"American Pickers" last night...
07-13-2010, 04:40 PM
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"American Pickers" last night...
Anyone see this show last night on the History Channel? Pretty interesting show about a couple of antique dealers that drive around and buy stuff.
However, last night they went to some guy's property in SC (?) who had a ton of junky cars and tons of car parts. He identified a C4 as "an '81 Corvette" but later showed one of the pickers a couple carbs with air cleaners on them, and said they were part of a "tri-power set up for a 1958 Corvette." Then the picker had a little speech about '58 Corvettes and tri powers and he wished he could get the third carb.
Then they find a red plastic steering wheel with metal inserts on the spokes and a Corvette horn button, and he says its off a '66 Corvette. The other picker quickly buys it for $100 becuase those old Corvette steering wheels are expensive, ya know. Might have been off an Impala, I suppose.
I thought they made a lot of mistakes on the Mecum telecasts!
However, last night they went to some guy's property in SC (?) who had a ton of junky cars and tons of car parts. He identified a C4 as "an '81 Corvette" but later showed one of the pickers a couple carbs with air cleaners on them, and said they were part of a "tri-power set up for a 1958 Corvette." Then the picker had a little speech about '58 Corvettes and tri powers and he wished he could get the third carb.
Then they find a red plastic steering wheel with metal inserts on the spokes and a Corvette horn button, and he says its off a '66 Corvette. The other picker quickly buys it for $100 becuase those old Corvette steering wheels are expensive, ya know. Might have been off an Impala, I suppose.
I thought they made a lot of mistakes on the Mecum telecasts!
07-13-2010, 04:45 PM
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saw that the other week, and just had to laugh. it was a standard Chevelle wheel. I guess you can't know everything on anything when you are in there position
07-13-2010, 04:49 PM
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I saw that episode a few weeks back. American Pickers is actually a pretty interesting show. Those guys seem to know a lot about old bicycles (at least one of the guys does) but when it comes to cars, they're both in way over their heads. However, they did spot an Isetta skeleton in a junk pile on one show and actually knew what it was.
-- Steve
-- Steve
07-13-2010, 04:50 PM
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Yeah, I do enjoy the show. That Studebaker they bought was a cool find.
07-13-2010, 04:51 PM
#5
Team Owner
Those two 'pickers' (my wife watches them a lot) aren't car guys by a long shot....
They seem to know bicycles, motor scooters, old cans/bottles, etc.. but not high end stuff.
At least the "Pawn Stars" show calls in experts to confirm their price estimates...
They seem to know bicycles, motor scooters, old cans/bottles, etc.. but not high end stuff.
At least the "Pawn Stars" show calls in experts to confirm their price estimates...
07-13-2010, 04:55 PM
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Sounds like they were some real "experts" 
I'm glad I watched David Ortiz win the home run hitting contest instead
I'm glad I watched David Ortiz win the home run hitting contest instead
07-13-2010, 05:03 PM
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[quote=Frankie the Fink;1574685735]Those two 'pickers' (my wife watches them a lot) aren't car guys by a long shot....
They seem to know bicycles, motor scooters, old cans/bottles, etc.. but not high end stuff.
At least the "Pawn Stars" show calls in experts to confirm their price estimates...[/quote]
So do the Pickers however, they bring in their experts AFTER they make their purchase
. They dragged home a barn find 40's Plymouth business coupe (I think that's what it was) and brought in a car guy to give them an idea of what it was worth. They lost money on that one.
-- Steve
They seem to know bicycles, motor scooters, old cans/bottles, etc.. but not high end stuff.
At least the "Pawn Stars" show calls in experts to confirm their price estimates...[/quote]
So do the Pickers however, they bring in their experts AFTER they make their purchase
. They dragged home a barn find 40's Plymouth business coupe (I think that's what it was) and brought in a car guy to give them an idea of what it was worth. They lost money on that one. -- Steve
07-13-2010, 05:08 PM
#9
Burning Brakes
Its an interesting show, reminds me of my Mom's boyfriend who has 3 buildings full of crap.
The one darker hair guy was fixated on an old Plymouth sedan (?) paid $5k for it I think. Got it back to Iowa and his expert valued the car at maybe $3k. Nice. Sounds like something I would do.
Still and interesting show.
