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OK, who is going to Iowa Gas?
If you are setting up as a vendor please list your spaces and a few highlights of what you will be selling.
Here mine:
Jack Sim
Spaces 713-714-715
About 20 different air meters
Air meter parts, handy oilers, oil company patches and gas pump literature.

I'm going as a buyer only. Can't wait.

I'm going as a buyer. ALWAYS FUN. Scott

I will be there friday night and saturday. This will be my first trip to Iowa gas. Looking forward to it too. Ryan

GP Rob & I will be there Wed.-Fri.
Have a few stops to make on the way to Iowa.

ROD,
Hide your 36B top, IF it should come up missing. I don't want to be blamed !!!!!!!

I'll be there Wednesday evening through Saturday, as a buyer and Oldgas.com promoter, no booth. Say "Hi!" if you see me wandering around in an Oldgas.com shirt. Always looking for auto body & paint, Buick, Skelly items and members of the Oldgas.com community. Hope to get some good pictures, maybe with some Shop Talk guys and gals in the picture!

Iowa gas always has lots of quality stuff including a nice variety of gas pumps. Sounds like a good year to pick up an air meter. Be there!

Ryan, The swap meet is only Thursday & Friday, not Saturday. Friday eve is the can auction and Sat is the auction for everything else. http://www.iowagas.com/


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Jim "Oldgas" Potts
Your host and moderator

Im not able to get off work until friday at 12:00. I will just have to be happy with going to the two auctions this year. Hopefully I will still bump into a few of you there. I am hoping to pick up my first complete original globe at the auction.

Ryan

[This message has been edited by Ryan Underthun (edited 07-30-2003).]

I may sound like a "Broken Record" but these show promoters need to look into the long term benefits to our hobby with regard to holding a true Friday & Saturday or Saturday
and Sunday show. How many collectors are currently having a tough time attending shows because of work? If you're retired, I guess it doesn't matter too much when the show is...Let's hear some thoughts...Thanks!

Gaspump Rob, is shutting down his repair shop for a week, and I'm taking the week off of work also.

NO work, NO pay.

Even if it was a Friday/Saturday swapmeet, I would still have to take a week off work to go. Even if you fly, you will lose 2 days work.

There is more to life, than WORK.
I WORK to buy my toys, and support my wife.

Dick

I won't be going. I have to work. If I don't work I don't get paid. If I don't get paid I don't have any money to buy items from the show vendors. Put me down as being totally in favor of weekend shows.

I've been to Iowa Gas as a buyer several times. I've never been able to be there on Thursday , so I've always gone knowing I was shopping for left overs. If you can't be there by Wednesday afternoon you're probably too late for the really great stuff. In the old days many vendors would set up for a few hours on Saturday morning. The vendors that did that usually were cutting prices.

If you're attending the Friday night can auction for the first time you're going to get an "education".

There are usually some bargains to be had at the Saturday auction if you have the patience to stay to the end of the sale. Don't forget the buyers premium though.
Bob

I can't go... but put me down for the weekend shows. I to would have to take off work and if my wife goes then she has to take off work also.

Put me down for the weekend shows,I think Big cheese over here in Michigan is having his October show on the weekend, to acomadate the buyers, how about it Cheese?

Last year was the first year that I did NOT set up on Saturday morning! The show was basically over by 1PM on Friday! I'll pack up late Friday afternoon. Once the auction starts things are really dead... Ron Scobie

Hey . . . I'm all for the REAL weekend shows. This having to be there on Wednesday afternoon B.S. if for the birds.

Run the shows on the weekends like every other collectable/car/tractor/antique show sponsor does.

The hobby needs 'new blood' and it's not gonna happen if the 'newbies' can't get exposed to the 'kewl kollectables' at the shows. Like Ron said - by Saturday all you're going to get is left-overs and the standard restoration parts that anyone can order thru the mail or off of a web site. All the rare or real collectable stuff has already changed hands and is on it's way to a new home.

Later . . .

