While checking telco poles into a rural ranch I spotted this Shell sign behind an out building. The rancher needed to check with his wife about selling it. I called the next day, he said OK however, they were leaving on a trip, I would have to wait 3 months to pick it up. I could see the price going way up. In 3 months I picked it up and he let me have it for $25 Less than our original deal.
After the thing had been in the garage for months; and I was scratching my head as what to do with it; my wife said "why don't you hang it next to the front door". This from my wife who calls most of my treasures RUST. Needless to say I got busy on a bracket to hang the sign on.
When I had the bracket in place I decided to hang the bare frame and check my measurements. The 8 foot tall front door cleared by 1-1/2 inches, my measurements worked. The neon was still in the shop so I just left the frame up there. Two days later, as she turned to go up the stairs, it caught my wifes eye and I hear "my god I didn't realize it's that big". I was off to the neon shop and had the whole sign up in a flash before she could change her mind. Our friends tell her what did you expect, it was made to see a mile down the road. I love the looks after someone has sat in our living room for 10 or 15 minutes and then realizes whats hanging up in the corner.
Ed
2/6/03
To answer a couple of questions.
I paid $225 for the sign. The back side has a lot of damage, looks like it may have been tossed into the back of a truck. I have about $75 in paint, metal for bracket, electrical in the wall and misc. The neon and new transformer was $200 and $50 to have the frame re-galvanized.
[This message has been edited by Rust Collector (edited 02-06-2003).]
[This message has been edited by Rust Collector (edited 02-06-2003).]
