Hot Rods Estate sales , yard sale buys

In that case, I obtained my the OHV heads in my avatar for substantially less-than-market value at an estate auction. At one a few block from my house I scored a bundle of NOS sheetmetal for OT GM models for a mere $5, and a full complement of NOS SW gauges with panel.

 

I was out walking to buy a newspaper and went past a yard sale, spotted a box containing an electric motor and a bunch of other stuff. Next to it was a stand, and the bloke running the sale says "it's a band saw, it's been taken apart, $20 and it's yours". I wasn't really after a bandsaw, but I gave him the $2 I had left in my pocket, told him I would be back in a minute with the rest of the loot, went home and got some money and a hand trolley to bring it back. Put it together that day, all working, and could never figure out why it was dismantled. Just about wore it out !

 

Not really a yard sale but a yard was involved. a few years ago I was coming home from a flea market that turned out to be baby toys and glass junk. I went by this old body shop that had been closed for years. The was an old man mowing the grass so I stopped to ask if he knew the owner of the shop, turned out he was the owner. We talked a while and I asked if he would like a cold beer I had in the cooler. Long story short, we had a few beers and he took me in the shop, he said he had been thinking about having an auction but it seemed like a lot of work and he had no one to help him. He told me to look around and make a pile of anything I liked. I ended up filling my truck bed to the brim and had to almost force him to take $200.00. He wanted me to just get that"junk" out of there for free. I sold just about every thing I had got from him and went back about a year later, spent all afternoon talking to him and hearing his stories. He told me his weed eater had blew up but a new one cost too much for his taste. I told him it was lunch time and he said he would go with me, after lunch I stopped at a Lowes store and told him I needed a new weed eater myself, could he help me pick out a good one. When I took him home I asked if he had any 2 cycle gas so I could make sure it worked. I started it up and trimmed all around the garage. I told him I didn't like it and for him to just keep it. He said he knew what I was up to but he wasn't going to argue with me. The next spring when I made the trip to see him the grass was a foot high and no one was around, his neighbor said he had died a month before, he was 94.

 

Buckeyebuicks, that is a great story of people just being people. If everyone just treated everyone like people, things would be much better. World is too crazy right now.

CN

 

Agreed .

 

My $25 yard sale find

 

Nothing too interesting around me. I did however buy a gauge cluster for a '41 or '48 International truck for $20 at a yard sale on a road trip.

 

Tons of old tools and some '60's SBC intakes, but my best score was new in the metal boxes Snap-On 1/2" and 3/8" inch socket, ext. and ratchet sets. Got both for $50.

Guy said he worked for the utilities company and retired. Said his boss bought him the sets, but he didn't need them. When he retired, he asked his boss if he should give them back and his boss said no, keep them.

Like others said, I couldn't get the money out fast enough. Each set retails for around $600-

 

I remember Jack, There was a lot of low production high option zephyrs out there too.

 

Picked up 5 nice Olds Fiesta wheel covers today at a garage sale for a really good price. I'm a happy camper !!

 

Several years ago we helped a friend clear an estate. In the garage was this 59 Chevy Impala and a newer 69 Biscayne that had both sat there since the 70's. Made a reasonable offer for the cars, cleaned them up and got them back running. The 4 door Biscayne I drove to a few cruise nights and sold it to someone in Buffalo. The Impala rang the bell big time on E-Bay and ended up overseas.

 

I go to LOTS of estate sales and have bought numerous cars and parts. One of my most memorable happened 5 years ago about 30 miles from my house in a little town called Breman, IN. A car-guy gent who was a drag racer had spent many years building a 47 Ford coupe gasser with a 392 Hemi, but never made it to the race track. He had never been married and left his estate to his nephew who was not a car guy. I know all this because if possible I almost always try to visit the auction-site a day or two ahead of the auction in order to investigate things I would be interested in. I was able to do exactly that for this auction. There was a 57 Chevy gasser with no engine at the sale, the 47 Ford with a 392 hemi, and a complete rebuilt 392 hemi with dual four carbs and other goodies that was sitting loose. The "loose" motor had never been fired since rebuilt. The nephew was very accommodating but knew nothing about any of the cars or parts. He did allow me to use some tools to rotate the cranks on the hemi engines and both engine rotated freely. But at that point I knew only that the engine rotated and that was it, not much to go on to feel confident about bidding much.
On the day of the auction it was very crowded and lots going on. Before the bidding started I decided to take a better inventory of the parts that were in the trunk of the coupe. My intent was to try to make a value assessment of the parts. I was thinking if I bid 3k for the car and there are $500 of parts in the trunk that I was really only going to spend $2500. (mental justification for buying something I didnt really need!) Anyhow I was glad I sorted thru the piles of stuff in the trunk because at the bottom of the parts was a flat gasket-set box and inside that box was a manila folder! And inside the folder was build-info and a receipt for every expenditure on the 46 gasser and every expenditure on the rebuilt engine. It had part number and specs for the both hemis. I looked at it quickly and then put it all back exactly where I found it. I have to admit I thought about keeping it so only I had that info but ultimately put it back so someone else could find it if they dug deep like I did.
As it turned out I bought the 47 coupe gasser and the loose motor at very reasonable prices. I sold both ten days later to a HAMB member in Texas who still has both as far as I know.

 

I got this Barnes drill press at a sale last weekend. The body of the drill press has a patent date of Nov 12 1883 The newer patent date, is Oct 31, 1905 on the additional casting with the handle that reverses direction of the chuck.



