Rick: This is a forcasta.
Mike: Whoa. Rick: We drew an instant crowd.
Mike: I mean, it's amazing.
Robbie: The devil head shift knob.
Jersey jon: Looks like a delco light plant.
Mike: Is that a dune buggy back in there?
Ryan: That might be a jaguar. Jersey jon: Ooh!
Mike: Here dani, get next to this thing.
Danielle: What's up, robbie?
Mike: I'll send this to him and jersey, he'll be like, what-the-hell!
What is this?
Robbie: You ain't getting that thing running today.
What are you? It's rusted.
Jersey jon: Robbie, we'll be riding this thing around tonight, dude.
Mike: We're going to a guy named rick's.
We've been to rick's before, you sent us there.
Remember the guy that had the bubble cars?
Danielle: Yeah.
Mike: Well now he's interested in selling one of them.
See this jacket? See this?
Danielle: Oh, the cars of distinction!
Mike: Yeah, I bought this from him!
(honks horn)
Danielle: Ah, there he is.
Mike: Oh he's cleaning, he's polishing it!
Danielle: He's self-caring the car.
Mike: He must want to sell it. Rick!
Rick: Hey! Mike: What's up, man?
'goin' on? Hey buddy.
Rick: Hey mike, how're you doing?
Mike: You're getting it all polished up, it's outside, dang!
Look at this, dani.
Danielle: Yeah.
Mike: I love it, man.
Even though I was here before and I saw the car,
This is the first time that I'm actually seeing it.
There's nothing inside of it, I could walk around it,
And it's blowing my mind.
Oh my gosh.
So the last time we were here, this was buried in the garage.
Rick: You gotta look in here,
There's a little bit of everything.
Mike: God, can you imagine driving this?
Danielle: This thing down the road, it's unreal.
Mike: I can't even imagine. Rick: Unreal.
So why do you got it all cleaned out and everything,
You're polishing the top and everything.
Rick: I tried to clean it up a little bit, try to dust it off,
Make it look halfway decent.
Mike: Look at those seats, man. Danielle: Those seats are crazy!
Mike: Look at those seats! Rick: Just pick up the top.
And you just grab the handle and open her up.
Mike: Here let's see, what are they called, the ultimus?
Everybody saw the beauty in these cars
When they first came out.
They dominated the car shows
And they were on the cover of every car magazine.
But after they went away
And were considered kind of novelties,
They were pushed aside.
Rick was one of the first guys that saw
That they were significant
In the history of transportation.
So for him to think about wanting to sell one now,
Is a huge deal.
It's like the evolution of a collector,
There's like hunting-gathering stage,
And finding these cars, coveting them.
But then after living with them for a while,
And experiencing them, then I think a collector,
Like even such as myself with some motorcycles,
It feels like it's time.
When I was talking to him on the phone,
I could tell things were different.
Will this chair hold me? Rick: Well I hope so.
Mike: Look at this thing, man.
Whoa!
Danielle: Well that ain't even a chair, it's a strip of fabric.
Mike: Here we go.
Danielle: You're so close to the ground, that's wild.
Mike: No way, man.
I like how they just took a stock steering wheel and cut it down.
Rick: Yes. Yep. Mike: Wow.
Rick: I bought my first bubble car in the mid-'80s
And that was a forcasta.
And then a couple years later,
I bought the ultimus when I found that.
It's different, it's like the jetsons.
Mike: So it was on drag-o-rama?
Rick: And it was on the cover of cars.
Danielle: It's not black on the cover.
Mike: Wow, look at that. Rick: No, no, it's gold.
Danielle: This is the actual car.
Rick: That's the car, yeah.
Mike: This is a magazine. Is that the guy that built it?
Rick: Yes it is, that's tommy holden.
When I got it, it was in red primer,
I stripped the car and put it in the black primer.
Mike: So what's going on with it now?
Last time we were here,
You didn't even want to put a number on anything.
Rick: I would put a number on it.
Danielle: The last time I sent the guys here,
Rick had no interest in selling any of these cars.
So this is kind of a rare opportunity,
Kind of a hole in the fence if you will,
Where we can just slide right through
And actually lay hands on this bubble car.
This is an honor.
Mike: So the guy obviously started out
With a '59 el camino.
And what year did he build this though?
Rick: He started in '59.
Mike: To take a brand new 1959 el camino,
Which was already stylish, innovative,
And a work of art,
And turn it into a bubble-top car like this,
Is pretty incredible.
He took a car that was revolutionary,
And made it futuristic.
So what year did he actually show the car? How long did it take him?
Rick: '61, he got the car done.
Mike: And where did he show it first?
Rick: Detroit. Mike: At the autorama?
Rick: Yep. Mike: Wow.
In 1953, ford blew everybody's minds
With the lincoln xl-500.
But george barris was right there beside him
With the golden sahara, same year.
The buzz that the lincoln xl-500 created,
Inspired car manufacturers
To build more of these for car shows.
The car culture started taking notice, so by the late 1950s,
Early 1960s, a lot of people were building
These cars, concept cars.
Even though george barris had cracked that mold in '53,
There were other guys taking a hold of it later on.
What's interesting to me when you look at the car,
It looks like the batmobile.
Rick: Oh sure, sure, sure.
Mike: You know, I mean it's a completely different model car
And everything, but I wonder if barris ever saw this car.
Rick: Yeah, barris did see it for the first time at detroit autorama.
Barris was sitting there,
And he never talked to tommy holden again after that.
He was mad at him.
Mike: Really! Rick: Yep.
Mike: Looking at this car, it looks like it was inspiration
For the batmobile, I mean, especially since it's black.
But the reality of it is, is that george barris took a car
Called the futura, he customized that car
In the '60s to the batmobile.