Jim

Put me on the list for the weekend shows. If they would have the can auction on Friday Night the swap meet on Saturday day then the auction again on Saturday night then there still would be time for some early morning vending on Sunday before everyone packed up Sunday afternoon.

I, too, can not get loose this year to attend. Yes, you HAVE to be there Wed. or you miss out. I've been to the Sat. morning auction and can not say with any truth that I ever got a bargain. I've seen too much stuff go for at LEAST 10-20 percent OVER what it was worth, not counting the buyer's penalty and state sales tax of 5%.

No, I must admit that the auction is a waste of time. That is my opinion only. Go to the Aumann auctions for better stuff and I think better bargains can be had.

ABSOLUTELY Weekend shows. This ain't Bingo for fogeys..

Promoters, are you listening (or reading)? Buyers want weekend shows! Sure some might still have to take a day off work. Thats still better than taking 2, 3 or even 4 or more days off. Every dollar of lost pay due to having to take off work is a dollar we can't spend at your show! You'd think that promoters would do everything they could to attract more buyers. We're already looking at fuel,hotel,meals, and admission costs before we ever spend a dime actually buying something for our collections. Figure in lost wages to attend a weekday show and its no wonder some guys just buy on ebay.

From what I see and hear, attendance is stagnant at best at most shows. If the shows are to survive, let alone thrive , more buyers need to be attracted. The promoter of one small mid-west show took the plunge and bought TV advertising for his show. By all accounts the show was the best he'd ever promoted. If any business is going to thrive, the person operating that business has to be open to change. Just because a show has always been Wednesday afternoon through Saturday doesn't mean that it has to stay that way forever. Times change. The shows need to change.
Bob

Hey Bob... I couldn't have said it better. Thank You!! The promoters of these shows need to realize just who their customer is, not only today but tomorrow. They should remember that in order to promote the hobby in a positive manner, for future success, they need to do what is necessary to spread the wealth. Do the shows on the weekend!! Give everyone an equal opportunity to participate, whether buying or selling.
The future of this hobby is hanging on the next generation.

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Frank

Well since everybody posted, I guess I will give my perspective.
These shows MUST be done on weekends and there must be a real push to stop the "show up a day early and sell everything at the gate" mentality. That is not fair and it does not help the hobby. The "old boy" network of the same guys buying and selling each others stuff every year does nothing for the hobby.
The funny thing is this, when these guys die, who will buy their collections? The same guys they sell to now? No! Those guys will be too old and near dead. If the old guys do not bring in new blood, they are really screwing themselves. I don't mind, I will be the one that wins. In 10-20 years when there are only a handfull of guys that care about this stuff there will be plenty of pumps to go around... cheap!
It is always said that the things that go up in value are the things that older people relate to. The muscle cars shot up in value when the guys who could never own one at 18 were able to afford one at 50. Most of you older guys remember these pumps, had jobs or family in service stations. I don't, I can't remember seeing an old pump in use. (I was born in 72)
I guess the question is, are the old guys going to welcome the new guys and change the way they do business to make the business grow?
I went to my first gas bash alone, none of my buddies would go. I showed up and walked around like an ass. I knew no one and did not know what half of the stuff was that I was looking at. I didn't want to ask, there was a table of 5 old guys talking away, I did not want to go over and interupt with some dumb question.
I was lucky because of this site, I had met Dick once before, then I met Larry, Don and GP Rob. I had a great time talking with those guys, they made the trip fun. Don walked me around Roy Reed's collection and pointed out all the cool stuff.
The and the HUGE help I have received from guys like Don and Dwaine in buying pumps has really made my interest turn into a full addiction. All you guys can rest assured that I will be at all your estate sales... buying up lots of goodies! I am hooked, how about the other guys?
Next time you guys are at a gas show, make sure you are nice to all the guys, not just your old buddies. Make sure you include all the guys. It will come back to you 10 fold.

Since I'll be retiring at the end of the year I guess I'd have to say it's gonna be great attending these shows accross the country during mid week. Instead of 20 guys fighting over a crusty old pump maybe there only be 5 or 10.....

