the store?" Mr. Thomas looked at me with a wondering eye as he already knew of my sickness. " Boy, what would you want with that stuff, It aint worth nothin cause scrap is only a penny a hunert!" "Could I please look?" With rolling eyes, we went to the back of the store. I came away that day with a GATES rubber belt sign that I have never seen another and a CHAMPION plugs flange sign that are both still in my collection. "What about that one up in the rafters?" " Well we still sell that oil and might need it later" "You know that one was up there when we bought the building from the Chevrolet dealer". For the next twenty five years, I looked up in the rafters of that building every time I was in the back of the store. I would bring it up only occasionally not wanting to offend or alert him to my almost nervous wants. Mr Thomas helped me become who I am today. It takes an entire community to raise a child or ***** you know. I served as one of his pallbearers when cigarettes got the best of him. Later I went to see Mrs. Thomas to discuss the sign and other memerabilia. But it was not to be as the building had been sold prior to his death before the inevitable consumed him. The new owner was a man I didnt have a good feeling about. But I went to see him anyway and got the usual," I'll think about it." Over the next several years I would ask occasionally and alway got the same response. Two years ago, the building changed hands again. It took about a year to locate the owner and once again all I got was"I'll think about it". Well, never give up, even when you have written it off as a loss. A few months ago, I got a call to look at the plumbing in the building for some renovation. I really didnt want to go because of that sign and the sure fact that it was gone. Sure enough when I walked in the back and looked up in the rafters, just like I did forty years ago, it was gone.The disappointment must have been evident because the new owner asked me what was wrong. I related the story of the love affair with that sign that I could never have, just like your first crush. The guy just laughed and I immediately regretted telling him as I guessed he just didnt get it. "Why dont you take a look out back." " Is that VALVOLINE sign still here" I asked. " Back doors open". Well, I had to look at the work he wanted done before I could look out back. One of the worst hours of my life. Finishing up my notes, the new owner said, " Lock the door when you leave". Not wasting a second, I was out the door as fast as I could go. A quick search revealed nothing but normal dumpster junk. But on the second round, behind the trailer, There it was. It was later that nite when I finally got to speak with the new owner about the sign. He had spent the whole afternoon laughing about how someone could be so crazy about that stuff. When I turned in my quote for the work to be done, There was a line item for misc. credit. When he asked what that was for, I just smiled and said, "You know what ". With a big smile he said, "You are crazy, Do want it now!?" The rest is history as it now resides at my house. It still doesnt feel like it really happened. I am now trying to replace the flat panels of milk glass and get it relit as it takes twenty two light bulbs to light it.

Wow, that's an amazing sign!

I'm glad that your diligence and perseverance paid off. Sounds, like it was meant to be yours, from the beginning.

Great story & fantastic sign!!

Dreams do come true! Congratulations on a great sign and a better story.

Jim

David,
Awesome Sign and story! Glad you ended up with it…...

Perseverance and patience pay off. Congrats

David, I think you and Griffin are probably the most amazing people I know when it comes to finding and getting your hands on this stuff!! It seems like so much cool stuff shows up down there and you guys always have a connection. Congrats, great story and a beautiful sign. Can't wait to see it lit up I it's former glory....GB

I doubt the instant gratification crowd can appreciate your forty year quest to own that sign. Congrats on fulfilling your dream of owning it. Great sign and great story.

Great story and superb sign.
It was meant to be yours. I can't wait to see it lit up.
Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Congrats, Mike

Nice to have forty years for a quest! May I be so lucky. But very nicely done regardless.

Awesome!!!

Amazing story! Amazing sign! Congratulations!

congratulations, please post when lit up...

Fantastic sign!

Awesome sign and even greater story!

Great story, Sweet sign!

Awesome story! Thanks for sharing.

all I can say is Neat, you did good

Congratulations. You've got to post a picture when it's lit up.

Wow what an amazing story!! Congrats on fulfilling such a long dream!

Wow great sign and even better story. If I am not mistaken that is a mid 20's Porcelain faced Opal glass sign. No wonder it stayed in your mind all those years.

Wow David! That is incredible for many reasons. Congratulations on finally scoring that piece.

What a great story to start 2015. It may take awhile to trump that one......
By the way, that is an awesome sign!!! Congrats on bringing it home.

It certainly was meant to be. Good for you David. Good for you.

Great story!Congrats.

I love the story! Wahoo! Wait till you light it up I bet you smile for weeks.

Great sign and story! Congrats!

Best story I've heard in a while and a great sign too.

Wow! What an awesome sign and an even better story! Persistence and patience paid off!

LOVE the older Valvoline stuff , awesome find !!!!

Really happy for you... I (like a bunch of people I'm guessing) have some "long tail" picks too. Super cool it paid off...

Good lesson to keep at those old picks. Call those old numbers in notebooks, keep checking on those older farmers...

Persistence is often KEY in killer, one-of-a-kind pieces.