You know, so this is in the same decade of all of it.
You know, when barris and the auto industry were doing it
In what like '53, '54?
All that stuff was bleeding into the car culture.
Isn't that the biggest compliment, when people copy you?
Danielle: I mean, they say that. Don't feel like it in the moment, but...
(laughs) mike: I mean, I guess.
Tommy holden was just like a lot of custom car builders
In the late 1950s, early 1960s.
Wanting to build a bubble-top.
The fact that george barris saw it at a car show,
And it knocked him back on his heels a little bit,
You know, says he was doing something right.
Rick: After the first time when it was gold metal flake,
Psychedelic was out at that time.
And I got some pictures when it was in the psychedelic.
Danielle: Ooh.
That's a beautiful phase, shoot. Look at that.
Mike: Yeah, look at that, man.
Danielle: This car has had so many looks.
From the very first look,
Which was the incredible gold-fleck look,
And from the back, it looked like a skull.
It was so weird, it was just creepy and cool.
Then the psychedelic look.
That was my favorite look, really love that style.
Then the red, then the black.
Mike: I wonder what happened to the original muffler.
Rick: Well I lost the mufflers on this when I drove it home.
Mike: You drove this?
Rick: I drove this home when I bought it.
Mike: How long did you drive it, how far?
Rick: 100 miles. Mike: Get outta here!
Rick: People would stop. Mike: They thought you were batman?
Rick: They didn't know what to think.
Mike: How did it run? Rick: It ran good.
Had a lot of power too.
Mike: I'm sure it did. Look at that.
Danielle: And it was red when you drove it home, huh.
Rick: Red primer, yeah.
Mike: Are those '59 caddie taillights.
Rick: Yes, yes they are. Mike: Wow. Look at that, danielle.
That's crazy. Danielle: Yeah, it's pretty wild.
Mike: Can we show her the other one? Wait till you see this car.
What the name of this car? Rick: This is a forcasta.
Danielle: Oh look at this.
The interior's so great. The color is amazing!
I love it. Rick: That's paisley.
Mike: So what's going on with this one, man?
Rick: Just sitting here. It went out on tour, and...
Mike: How long ago? Rick: It's been about 2 years.
Mike: And this is exactly the way it was shown.
Okay, this hasn't been altered at all.
Rick: No, no. Mike: What do you value this at?
Rick: I'm going to say over 300.
Danielle: Oh wow. Mike: Really.
Rick: Yep. This car, when you take it around as a feature car,
It's a magnet.
And it draws all the people in,
'cause they don't see this kind of stuff.
Mike: So it was reintroduced on tour recently
Just to pull people in.
Did it do it?
Rick: Oh yeah. Mike: I bet.
This is a perfect example of an untouched bubble-top car.
The fact that he's putting a number on it,
Even though it's high, is kind of blowing my mind,
Because the last time we were here,
None of these cars had numbers on them.
So you value this at 300k?
Rick: Yes, yes.
Mike: So would you take 275k?
Rick: You got 275?
(laughs)
Mike: No, no.
You got some old tees.
What about this old, what about this t-shirt?
Rick: That t-shirt, you tried to buy last time.
I didn't want to sell it 'cause that was one of the first rod runs I went to.
Mike: What is that, a '71?
Rick: That was before national street rod association.
Mike: It's just hanging there and it's on that rusty hanger
And the neck's getting all stretched out.
Rick: It sat in my toolbox for years and I finally got it out.
Mike: 50 bucks. Rick: No.
Mike: 75 bucks. Rick: No, I want to keep that.
Mike: 100 bucks. Rick: No.
(group laughing)
I'll keep it.
Danielle: He's like, I don't need 100 bucks that bad.
Rick: I'll keep it, I'll keep it.
Mike: I know, hell, I'd wear it, man.
I mean, he puts prices on the cars,
But he won't put a price on the t-shirt, because it's personal.
He experienced that run,
I get it, but to see it twice
And not be able to buy it drives me nuts.
You haven't even said anything about my jacket.
Rick: Jackson, michigan, cars of distinction!
Mike: I'm still wearing it, man. I'm representing, dude.
Danielle: He was so proud of that jacket all morning long,
He's been talking about it.
Mike: Well because, you know what, it's wild that we
Connected, and I had the jacket.
Rick: Now you know whose jacket that was, don't ya?
Mike: Your wife's. Rick: My wife's.
Mike: I know, see I remember.
Rick: Back in the '80s, I bought the car
When nobody wanted that stuff.
And I paid around $3,000 for it.
I could foresee that someday this stuff is going to be worth
Some pretty good money.
Mike: What are you thinking on this thing?
Rick: I'm looking around 75.
(whistles & sighs)
Robbie: Oh jersey we need a new windshield wiper.
Jersey jon: Alright, so danielle said we're going to
Go to this brother and a sister.
Their father passed away last year.
He was a shop teacher.
Robbie: I don't understand how you got the lead from danielle,
She used to call me. What the heck's up with that?
Jersey jon: I don't know, man, she likes me better.
Dude, you weren't up early enough.
Robbie: Okay well, I leave my crap on vibrate.
I don't want to be disturbed by the phone
When I'm trying to like, get my thoughts going.
Jersey jon: That's the difference between you and me, dude.
When I wake up, I'm ready to go.
Man, you like, you got to like, get your
Motor like, warmed up,
Get the gas going, turn the petcocks on, takes you forever.
Robbie: I'm like a diesel motor, dude.
What's wrong with that?
Once you're going, it's like hang on, buddy.
Jersey jon: Yeah man, I'm like the 2-stroke, man,
Whroom-whroom go!
Robbie: Dude, that building looks packed.