This subject was brought up in an earlier post with little response,but this time we're getting some imput. So far the majority wants weekends as do I. Voice your opinion either way, I think the promotors are watching. Ron''''''

Good Morning folks. I won't be going, but hope to be able to go some day. 600 miles away, which seems close by for many of you, is too far as my days off are Fri. and Sun. Because I have 2 part time jobs, the 2 week paid vacation and other benefits just aren't there. I hope this event survives for at least another 10 yrs. When I retire I hope I'll still feel like going. I would rather it be a weekend event as I think most people get weekends off.
To those who are able to go: Have Fun for me too.
Rod
in Nebraska

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Well, most posts so far are asking to do weekend shows. Now it remains to be seen whether exsisting show promoters will get the message. I think those of us that deal with these promoters has to clue them in...The promoters may not be reading the posts on this site. I hope for the sake of the hobby that there will be some changes to
welcome new and younger collectors.
As T-way said...
"Run the shows on the weekends like every other collectable/car/tractor/antique show sponsor does.".
There are a lot of "Car Guys" that got into this hobby, and there can be more...lots more. I think many of them don't even know of Gas/Oil swap meets because these shows are some of the best kept secrets anywhere. True "promotion" means more that just flyers and ads in the hobby's magazines. It means TV, Radio and Newspaper in the market where the event is held. I know this costs money, but IF we want to change the hobby for future growth and health, I think it needs to be a part of how things are done. New collectors have to feel welcome. Who wants to attend a "Family Reunion" when you don't feel like you're part of the family? Also, I'd like to know everyone's thoughts after this year's Iowa Gas.
How was the attendance? How were the prices? Any new faces? And did anyone get a chance to speak to the promoters regarding this subject. Thanks to everyone helping to keep our hobby growing......

Truth be known some of these guys like weekday shows and like the come early buddy system and like the shows size. I hope we can get more Fri. or Sat. or Sun. shows and maybe add a cruise in to the shows. I know a small car show add to the gas shows would be cool. I know the Buddy system is really bad and I don't think it will ever go away so if you can beat them join them. LOL

BINGO! A family reunion when you are not part of the family, ha ha ha. That is exactly how I felt.
If you a see a newbie, help him out... ask him if he has any questions or about his collection. You can tell the newbies at a gas bash, they are the ones that walk around aimlessly with eyes the size of dinner plates! lol
You vendors, talk to the guys that come to your table. I know you want to talk to your old buddies BUT try to be extra nice
It never hurts to be extra nice!

Years ago at Iowa Gas when I was still naieve on petroliana, I wanted to buy an item from a vendor. I should have walked. The guy was pretty nasty. He kept counting and re-counting a wad of bills, 20's, 50's and hundreds trying to figure out the guy that had just left, if he had ripped him off I guess. After I waited for quite a while, he turned to me and snapped 'whadda ya want?'

I sure hope the new guys never run into this one!!!

I'll be coming. Thursday, this time. I've come in the past on Saturdays and last year on Sunday. What a waste for 13 hours of driving.

Hey Midway,

Guess what? I was the new guy who ran into that countless times. And Iowa was the only place I've ever made it to with people who consider this a hobby. That and this board. Both places have lurked with money-grubbing collectors that seem to be in it just for the money.

I can't believe what I get when I ask for help or to see something. Most push me away. I've been a young guy in the hobby -- starting 7 years ago at age 16. I got a deal on a Wayne 60 that still needs a hip to be complete. I've been searching for all these years only to get e-mails that reply "Gee, I can't help you. . . but I want your pump. How much are you selling it for?" That always gets me especially after I have already explained it's sentimental value in my letter. I'm not giving it up. I found out that it was an old pump my grandfather used 50 years before my discovery.

So my interest cooled off considerably especially after going to Iowa that first year. Call me bitter, but I don't find many friends in this hobby. Just a bunch of people in it for the money. I think talking to Ron Scobie got me back into it. I'm giving it a second chance.

