Jersey jon: Oh, yeah! Ooh, they got tanks?
Yes, they do! I love the world war I stuff.
Robbie: Look at this.
Jersey jon: They're not messing around.
Robbie: It's large, and in charge.
Look at this, jersey. This is nuts! Look at this. Ahh...
Jim: This is kind of the man cave.
Robbie: You got a cigar?
Mike: I'm freaking out!
Danielle: Jack white called. He wants us to stop by.
Mike: Good to see you again, man.
Jack: What's up? Now we're going to cut a song
From my new album, it's called, if I die tomorrow.
Danielle: This is incredible.
Mike: Oh my god, you have no idea
How much I've heard about this place.
Jack: The real reason I called you here, I want to show you now.
Mike: Oh wow! Danielle: Are you kidding me?!
(upbeat music)
Danielle: Dude! I got a call from bill.
Bill works for jack white over at third man,
And they want us-- mike: Oh wow, what?!
Danielle: They want us to just stop by.
They're like, jack wants to talk to you guys.
Mike: I haven't seen him since we sold him the elephant's head.
Mike: Look at that thing, man!
Jack: That is the weirdest looking giraffe I've ever seen.
(laughing)
Mike: Ten years ago, we were fortunate enough
To work with jack white. This guy is one of the greatest guitarists in the world.
He is a rock legend and an old soul,
Which shows in his music, the things that he collects,
And the way that he lives his life.
Danielle: All I know is they're at third man, the record pressing plant down there.
Why don't we just pop in-- mike: They're at the record pressing plant?
Danielle: Yeah. Mike: Oh dude, I've always wanted to see that.
I've heard a lot about it.
Danielle: I talked to bill, I told him we're on our way.
Mike: Absolutely! Are you kidding me?
(upbeat music)
(street car bell ringing)
Mike: So we got to be getting close, right?
Danielle: I'm actually just going to call bill real quick.
(phone ringing)
Danielle: Bill. Bill: Hey.
Danielle: It's danielle, how are you doing?
Bill: Good. How are you guys doing?
Mike: We're driving by third man right now, I can see it.
Mike: Okay. Danielle: Right here.
Danielle: Okay, we'll see you in a second.
Mike: Here we go. Danielle: Poi-fect.
Mike: Alright, this is awesome.
Hey-hey, this is cool.
Danielle: Yes. This is incredible.
Mike: I know. Let me get the door for ya.
Danielle: Thanks.
Danielle: Hey, bill!
Bill: Hey, guys. Mike: Hey-hey!
Danielle: Bill! Ah, it's nice to meet you!
Bill: Welcome to detroit. Mike: Hey.
Danielle: Finally, after talking.
Bill: Come on in. Mike: Good to meet you, man.
Bill: Nice to meet ya. Mike: Oh, this is it, right?
Bill: Welcome to the plant. Mike: Oh my god, you have no idea
How much I've heard about this place.
This is the talk of the town in nashville. Wow...
Bill: Yeah, this is where the records get made.
Danielle: Look at everybody out there.
Mike: I mean, it looks state-of-the-art.
Bill: Yeah, it is. Danielle: This is incredible.
Mike: I've been to united in nashville.
You know, it was cool to see, but this is nasa compared to that, man.
Bill: Yeah, absolutely.
Mike: How long have you guys been here now?
Bill: Six years. Danielle: Just this room alone
Right here is beautiful. These windows.
Bill: Yeah, these windows came out of the packard factory.
Mike: Get outta here! Danielle: Really?
Bill: No, yeah, yep. Mike: No way!
Bill: Salvaged them and brought them over here.
Danielle: Boy... Right?
Mike: Where's boss-man at? Bill: He's in the back. Come on.
Bill: Jack. Jack: Yeah.
Bill: I got some people... (jack laughs)
(upbeat music)
Jersey jon: What's the lead today, man?
Robbie: We're going to go see jim at the indiana military museum.
Jersey jon: Oh cool. Robbie: So I don't know how much he wants to sell,
But I heard he's got a back room, that's... Packed full.
And he actually helped start this museum.
The guy's a judge, also, in the town.
So you need to be on your best behavior.
Jersey jon: Alright, man, I'll behave myself.
Robbie: Alright. So it's coming up, it's right here.
Robbie: Look it, look it. Jersey jon: Oh yeah!
Robbie: That's what I'm trying to tell ya.
Jersey jon: Dude, look at them jets!
This place is amaz-- look how big it is, robbie.
Robbie: Dude, dude. Jersey jon: Look at the submarine. Ooh!
They got tanks, yes they do, whole row of tanks there, man.
Robbie: Is that an f-18? Jersey jon: Look at the huey.
Robbie: Dani wasn't kidding. This place is nuts!
Jersey jon: It is insane.