Jersey jon: Yeah, there's a lot of stuff in there.
(honks horn)
Ryan: I'm ryan. Robbie: Hey, how're you doing?
Rob wolfe. Jersey jon: Hey, I'm jon.
Robbie: Talked to dani on the phone?
Ryan: I did. Jersey jon: So this is your dad's shop.
Ryan: Uh, it was my dad's shop and collection
Of random tractors and cars.
Jersey jon: And danielle says he taught auto-mechanics.
Ryan: He did. Jersey jon: In high school.
Ryan: For 31 years, yep. Jersey jon: Wow, fantastic.
Did foundry work, she said or something like that?
Ryan: He's got a small foundry in the back there,
He reproduced car parts.
Come on in, guys, and take a peek.
Jersey jon: Awesome. Robbie: Dang!
Jersey jon: Man, there's a lot of stuff in here.
Ryan: Yes, you name it, he had it.
Robbie: Dude, it looks like this building hasn't been touched in 50 years.
Jersey jon: It's a lot of stuff.
Ryan: It's been added to, but not went through.
When my dad got into something,
He learned everything that he could about,
Everything about that topic.
Whatever book he could read on something to just gain
A little bit more knowledge.
He wanted to be a perfectionist at it,
But he liked to show it off at the same time.
Robbie: I want to ask you, ryan, about this radiator.
It looks like an early honeycomb.
These things are great for display pieces for the badges.
Back in the day, there were hundreds of manufacturers,
And each one had a specific badge.
All the early car badges that went on,
It actually used the honeycomb grille to put them on.
Are you finding projects that your dad didn't finish?
Ryan: Probably a project he wanted to start
And then found another project to start.
Robbie: Okay, yeah. I got that same thing going on.
$100.
Ryan: Yeah. Robbie: That'd do it?
Appreciate it.
I wish they had a badge on it to figure out what it was to.
But it's cool.
Jersey jon: Woo man.
Robbie: You know, one thing I'm liking right now, ryan,
Is the fact that, I mean there's like,
12 inches of dust on everything in here.
Jersey jon: Robbie what's this mini bike?
Robbie: Was that yours, ryan, as a kid?
Ryan: It was, I rode that, yeah.
Jersey jon: So what year would that be?
Ryan: The '80s, I rode that.
Growing up, I rode that rupp around this yard religiously,
Just all the time.
Jersey jon: Rupp made these for quite a while.
Robbie: Yeah, this is '60s, '70s.
Jersey jon: Let's see if it turns over, oh yeah.
Robbie: Oh yeah, it'll run. They always did.
Jersey jon: They're cool because they have a little clinton engine,
It's like lawnmower engine on the thing.
They have front suspension, rear suspension.
It had like a torque converter system in it,
Would have had a little clutch in there,
So when you put the throttle on it, it went down the road.
Back the throttle off, you stopped.
It's got rust in the gas tank, but it's not too horrible.
Is it perforated? Nope.
Nice solid tank. It's got the clutch cover.
It's cool. Robbie: I think they're cool.
Jersey jon: They're good pit bikes for when we're out racing and stuff.
I mean, this thing needs some elbow grease,
It just needs to be cleaned up. But it's a great piece.
There's guys who love this stuff.
Ryan: I loved riding it as a kid.
Jersey jon: They're a lot of fun.
Robbie: Twist, grip, and go.
Jersey jon: It's like the entry-level of motorcycles.
What are you thinking on it?
Ryan: Uh like 175?
Jersey jon: I'm thinking like 150.
Ryan: You can do 160?
Jersey jon: Yeah, I'll do 160. Ryan: Alright.
Jersey jon: Thanks, brother.
Ryan: I was basically dad's helper,
Going to shows and stuff with him
To help him sell his things,
Or even buy stuff that he was looking for.
Jersey jon: What's this grille, robbie?
Robbie: What grille? What's it off of?
Ryan: That might be a jaguar.
Robbie: Ooh it doesn't have the emblem on it.
Jersey jon: Well, it's broken up here, there's something missing on top here.
And it's missing the badge.
Dude, I'm thinking like 40 bucks.
Ryan: 60. Jersey jon: How about 50?
Ryan: 55. Jersey jon: Alright dude, thanks.
Robbie: Check this thing out. It's an early parts bed.
But I love that fact that it's got original paint on it.
Is it for sale?
Ryan: Everything's for sale.
Robbie: You got a long project my friend here
Cleaning out this building.
50 bucks. Ryan: Yeah.
Robbie: That work? Ryan: That works.
Robbie: Alright, cool. Jersey jon: Old lamps.
It's really, really neat. Look at the eagles on the top.
I also saw this light too.
It's like some kind of converted desk lamp.
This is cool, I mean, it's a shame that has been sitting down
The floor for so long, you know, this is a timber framer's drill.
Like a drill press, but it rotted out the bottom.
All this stuff here, how about $130, dude?
Ryan: Alright, we can do that.
Jersey jon: Thanks, brother.
Robbie: Dude! Check this thing out.
Ryan: That was a kit car my dad put together.
It was a volkswagen.
Robbie: Yeah, it's a volkswagen underneath, and he bought the body?
Jersey jon: Is that fiberglass, robbie?
Robbie: Oh yeah, it's all fiberglass.
These things were like, crazy in the '60s, man,
Look at that thing.
Ryan: I have pictures of dad putting it together.
Robbie: Did you ever ride in it? Ryan: Not in a very long time.
Robbie: You can't think 1960s california
Without the beach culture.
The cars of the time were getting bogged down
And stuck in the sand.
California fun on the beach. Ryan: Fun car, fun car.
Jersey jon: A big go-kart. Robbie: Oh exactly.