I have begun cleaning it



It looks like the drill press that Henry Ford used to build his first car. Its on the left in this picture of his first workshop.

 

Not a big score, but sure was for me. Couple of my Buds were at a guys garage sale and spot what appears to be grill, wrapped in paper (the way chromers used to deliver them). Size and shape suggested a 50s Chevy P/U, asked the guy if they could look. Both agreed it was like my Chevys grill. Call me and I says, THANKS, BUY IT!!! $200 and I have a new grill. When I get the grill, the news paper wrapper is dated in the early 80s, and its PRESTINE, both in condition and chrome!!! My new grill and my new chrome front and rear bumper have dressed up my Avatar 48 Chevy P/U---First dress up change since 2003. Sure looks good to me!!! Bill

 

There was a yard sale a few years ago, went with my wife. She bought some sci fi books for me, I bought these lights for future use (still haven't used them, but I have plans to!)

 

Way cool

 

Had literally just spotted one just like this on so EvilBay.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-Drill-Press/274446788941?hash=item3fe64da94d:g:RbQAAOSw-btfHRP6&LH_ItemCondition=4

 

I've scored many times, living on the edge of farming country helps.

Last summer a cut up 33 Ford 5W and cowl $10



Then they threw four 16X4 wheels with tires that held air and a set of '46 caps.


2 summers ago
spent $150

 

I go to a lot of garage sales in the hot rod. Everybody wants to trade it for the whole garage sale, but I tell them I get offers like that all the time.

One time at a garage sale in KS, I pulled up and the hot rod was the topic of the day. The guy said he had some car parts on the end of the table over there. When I looked there was a beautiful hood ornament and a horn ring. I asked what the wanted and he said, "I'll take a dollar each." OK...

When I got home and looked them up, the horn ring was a 1953 Ford "Centenial" that said 100 years on it. It just so happened that month in Rodders Journal there was a build of a 1953 Ford and a picture of that horn ring in the article.

I took them to FL. that winter and put them on the table at the swap meet and got a100 for both. The hood ornament was from a 55 T-Bird and it was mint.

 

I'm NOT going to the Michigan US-12 statewide garage sale weekend. Nobody should, avoid it completely! Too much risk! I mean it's too damn long and goes from Detroit to New Buffalo, 180+miles. Insane, don't do it! Just sayin...

 

There is also the "World's longest yard sale" going from Ohio to Alabama. Too much virus, just sell stuff and don't go drivin' around..

 

My 64 Biscayne was bought in an estate sale in northern Indiana after being stored for over 40 years. Believe it or not its still wearing the original paint job

 

That just has fun written all over it

 

About three decades ago we went north for a visit with my wife's family. Took a day trip with the kids and cousins to a state park and stopped at a old large garage having a sale that was loaded with early parts and cars. Made a quick pass through the building wishing I had a fist full of cash with me. Of course that wasn't the case. Settled for a $50 used but perfect pair of E&J Type 20 headlights. Just wish I had more bucks with me for the $100 NOS pair that were still in the original box, but I was happy with what I got.

Lee

 

I drove my avatar to an estate sale. It was a Chrysler mechanics place. There were many many jars and cans of nuts and bolts. I asked the guy if anyone would buy them. He said No. What you gonna do with them? Put them in the trash. Woah! How about I back my car in here and haul them off for you?I loaded the trunk until it wouldnt close, and the floor and front seat. While I was loading some guy called the sale, said his wife saw an old car (mine)and wanted to know the price

 

I was at a yard sale in Montana one time and there was a '35 Ford grill laying on the ground that was cut off right at the crank hole. I supposed somebody had curbed it and switched it out for a good one, I asked the guy how much and he said, "Ten bucks."

I just about tore a hole in my pocket getting my wallet out! I gave to my good friend Cal in Missouri and he hung it on the wall in the shop with a headlight bar and lights. I think it's still up there and that was about 15 years ago.

There was also a tarp with a bunch of odd tractor head lights on it and I asked the guy how much and he said, "Ten bucks each." I can't believe it, but I didn't buy any of them and a few of them said, "King-Bee" on them...

 

When I was building the hot rod, I would pick up parts all over the country as I traveled. I had found a few vintage back-up lights here and there, but nothing that matched.

One week we were camped at the fairgrounds in Celina, OH and they were having their "127 Yard Sale". It went for miles in both directions on HWY. 127. So, we took off headed north and came upon a really cool yard sale up by Bryan, OH.

It looked like a vintage swap meet and there was several guys with all their car parts out. We looked around and got a few things and as we were leaving, the wife found a couple of odd back-up lights and so, we got them for $5 ea.

When we got home, they matched two of the lights we already had! So, I had two sets now. I used one set on the hot rod, and gave the other set to Cal in Missouri for a '37 Ford truck he was building. I love it when stuff like that happens!

 

Actually just yesterday I was on the 127 garage sale in Celina too. I scored a big box of old Rod & Custom,Hot Rod,Super Chevy,Super Stock,the list goes on & on for $40.Some of them went back as far as 63'

 

Not really a estate sale but I just have to tell this fine. A friend pasted away and the family was selling off his stuff.. i had seen some of his collection but not the 51 Ford club coupe he had. Off the road for years but in really great shape with the only rust under the headlights .I made a offer based on what I could see as there were parts inside the locked car that I didn't know what they were.. When we pulled the flat tires to tow it I pulled the rear drum and found everything new behind the drum. I paid 2K for the car that came with over 4K worth of new repop parts.