Alright, let me get... Robbie: Grab a flyer.
Jersey jon: Yeah, I'll grab a flyer.
Wow...
Jersey jon: Hello... Robbie: How're you doing?
Joe: Hi. Good morning, welcome to indiana military museum.
Jersey jon: This is a world-class museum.
Their acquisitions are top-notch.
Joe: I'm joe. Jersey jon: I'm john.
Joe: I'll be giving your... Tour guide,
If you want a tour today.
Robbie: Oh well actually, we're here to see jim.
Joe: Okay. He's in the back room back here,
I think that's where he's at.
We start with world war I here.
It's got good sound effects and everything.
Jersey jon: I love the world war I stuff.
Joe: Do you? Jersey jon: Yeah, oh yeah.
I like early motorcycles and this stuff ties right into that.
Robbie: So how long ago did this museum start?
Joe: About 39 years ago.
Robbie: Look at this display.
Jersey jon: It's like a blown-out church.
Joe: The church, that church I call saint-mère-eglise church,
Like the longest day. Robbie: Yeah?
Joe: It was in a comic-con show at rca dome in indianapolis.
This side of it was the axis and allies.
You can see the bullet holes in this side of the building.
Jersey jon: It's super impressive.
Robbie: These guys' attention to detail is phenomenal.
Joe: This is a 109 paladin. It runs.
We get a lot of the tanks things out
For battles and reenactments.
Jersey jon: Cool. Robbie: Oh, that's cool.
Joe: They shoot blanks and things.
Robbie: That's awesome. Wow. Jersey jon: Ha...
Jersey jon: That's a workshop. Joe: Hey, jim!
You back here? Jim: Yeah, yeah!
Joe: Got a couple guys here wants to meet you.
Jim: Alright.
Robbie: You talked to danielle on the phone?
Jim: Hey, yes. Robbie: I'm rob wolfe. Good to see ya.
Jim: Rob, good to meet ya. Jersey jon: Jon. Nice to meet you.
Jim: Good to meet you. Yeah. Jersey jon: Great place.
Jim: Thank you, thank you. Joe: If you can handle these two guys,
I'm going to go back to work.
Jim: Well, appreciate it. There should be a crowd here pretty soon.
Joe: Nice meeting you guys. Jersey jon: Thank you.
Appreciate it, thank you so much, joe.
Joe: See ya.
Jersey jon: This place is amazing.
I love the size and scale of this place.
Jim: Well, thank you, thank you, appreciate it.
We think this is one of the ten best
Comprehensive museums in the country.
Jim: My name is jim osborne, and I'm curator
At the indiana military museum here in vincennes.
It's a museum that began back in 1984
As a not-for-profit museum corporation.
Jim: The museum's sole purpose, in a way, is to honor
And recognize what the men and women of armed services
Have done for us in this country
Since the beginning of our history.
It really began with my own personal collection
And it had grown so large that people kept saying,
Hey, why don't you open up a museum
For people to see these things?
And that's how it really started.
Jersey jon: We're looking for this kind of stuff.
Jim: Mm-hmm. Jersey jon: Typically.
Robbie: Military items. Yeah. Jim: Oh sure.
(chuckles) jim: We got those.
And then we've got a lot of old signage and things and...
Some things are mine that are here stored,
Like I've got some old signs in the back here
That were just too big for my garage
And I stuck them in here.
You know, there are things that I'm attached to still,
But I think it's good when you got things
That aren't seeing the light of day,
Share it with somebody else.
Jim: Now let's look around.
Yeah, this was all work space and this was all storage.
And you can see it's still a lot of storage.
Jim: It's pretty uncommon for the museum to part with things.
But you know, there are certain times when...
Selling something,
And the money itself might benefit us better
In getting something else we want.
Jim: West point helmet, shako.
Not in too good a shape,
Probably dates to somewhere between world war I, world war ii.
Robbie: I love the mannequin on there. I mean, it's...
Jim: Someone made that face for that, yeah.
Jersey jon: They did a great job.
Robbie: I mean, is this something that you guys
Would be willing to sell?
Jim: Well, I think we could. We have another one
In the display that's in better shape and...
So we probably could sell that, yeah.
Robbie: I don't buy a ton of military stuff,
So you're going to have to help me on this.
Jersey jon: This is in pretty tough shape, though, robbie.
I'm thinking like 150 bucks.
I mean, retail on the end of this thing,
We could probably squeeze... 225-250 out of this, robbie.
But it's so cool.
Jim: Yeah, I agree with you.
It could sell for a little more than 150,
But I mean, you're going to have to dress it up...
Robbie: Right. Jersey jon: Right.
Jim: So, I think the 150 bucks would help the museum
And in this case, fair enough. Yeah.
Robbie: 150. Jim: Alright? Okay.