In 1964, bruce meyers developed the meyers manx,
The very first dune buggy.
It was a light-weight kit car that could take you anywhere.
You ordered the body and put it on a car.
Jersey jon: It's got a volkswagen chassis, robbie.
Robbie: The whole thing's volkswagen.
99% of these things were volkswagens, that's what,
They designed them off that chassis.
Yeah, I've seen them in movies, like the thomas crown affair,
Steve mcqueen riding around in yeah.
Robbie: Yes, yes, yes.
Unfortunately, this isn't the manx.
This is the imp that was made by a company called empi.
And it was just a knock-off.
It's still very cool and valuable if built well.
Man, there's some fresh freakin' raccoon stuff in here.
Let's see here, dude, let me get in this thing.
Actually, this guy's pretty comfortable.
It would have been cool back in the day, dude, I can imagine.
Ryan: It was good looking.
Jersey jon: Why don't you get in the driver's side, dude?
Robbie: Because there's a fresh god-dang turd in there.
Jersey jon: So what? Big baby.
Robbie: Let me look at the bottom of this thing, dude.
The actual pan on this thing is in great shape.
You know, the vw pan.
I mean, it's all he ever did was pop the body off
And pop these things back on.
I want to look at the motor on the back.
Jersey jon: Is that the canopy for it?
Robbie: I think this is probably part of the canopy, but I'm going to set it over here.
Is it moving? Jersey jon: It's got compression. It's moving.
Robbie: Look at that. Usa.
Jersey jon: Yeah, baby. Look it, 1970.
Robbie: That's the last time this thing was on the road.
Ryan: Probably. Robbie: Wow.
Ryan: I always remember it as 'the dune buggy.'
'when are we going to get the dune buggy out?
' it never came out of the barn that often,
But we actually saw the pictures of him building that car.
That was pretty special to be able to see him
Actually working on that car when he was pretty young.
But before I sell anything like this,
I'd like to talk to my sister about it.
Robbie: Oh yeah, for sure.
Dude, remember that that grille you bought? I think...
Jersey jon: Yeah, that's the piece that broke off.
Robbie: Is it broke off, or is it just...
Jersey jon: Maybe it's a separate piece. But it says 'jaguar' on it.
25 bucks.
Ryan: How about 40?
Jersey jon: 30.
Ryan: 35. Jersey jon: You got it, dude.
Thanks bro.
Robbie: Look at that, jersey.
Jersey jon: This is the scrap pile for the foundry?
Yeah, they're automatic transmission housings.
Robbie: Bust them up and melt them down.
Jersey jon: It's high-quality aluminum.
I've actually melted down a couple myself, bust them up.
Ryan: Yeah, we put them on the, the old wood splitter
And split them up into smaller pieces.
Jersey jon: Where was he getting these things from, a transmission shop locally?
Robbie: You don't want to buy this whole pile, jersey?
Jersey jon: No, I got tons of scrap, dude, I'm in good shape.
As soon as ryan tells me they did foundry work here,
Man, that's right up my alley.
I love foundry work, and it's really something
I use almost every day.
Since the advent of fire,
I mean, they found out that you could melt metal.
You know, so man, so copper ore, it started melting in the fire,
They started pouring it into sand molds.
Even today, foundry work
Is one of the most important parts of industry.
Robbie: Now look at this, jersey (laughing)
Jersey jon: Ah cool, man!
Ryan: We collaborated with a local gun distributor
And they would loan us the guns
And we would cast these pseudo-guns
So they could be sent out to holster dealers.
Jersey jon: Oh so they could mold the holsters.
Ryan: So they didn't have to use the expensive guns.
Jersey jon: Brilliant.
Ryan: They wanted to find a different way
Of making a holster.
So they found out my dad was doing foundry business,
And they asked him if he could cast a gun.
Robbie: These things aren't toys.
I mean, they were actually molded off the real gun.
Robbie: But it'd be so cool. Jersey jon: This is serious.
Robbie: Could you see it like, you know, on a wall, dude,
You know, all laid out like that.
Jersey jon: For a collector. Robbie: Oh it'd be cool as could be.
What were they selling for?
Ryan: The standard size like these right here, were probably about 20.
The bigger things were maybe about 30 bucks.
Robbie: Okay. I'm looking for some more vintage stuff.
So, these 10 right here, not these.
135 bucks.
Ryan: How about 150
Since we have two of the bigger ones in there?
Robbie: Alright, I'm doing it. Ryan: Alright cool.
Robbie: Alright. It's awesome.
Ryan: My dad casted in aluminum and brass.
I think it was, you know, he couldn't find a certain part
That he wanted, or it was a harder part to find,
So you know what, I'm going to go out
And make that thing myself.
Jersey jon: That's the log splitter.
So you put the wheels or transmission cases on it
And split them up? That sounds like fun.
Ryan: Dangerous but fun.
Jersey jon: Stuff jumping out at ya?
Ryan: Pull back, yeah.
Jersey jon: And then this is the foundry.
Ryan: Yep. We bring all that broken up aluminum in here,
And throw it into the furnace right there.
Jersey jon: Very cool.
Oh man, look at this squeezer!
Robbie: A what?
Jersey jon: This is a, a jolt squeezer, right?
So this is something that would pack the sand in.
For the molds.
Ryan: Yep, you would do everything by hand a little bit,
And then fill it in and that would squeeze it in.
Jersey jon: Just squeeze it down.
So say you have a part you want to replicate.
The sand makes the details exactly the same,
Over and over and over again.
Pour molten metal into that impression,
And you got the part.
That's what a foundry is, it's a way to replicate
The same part over and over again,
Using sand and molten metal.
Robbie: I work with jersey one afternoon doing this.
