Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion I hate stupid people....................

I know this has happened to all of us that have been knocking on farm doors asking about pumps. BUT TODAY I HAVE HAD IT WITH THIS REPLY - "well, only if you plan on paying me a million dollars for them? My son says it is worth a million dollars and he sees them on the internet for that all the time!"

So my response was very clean, and nice. The guy with me was very puzzled by my response, as I usually say good luck selling it and drive on.

These pumps were WAYNE 80's - both used farm shape - and still hooked up on the farm. NO SIGHT GLASS models. Ok - value - maybe high at $200.00 each but I pay about $150.00 each when I have to un-bolt and shake the snakes out of them here in Kansas.

I said well my dear; they are not worth QUITE that much. She said then they are NOT for sale. I said well hold on I have not told you what I will pay you - I will give you $125,000.00 CASH for both of them, that is $75,000.00 EACH! Here, write down my number and call me after you talk to your son about my offer - and I gave her a FAKE number I pulled out of the air.

Yea this may have been mean, but the lady jumped up and down like no other 80 year old half blind lady I have ever seen - she looked like she just won the lotto. I had to hold my smiles back real hard, and the guy with me about had a heart attack not knowing what I was doing thinking my wife was going to KILL ME for this. I sold the deal like a pro, and convinced her that I am for real and to talk it over with her son and call me ASAP. I would have to have about a week to get the bank to release the money for her and she and her son would have to meet me at the bank in town so I could do a transfer of title. I was a very good salesman. I did tell her that I had no idea of where I was but I am pretty sure I could find the place again with these REAL RARE PUMPS - but she had my "number" and would be calling me back tonight.

I am so sick of these types of dumb people. If the pumps were worth a million bucks don't you think they would at least take them inside? Come on.

Oh, it was worth it....

Travis E. Towle
Topeka, Kansas


785-357-1004

Good one Travis!
I've run into that in Nebraska before. They saw a Wayne 60 or something sell at a farm auction a few months earlier for $1500 and their Tokheim 39 is in better shape so must be worth a couple thousand. I usually say "well good luck with" that and leave.

I'm gonna find that lady and give her your real phone number...or is that a fake one at the end of your post?

Like all good Irish Guys, I have lots of names and numbers - u want one too? lol


Travis E. Towle
Topeka, Kansas

785-357-1004

I wish they had a shaking head emoticon to put with this post....I am sure you are going to get flamed by somebody, but that is absolutely classic. Ebay, Antique Road Show, et al have ruined the farm-fresh buy.

Speaking of FLAMING...


What do you call a bouncer at a gay bar?


A FLAME THROWER...


Travis E. Towle
Topeka, Kansas

785-357-1004

Awesome! But your math isn't quite right. Half of 125 would be $62,500... That means you're trying to get them for $12,500 less (each) than what they're really worth - you sly dog.

did an old post YEARS ago... ran up against a fiesty old broad (lovingly) that wanted BIG money for the pumps she had... when i asked her what justified that price she told me thats what "barker" gets.... i figure, barker WHO... she says the guy on the price is right... HOLY MACKERAL"... she is comparing the fallen down junk in her yard to the shiny, restored pumps that barker is hawkin'. i shake my head and walk away. now... years later and the old woman and the pumps are gone.. BUT maybe.. just maybe they were high priced then but are now cheap in comparison... 2 wayne 60's.... rave on !!!

Travis. I know you are frustrated, but you are doing the rest of us who go out farm hunting a dis-service. If they want a million bucks,tell them what you are willing to pay, maybe explain what it costs to restore them, even show them Jack's book. If they don't budge, raise your price or move on. I pity the next guy who stops in. I had a recent deal where the litle old lady saw what pumps were selling for on ebay. we talked about having to gut the pumps, list them,ebay, fees etc. Had coffee with her and her son for two hours and talked about how some guys tried to convince them they were only worth $50.00 each. She asked if I was re-selling or keeping them. Invested some time and walked away with GB 98, Neptune, Wayne 70 and Tall Tokheim 39 for a reasonable price. I am not made of money either. She has since called me an gave me a couple more leads. Sorry for the long story. If it is not a good deal..walk away, but maintain your dignity and their's. It's called being a good ambassador for the hobby. Good luck in your travels.

[This message has been edited by Alex (edited 01-28-2006).]

I respectfully disagree with Alex - it's more of a wake-up call than anything. After this, you can bet good money on the fact that her son will be doing some investigation and, in the process, figuring out what they are REALLY worth.

Hey Travis,good one.This stuff is getting crazy I know.For the last few months I worked my *** off on a very nice national A-38,trying forever to get the guy to sell it to me.I told him I had a guy that wanted it very badly,he wanted it for sure,the guy had 2 but I only could get one,we discussed price and I up front told him I would make a hundred dollars for my time and trouble.I up front paid the guy for the pump with my money.I wasnt worried because I had a local backup buyer.When I got the pump home I told the guy I got it,he was happy as hell.I called my local guy that buys from me all the time and told him it was sold!The next day my buyer backed out because it didnt have a globe holder which was stated up front in the deal,then my backup buyer didnt want it because he was mad at me selling it to the first guy.The first buyer then tells me if I get the second national that he would be interested.Did I miss something here???????Anyway I have an aborted national A-38 now.

------------------

Yea tried that before - you can usually read the people you are trying to buy from and tell if it can be done.

I am as honest as you get always paying what the market is on these "not a 50 buck guy" - or at least telling them what it is really worth and what I can pay. I even told a guy this week his 3 Wayne 60's are worth a grand each - and he still sold all three of them to me for $500.00 because I am honest - and I am getting his T-36b and 2 T-39 talls's and short T-300p all for another $500.00.