Robbie: Appreciate it. Jim: That makes sense.
Jim: For a museum purpose, it's had some problems,
It even has some moth damage on the side
And you could see what was wrong with it
For display in a museum.
Robbie: It's got the look.
Jim: Let's look at some signs. Here's an old double cola sign
Right here I'd like for you to look at.
Jersey jon: Wow, it's huge.
Robbie: Yeah, look at this thing, jersey. Look at that.
Jersey jon: You got that, robbie?
Robbie: I got that. Jim: A lot of character.
Robbie: Actually, it's got a lot of hits on it.
What's the story behind this thing?
Jim: You know, it came out of an old building here in town.
Jersey jon: Really cool graphics, robbie.
It's actually got like thumb prints on it.
Jim: Yeah it does. Fingerprints. Robbie: Yeah.
Robbie: It's probably around 1950, this was done.
It's a painted sign with a wood backing on it.
The bottle is 10-feet tall. It's large and in charge.
Robbie: This is something you want to sell?
This came out of the jim collection, you said.
Jim: That's right. I just couldn't fit it in the garage, it's too big.
Robbie: What's the jim collection mean?
Jim: Well... I may show you that later, if you're interested.
Jersey jon: Yeah, we want to see the jim collection.
Jim: Yeah, yeah, there's a few more things.
Robbie: I've never seen a double cola this big.
Jim: Double cola was big around here.
Robbie: Here. Oh yeah. Jim: We had a plant here at one time. Yeah.
Robbie: I think a retail number on it is probably like,
Probably 1,500, you know?
Jim: Yeah.
Robbie: If it was mint-o, always going to damn more.
Jim: Oh yeah. Yeah.
Robbie: 900.
Jim: 925.
Robbie: 925, I'm doing it, jim.
Jim: Alright. Robbie: I appreciate it.
Jersey jon: This back room is amazing.
It's like the warehouse at the raiders of the lost ark.
It's so much stuff piled up everywhere.
It's like, goes on and on and on.
Now I know jim's not going to let us pick everything,
But I'm having a lot of fun just looking around.
Jersey jon: Hey jim, what's the story with this thing?
Jim: It belongs to the museum. It's a... As you can see,
A piece of advertisement for sunny brook.
Jersey jon: Yeah, so it's an electric clock.
Jim: It is. Jersey jon: Advertising clock.
Jim: And I've plugged it in, the clock runs.
Jersey jon: It's got a really great tin back.
Jersey jon: This clock is in amazing condition.
The graphics on it are beautiful.
It's reverse-painted. And oh, paint's still on the glass.
It's a really nice example of whiskey advertising.
Jersey jon: I'm thinking like... 200 bucks.
Jim: How about 250?
Jersey jon: You got me. Jim: Okay, alright.
Jersey jon: Absolutely, man. Jim: Thank you.
Mike: Good to see you again, man.
Jack: What's up, mike, how you doing?
Mike: Good to see you. This is dani.
Danielle: Hi. Jack: Danielle.
Danielle: It's an honor. Jack: Nice to meet you too.
Mike: Yeah, you guys have talked on the phone and stuff but never met.
What the heck's going on, man? What do you got going on?
Jack: I'm just cutting, cutting records.
Jack: Vinyl records uh, you know, early 2000s
Almost completely went away.
Fast forward a few years later, in 2009,
When third man records opened in nashville
And we wanted to bring it alive again
And in a different way, and this time we had our own
Record store to do it, and we pressed limited edition records,
And tri-color records, and glow in the dark records,
And all kinds of things, playing with the format.
We found a lot of unique ways to get people interested
And in the next few years, the vinyl boom
Really took off from that,
A sort of genesis from that time period
When third man opened in 2009.
Mike: Okay. So when you mean cutting a record,
What are you talking about?
Jack: So we're talking about here, like this is the lathe.
We do the acetate master on here.
So you have a recording as tape or digital.
And you make the first vinyl acetate here.
And then from that, you make the metal father first.
And then the metal mother,
That ends up heading to the plant to press
Records en masse.
Mike: Wow. Bill: Then if you turn around,
Down there on the floor, is a stamper.
And that's what comes back. Jack: Yeah, here you go.
Bill: That's a stamper.
Jack: And so this is a negative
Of what would be your vinyl records.
So obviously, when you put a puck between two of these,
You'll get side a or side b of an album.
Um, but it's interesting to note, like the old blues 78s,
Like some of the records that were really hard to find,
The dream is to go back and find the metal part that made the record...
Mike: Oh, has anybody done that? Jack: Well, some of them had been found,
But there was horror stories of like, say paramount records
In wisconsin, like they would end up using these
As roof tiles, you know.
And throwing them into the river and stuff like that.
Mike: Oh yeah, they wouldn't have any value back then.