And I'm telling you, we were outside,
It wasn't 100 degrees, but the freakin' furnace
Felt like it was 200 degrees. It was hot.
But you guys are inside here doing this.
And all these furnaces were going.
Jersey jon: This jolt squeezer, it's a labor saving device.
I'm pounding molds by hand for like 20 years now.
This does it with precision and power.
Ryan: That would just come over here.
Jersey jon: Yep, see this come apart.
Ryan: Set that right there. Robbie: You lay it on there?
Ryan: Yep, lay it like that. And then you'd bring this over.
You put the gun in there, we put actually saran wrap
Over top of it so it wasn't getting the dirt.
Jersey jon: Sure, you might get the sand inside it.
Ryan: And then we'd put that in there.
Jersey jon: That would come over.
And then that would squeeze it.
And so you're just compressing the sand down around whatever pattern you got there.
Robbie: I remember you doing it, but I'm like.
Jersey jon: Yeah, we did it at my shop.
Robbie: I'm trying to think you were doing all that with this.
Jersey jon: Yes, I was doing it with this.
That's why I've been kind of wanting one of these things.
This thing to me, this is like
I would do like 500 bucks for this.
Ryan: Well, the only way I'm probably going to let this go
Is if you take the flasks with it.
Jersey jon: Alright, so all these flasks down here, right?
So that's two pieces, makes the flasks.
That's like 1, 2, it's an upper and a lower piece.
Ryan: I'd do everything for 1,000.
Jersey jon: Really. Ryan: Yeah.
Robbie: Dude, my back is aching right now, what are you doing?
Jersey jon: No dude, I'll do the $1,000, dude, that's great, man.
Robbie, you're going to help me, dude.
What's great about the machine, it's near detroit.
This is motor city.
This probably came out of an automotive plant.
Now it's going to be making parts for my antique motorcycles.
Robbie: Ahh alright.
Jersey jon: Check this out.
Robbie: What is it?
Jersey jon: Uh, looks like a delco light plant.
Robbie: A delco light plant.
Jersey jon: A generator, dude.
Robbie: That's what you actually did with those?
Jersey jon: Yeah, it was like a hit-and-miss engine thing.
Robbie: I see the valves on the top of the motor, almost looks like a motorcycle motor.
Jersey jon: Looks like an overhead valve thing.
This is like world war I era, you know.
This is like probably
Around 1915 or 1920s.
You see there, there's the gauge.
Robbie: Would you use that thing in your shop, jersey?
Jersey jon: No, but you could, I mean, robbie, imagine this thing going at hershey,
We could power our lights up under the tent.
It would have to be rebuilt, cost you some money to do that.
But it's really cool looking.
This thing, all restored up is going to be,
You know maybe like $800 to $1,000.
But imagine putting all that work into it you gotta do.
For me, I'm in this thing for 150 bucks.
Ryan: Yeah, I can do 150.
Jersey jon: You'll do 150? Man, I appreciate you working with me, man.
I love it, and we're going to hey robbie.
Robbie: This conversation that was going back and forth right now, I could see it in his eyes,
He's like, I think jersey is like, my dad reincarnated, recreated here.
Jersey jon: I'm starting to feel his presence here, actually, man.
It's really kinda cool.
This is my kind of guy.
Robbie: Man, I absolutely love this freakin' parts bin.
Look at that thing.
You think that's probably something that came out of a school?
Ryan: Prob- yeah. Robbie: It's so freakin' cool.
Ryan: When they closed down, or they merged two high schools,
He got a lot of the stuff from douglas mcarthur.
Robbie: So, even if he didn't need it, he took it.
Yeah. Yep.
Robbie: What's this thing right here?
Ryan: I looks to be a belt buckle collection.
That might have came from my grandparents' place
When they sold the farm.
He brought that over, I'm
Not really sure what the belt buckles went to.
Robbie: It's just cool, it's a cool display.
Jersey jon: It's on a piece of leather? Robbie: $30.
Ryan: 35.
Robbie: 35.
Jersey jon: This has got to be some kind of weird model t
Or a accessory light.
It would clamp onto the windshield frame.
I think this is like a bicycle light.
I'd go 75 bucks for these 3.
Ryan: Yeah, we can do that. Jersey jon: You can do 75?
Jersey jon: Alright, man. We're getting along just fine.
I appreciate it, brother.
Robbie: So he was about saving everything.
That's what it looks like right here.
Ryan: Nothing went to waste.
Robbie: Man, I wish this freakin' horn worked better,
But needs some adjustments, ryan.
Jersey jon: That's model t, robbie?
Robbie: Yeah, it's early.
30 bucks. Ryan: Yeah.
Yeah, it was always parts he bought from hershey
And, you know.
Jersey jon: Hershey guy, man.
Oh yeah. 41 years straight. Jersey jon: Oh we love hershey.
The hershey, pennsylvania swap meet is the ultimate swap meet
For old cars and old stuff in general.
Antiques show up, all kinds of stuff shows up there.
It's like the super bowl of swap meets,
And I've been going there since I was 13 years old.
You never know, it's hershey magic,
You never know what you're going to find.
We find just such cool stuff there.
Ryan: I've got, was lucky enough to go with him
His last year that he went.
And he had a line of people waiting to talk to him.
Well my dad passed away about a year ago.
And
It's how smart he was as a person,
Like this blows my mind, the knowledge that he had.
He was so multi-talented that it's unbelievable
The amount of stuff that he could do.
Him and four guys would pack into a van
And they went out to hershey and, you know, sleep in the van,
Jersey jon: Same thing we do.
Robbie: That's the greatest thing, I mean.
Jersey jon: You're like camping out. With a bunch of really cool junk.
You know, it's really neat.