The one darker hair guy was fixated on an old Plymouth sedan (?) paid $5k for it I think. Got it back to Iowa and his expert valued the car at maybe $3k. Nice. Sounds like something I would do.
Still and interesting show.
07-13-2010, 05:38 PM
#10
Team Owner
Interesting - but I'm sorry -- some of the locations the 'pickers' go to are just plain crazy and the proprietors need some hoarding therapy...
07-13-2010, 06:18 PM
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Anyone see this show last night on the History Channel? Pretty interesting show about a couple of antique dealers that drive around and buy stuff.
However, last night they went to some guy's property in SC (?) who had a ton of junky cars and tons of car parts. He identified a C4 as "an '81 Corvette" but later showed one of the pickers a couple carbs with air cleaners on them, and said they were part of a "tri-power set up for a 1958 Corvette." Then the picker had a little speech about '58 Corvettes and tri powers and he wished he could get the third carb.
Then they find a red plastic steering wheel with metal inserts on the spokes and a Corvette horn button, and he says its off a '66 Corvette. The other picker quickly buys it for $100 becuase those old Corvette steering wheels are expensive, ya know. Might have been off an Impala, I suppose.
I thought they made a lot of mistakes on the Mecum telecasts!
However, last night they went to some guy's property in SC (?) who had a ton of junky cars and tons of car parts. He identified a C4 as "an '81 Corvette" but later showed one of the pickers a couple carbs with air cleaners on them, and said they were part of a "tri-power set up for a 1958 Corvette." Then the picker had a little speech about '58 Corvettes and tri powers and he wished he could get the third carb.
Then they find a red plastic steering wheel with metal inserts on the spokes and a Corvette horn button, and he says its off a '66 Corvette. The other picker quickly buys it for $100 becuase those old Corvette steering wheels are expensive, ya know. Might have been off an Impala, I suppose.
I thought they made a lot of mistakes on the Mecum telecasts!
07-13-2010, 07:11 PM
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True, but the picker had no such knowledge. He was just blabbing about valuable old Corvette parts. He didnt even take the air cleaners off and examine the carbs.
07-13-2010, 07:28 PM
#13
Saw it and laughed. Then i started to think about how many of the other items they pick up and act so knowledgeable about. hmmmm, how many other mistakes have the made concerning antiques? I love how it is always a projected value and not a real value on the items. I like the show and will continue to watch it, but it must be very hard to actually make money being a picker.
07-13-2010, 07:37 PM
#14
Le Mans Master
Maybe it's just to make good TV, but how can they go to a place that has 5 buildings full of stuff and all they walk away with is 2 or 3 items? I would think it would take hundreds of $50 items to pay for just the rent on their building. But it's an entertaining show just the same.
Gary
Gary
07-13-2010, 07:50 PM
#15
Race Director
you guys realize the whole show is staged right? they made a big deal about this guy "John in WI" with a highwheel bicycle.....truth is the taller guy had been to John`s home before and that highwheel bicycle they "stole" needs $2000 of work to be usable....and I know all this because John lives 10 minutes away and John`s son and I are friends.
07-13-2010, 08:08 PM
#17
Racer
Saw it and laughed. Then i started to think about how many of the other items they pick up and act so knowledgeable about. hmmmm, how many other mistakes have the made concerning antiques? I love how it is always a projected value and not a real value on the items. I like the show and will continue to watch it, but it must be very hard to actually make money being a picker.
07-13-2010, 08:30 PM
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Its entertaining but a lot of people I know in antiques and collectables HATE the show because now everyone thinks that their rusty item is worth lots of money and it isnt. Many people are having a hard time getting people to sell stuff now because they have an unrealistic view of the price.
07-13-2010, 09:02 PM
#19
Drifting
Umm, I'm a high wheeler as well as having a 63 vert
They stole that Star high wheeler for $3,000. In ridable condition they go for $10,000+. I don't have a Star but I have a 54" 1889 Royal Mail high wheeler and a 54" Kennedy.
you guys realize the whole show is staged right? they made a big deal about this guy "John in WI" with a highwheel bicycle.....truth is the taller guy had been to John`s home before and that highwheel bicycle they "stole" needs $2000 of work to be usable....and I know all this because John lives 10 minutes away and John`s son and I are friends.
