Not sure if I'd call it an estate sale, but there's an old-timer, who over the past couple of years has been clearing everything of his out before he kicks the bucket. Between two "garage sales" I scored 3 early 50's Olds hubcaps, back window trim, a drive shaft, a trunk handle and base, a nice gas tank, and a Hudson fender topper for a Hudson all for next to nothing.
Picked up this ECO Tireflator (in working condiition) and a service station island towel dispenser (with a case of NOS towels) at a yard sale for $325 a couple years ago..
my all time favorite garage sale find was this Bud Man I got for 5 bucks. sold it on ebay for $300.00 back before ebay started to suck. they sell for MUCH less these days
When I moved out and got my first house, I hit up estate sales. Shovels, rakes, hoses, lawnmower, limited furniture, dishes, 15 gallons of old paint that got mixed to 5 usable and redid my bedrooms. Was quite a break on the wallet starting out.
Cousins and I went to a local estate sale years ago when still in HS. “Gary” bought a medium sized TV for $1. Asked him “what the heck you going to do with it” He said “come on, let’s go for a ride” So, we load up the TV in the 57 Ford and get going about 70 out on the highway. Gary's brother rolls down the window, but the TV is too big, so he opens the door and shoves it out. Left a whole lotta little electronic things, bunch of plastic and glass all over hell and back.
Two years ago I asked the lady running an estate sale what she wanted for EVERY BOOK in the house. She looked at me like I was out of my mind and said $100. I said I'd be back in 15 minutes, had to hit the ATM. Filled a 1998 Lincoln Town car, with enough room to drive to my house, to unload and return for the rest. When I got back there I had about two shelves left to load. She asked "Will you be taking the books in all the other rooms as well?" Sure, that filled the Lincoln a second time. Bob
Yes, the crank allowed you to set the desired pressure. There is a bell inside that would "ding" as the pressure increased and then shut off when the desired pressure is obtained. They used to be at every service station as a wall mounted unit or post mount as this one is. You would assume that there should be an amazing amount of them around, but I've watched the value skyrocket on them in the last 15 years (making the $325 price tag on this one a heck of a bargain).
[/QUOTE] Not very young at all. None where I lived. Service stations just had a hose on a hanger......help yourself. If you wanted to know the PSI, ya brought your own gauge along, or asked for it if the station was open.
I had a pile of those back in the late sixties early seventies i removed the underground tanks from a lot of gas stations that closed and someone bought them for another use. I don`t remember what i did with them.
Not auto related, but back in college my girlfriend and I bought a two person crosscut saw for 25 cents. Later, we used it to cut logs for milling and building a house. 50 years after that, I still have the saw-and the girl. What I don't have is a "cents" symbol on my keyboard. ¢ yes, I know Alt then 0162 using the side key pad, but it is a pain
What is a rock wheel? The street sign reminded me of a blind date I went on once, girl named Camelia. She was a friend of my buddy's girlfriend. Buddy told me she was a little heavy, but had a cute face. I should have known better. When we pulled up to her house there were no front steps, just a ramp, some pulleys and a chain hoist.
My wife has a booth at a vintage second hand store. We hit yard/garage sales almost every weekend. Around here most estate sales are run by estate sale services and their prices are usually out of sight but not always. I bought a Mallory dual point for a FE with a bunch of other stuff from a service run sale for 15 bucks. Best was a yard sale find of a set of small block Ford exhaust manifolds for free when I bought the Mustang air cleaner for 2 bucks. Turned a nice profit on those to a Mustang guy on Craigslist.
I have one of those How to Build Customs books at home and the entire interior chapter was about how to pick an upholstery guy.
I haven’t found too many bargains lately at estate sales, due to companies running them. But just my luck I ran into one on my way to the doc about 39 miles from my house. I was running a little early , so I stopped. There was a gal that was pricing stuff out in the detached barn. I spied a 200 ft very heavy duty homemade extension cord for a welder. I asked how much….she hesitated….then said $10! Well I grabbed that! Then bought some smaller extension cords , grouped, for $5. Then bought four nice medium size chains for $7! As my wife came out of the house , empty handed, she stated “ I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone out in that barn! “ Bones
Coincidentally, I just wrote and posted a story on my site about my favorite estate sale find: Estate Sale – ironandsteele
In the fall of 2019 I found a car for sale half way across the country. It was what was left of an estate and they had had trouble selling it. I had been looking for just exactly that car so phoned them and asked if they would hold it, It would be three days before I could get there. Two and a half years later I'm still unsure why they were having trouble selling it. Anyway, I got the car I wanted and for less money than I expected to have to pay.
The Jalopy Journal