Robbie: Without ever meeting ryan's dad,
He's the guy that I would search out at hershey.
Because he's got the knowledge and he's got the experience,
And you can't learn that stuff from a book.
I'll tell you what, I found a bunch, I mean a bunch.
These aren't worth a ton of money,
'cause they're just casted pieces, 'cause the originals
Are always worth.
But I mean, they're just so cool.
To me, this is the buddy l hat.
That's the only think I could think of.
Ryan: I'll show you on this fire engine over there, he recreated,
It's a rocket man hood ornament, that he put the fire hat on.
Robbie: Maybe that's why he did these.
Ryan: Yes he did. Robbie: Those are cool.
And rajo speed power, went right on the model t.
Ryan: Oh yeah.
Robbie: You know, I'm looking at a lifetime
Of what you guys were doing here.
It's like, you said your dad loved to challenge himself.
The devil head shift knob.
Ryan: Yep. Robbie: You guys sell those?
Ryan: Yeah we did. Robbie: The eagle top, it looks like.
Goes to the top of the...
Ryan: American lefrance bell, it's a bell topper.
Robbie: I know these pieces are not original,
But these are the things that people look for, they look for oddities.
That's what I do, I look for the odd stuff.
These are all ones your dad recasted.
The deacons, you know.
These are all car clubs.
Speed nuts bonneville salt flats.
So the e&j lights, your dad was selling these at hershey?
Ryan: Yep, we had a pair of, working pair on the table.
Robbie: I know that they've, I've seen reproduction lights before,
It's all on how good they were made.
How polished up they were,
If they used the correct lens, all that stuff.
But to have the mold.
I mean, it's just cool.
What do you give a number on the whole pile?
Ryan: I don't really want to sell the eagle.
Robbie: Eagle's out.
Ryan: How about 200 for the pile of plates
And everything right there.
Another 100 for the e&j.
Robbie: How much is this?
Ryan: How about another 25 bucks.
Robbie: 325 for everything?
Ryan: Yeah. Robbie: Alright. I'm doing it.
Dude. Jersey!
Jersey jon: Yeah, man.
Robbie: Look at all the stuff these guys were making, dude.
Jersey jon: Is that the whirligig? Robbie: Yes, the whirligig.
Jersey jon: The guy with the arms spinning around?
Robbie: Yeah, the arms are here too. Everything's here.
Jersey jon: All the parts and pieces are there.
Look at the devil head, man.
Ryan: I swear my dad created a slow-down time machine,
Because the sheer amount of stuff
That he completed in his lifetime,
I don't know how it's possible!
Once my dad created his foundry business,
He built this barn here.
It's got a machine shop in it, his fire trucks.
And my sister's in here taking inventory.
Robbie: It's not as dirty as that one, is it?
Ryan: Uh it's a little bit more organized.
But it's not much.
Robbie: Wow!
Jersey jon: This is great, look at all the machines in here.
Robbie: Hi. How're you doing?
Heidi: Good. Robbie: Rob wolfe.
Heidi: Heidi. Jersey jon: Hi, jon.
Heidi: Nice to meet you. Robbie: This place is insane!
It just keeps on giving! Ryan: It does.
Robbie: So heidi, he bought, what is that thing, swizzler machine?
Jersey jon: The no the squeezer. Robbie: The squeezer.
All that heavy brass, yeah.
Jersey jon: All the flasks, all the foundry stuff. Heidi: That's awesome.
Jersey jon: Hey, it's going to a good home.
Heidi: My dad was so into that, so I'm glad it's going
To someone that will enjoy it as well.
Jersey jon: Yeah. I'm bringing it back to my family. We're going to use it.
Looking around this machine shop, it's obvious
That robert was passionate about his craft.
This wasn't just a hobby, this guy was making a living at this.
Heidi: Guys, I'm going to show you his pride and joy over here.
It's a 1928 fire truck.
Robbie: Fire truck. Heidi: Yeah, fire truck.
He put it in parades, he won a lot of parades.
Jersey jon: Ooh, it's beautiful!
Robbie: It's a ford on top of that! Look at that, jersey!
Jersey jon: That's the casting. Robbie: That's what you were telling us about.
Ryan: Yep that's the rocket man, but then he added the accessory of the fire cap on it
So he could put it on his fire truck.
Robbie: So did he only cast the top piece.
Ryan: He did cast the hood ornament
But he added the helmet on later.
Jersey jon: I think I saw the pattern over there.
But it's actually in 2 pieces.
Like the helmet is separate.
Ryan: That's just like super-glued in there.
Jersey jon: Yeah how cool.
Robbie: So how long has this thing been in the family?
Ryan: Oh at least since I was 18, maybe since heidi's been 16.
Heidi: For a long time.
Ryan: The volunteer fire department that he worked for
Actually had a model t fire truck.
So he was the main mechanic on that.
You know, casting a fire engine part, he got into fire engines.
He casted a propeller for a boat motor,
He got into boat motors.
And this car right here was the car that when I was 12,
Dad taught me how to drive.
Robbie: They're the wackiest car in the world to drive, aren't they?
Ryan: He was into antique cars, you know, you name it, he made it.
And then he collected it.
Robbie: I remember the first time I drove one of these things, I was like, man.
Bob peterson was chasing after me, thought I was going to go
Through his, one of his fences, 'cause I couldn't figure out
How to stop the damn thing.
There's a brake, I'm like, I'm hitting it, it's in the middle!
No what, no not the middle!
Jersey jon: It's a lot going on in these things. You got to know.
Jersey jon: Robbie! Robbie: Yo!
Jersey jon: I'm going to grab some stuff out of the attic,
She says he's got some clocks up here.
Wow.
