WHAT A SCORE!!!...or...Two guys go insane at an AUCTION!

*Please read the story below then refer back to the text in blue*

OI've had to change the PM response. I can not keep up with the measurements that were sent. Sorry, but you'll just have to check the cl***ifieds.

Big Dirty and I attended an auction this past weekend in Oakland, CA at King Kovers upholstery shop. They had been in business since 1949, and their inventory reflected it!

I have been to plenty of auctions only to be depressed at the number of bidders and how high the prices then go. This was definitely NOT the case this time.

Preview was Friday, but we both had to work, so we showed up at 9am for the 10am auction to check out what was available. There were literally thousands of rolls of vintage fabric and vinyl. We started to try to take all of the fabric in, but it became overwhelming. We focused on the miscellaneous goodies. We marked some off on our catalog.

When the bidding started there were only about FIVE of us in attendance with bidder numbers. The rest of the guys had upholstery shops and were only really interested in stuff they could use right away (they thought were were stupid for buying the stuff we did). The first three lots of fabric didn't even sell, so the auctioneer combines the first batch of lots into one sale. About 75 rolls of vintage fabric sold for $10!

A few sales later we got to a lot of 33 vintage fabric sample books. We expected these to go for big bucks. We got them for SUPER CHEAP! Then on to more vinyl. We bought about 100 rolls for $50. I just kept what was interesting, ditched the rest. Then we rounded the corner to the neatest lots - mini display seats! Nobody bid against us. We bought all 82 of them. These things are so cool! Various sizes, fabrics and patterns.

After the seats, we picked up about 60-70 convertible top kits including '50s Corvettes, Sunbeams, Shoeboxes and tons more. We also picked up thousands of seat belts. We trashed the newer **** and still ended up with a bunch of cool old buckles.

Then came another GIANT score - over 200 seat cover sets from the '50s and early '60s. These are the real deal vintage goods. Again nobody bid against us!

We picked up some more random **** before the auction ended. When it came to loading we filled my SUV, one rented cargo van and a 17' U-Haul box truck, and spent probably about 12 hours loading and unloading well over 500 items. We had to rent a storage space after we filled my garage and shed. I have also never been so dirty in my life. Greasy, yes. Paint-covered, yes. But this dirty, with dirt and dust, never. 50+ years of dust gets everywhere!

We have started cataloging our score and will put stuff in the cl***ifieds and eBay.

Check it...

The sample book stash. All the pages and swatches are there. Very cool!







Mini seats. I think they'll be cool for kids or just to display. After sorting out the total ****, I think we ended up with about 78 of these. What's cooler is that they are samples of some of the seat covers we got.







A few of the belts and buckles. We pretty much only got buckles. Only a couple sets of belts.







A few of the convertible tops.







Some of the seat cover sets. Some are all vinyl. Some are fabric and vinyl. What do you think these are worth? He have only opened about 50 of the over 200 boxes!

 

OMFG!

are you planing on selling any of it?

 

awesome stuff, man....

 

that red checker board one is SWEET! the 18th picture
and the black and white is awsome too..whats the story KIRK!

 

wow what a deal, now you got all kinds of choices for your starliner.

 

from the son of an upholsterer all I can say is

 

What a score indeed! shew...........

Later,Bill

 

It's ALL GETTING SOLD!

 

I'll take all of it for $10.00!

What a GREAT score...

 

PLEASE let us know how & where you are selling it- I would love a few of those mini seats- and the seat belts. Thanks Jim

 

Get ready for email and PM overload!

later,Bill

 

Should be a profitable venture for you two. The look of the old material is certainly different. I'd be into a cool set of seatbelt latches.

 

Score

Well done ya lucky *******s...........

 

Are the seat cover boxes marked for what they fit? Ill be watching for 49-51 Merc stuff! Nice score man!

 

if u sell the mini seats let me know, i may have a use for a few of them in the near future. (size depends)

 

WHEN?????

 

Cool score. My luck would be what you were expecting, tons of bidders.

 

Very kool!!

 

Awesome SCORE!

guys are gonna **** seeing that on egay!

gonna be a MERRY XMAS for you!

congrats!

 

I've not seen the mini seats before... how big are they (I can't tell from the photos)?

What a great score!

Ben

 

Are we getting a head start on this before it goes to the bay? I could really use a set of 55 ford seat covers for my gals mordoor fairlane. would make a great christmas gift.

 

You all ****, like totally.....*******s.

 

Killer deal! I just happen to know where there are 82 mini hot rods that need seats.

 

I see the "FASHION BUG" is still biting ya in the *** Kirk! Nice score. Let me know what ya got. I need to do my '54 chrysler. Being the designer eye that you are, surprise me with what ya pic for my car. KNUX!

 

I would of been a kid in a candy store !

 

Awesome deal!! This is the kind of story that makes for great folklore!! I can only equate this to when an old guy GAVE my son a complete 1941 Ford pickup with the whole bed full of spare parts........just to get it off his property so he could clean up his lot. I guess you'll need to publish a complete inventory now??? Drool.

 

That's awesome. I'd be in for a few of the mini-seats. They make kick *** couches for the kids room. Keep me posted so I know when to buy some.

 

WOW. Great score.

 

those mini seats are wild. I cant wait to see whats available. I dont get how the other guys couldnt see the value in some of those parts, especially the tops.