Auto collectibles and paraphernalia...

fezo

I always thought that if I ever got sent to prison for life I'd get me one of those.

There's still hope then... :P (we really need a rolleyes)

Mr_Shiftright

Nah, I'm goin' to Federal Tennis Camp with Bernie Madoff.

fintail

I was somehow thinking the Pocher kits came pre-painted, guess not.

Look at that...just like a real car!

texases

Much of the challenge of a Pocher seems not to be assembly, it's the virtual remaking of the parts - here's what a Pocher maker said:

"Pocher Classic model cars don’t just go together. The parts often don’t fit properly, many are badly moulded, some may be bent, and some are just plain badly engineered. Most of your time will be spent cutting, filing and test fitting — not in final assembly. There will be times when you’ll be asking whether these parts are really supposed to go together (they are). There will be times when you’ll wonder whether you’re applying too much pressure to fit these parts together (you are). There will be times when you’re not sure whether a structural sub-assembly is strong or secure enough (it’s not). Many times, you’ll find yourself cutting off bumps and tabs that look seemingly purposeful (they aren’t). At other times, you’ll find yourself drilling out holes that seem way too small (drill away). And you’ll question your confidence when you find yourself re-engineering sub-assemblies that don’t seem to go together acceptably well otherwise (heavy sigh)."

burdawg

Take your time. If some part (especially the body) doesn't fit right, find out why. It may need a little trimming for a good fit. Remember that if the plastic body isn't mounted to the frame it may not have the same alignments for the doors and hood as it will when it's bolted to the frame. Use some small clear plastic containers to hold parts so you can see them without having to open the top.
I'm not 100% familiar with that model, but if it's like the Mercedes the interior is going to be challenging. Have lots of small clamps and clothes pins available to hold it together while the glue is drying.
If you have an area without carpet it's a lot easier to find those plastic parts on the floor when you drop them. I used the workbench in the garage. Having all those little parts spread out across it also provided a good excuse to ignore my "honey do" list for quite some time...........
There's lots of good websites that have pointers for these kits. There's also some enhancements available for some of the kits, even though Pocher went out of business some time ago.

burdawg

When I sold it on ebay I got roughly twice what it cost me. A while back before the recession a factory sealed kit for some of the models quite often went into the $1,000's.

texases

Thanks for the ideas...so now I gotta clean off the workbench...that'll put me back another couple of years!

fintail

Just as difficult as restoring a car, and as expensive too. Crazy.

stever

Yeah, but when you move across town, you don't have to rent a flatbed.

fintail

I visited Wilkinsons Automobilia in Vancouver today. I picked up a 1960 Autocar (UK) test portfolio featuring a fintail, and a book of compiled road tests of various AMG cars from 1983-1999 (I already have a similar book for W126).

They had the new C43 model by a maker I can't remember, and a nice 1:18 W124. With diecasts of such boring models as W201, 123, 114/115 etc being made, I have to believe there will eventually be a W210 E55 diecast sometime.

They also had a big collection of early Dinky and Matchbox cars, some which appeared to have very reasonable prices.

boomchek

I like their huge 1:12 scale models. They have a lot of used stuff too in their display cases.

fintail

The big Silver Ghost they have is pretty cool.

They just got a big collection of vintage diecast in the other day, or so I was told. Nothing from our childhood era, but a lot of decent 50s stuff.

fintail

I stopped by again and picked up a couple of very fairly priced grey wheel Matchbox. Cheaper than ebay or any vintage toy dealer by far.

The proprietor also took me into the back room to show me some of the massive vintage collection he recently bought. There was an amazing spread of prewar Dinkys, it was pretty awesome, maybe 20 cars. All of the American cars in the 39 series were there too - Zephyr, Buick, Olds, Packard, Chrysler, Studebaker. I'd like to have those someday, but they are pricey. They also have a cool Dinky Airflow that I wouldn't mind having.

boomchek

Are you talking about Wilkinsons? I've been in the back too before to browse their wall o' borchures they got there.

fintail

Yep, I went back....I am pretty sure I didn't already have one of the Matchbox, so I went back for it, and found another.