Midway & Chris.....

Sad stories for sure. I hope this hasn't become the norm. A few years back when I was better able to attend the shows, most collectors seemed very friendly & helpful.
A "HOBBY" should be something everyone has fun with...There's too much B.S. in the regular world, we don't need to kill this hobby with it!!!!

hey guy's iam listening. as we can't have a good show with out you [petro nut's]. that is why we are going with a sat. & sun. show. for the MICHIGAN FALL GAS SHOW. TERRY AKA. BIG CHEESE. P.S BE THERE 4 THE FREE BAR- B-Q. & AS ALWAY'S THE GREAT STUFF THAT SHOWS UP.

Guys I agree that there are some people in this hobby mainly for the bucks,they try to come off as collectors but you can tell.BUT,for every smart ass in our hobby there are a great many more willing to go out of there way to help a fellow collector.I have been to IOWA GAS several times and Its not as layed back as other shows seems to be more business than fun but I go because I love this hobby and enjoy the people in it.Remain positive and good things will happen.Our hobby is alive and well this site is an example of our interest.Don't let a bad experience change your ambitions.

BIG CHEESE....
Thanks for listening and doing many of us here a Huge favor. When are the dates of your Fall show?

OK...I'll answer my own question...Duh! I see the banner ad at the top of the page that it's October 18th & 19th. Sorry for being 40+! (My 18 year old
son reminds me all the time of my advanced years!)

[This message has been edited by Sinclair Joe (edited 08-04-2003).]

Get a free Michigan Gas white T-shirt with graphics at the Michigan Fall Gas Show when you mention oldgas.com at the gate. Compliments of Big Cheese Productions, Inc. Knew to the BBQ menu for the fall show- fresh homemade CHILI. If there is anything else we can do for you petro nuts let us know. Momma Cheese.

Chris,
You get out of this hobby what you put into it (just like anything else in life).

One hip for a Wayne 60 shouldn't be that hard to find. Have you called the vendors that are listed on this site? Have you run an ad in CTO or PCM? If you don't subscribe, you can link to PCM from this site. You'll be able to read the PCM classified ads online. Have you asked any of the pump dealers to give you a call if they get a parts pump? Have you asked other pump collectors/restorers to keep an eye open for what you need? The part you need isn't going to drop on your door step, you need to let people know what you're looking for. Keep in mind the Wayne 60 is probably the most sought after pump ever made. Parts won't be cheap.

I agree with Rex. Iowa Gas isn't nearly as laid back as some of the shows. I can't recall ever running into a rude dealer there though. A dealer deserves to make a profit on the items he sells. Think about what a dealer has invested in time and money gathering items for re-sale. You'd be surprised how little money some of these guys are really making. Someone has to make something off this stuff otherwise it would go to a landfill.
Bob

Hay, this started out asking who was going to Iowa Gas, what happened?????
Has everybody left already?

[This message has been edited by Jack Sim (edited 08-05-2003).]

I think I was the one that helped derail this one. Sorry. . . but I might make it further digress.

My take on it: Yes, dealers deserve to make profit on their sales . . .

BUT!!!! When you got guys going around picking up $50 pumps and selling them off at $350+ I just can't see any friendliness to the hobby. There's guys with more pumps than they can restore sitting in their shops. I don't have much of a problem with that as I do with the fact that the reason they are holding onto them is because they will be worth more in the future.

Maybe it's jealousy, maybe it's 'cause I can't afford what I like. But when you know that most of the pumps could be sold for half their marked value and still give the finder 200% profit, well, you tend to wonder why you even like the hobby.

A fair price is a fair price in any market. Maybe I just don't understand $1200 for an unrestored Wayne 60.

