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Automotive Collectables: What Have you got?


1937hd45

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I've got a bunch of metal dealer badges and license frames, and VA/NC county/city license tags. I also collect vintage GM ads, as well as shop manuals and K-M and Burroughs special tools. I started scarfing the dealer stuff off junked cars. I try to limit the license plates to the years of cars I own, and the ads came about as a result of an aunt's packrat habits- she never threw a magazine away! Shop manuals and tools- I guess they're a fetish.

And I have the nerve to wonder why I can hardly get thru the house tongue.gif .

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As you might guess, I collect Amphibious vehicle models to go with the Amphicar disease. There are not many out there. I have a couple iterations of an Amphicar, Amphi-Ranger, and a early amphibious wooden steam powered one. And of course anything Amphicar related. I have a couple dealer signs and lots of brochures etc.

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I collect model cars of everything I own/owned. I buy various things that catch my fancy, like signs or ads and maintain a sales brochure collection of cars that interest me.

My newest thing is old photos of people with their cars. I really enjoy these (from estate sales and the like). It's amazing how important the family car was to folks in the pre-war days. Not taken for granted like it is now, and they were always happy to have their pictures taken with it.

I'd like to get them in an album I can share at car shows. Lots of fun trying to identify some of the cars.

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Well - built a 7 car garage to support my habit several years ago and it has turned more into a museum over the years. The Neighborhood calls it just that - "The Museum". Have collections of pedal cars, antique tools, old cameras, old jacks, automobilia signs everywhere, Howdie Doody stuff and toy cars & trucks. Sveral of my old car friends put my place to shame with their collections. We must all be a little off - but havin' fun

It's getting to the point where I am running out of room - time for an annex!

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I collect pre 1915 Automotive Magazines as well as cars. There were a lot of different pubs- some common (Horseless Age) and some not so common (Motor Way). I have about 3000 issues. I am attempting to index them by make and topic. It is very time consuming, but fascinating to read about the early people and cars.

Greg

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I guess I collect collections! It all started with spark plugs - Bob, you and I have shared a lot of good times over the plugs! Started picking up "go-withs" and acquired some display cabinets, counter-top demonstrators, etc and its all grown into a faithful recreation of a circa 1915 era auto parts store on the second floor of my garage. Its complete with old country store show cases, cash register, shelving, etc and provides a neat place to display my old oil cans, early Model T accessories, brass lamps, advertising displays, signs, tools and etc. Over the years I've decorated the downstairs with signs and gas pumps. Somewhere along the way I decided I didn't want to have to walk outside in winter to enjoy my stuff so began collecting things I can bring in the house like early prints, etc. Latest passion is early automotive related sheet music. Running out of wall space however, so might drag out my old postcard collection and pursue that for a while!

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Guest Skyking

My whole family collects everything from automotive to Mickey Mouse. You name it we have it. I limit my collection to 1/18th die cast models. I started in 1991 when Ertl started with American Muscle. Now I have over 300 in showcases in the room above my garage. Of course down below I have some Buick memorabilia. Since my more back from Florida, I adapted to less clutter.

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No one's going to believe this.

No one.

I collect old hot rod 45's and albums. I've got about 90 or 100 pieces now (with well over 600 songs total). I started when I was asked to dj a BCA chapter show and got hooked. I can now dj an entire show in surf, doo-wop or rockabilly using nothing but car songs.

Told ya' you wouldn't believe it. Most of those presumed "anti-hot-rod" rants I posted were composed listening to Jan & Dean, The Rip Chords, The Beach Boys,..... et al.

Did you know that neither Roger Christian nor Brian Wilson could afford a Chevy 409 when they wrote "409"? And that afterward their collaborations were so lucrative that they immediately began buying whatever they could find that was faster than a 409? Neither ever actually owned one! (The car sounds on the Beach Boys record of "409" were made by Roger Christian's four year old, 348 equipped '59 Impala.)

My latest aquisistion is a compilation album called <span style="font-style: italic">"Soundsville!"</span>, which has "I've Got a Tiger in My Tank" by the Beachnuts featuring the enthusiastic vocals of a 17 year old named Lou Reed (Yup, him!). It's almost as good as Tico and the Triumphs' "Motorcycle", vocal by some guy named Paul Simon. I'm still trying to get ahold of a copy of Jim Messina's and Glenn Frey's first recordings, both hot-rod.