Jack: Yeah, especially when it's dented,
It's very hard to reuse it. But obviously, if we had an old
Robert johnson 78, we'd figure out a way to like,
You know, try to get that, to bring it back to life.
Mike: If you're into music, then you remember
When vinyl became part of the conversation again.
A lot of artists were embracing it,
Because they wanted to celebrate their roots.
So it's cool that jack is an old soul.
And he's talking about robert johnson
And pre-war blues.
I mean, he hasn't forgotten his roots.
Jack: So now we're going to cut a song from my new album,
It's called if I die tomorrow.
And we're going to cut the master for this, from the tape.
Bill: You want me to show you how to do it?
Do you want to cut it? Mike: Yeah, absolutely!
Are you kidding me?
Robbie: Hey, jim? Jim: Yo.
Robbie: So is this like the archives area of the museum?
It seems like there's a lot of photos.
Jim: Well, yeah, this is really old archives.
Robbie: Yeah. Jim: Yeah. Lots of manuals...
You can see all sorts of files and folders and...
Robbie: I'm sure you guys get some crazy donations of things.
Jim: Oh, well we get correspondence
From all over the world, actually.
Jersey jon: Jim. This is cool.
I'm interested in something like this, a podium, world war I.
It's got a lot of patina, it's got the old nails.
It's definitely like, 1915 to 1920.
50 bucks.
Jim: How about 55?
Just so the museum feels a little better.
Jersey jon: No problem, man. Jim: Alright.
Jersey jon: That's great. I appreciate that. Thank you very much.
Robbie: Any time a museum is going to allow you in their back room,
This is where the excess inventory is.
Jim: Well, robbie, you like my elevator?
Robbie: Yeah. I mean, it is cool.
Everybody wants an elevator in their building, you know what I mean?
Jim: Well, listen, you're not going to find
Another one like this. It's got a lot of nice brass plaques on it.
Of course, it's got the control there.
Robbie: Yeah, I see the controls, there's a button here.
Jim: You could put a stained glass lamp of some sort.
Shoot me an offer, shoot me an offer.
Robbie: No, no, no, no.
This is one of those things,
I'm not shooting a number on this thing.
Jim: How about $1,000?
Robbie: Number one, this isn't going to fit in the van.
I think we'd have to have it shipped.
Which is going to cost me.
Jim: Hm.
Robbie: 750 bucks.
Jim: Slap her here. Robbie: Man. Jersey!
Jersey jon: Ha, robbie! This thing is huge, bro!
Robbie: It takes a special person.
I guess I'm that guy today to buy an elevator.
Jersey jon: I found this, like a pile of paper here.
And... There's some maps, map...
Jim: Oh yeah. Jersey jon: Aviation fuel,
Engine performance book.
What's cool, this is a...
Jim: Yeah, that's the e reward, yeah.
Jersey jon: It's called an e award?
Jim: Yeah, e for efficiency.
It's the booklet that was handed out when they awarded
The e flag to a particular factory or manufacturer that was producing--
Jersey jon: Making war production.
Jim: Producing at the-- jersey jon: Like saying, hey,
You guys are doing a great job. This went to the employees.
Jim: They gave... Yes, this would have been at the ceremony.
And they gave a small pennant-sized flag
To the employees, and then they hung the big flag--
You see the big flag hanging here in the...
Robbie: Oh that's cool. Jersey jon: That is cool.
Keep the enthusiasm going, man, war production.
Here you got your disney characters,
It's like, buy war bonds. Jim: Buy one for your child.
Jersey jon: Yeah, exactly. I mean, it's just so neat
To have like, everybody got on board,
It just really is fantastic.
It's a nice picture of what was going on back then.
War ration book, you know? Robbie: Oh I remember those.
Jersey jon: No gas. You know, you had to ration your gas out.
I mean, look at this stuff, it's so cool.
It's a discharge for u.S. Navy.
Jim: Where's that one? Jersey jon: Look at the quality
Of the engravings on the top of these things.
Jim: Yeah, early world war ii. Robbie: 1944.
Jersey jon: There's beautiful engraving,
The graphics was nice. I mean, this was his training certificate
For air station in texas.
Jim: For graduation, yeah.
Jersey jon: These are important pieces of history.
To me, paperwork, literature,
Is a really important part of research
And understanding history.
What gets my interest right away
Is an honorable discharge paper.
Jersey jon: These things are really beautiful.
Jim: Honorable discharge. Jersey jon: You know.
Jim: And that's probably the two things I can't sell,
Are these two documents here.
Jersey jon: So we'll take them out of the equation here.
I'm still interested in this stuff.
You got three maps here.
You got the e certificate,
The aviation fuels, the disney piece.
Jim: Mm-hmm.
Jersey jon: And the war ration book.
Um...
Tou know, I'm thinking like 50 bucks.