Chris: I think the last line of your post was right on, you just don't understand. It's about supply and demand. They are not making any more old pumps from the fifties. Once you part with an unrestored pump for 250.00 where are you going to find another one like it for that kind of money? With any collectable market you will have the more desirable, high end stuff. Its not relative to what someone paid for it, as much as how much is it worth to other collectors. I have developed a lot of contacts over the years, through hard work and perseverance I can turn pumps up at a good price fairly consistantly. That is not a true indication of it's worth, it's an indication of how hard I have worked to establish myself. Unfortunately I also see sellers at the shows asking outrageous prices for stuff. If you will notice though they usually cart the stuff home. Bottom line, you have chosen a collectable hobby that is really hot right now, it's not for the faint of heart financially.

I think Pops was right on when He said: "You get..what you put into the Hobby" If you have the gumption to go out and hunt for the stuff relentlessly ...You will turn up good deals. If you are lacksidaisical (sp?) and dont have the time or passion for the hunt..you get stuff from the dealers who do at a marked up price. Supply and demand absolutely applies as well. I dont have alot of time to go hunting but definately have the passion for it. I have gotten pumps for free by being persistant without being annoying and have paid hundreds for pumps I just had to have. Another of my Favorite Pops quotes is "I cant own it All at one time ...But maybe I can own it all one time". I love that quote because I have had items I thought i would never get rid of and through selling and trading they reside in others collections. Sometimes I make a couple of bucks sometimes I take a loss ...but It seems it evens out and my love for the Hobby resides firmly in my heart and soul. I never get discouraged with the Hobby...Just people and even that rarely happens. Not to sound like a Hippie or anything but what goes around comes around ...if you have a great attitude and are helpful...it will come back to you. Have fun...be helpful and take pride and enjoy building your collection.
---------------------------------------------
Hubba, smiling and stepping off the soapbox in Shoreline WA

Chris it may be just a hobby to you, to some of us it is our bread and butter and survival and a hobby. I have not had much of an income the last 11 months from the work that i do, but because I sold parts of my collection I can survive. If the only way you could survive was to sell off your collection or parts of it would you really sell a pump for 600 that you could get a 100-1200 for.
Actually I did that; I sold a pop cooler for 375 cuz i paid 300 a month before and my buddy wanted it, within a month he gets offered(and takes) 500 or 600 and the guy left it there. Then the guy ends up in jail, he still has the cooler. I dont feel like a winner when that happens.
Even though I dont work as much , i still pay for the space my shop is in .. so i pay 10,000 a year to store my stuff, so I never feel bad for making a profit.
If i would have a steady job , I guess I would feel different about it, but it does take time to pound the ground and find stuff and somewhere in life if you get some benefit from that, its great. If you looked harder you could find more and sometimes you will get the deals.
Also you can ask any price at a show that you chose, it is harder to go up in price than down. The reality is , it is worth what you can get..thats it. So if you dont like the price , make an offer, tell them what you want to pay. At the end of the day, the overpriced guy may deal. Also the guys that sell at higher prices tend to buy more collections and break them up , it takes cash to do this. If a collection gets absorbed by another collecter the stuff is still gone and you still dont get to buy any of it. So if they sold for 40 % less and didnt get to the swapmeets, there wouldnt be much to buy, I think.... my 2 cents worth ...dodogas

Chris,
I don't think you're looking at the big picture. Say a guy goes out and buys a pump from a farmer for $50 so he can sell it at a swap meet. The dealer doesn't have $50 in that pump, he has much more. First he's got time invested searching for the pump. He might have some labor in disconnecting the pump and capping the pipe and electric. Then he has to haul it home, unload it, and possibly power wash it. Then he has to load it back up, haul it to the swap meet (possibly 2 or 3 swap meets). He's got fuel, lodging,meals, and set up fees to get to the meet. Don't forget about the time he's got invested in all of this work too. If the dealer is going to pay himself anything at all he better be getting $350 for that pump. Also keep in mind that most of the swap meet dealers are collectors that are just trying to help support their collecting habit. They sure aren't getting rich selling pumps!

Most guys don't hoard this stuff. Most guys plan on restoring their pumps. It all takes time.

$1200 for an unrestored Wayne 60 is not out of line if the pump is complete and in good shape. You can find them priced in the $800-$900 range here in the mid-west but they usually have some rust.