I saw the brochures, but didn't look through any of them. I already have brochures for both my cars - original owner of the fintail held on to a lot of junk, and I found an E55 brochure on ebay some time ago.

boomchek

My friend who works as a service advisor at an MB dealer just scored a bunch of MB promotional material for me.

All brochures for every model except the G class and SLR.

Plus another set of same brochures but bound in hardcover!!

Also an AMG promotional DVD. It's wrapped in plastic still and I haven't had a chance to watch it yet.

fintail

Very cool, that stuff isn't easy to come by. The hardcover material is rare and I suspect it is worth a little already. It is all modern, or does any of it predate 2003 or
so?

Somewhere packed away I still have a promotional VHS for the W140 that I sent away for back in 1991 or 1992.

fintail

Here are the Matchbox I bought at Wilkinsons. Both are from 1961. They have some scattered pin prick chips, but are pretty nice overall (I paid far less than mint prices), and the decals on the tow truck (which is one of my favorite models of the period) are excellent.

fintail

Last year I was lucky enough to receive a giant wall calendar from AMG, shipped direct from Germany, for posting in a contest thread in their online owners forum. I posted again in the 2010 version, and was told I won a keychain. Today, via UPS, again direct from Affalterbach, I received a gigantic calendar, this one SLS themed. They must like me :shades:

boomchek

Nice. I like getting promo stuff like that. Porsche keeps sending me cool stuff, the latest one being a metal replica of their street sign.

fintail

When I was 11 or 12, I wrote to Porsche to get something, and over time they sent me a few posters. I thought that was really cool.

I also sent in some kind of magazine form about MB European delivery, and a couple times they sent me a ton of material about it. I guess I was an ambitious kid :shades:

Mr_Shiftright

Well *I* have a pair of Renault Dauphine cufflinks. Go ahead, writhe in envy. :shades:

boomchek

lol did you actually ever wear them?

Mr_Shiftright

Actually they broke

fintail

So they were an in-house built Renault product then?

stever

See more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com

ghulet

.....I have a 1963 Porsche brochure my dad gave me, if only I could find it (I have a slight hoarding problem, which fortunately is confined to one spare bedroom, and maybe a little in the garage, OK perhaps some kitchen crap).

fintail

Is that the server where this place is hosted ? :P

stever

Yeah, we call it "Zippy".

(that was the same name as the family '69 VW Bus too).

boomchek

Haha and the archives are stored on a floppy disk. :P

boomchek

a stack of old Road & Track magazines from the 50s, 60s, and early 70s for only $10. There are about 50 issues in almost mint condition. Guy wanted $40 originally which I was going to pay anyways but told him I'll thnk it over. He emailed me back a few weeks later saying he'll give them to me for $10 because he was moving and needed to get rid of them.

I'm happy to add this to my collection!! For $10 I think it was a steal!

fintail

Wow, bargain city. Worth it for fun reading material alone. You scored.

boomchek

Yeah, I always enjoy looking at old car ads and reading about cars of the future that we're supposed to be driving in today. :surprise:

fintail

And the opinions about cars that we now know were crap are funny too.

Years ago I got a pile of 70s R&T/C&D at a Value Village for a quarter apiece...malaise era stuff. I read them all and then got a buck or two each for them when I put them on ebay. When I was a kid I bought a couple boxes of 50s-60s mags for $1 per box! I sold them all all via my parents antique dealings...when you're 14 or so, cash talks. I also bought a pile of those pocket size 50s hot rod magazines at a yard sale for a dime or a quarter each...ebayed them when I was in school...some of them brought $30-50 each, it was nuts. The money came in handy.

I also had a ton of 80s magazines stored in my mother's garage...she had a big yard sale and sold them out from under me :lemon:

boomchek

And have over 1000 of them. I spent 7 hours in my condo locker arranging bookshelves and sorting them in chronological order. Wife wasn't very pleased

Most of them are Road & Tracks (from as early as 1959), Car and Drivers, Motor Trends, and Automobile.