Jim: You got a deal. Okay.
Jersey jon: Man, I love it, thanks.
Jersey jon: There's collectors for paper goods like this
All over the place.
Robbie: Jim, you said you had
More stuff in another building.
Jim: Yeah, if you want to...
Travel just down the street a little ways to my house.
Robbie: Alright. Lead the way. Jim: Yeah, okay.
Robbie: If jim's place is anything like
The back room of the museum,
I'm excited to go there.
Jack: Now we're going to cut a song from my new album,
It's called if I die tomorrow, and we're going to cut
The master for this from the tape.
Mike: Okay. Bill: We're queued up.
Danielle: We get to watch it firsthand.
Bill: Want me to show you how to do it?
Mike: Yeah, absolutely! Are you kidding me?
Bill: So what we do first of all,
Is we got to start this platter up.
Bill: Okay, it's on. So what you're going to do
Is you're going to roll this over here.
You're going to press the white button.
Yep. Throw this handle back, knock this back.
You're going to drop the cutter head slowly...
All the way down 'til it latches.
Perfect. And now you're going to hit "fast".
Mike: Push "fast"? Bill: Yep.
Mike: Right now? Bill: Yep, go ahead.
We're in the groove. And now press play.
Bill: And we're cutting.
(jack white "if I die tomorrow" playing)
♪ if I die tomorrow ♪
♪ could you find it in your heart to sing ♪
♪ if my mother cries in sorrow ♪
♪ will you help her with the many things ♪
♪ that she needs from time to time ♪
♪ and day to day ♪
♪ so if I die tomorrow ♪
♪ will you know exactly what to say today ♪
Mike: I had no idea that the process
For cutting a record was so elaborate.
Now that I understand what it takes,
I'm going to be listening to vinyl completely differently.
Danielle: Incredible. Bill: We're getting close
To the end of this cut. So dani, at the end of this,
You're going to hit this "fast" button.
Danielle: Okay. Bill: Wait a second,
Wait a second, we're going to turn this up and listen to the fade out.
And as soon as the music stops...
(songs fades out)
Bill: ...Hit "fast".
Danielle: Ah, that's so cool! Bill: And you just cut a record.
Jack: You just cut a record. Danielle: What!
Bill: Thanks guys. Jack: Good job.
Danielle: That's so cool! Mike: That's so cool, man.
Jack: So if you'd like to see the whole process,
Now where we go from here, we can go over
To the pressing plant here and you can see what happens next.
Mike: Okay. Bill: I'll take you guys out there.
I'll take you up with eddie and we'll go through the plant.
You guys want to do that? Mike: Yeah, absolutely.
Jack: When you're done, I'll catch back up with you
And talk to you about what I called you for in the first place.
Mike: Yeah, I'd love to hear more about that, too, but this is fascinating.
Bill: Yeah awesome. Alright, let's go meet eddie.
Mike: Thanks, brother. Jack: No doubt.
Jack: Bill skibbe is an amazing engineer,
And he started working in the third man mastering studio,
And he learned how to cut vinyl and he's really talented at it.
And we're lucky, we really only invite people in
Who really love music, really love vinyl,
And love to be creative.
Bill: So this is where we make all the records out here.
Mike: Wow.
Bill: Yep. We got plant operators
Working from 7 in the morning until 11 every night.
Danielle: That's so cool. Bill: Yeah, it's crazy.
Production has gone through the roof. Let me get you introduced to eddie,
Jack's brother, and he'll give us a tour of the plant.
Hey, eddie! Eddie: Yeah.
Bill: Can you give these guys a tour of the plant?
Eddie: Oh, yeah. Mike: We're standing in a state-of-the-art
Record pressing plant. But as high-tech
As this process is,
And with all the state-of-the-art machinery,
People are still a very big part of this process.
I love that, because the roots of pressing records
Is still the same.
Jack: The real reason I called here, I want to show you now.
Mike: Yeah, hell yeah. Oh, wow.
(upbeat music)
Robbie: I'm looking up in the windows up here,
And there's stuff falling through, basically.
Jersey jon: Coming out the top. Jim: That's because that's the last space
That was available. Garage was dubbed
By some of our friends as the garage mahal.
Come on in, let's just take a look.
Robbie: Jersey! Look at this! Jersey jon: Whoa!
Robbie: You got to be kidding me!
Jersey jon: The garage mahal,
It really is pretty amazing.
Robbie: Wow!
Jim: You see why I don't have any room for big signs.
Jersey jon: There's not an empty space on the wall.
Jim: Most of it really came from flea markets and garage sales
And stuff, anything my wife and I would see on the road and stop and see.
The garage mahal was built in 2000.
And the idea was that that was going to house
A lot of these things that my wife and I collected.
The old memorabilia from the '40s and '50s.