Robbie: What? Jersey jon: Oh yeah.
I'm going to get some clocks. Come on up, dude.
Give me a hand.
Ryan: About 20 years ago, I remember carrying all those clocks up there.
And they've been up there since.
Robbie: Did they all go off at the same time?
My father-in-law's house, man, I'm telling you right now,
He had like 30 of them in there,
And they never went off at the same time. Ever.
They were always like 15 minutes to an hour apart.
Ryan: If you wanted to be a time of the day,
Then you could probably find a clock with that time on it.
Robbie: Yeah, well yeah exactly.
Jersey jon: Alright robbie, get ready, man!
This one's light, be careful though, it's delicate.
Robbie: Okay, I got it, alright. Jersey jon: Careful.
Robbie: Easy, I got it. Jersey jon: Don't drop it, robbie!
Robbie: Dude, I'm not going to drop it. Here, there you go.
Jersey jon: This one's heavy, rob. Be careful.
Robbie: It's just a freakin' clock, come on.
Jersey jon: No dude, it's just, it's heavy.
Robbie: Hand it to me, I got it. I got it.
Jersey jon: Watch the bezel. Robbie: I got it, dude.
Jersey jon: Don't break the glass, you'll ruin it.
Robbie: I got it, settle down.
That it? Jersey jon: That's it.
Robbie: Okay.
Jersey jon: So that's like a commercial clock.
And what's really cool, it's got this big crystal bezel.
This is the bezel, and the glass, see how thick
And beveled it is on that.
It was for a commercial building, I mean, this was for a bank probably,
Which is, I actually live in a bank.
And work in a bank, a 1914 bank.
This is like an 1870s clock.
Not only is it a commercial clock,
But it has a very special movement.
I recognize it as a fusee movement.
This was an important stepping stone
In the evolution of clock-making.
There's a lot going on. Ryan: Yeah, a pretty piece.
Jersey jon: There another piece that I picked up out there.
It's a barometer.
But still, the decoration on it is what attracted me to it.
It's like, really got great stringing on the edges,
It's got a pediment that's all there, not broken.
I mean, the thermometer is missing,
The barometer is missing.
It's got all this missing stuff, but I have other pieces I could,
Piece together and make this a good piece again.
So, you know, clocks are they're not easy sellers.
I just happen to appreciate them what they are.
Because it's missing the parts,
I have to put time and energy into this thing.
Ryan: I'm not a, you know, a big clock person myself,
But it was cool getting to see those old clocks
And hear the history, you know.
Jersey jon: Retail on this thing is, I believe, you know,
225 for both pieces.
Heidi: How about 175?
Jersey jon: I would do that, that's great. It's going to a good home. Thank you.
Robbie: So now that we got the two of you together,
We were looking at the vw earlier.
I don't know if he told you.
Heidi: He did. Robbie: Okay.
Can we go revisit, you both are together now,
We'll go revisit that? Ryan: For sure.
Robbie: I've been thinking about it all day.
The front end of it, you know, 1960s.
I know you're following me on that, aren't you, jersey?
You're like, I could see this on the jersey shore, huh?
Jersey jon: I see it. Yeah absolutely.
Robbie: I just keep thinking over and over in my mind,
Your dad's a model t, model a guy, and he's got this in here.
Ryan: A dune buggy, yeah.
Heidi: Yeah, I think, I remember hearing stories of him
Driving it home from college and coming,
Coming home, yeah. Robbie: That's a great story.
The big thing with these cars was,
Manx was like the cadillac of these.
They were the first ones to bring these out.
Empi started after manx.
They actually produced like six different models.
This is like their plain jane.
You could tell by the paint that's on it,
It doesn't really have any character to it.
Even if you shine it up, it's not going to like, sparkle.
You know, if you put a wild paint job on this
You could see it standing out a little bit more.
Yeah, the '60s with psychedelic paint job on there, yeah.
Yeah, you got to remember, this is the '60s and this is what
They produced the green freakin', you know.
So I still love it.
I think this thing running down the road
Is probably like, 8,500 bucks.
But it's going to take some doing to get it there.
Ryan: Yeah.
Robbie: I'm still going to have to do the tires, the brakes,
Tune-up on it, gas tank.
All these things. It's been sitting since 1970.
This thing was put together right.
I mean, that's a big plus to it.
And you know, after seeing your dad, the stuff that he built,
I mean, I'm pretty positive this was built right.
A lot of these were built by amateurs.
Knowing that ryan's dad built this one,
I feel pretty confident it's rock solid.
So I got a feeling. Ryan: Auto-mechanics teacher.
Robbie: Right, he did it right.
So that's, you know, that's a big plus.
So, I'd like to be.
I'd like to be like 2,500 bucks.
Heidi: Do you think gus would want this someday?
Ryan: Time goes by quick, so he could be driving this in no time.
You know, one year-old, 16 years later,
This would be a sweet car.
But you know, with all the work and everything,
It's a big task to handle.
What about three?
Jersey jon: It's a lot, a lot of work here.
Robbie: Honestly I mean, with shipping and getting it home.
Jersey jon: It's going to be $1,000 to ship this thing back.
Robbie: I'll tell you what, I'll come up 100 bucks.
2,600 bucks.
Heidi: I think that works.
Robbie: That work for you guys? Ryan: That works for us.
Robbie: Thank you. Thank you.
I'm looking forward to getting this thing back on the road.
What do you think, jersey? Jersey jon: I think it's great.
Robbie: It's going to be good, dude.
Jersey jon: I think I think we'll get this thing running by the end of the day.
Ryan: It was a hard thing to let go.
If it can be restored like my dad would restore everything,
Why not let it go to somebody who's going to do an awesome job
And treat it with the care that my dad did.
