When I purchased my 1952 Studebaker I found a roll of labels the service station used to stick to the inside of your car after an oil change. I cleaned shop a few weeks ago and threw the whole role out, probably 40 stickers. Went to an antique store Friday and saw the same type of sticker selling for $22.00 a piece! I don't feel so good. Keep everything!
Did you see if any were sold? I mean, I could put "For Sale" on my 87 Suburban and ask $22k. Doesnt mean that A. anyone will pay that price and B. it will raise the value of other crappy Suburbans across the board.
I've got some football cards in mint condition from the sixties. I used to think they were valuable, then I saw some on Ebay going for $1.50 In the end, value is determined by want or need.
my pops grew up in the depression and never ever threw anything away his reasoning was someday somebody might need it , im glad to say i picked up on some of his bad habits..
I agree. If the guy at the antique store told you they were selling like hotcakes and wanted to find some more, then I'd feel bad. But just because something has a high price tag doesn't mean anyone is actually paying that. Good case in point, there's a website that sells old hubcaps, and they're all about $80 apiece, no matter what car or era they're from. And I see a lot of eBay auctions with sets of junk 70's wheelcovers starting at $150 because according to their auctions "These go for $80 apiece on another website! What a deal!" I swear I've read that 10 different times from different sellers.
I bought a super nice Model A frame but I couldn't set it on it's side because it still had the running board braces on it. Got out the grinder, popped off the rivits and threw all four braces in the trash. "I'll never use those." Six months later I buy a complete 30 roadster, and guess what it's missing???? the front running board braces on each side So yeah, I never throw anything away now.
I go to antique stores sometimes just because I like old crap. The pricing on most stuff is insane. I wouldn't feel too bad about it.
the shop i rent now was opened in the 50's, the guy didnt throw anything out i'm sure, i carried tons of stuff up in the rafters after i built a floor up there, still in every cubbard its full and falling out, but it is nice to have use of it, i can't see me ever using 30 hammers.
I bet most everyone has those horror stories. In '74, I bought a chopped '34 3W from a builder in Pomona who was moving back to Kansas where tin was more plentiful, and was clearing out his "junk." Got the coupe body (no fenders or hood), plus a frame with the front horns gone (looked like they'd been chewed off) and a "boat anchor" mid-late '50's olds sitting in it for $350.00. A year later, I got a rusty 5W from a guy in San Pedro just to get the sheet metal, which was primo. It had another boat anchor, and a full frame with a bit of a sag in it. I either junked or gave away both frames and motors. Today, I'm in the market for a frame and an Olds. and I'd die for anything I threw out back then, which has increased in value from nothing to, well, you know.
Scott, How do you think I managed to "accumulate" my vast treasury? I'm still looking for the box of used chewing gum, I thought it was right next to the crate of sparkplugs from every tuneup I've ever done. Frank
Of course the down side to "collectinig" is when you have to move, say overseas, and you know all the stuff you have have been collecting has value, but cannot find that right person to buy it from ya.. I have "heard" of this happening.....
Grandma saved yarn. She put short pieces in a cigar box. She had one cigar box just for pieces that were too short to save.
There's a fine line between wise accumulation, and being that crazy dude who's house is narrow walkways between stacks of newspapers and magazines. Although as I type this mine is a series of narrow walkways between car parts........!#^%*!! I honestly believe everyone should move once a decade. It tends to force a wise reassesment of our "treasure".
I spent several months clean out my dads shop after he died. He had "collected" all kinds of crap. He grew up in the depression and did not believe in throwing anything away that he believed himself or someone else could use. Now im sure some most, if not all of my crap will be scrap yard or dumpster fodder if I dont deal with it while I'm still alive since neither of my sons have picked up my hobby. Where the hell did all this shit come from! Every once in a while I load up a trailer load and take it to the scrap yard hoping like hell I dont need a piece of it later. Now I spend most if my time looking for that part I know I had around here some where.
Back in the late 1970's I was having a hard time finding a set of 38-41 spindles. So I started collecting every set of early Ford spindles I could buy cheap at swap meets. Took all the drums, grease traps, and backing plates off and thre the stuff in a barrel. (No body would ever want less than disc brakes on their cars!!!) I even took the barrel of stuff out to the trash and the trash man refused to take the stuff, said it was to heavy. Well guess what still have a drum full of old brake drums and backing plates. You never know!!
As far as throwing stuff out tho... I bought a 50 Ford 2 dr sdn a few wks ago in Conn. that turned out (ebay) to be a total piece of crap. So, I cut it up and scrapped it. Really tore it up but did leave a few things on it as A. it was cold and B. was on my trailer in front of my house. Last weekend went back up to Conn. for a 51 2 dr sdn. All of the small little wierdo areas this thing has rust (under tail lites etc) were good on the other car. But, it comes down to quality of life. You have to be realistic with the space you have. I could have cut all the good metal out of it but I would have been in the cold cutting for hours, then had to store it in our freshly done basement (game room) crowding up the place. Id rather roll the dice and have a nice neat orderly house. Ill make the shit out of sheet steel later...
Back in the mid '70s when my Dad and Grandpap were re-building my '29 RPU, my grandpap had the brilliant idea of saving their empty beer cans in order to recycle and help offset the cost of the overall build. However, after only 2 weeks, they couldn't close the garage door. True story. I've got the pictures and tribute to Olympia Beer (back when it was good) right here in the build book of pictures.
The Jalopy Journal