Jim: Well, this is an accumulation
Of a little bit of everything. Robbie: Look at this.
Jersey jon: Not messing around.
Robbie: This upstairs has got snail trails through it.
I don't even know where to begin to look.
Jersey jon: It's piled high.
Robbie: Man, there's so much stuff up here.
Jim, do you have every piece of militaria
That was ever made in indiana here?
Jim: I do. Jersey jon: Wow.
Jim: At one time or another, I had probably the world's largest...
Robbie: Collection. Jim: Collection of them, yeah.
Jim: My interest in military history,
Military artifacts started when I was four of five years old
And my father was building drive-in theaters at that time.
So I saw every war movie ever made, as a youngster.
So a few years later from when I was probably
Nine or ten years old, my father,
Who was not a collector,
Came home with a civil war musket
That somebody had owed him a little money and they just
Convinced him to take the musket instead.
And I'll always remember that musket was taller
Than I was at the time.
And that was the beginning of, oh hey,
Not only did I have interest in this stuff,
But I can collect it too. So that let the genie out of the box.
Robbie: Look at this, jersey. Oh yeah.
Jersey jon: That fits you nice, robbie. Is that vietnam?
Jim: That's yeah, that's vietnam
Up to desert storm and so forth.
Robbie: Really. I kind feel like top gun.
Jim: Yeah, it does look good.
Jersey jon: It fits you perfectly.
Jim: Hey, it's tom cruise 'til he turns around.
Robbie: Do I look like tom cruise from behind?
What's the matter with you guys?
Jersey jon: Yeah. He wishes he was tom cruise.
Robbie: Whatever. This would be a great winter jacket.
Jersey jon: Yeah it would.
Robbie: What do they go for, jim?
Jim: Hey, how about 40?
Robbie: 40 bucks, I'm doing it.
Jim: Alright. Jersey jon: Yeah, that's cool.
Jersey jon: Harley parts. Jim: Do you see it?
Jersey jon: It's right here. Robbie: Okay.
Jersey jon: Oh, here you go. I like that. Speedometer.
Jim: Oh, yeah. No guarantee about whether it works or not.
Jersey jon: Well, I see the needle bounces a little bit.
So that's 1948 to...
Jim: Uh-huh. Jersey jon: ...'50 or so.
'51. It's still a great piece.
I mean, the face is pretty darn nice.
The numbers are still on it.
Jersey jon: Obviously, you could tell it's original piece.
From the back of it, it's got a little bit of rust on it,
It's got the original can, it's got the date code on it.
It also has a really nice reverse-painted glass face,
And all the numbers are still on it.
Jersey jon: I'd go 400 on this thing.
Jim: Yeah, I'll do that, I'll do that.
Jersey jon: You'll do 400? Jim: Yeah, I need to move it,
'cause it's just sitting there. It's alright.
Jersey jon: I like you, jim.
Jack: The real reason I called you here,
I want to show you now. Mike: Yeah, hell yeah.
Jack: Check this out. Mike: Okay. Box truck.
Jack: It looks just like a box truck, right?
It's just a rusted, dirty box truck.
Come around the back here and check this out.
Mike: Mm-hmm.
Danielle: Stop it right now.
Mike: Oh, wow.
Danielle: Are you kidding me?!
Jack: This is a mobile recording truck.
Mike: You're always getting into something cool as hell.
Jack: You can actually take this truck to a live show,
Truck pulls up, we wire everything up,
You record straight to the truck.
And you don't have to set up anything inside the venue.
Jack: You know, if you play in a live venue,
You could have somebody rent a tape machine and a board
And bring it into the venue. But what this was all about
Was no, that's already taken care of, it's on the truck.
All we gotta do is wire it up and you're good to go.
Mike: Where'd you guys find it at?
Bill: We found it down in yellow springs, ohio.
Jack: Mm-hmm. You know, you hear rumors
Of things like this. How there was a recording truck
That did a thing and they had this cool studio that did this.
So it's one of those mythological things
That you didn't think, maybe didn't even really exist.
Bill: This thing was made by an 18-year-old engineer here in town.
Danielle: What! Bill: Working for a company
Called metro audio.
Mike: What year was this done?
Bill: 1971.
And it recorded bob seger's 'live' bullet, kiss alive!
Jack: Kiss alive. Kiss alive, okay?
I mean, let alone, that's like what broke that band.
Them recording at cobo arena is this amazing moment
That went through this truck. That's like, one of the most
Famous live albums of the '70s.
Mike: Wow. How do you know all this stuff?
Are you talking to people that actually used to run this stuff?
Bill: Well, I've run into a couple of the old engineers
Who tipped us off to some things.
Hearing around, we're hearing little bits and pieces of,
I knew they did the new york dolls record with that thing.
And it even did sid vicious, the solo record, yeah.