The good thing is you already have the pump. You just need a hip for it. If you do the things I listed before I'm sure you'll find one. I'd hate to think I couldn't track one down with fewer than 10 phone calls. There is no substitute for developing relationships with other collectors and dealers. It takes time. If you're not willing to invest your time in the hobby, then you won't enjoy the hobby. If you think figuring out who to make those ten phone calls to is too much trouble then you probably never will enjoy the hobby.

You certainly don't need alot of money to enjoy the hobby. If you want to collect pumps, start off with something cheaper. Try restoring some of the less desireable pumps first. Enjoy those for awhile then sell them so you can move on to some more desireable pumps.

I never thought I'd have the collection that I have now. You can't build a collection overnight. I've sold off some things I wish I could have kept, so I could afford to buy better stuff. Along the way I've made some really good friends.
Bob

Chris, I understand where you're coming from. I'm 28 and have collected for about 6 years, mainly gas signs. When I first started an older collector told me that in this hobby you'll meet alot of strange people and most are motivated by greed.
In my experience everyone is either 1.) trying to make a tidy profit or 2.) trying to enhance their own collections. Myself included. Utopia this ain't...
Hubba said it pretty well. The deals are out there and it requires alot of sweat, blood, anxiety, not to mention cash. Good luck man--and as the Duke put it: "don't let the bastards grind you down..."

[This message has been edited by DCpate (edited 08-05-2003).]

A few points about being in the pump end of this hobby. I sell restored pumps, that is, restored to the standards I like them. Same for some and different for others.

I restored my last $250 Wayne 60 years ago and sold it. The first rule of being in the pump business is the customer always wants what you dont have in inventory, so to me there is no point in stocking 20-30 pumps.
When I take an order, the customer is willing to pay the price but expects it to be completed in a timely manner and delivered usually to an upcoming meet. That means I have to start making phone calls until I find the pump and then I pretty much have to pay to get it. The seller knows I need to buy and everyone with $30 has a copy of "THE BOOK" so you can bet I am going to get a "BOOK" quote and maybe then some. If I have to pay $1200 for a Cut 60, so be it, but I have to pass that $1200 plus transportation on to the customer. Stripping, Parts, Plating, Paint, Globes, get higher every day and that cost is passed on to the customer as well.

Its not like buying a sign or globe and putting it up on the shelf or wall until the next "Big One" and selling it. When I promise a finished pump, I have to deliver. It doesnt matter if its 110, or 40 degrees I have to do bodywork, paint, etc.

I do it to support my hobby which is pump collecting, I guarantee I'm not getting rich.
Like dodo says, I often have to sell something to afford something new. For me thats the fun of it.

Frankie just sold some nice 60 parts on ebay. I guarantee you they are not going to get cheaper. These pumps are so sought after that there are very few being parted out. I looked for 3 years trying to find a narrow body leg for one of my keepers.

Larry

Hey Chris, In Petroleum collectibles monthly classifeds, Greg Fortin is parting out two Wayne 60 wide bodys. you can call him between 7:00 to 11:00 at 1-810 695 1237 or e-mail him at gregfortin@comcast.net give him a call , he's a long time collector if he dosen't have it I'll bet he can get it

Hey Chris , in the Petroleum collectibles Monthly, Greg Fortin is parting out two Wayne 60's, you can call him at 1 810 695 1237 between the hours of 7:00 to 11:00 or e-mail him at gregfortin@comcast.net he's a long time collector, if he dosen't have it he probibly knows someone that does. I hope this helps.

As a relative newbie to Petroliana, BUT as a veteran swap meet goer, I've noticed in Petroliana meets, there isn't as much bargaining for price as there is in other hobby (like movie collectibles or antique radio)meets. I know in every collectible hobby there is overhead, but I don't always pay the first price a guy quotes me for an item....

[This message has been edited by EJC (edited 08-06-2003).]

Most dealers will discount common items just to get rid of them. Dealers know the desireable stuff will sell without a discount.