People around here like me, they see a honest 31 year old "city boy" in an old 1993 mini-van that is willing to even help them on the farm if needed to seal the deal.

This old lady just blew off at me laughing saying the pumps were worth more then me. I AM A TOWLE YOU KNOW - I have money... http://www.scripophily.net/tomaco.html So I am not like others - I live very tightly on a $30,000.00 a year budget in a small Kansas Home - http://www.co.shawnee.ks.us/images/ap/wpeg/20041019/1410204028012000AA.JPG

When someone like this stones me and treats me like some low life for asking a question it gets me going. This lady had it coming - I hope she is crying & praying for me to find her house again this week - better yet I hope she goes out tommorow and buys a new car thinking I am some kinda stupid city rich guy that she just "took". I drove up and down every gravel road from KCK to Topeka KS this week and got this **** about 10 times. I just got sick of hearing it and I still think it was very worth it. I'll do it again. Maybe her stupid son will buy one of my pumps in a commission store for a few grand thinking he is "getting a steal"! I hope he does. Heck I hope the word gets around that they are worth a hundred grand each and the price goes up to that. I can always get them on ebay for the real price.

I am looking forward to seeing these on ebay next week - you just know they will toss them on there with a hundred grand buy it now. If not I wait till she dies, and I will buy them at the farm auction for 80% less then I would have paid her in cash today. I keep a GPS log of where the pumps are and the roads I drive. I check on the good ones that the farmers will not sell at least 2 times a year, and I wait for the bank to sell the farm someday. Most of the time I get a great deal with the new owners or at the auction. All of these old places are getting split up and sold these days.

You know the story about "Bird in Hand"? Come on I am just FLAT tired of these kinda people thinking they have "GOLD" in them there hills.... Get a life people. Seth is right - those "hidden treasure" shows blow things all over the board.

I still think I am right... It was WELL WORTH IT - for once I bit back. Next time I wana film it for the car club.


Travis E. Towle
Topeka, Kansas

785-357-1004

I guess what really gets me MAD about this – to me these things are history – and they need to be saved – not allowed to rust away.

There is one pump near me – it is a Hays Visy and I love it but it is in real BAD SHAPE – the thing is in total rust, pitted bad and all the way threw in places, bent up bad, missing the glass & rods & nozzle & top, and the base is broken. This would FEEbay for about 250.00 or even a TON less. The old lady said no to a sale then paused and referred me to her old man. I offered the guy 400.00 CASH top dollar on the spot he said he would think about it – 2 days later he said no so I offered 600.00 CASH in his face and about had it – and he said let him think about it. 1 week later he told me his kid said he would double what I am willing to pay – and he said he told the kid I offered a $1,000.00 and the kid said ok DOUBBLE that. That was 3 years ago. The pump is still there sitting outside falling apart. I have talked to the guy 7 times since then and the pump is still sitting outside getting worse and rotting away. In another 3 years it will not be worth saving at all. It will be GONE. Lost HISTORY for $$$ GREEEEEEEEEEED $$$.

If there is ANYTHING I HATE more it is GREED. That is why my own father stole my 2 Fry Wests. GREED!!!!!!

It makes me VERY MAD = the dumb kid thinks it is worth a million bucks – you know he does. The kid will never pay his dad for the pump - NEVER – he will wait until the old man dies to get it for free. It will be sold at the estate auction and will go for 50 bucks or less. Or... it will get scrapped by a trash company and we will loose a part of history that I think is very important.

People are just dumb – I would have thought with Ebay this kind of stuff would be slowing down, but it is getting worse.

Even the wife of the guy who owns the old Red Crown station I worked on this week wanted him to get on Ebay and see what those pumps and things were worth. The old man did not want to bother because he knows most of the time that would be “California” prices. He did not want the money that bad, and he had a feeling I would treat him right. He had a bird in hand. Now he has CA$H in hand and I am going to bring him even more… If they would have wanted Ebay prices - they would still be sitting in the building that was leaning at a 45 degeree angle leaning on the pumps that will fall down this year, if it has not already fallen down. Those pumps would also be lost to HISTORY...

I HOPE people will WAKE up and find out what these things are really worth and let me or someone like me save them from a bone yard. I do not want my kids "that I do not have yet" to only be able to see things like this in DC at the Smithy...


Travis E. Towle
Topeka, Kansas

785-357-1004

I know how frustrating it can be getting the door closed in your face, but I would have to agree with Alex on this one. I wouldn't call these people stupid, just ignorant of the prices of our hobby, but no more ignorant of me knowing the prices of glass ware, it does'nt mean I am stupid, just not knowledgeable of that hobby. It serves no pourpose to play games with an elderly lady, if this was my mother, I would be upset. I have ran into the same situation and the aproach I always use is to be up front and honest as to the value of the piece and leave my business card. More times than not I have found they will investigate and find out how much thier stuff is worth, and if they are truly interested in selling they call me back. I have also gotten several referals from these people, because my price was fair to even a little better than fair, but the only thing you will accomplish by misleading people is to anger them and thier families, and they will never allow you to set foot on thier property again. Serves no pourpose.Just my humble opinion.

Travis, you forgot one thing. They own the pump and they do not have to put up with you telling them what you think they should do with it.

As for a pump slowly rotting away to nothing, it is their pump, an item they bought and owned till it rotted apart. Do you try to save every historical car that is rotting away?

They probably have very little invested in the pump, have gotten a lot of use out of it and it owes them nothing..

Maybe they just like the looks of it, or like being left alone..

Like someone on here told me, if a lot of the pumps did not get thrown out, they would not be worth enough to even bother with...