Danielle: Geez. Mike: No way.
Bill: So it was all over the place. The story goes
That the guy who built it, the kid retired
And then the guy who owned the truck, that the company,
Charles buchanan, retired to florida.
He did the lynyrd skynyrd record, one more from the road.
Mike: Oh, wow. Bill: It was done with this,
And they mixed it down there. And then he fell in love with florida
And retired from michigan down to florida.
So the truck went down with him...
So he kind of just phased out of doing
The live recording thing, kind of retired and went into film.
Mike: So when you guys bought this, did you know any
Of the history of it at all? Or you just bought it because it was a rolling studio.
Bill: I bought it 'cause it was stud-- I mean, I went and saw it, freaked out,
Bought it on the spot. We didn't know any of the history of it.
Jack: Our hope now is to restore it.
Danielle: Yeah! That's awesome. Jack: Isn't that great?
Mike: So, you guys want to restore this.
Jack: Absolutely. Mike: What are you looking for?
Jack: We want to bring it back to life.
We want to make it a working recording studio on wheels again.
And the history of it and what it's capable of doing is just incredible.
I just don't think there's anything out there like this.
Mike: What do you want us to do, though?
As far as like, you're looking for parts for it or something?
Jack: We want you to give us one million dollars for this.
(all laughing)
Jersey jon: This old box, I think... Oh, it's a sextant.
Jim: Yes, it is a sextant. That's what I thought, yeah.
Jersey jon: Want to sell that?
Jim: I don't. It's not a treasure or anything, but...
Jersey jon: Right. But it looks like it's used, you know,
It was on a ship somewhere, they were using it.
Jim: Oh yeah, that definitely--
Jersey jon: It's a navigation aid.
Jim: It's a world war ii piece. Jersey jon: Yes.
Jersey jon: Okay, not for sale.
Jim: It was fun to see robbie and jersey
Both rummaging through things.
Especially when we got upstairs
And the had to dig under everything and so forth.
They kind of reminded me of two blind dogs in a meat house.
It's an excitement just to see somebody else excited about these things.
Robbie: Look at that, jersey. Jersey jon: That's cool.
Robbie: Remember you used to call your date on Friday night?
Jersey jon: Yeah, it's a pay phone.
Yeah, your mom gave you your a quarter, you went down the street.
You want to sell this thing, jim?
Jim: I'd sell it. Robbie: 150 bucks.
Jersey jon: Oh. Jim: You know, how about 165?
Robbie: He's fighting for every nickel today, jersey. I'm going to give it to him.
Jim: Son of a gun.
Robbie: I appreciate you, buddy, I appreciate you.
Jim: Okay. Alright. Robbie: Thank you.
Jim: Alright. Jersey jon: Thank you.
Jersey jon: What have we got here...?
Jim: Yeah, that's a world war ii poster.
Jersey jon: Graphic. Jim: Yeah, yeah.
That's a good one. That's one of the ones I really like.
Jersey jon: 1942. Jim: '42, yeah.
Jersey jon: I mean, I really like it. It's really graphic.
"attack, attack, attack!" man, that, oof.
Puts you in the moment, don't it?
Jim: Yeah.
Jersey jon: What I really loved about this war bonds poster
I found, it's got airplanes on it, it's got tanks on it,
It's got battleships on it. It's got every aspect of the war theater on it.
Jersey jon: Storming the beach, condition's great.
Jersey jon: Another thing about this poster,
It was signed by the artist.
Jersey jon: Ferdinand warren. Artist.
Jim: Give me, give me 120.
Jersey jon: 120 bucks? Jim: Yeah.
Jersey jon: Tell you what, man, I like it, I'll do 120 bucks.
Jim: Okay. Jersey jon: Thank you, sir.
Jersey jon: That's a great piece.
Jim: I mean, it's fun to see the guys go through the attic
And they actually uncovered a few things I'd forgotten about.
Robbie: This is a barber shop. Oh, what the heck? That?
Look at this, jersey. This is nuts!
Jersey jon: This is better than even man cave, man.
This is like the inner sanctum where it all happens.
Jim: This is... Robbie: Look at this, look at this.
Jim: Yeah, this is kind of the man cave.
Jim: Up 'til just a few weeks ago, I had a tv in there.
And so you know, it's a place where you can just
Flop on the couch and turn a program on and just relax.
Robbie: You got a cigar?
Jersey jon: You're a judge, aren't you?
Jim: Retired now.
Jersey jon: That's very impressive.
Jim: I had no idea when I came out of law school
That was ever going to happen, or why I would be a judge.
And ended up 39 years on the bench
Plus another three or four as a senior judge after that.
That's all aside now. And I'm focusing totally on the museum.
Robbie: Is that for sale, jim?
Jim: For the right price, I guess I would,
If you really want to hit me good with that offer.