I've also collected as many books on automotive subjects as I could over the years, developing a much better library than my car collection ever deserved. I've had to spend the last three days re-organizing my antique car magazine collection, which fills another 2 shelving units.

Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to get back to listening to "Corvair Baby" by Paul Revere and the Raiders! cool.gif

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What have I got? Over 1,000+ pieces of diecast (Matchbox, Hot Wheels, Nascar replicas etc.) As well as the Hess trucks, Mobil, BP, Texaco & Sunoco trucks. On top of that, there is the license plate collection, automotive signs, Motorsports artwork (like Sam Bass) and the collection of photos of race cars and race car drivers. Throw that on top of the 15+ vehicles, we're getting there. Once we get the time to get everything done and displayed, we'd be close to be a museum as well. Some people smoke, some people drink, some people gamble, some people cheat on their spouses, well my dad and I collect

anything relating to cars. That's our addiction. Wether it's a picture, sign, drawing, or actual vehicle. We've got a lot of that stuff.

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I like the old enamel radiator emblems from the early cars. If I get to an auction with NOS parts of any kind, its hard not to drag some home( even if I don`t know what they fit). I`ve still got about 25 early Mustangs (to restore in my spare time) HA! And about 600 cars in the junkyard ranging from a 1917 Baby Overland to 94 Contental, so I guess I`ll collect about anything I can push,pull or drag home.

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The collecting bug is really contagious, I am restoring a 29 Chevrolet Coach and started to aquire car vases. These were used in many of the high end cars from the early 1900's through the late 30's as air freshners , some are still used today in the newer VW's. Also collect pre war II chevy items.

grin.gif

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Dave, Do you have Thunder Road by Robert Mitchum? Been looking for a copy of that for years.

Jim...

PS: I'm editing my original note to thank those that offered to send me MP3 versions and sent them to me also. I'm on a dial up line and not really in a position to take MP3s directly as they can take an hour or more to download.

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Jim,

I have a copy. My husband transfered a bunch of automobile songs to cd a few years ago for me. The songs date from 1905 to modern songs. I can get you a copy of the song just as soon as I figure out what format they are in. I believe the MP3 file is on the computer that just crashed and the CD is showing a WinAmp file.It is only 1kb big so most just be a shortcut. I can not find where the file is actually saved.

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24T42,

Thanks for the offer. After I posted the message I thought I should do a Google search. I hadn't looked for a year or so. Turns out the movie is now on DVD (it should ship tomorrow) smile.gif and I found a wav file for downloading. I haven't copied it to my machine with good speakers yet to see the quality. If these don't work out I may take you up on your offer.

Jim...

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Jim,

If 24T42 can't get her copy to you, there are several compilation cd's that are commonly available with Mr. Mitchum's classic. They are:

<span style="font-style: italic">Car and Driver Greatest Car Songs</span>; I think still in print and very cheap (the local <span style="font-style: italic">Half Price Books</span> sells it for less than $7, you might try their web site)

<span style="font-style: italic">Legendary Hot Rod Hits Vol. 3</span>; a little more rare, usually about $10, and also (I think) still in print,

<span style="font-style: italic">Shut Down, The Best of the Hot Rod Hits</span>, this was still in print and cost me $6 in 1998, don't know if it's still around now or not,

<span style="font-style: italic">Monster Hits--Drag City</span>; out of print,

and <span style="font-style: italic">Hot Rods & Custom Classics</span>; an in print 4 disc box set from Rhino Records, about $55 but [color:\\"blue\\"] <span style="font-weight: bold">too cool!!! </span> cool.gif

You could probably buy any of these at will from Half.com, Djangos.com or eBay.

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Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)

Oil Cans.

I don't have that many, just yet. With very few exceptions, I collect only the metal ones. I do have one cardboard can of Harley Davidson oil. It is not that old, mid to late 80's. I bought it to use in my bike. When they started putting it in plastic bottles, I decided to hold on to it. I also have one glass bottle with the metal spout. I bought it in Hershey this year. When I got it home, I found that it would not fit on the shelf with all my cans, too tall. I had to remove the spout and place it beside the bottle.

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Thanks for the several offers and the one person that sent me an MP3. Please do not send me any more MP3. I'm on a dial up line and it can take an hour or more to download my mail with an MP3 file attached.

Dave thanks for the pointers to other sources, I was under the impression it only existed on 45.

I found that the movie has been released on DVD. My copy should have shipped today.

Jim...

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