American Pickers just picked my buddy!

Just spent the last two days hanging with Mike and Frank. Dont delete, they bought a 48 and a 57!

So to start its not as random as they make it sound, someone told them about my buddy and he had to send pics and stuff prior. They showed up with about 7 others to film. Thank god I have Known Rand for 25 years and have always had the chance to buy what ever I wanted, well almost. They got 3 gas pumps that I have been trying to buy for years.... cheap. If you dont sell some stuff your not getting on the show I guess.

I am a little biased because I am from Iowa but they are great guys. Not much of car guys but they love bikes, Mike has an impressive collection of motorcycles dating back to 1917. Frank has been involved with the Iowa ABATE motorcycle freedom rally every 4 th of July in Algona, Ia. I go back almost every year for that rally.

My 61 Corvette drag car was in a shed as was my 1974 Harley X90 minibike. They did not even look twice at the vette but they loved my minibike because its all original with 200 original miles but they couldnt pry it from me, too many memories and it looks great in my living room.

They bought my friends 1948 Airstream but did not care much about his 49 Lincoln 2 door or his 66 Galaxy 427 R code. This morning they went to another pick and bought a 57 chevy, Frank bought some 62 corvette parts he wanted to sell me but nothing I needed. They also bought a bunch of signs and a funky monkey thing that was sitting on top of my car. And yes, they buy more than you see on the show. Even the crew was buying stuff. One of the crew guys just came over from the brew master show, fish head brewery.

Oh, one of the camara girls was a hot asian. She stayed away from us, wonder why? They are getting ready to open a shop in Nashville soon. Again, these guys are super cool. Hung out burping and joking around, just regular guys. We all ate at my buddys bar in Hidden Valley, just outside of Maricopa Az. My 10 year old daughter hung out the whole time and they put her up in the van to check it out. I put those firecracker things with two strings that goes off when you pull it on the drivers door but the damn crew kept opening the door and setting them off. Frank asked about Peyote, I am not sharing....

They took off for Kingman Az. late this afternoon. Said they will be in Nevada next week. They work two weeks then take two off. Just thought I would share my experience, the episode will air in about 4 months.

 

I don't really watch much TV, but sounds like you had a pretty cool experience with it. Good for you.

 

I hope your bud got as much money out of them as he could. Seems like they always go way too low.

 

If he got what its worth then the pickers wouldn't buy anything. He owns Raceway bar and grill so its great publicity for him. That's why they didnt buy anything from me, I want what its worth. Or just a touch more.

 

Yea but buying something for $5 and then turning around to the camera saying "I can sell this for $200!" is a fucking rip.

 

great show..... i'll be looking for it

 

hitman...geez....I suppose if you had a cherry 32 Ford grille and shell you'd let it go for about what they would have cost in 1932? What about shirts and pants? This is the free market system. Everything is worth exactly what you're willing to take for it.

I'm amazed at your comment. The guy let the item go for what they offered. If he wanted to be 'in the business', he'd have had a clue what it might be worth. How much was it worth sitting on his shelf?...for the next ten years? They own a van, they have a retail outlet, they have an employee. All that costs money, every minute of every day...

I assume you do NOT own a business, but work for someone who does.

dj

 

I've heard the prices are figured out before they start rolling. Our bud at Antique Auto Supply in Arlington told 'em to go jump in a lake when they contacted him and he found out it was rigged.

It is entertaining though.

 

No pictures of the camera girl? BOOOOO

 

Hey thats cool! Fun show, they run across some great stuff. They do a pretty good job of making it sorta seem real, I like it. For the haters, It's A TV Show!!!!!!!!!! You couldn't make a living doing what they do, gas $, time, one pick-$400 profit per week 2 guys. The money is made from commericals, duh, It's a TV SHOW!

 

It's one of my favorite shows. I have a friend that has been trying to get them to pick him for over a year now. He can't even get them to answer a phone call or an e-mail.

 

Sounds like a cool experience...i like the show...they just piss me off cuz it seems like they are always walkin right by Model A's w/out a 2nd look!

 

Everybody has their thing. I would walk right by an old bicycle frame that Mike would flip out over.

 

Fun show to watch. My wife and I enjoy the show as we see things out of the ordinary.

But I continually call bullshit on their automotive parts pricing. I would figure they lose money on almost every car part they buy.

Now for antique bicycles and really oddball motorcycles and parts I have no clue how that stuff would price.

Like someone already posted; it's a TV show for entertainment.

 

How can it be a good show. No fighting,yelling,back stabbing and throughing and braking things. I guess that's why I like it. And if you try you can learn something.

 

It's TV. That's all it is.

 

I like the show and always watch it when I can. I like the photos with you and your daughter. Looks like you had fun!

 

Amen to that. Proves you can have a good show without all the drama. Even my wife watches it.

Old shit is worth whatever someone is willing to give on any given day.

 

Sure as hell beats "Jersey Shore"........

 

I guess you didn't see the episode where they bought some old canvas circus signs and kicked back the seller $5000. If someone is willing to sell and they can make a profit, more power to them. People know the show. They don't have to sell if they don't want to. It is the American way. Buy low. Sell high.

 

Shame on the guy selling it if he doesn't know what his own stuff is worth.
One man's junk is another man's treasure.

 

For purely educational purposes I would like to see all of Danielle's tattoo.

 

My wife and I drove to their shop in Iowa one day.
They were away for a shoot, and Danielle wasn't there that day.
They had T-shirts with their logo on it for sale. Their shop is really small,
primarliy a prop for their show. There were quite few other show watchers showing and taking pictures infront of their shop. They are supposed to be great down to
earth guys. Sorry we missed them that day.
Great show, enjoy watching.

Bob

 

I have picked like that for years spent hours meeting great real people. Bought some stuff sold stuff spent days not making any $$$ or just enough to pay for the rental of my retail shop closed down. I needed a real job to pay the bills. I have had friends get mad because they thought it was easy $ when we did swap meets together.I took one of them with me every Saturday and Sunday garage sailing and flea marketing as well as coming with me on private buys. He decided it was to much time wasted and gas to make so little $$ but still got pissed when I would out sell him. You cant win with some people so I stopped trying it was a way of life for me until I got married and had kids.

 

I actually enjoy watching this show even though some of it is staged. These people actually get along!! With TV at an all time low with programs like those wives from wherever scatching each others eyes out, rummaging through other peoples collection is somewhat refreshing! I guess thats why most of us spend so much time on the HAMB! This is a free commercial for the HAMB!

 

Love the show. As an amature picker, I love the way they negoticiate. They are great guys. Glad you spent some time with them.

Brian

 

Reality television is not real. The real American Picker is the old woman who comes to the garage sale with a cigarette with a 3 inch ash and is haggling over a 50 cent tea cup. Not very view worthy, but frighteningly real.

 

They did want pics of the big items but all the smaller stuff was totally real, they dug around and made offers on stuff. The Airstream deal was not struck until during the show, he would not have dropped from 10k to 8k on the completely original trailer if it was not for tv. He knew it was worth more. Not sure what condition of the 57 chevy is. By the way, the van does not haul much around. They load it on the show and then put everything in a Uhaul truck where they actually pack and strap it down.

The show is 90% real, no script but they had them "talk" to a guy on the phone. And they are not new at this, Mike started his business in 2000 and pitched the show for 5 years to the history channel. Hes pitching a kids picker show right now also. I alsomlike that they do not yell and throw things, that got old quick.

 

One one important note, I am very disappointed in myself for not getting shot of the camera girl. Party foul for sure.

 

A b s o l u t e l y correct! peace