Guys helped us out quite a bit.
Robbie: I don't know if we did or not.
I mean, there's a lot of stuff here, heidi.
Robbie: But man, your dad was.
Heidi: He was a real craftsman. Robbie: He was a craftsman.
And more than that, he was a teacher.
Jersey jon: Thanks, buddy. Ryan: Thank you.
(honks horn)
Robbie: Thanks! Ryan: Thank you!
Mike: So what do you think? Danielle: I think 75 is a lot.
But it's also really, really, really, really unique.
Mike: Hey, hey he's just throwing something at the wall,
See if it sticks.
Danielle: We'll see if it sticks.
Rick: Here's what the grille is made out of right here.
Mike: Oh okay.
Danielle: Yeah, that's exactly what I imagined.
Rick: Then you paint it white.
And that's what was in there for a grille.
Mike: And it was conduit. Rick: Conduit around the edge.
That was plated.
Mike: So do you remember the first bubble car you ever saw?
Rick: Yeah, it was starbird's predicta.
That was the first one I ever seen.
I bought that magazine, it was on the cover of it.
And wow.
Mike: No kidding, that was it for you.
There was something about discovering things like this
In a magazine or at a car show
Where you physically see it and maybe put your hands on it, you know.
Just like when rick saw his first bubble-top car.
It was like a light switch went on.
It was etched in his brain, it was part of him all of a sudden.
He never forgot that.
And then later on in his adult life started acquiring
These cars because they meant something to him.
I mean, it's so wild how this stuff was being shown
In the '50s, and it was called futuristic.
But do you really believe anybody at that time
Thought that that was the future?
Like really like, that it was going to ever go that way?
Rick: No, no, no. Mike: That's crazy.
Danielle: Yeah, it's pretty wild.
Rick: When I bought these, I was going to restore these cars.
But I was building everybody else's cars,
And my stuff was already on the bottom of the list.
I enjoyed them when I had them,
But I think it's time now to let them go
And see somebody else have some fun with it.
Mike: I mean, I love it.
The last time we were here, you didn't have a number at all.
This time you have put a number on it
And I very much appreciate that, I really do.
I mean, because I know what a big deal it is,
You've had this for a very long time.
Here's what I'm thinking on the car.
I think you know as well as I do,
That the car is worthy of restoration.
Rick: Sure. Mike: 100%.
And in order for someone to restore this car,
They have to be into it
For a number that makes sense to do it.
I know you're asking 75 for it.
65 grand.
Rick: No. It takes 75 to buy it.
Mike: Work with me a little bit, just a little bit. Work with me a little.
Rick: I am pretty much firm on that mike, 75.
Danielle: Look, rick don't need to sell the car.
The man knows what it's worth, cars are his business,
This is what he does, day in, day out.
So I can't see us arguing on the price too much.
Mike: I mean, any more it's going to cost me
2,000 bucks just to move it.
Rick: Hauling isn't cheap anymore.
Mike: No I know. Everything's up.
Fuel prices and everything.
Obviously it needs to be in an enclosed trailer.
You got an enclosed trailer?
Rick: Yes.
Mike: I see, now we're kind of talking the same language.
Rick: I got 2 of them.
Mike: $70,000.
Rick: No, you take 75. Mike: Really!
Rick: Take 75, mike.
Mike: Have you priced it before?
Rick: No I haven't. Mike: You haven't.
Mike: This is the first time you've put through a number on it?
This is a lot of money to throw down for this car.
But cars like this do not come up for sale very often.
If I don't buy this car, the guy behind me will.
Ugh.
Danielle: I hate to say goodbye to it.
Mike: Well what do you think?
Danielle: I mean you're not going to find another one like it.
Right?
I don't want to walk away from this and have mike regret it,
Or regret it myself.
Mike: I'll do the 75 if you can bring it to tennessee.
Let's try to make that work.
Rick: I'll see what I can do for you.
Mike: Okay, so you're going to lean into it?
'cause that would help a lot.
If I'm at 75 on it, and you can bring it, that'd be huge.
Rick: I'll see what I can do.
Mike: Okay then 75.
Danielle: Hot-dog, it's done! It's done.
Mike: Alright, we're doing it! Rick: Yay.
Danielle: Yeah. Mike: Woo! We got there.
Danielle: Well, that's exciting.
Rick: Well I'm happy it, it's going to go to a good home.
It could have went to the scrap yard many years ago,
But I saved it.
Danielle: I'm happy with that choice, yeah.
Mike: I just want to get it to somebody that's going to restore it.
We'll figure that out together, maybe you know.
There were tons of ideas that were generated on paper,
But never ever got made.
But for some reason, this idea resonated with people.
This car of the future has been given a future
Because of what rick saw in it.
To be able to buy a car like this,
This historically significant, this unique, this different,
This custom, is amazing.
Alright man, thank you buddy, I appreciate you.
Rick: Okay, yeah. Mike: Come to tennessee, please.
That would help a lot. Rick: I love tennessee.
Mike: She'll figure it out.
Danielle: I'll get ahold of you, we'll figure out details to it.
Rick: If I can help out a little bit and try to deliver it
For them so he can save a buck or two.
I got relation in tennessee,
So maybe that's a good excuse to go down there.
I think you better take this with you here.
Mike: Oh you're going to do it? We're doing this?
Oh my gosh. Danielle: What!
Mike: You're throwing it in with the car?
Rick: I want to see you wear that.
Mike: Oh no way! I appreciate you.
I'll see you, I'll see you south.
Alright, thank you, man.
Thank you for that. Danielle: That's awesome.
Mike: I appreciate that.
(honks horn) see you down the road!
Rick: Yep.
Subtitling: Difuze