Good thing I sorted it out as I found I had about 200 duplicates (that I can sell).

Also have a ton of import tuning magazines, including a few #1 issues.

I still need to do a brochure inventory as I have over 2000 of those. :surprise:

fintail

That reminds me, I am going to be in your neighborhood in a few weeks...I could bring a few things for you if you want :shades:

boomchek

Sure! Just let me know when. Are you coming for the Auto Show?

fintail

Yep, taking a long weekend. I've got a pile of material I don't need, maybe you'll want it.

boomchek

For sure! I'll take it all! Let me know when you'll be out here and we can meet up!

fintail

I have some mostly British magazines from the past few years, maybe a brochure or two, and a couple other things no doubt.

Your email was on my laptop, which died and has been replaced. Drop me a line and we can discuss things.

boomchek

Ok, will do!

fintail

Today I was out in the old car and stopped at a yard sale in a very nice area. I bought a couple of MIB late 70s Matchbox Yesteryears for $2 each, a couple of Brumm 1/43 Porsche 356...probably not older than the 80s, but for $1 each, so what, and a 1970s Corgi Batman motorcycle for a quarter. I also found some old 60s record albums with psychedelic artwork for a family member, and some vintage knicknacks for my mother - all for pocket change. Not a bad haul.

They did have some slightly playworn 70s diecast...some more boring Matchbox, Hot Wheels, and a well-loved Tomica Lancia Stratos. I didn't buy them as I don't need a junkyard...but would you want me to pick up that kind of stuff for you, Boomchek?

boomchek

Sounds like you scored some deals! Most garage sales have beat up hot wheels and those cheap plastic no name cars. Thanks for thinking of me, but don't worry about picking stuff up for me for now. As much as I'd love to add to my collections, I promised myself not to until we actually buy a house where I can display all the automobilia in one room or in a garage. Our condo just doesn't have the room, and the storage locker is packed to the max with magazines, brochures, and my die casts.

I actually went through all my brochures and catalogued them I now have over 2000, plus about 700+ doubles and triples, and a few quadruples. I decided to sell off the duplicates, and sold a few already on Craigslist and ebay.

fintail

Dumb luck...usually going to a sale at noon is pointless, but it was in a ritzy area, so I figured why not. I felt bad about not buying those old cars...but I don't really want them either. I also bought an old car related LP - "Sounds of Sebring, 1959"...but I don't actually own a 33rpm player :shades:

I sold the other record albums on craigslist for $35 this morning...not bad turnaround and about 10x what I paid.

boomchek

That's how it is sometimes. That's a good return on your records. So far I sold about 200 brochures and got just under $200 for them.

I tried selling my brochures on eBay in bulk but their weight and shipping costs make the cost a bit prohibitive. I'll have to split them up even more and just group them by make and age.

fintail

But the brochures were free, right? That's a pretty good return too.

I've got a pile of stuff from cleaning house I need to get rid of...but like with your problem, it's pretty heavy, not good for ebay. Hopefully Craigslist will come through as it usually does...and not give me too many spam replies.

boomchek

Yup, all freebies. I think I bought brochures once when I was 13 years old, and paid about $3/each, but they were all Mercedes brochures and some vintage Honda brochures - I spent $30 for 10. My dad thought I was silly for buying them.

fintail

I have bought brochures on ebay for the MB I own, never paid more than $10 for any of them. The fintail actually came with one in its ream of paperwork.

I'd guess older Honda items, maybe pre-mid-80s, are relatively uncommon.

boomchek

Yeah I think they are. I have an original 76 Civic brochure, plus a dealer made one page brochure for the Honda S600. Neat stuff.

fintail

Those can't be common, as Honda sold so relatively few cars during that era. The Honda dealer in the small town where my mother lives has an N600 in the showroom...they've been selling Honda there since the early days. I wonder if they have any old paper stored away.

I got a new piece of ephemera in the mail today, the 2010 edition of the AMG magazine, sent directly from the source.