Here, you want to look at it?
Robbie: Yeah, let me see it, let me see it.
Got the stand up on the back.
Robbie: This was a big advertising that must have been
In a cigar store.
Probably from the '30s, '40s, or the '50s.
You know, in the advertising world, anything that's cardboard
Is like, was disintegrated.
It was gone, water damage. They threw them in the garbage.
Robbie: It's the old guy, telling the young guy...
Jim: Telling the young guy, yeah.
Robbie: ...What you need to be smoking.
Jim: 7-20-4... Yeah.
Robbie: It's you trying to tell me,
You're the old guy, jersey.
(laughing)
Jersey jon: Who's got the grey hair here, robbie?
Robbie: Yeah, I know.
Jim: But one thing about it, you gotta buy it and the box.
Robbie: Is it a good box, you know?
Jim: It is a good box. There you go.
Robbie: Yeah, see, 7-20-4 cigars, okay. But there's no...
Jersey jon: Careful with the lid.
Robbie: There's no advertising on it though.
Just the building. Manchester, new hampshire.
Jim: I think I looked for five years to find that box.
Robbie: Two-and-a-quarter. Jim: Oh gosh.
It's not that great. Robbie: No, well, here's the deal.
Condition, you can see it's faded out here.
Robbie: There's a little crinkle there.
Jim: Mm-hmm. Robbie: You know...
Jersey jon: It has some water damage at the bottom.
Robbie: I mean, it's a great display piece.
Robbie: The back has got a little damage to it here.
The original tag's gone on it.
Jim: Hm. Make it 250 and then I'll get over this spell.
(laughing)
Robbie: 235.
Jim: Oh god...
Oh, okay.
Jim: I had never thought about selling it, really,
But you know, it just hit me that, yeah, why not?
Jim: Yeah. Robbie: Listen...
Jim: I had great memories of you until now.
Robbie: I know, I know.
Jersey jon: Listen... Jim: Oh look at that.
Jersey jon: I know, I got to ask.
Jim: That is a german-made zeppelin toy.
Jersey jon: Sure. Jim: It's still in the box.
I actually bought that in germany, flea market in germany.
Jersey jon: This toy was made in pre-war germany.
I mean, when you have a toy in its original box,
And it's unplayed with condition,
It's really rare. Another thing, this toy,
It's a german toy, but it's got american decoration on it.
Jersey jon: 175 bucks.
Jim: You know, if you'd have said 200, I would have not even
Had to sit down, I would've said do it.
Jersey jon: Yeah? Jim: Yeah.
Jersey jon: So we're getting close.
Jim: Yeah. Jersey jon: So what's the number in between those two?
Jim: Uh... 199? Jersey jon: 199?
(laughing)
Jersey jon: 180 bucks?
Jim: 189.
Jersey jon: You got it, man. Thank you, sir.
Jim: It's yours. Jersey jon: Jim is obviously a high-grade collector
Of many things. He likes to find the best.
We all want to find the best of our collections.
Robbie: Man, you know about bartholomay ice cream?
Jim: No, tell me. Robbie: Alright. This is out of cleveland.
And they actually were a beer company.
They made beer and one year, they did ice cream.
Jim: Did they do that during prohibition, or...?
Robbie: Yeah, it was around that time.
Robbie: They switched over to ice cream.
Robbie: So this is actually only the third one of these I've ever seen.
Jim: Really. Robbie: And I have one, that's dead mint.
Jersey jon: The winged wheel is killer.
Robbie: Oh, yeah. Jersey jon: It's a great, great graphic.
Robbie: Yeah, that was their trademark.
Robbie: You know, there's collectors out there
That want everything pristine.
But when you talk about rarity level, this is a rare sign.
Robbie: 550.
And I'll tell you, my dead mint one,
I think it's probably worth 14-1,500. But that...
As you know, jim, that right there, really hurts that.
Jersey jon: Yeah, hurts it a lot.
Jim: How about 6?
(sighs)
Jim: What do you think? Think he'll go for 6?
Jersey jon: Well...
Robbie: 575.
Jim: Tough guy to deal with, isn't he?
Jersey jon: He is.
Robbie: It's this, this is the whammy.
Robbie: This is the whammy.
Jim: Yeah, I got you. Robbie: 575?
Jim: Alright.
Jim: It's always fun to share, you know, your enthusiasm,
Your interest in these type of old items.
And then when you see somebody else
That's as equally as excited about it,
That's a lot of fun, and that's...
You get a real pride and appreciation,
Not only of what you've done to pull these things together,
But there's somebody else appreciates that.
Robbie: Alright, I got to ask, is it local?
Jim: Yeah, that is local, and it's a music store
That everybody here in town remembers, sebring's.
That's where you went to buy your first 45s,
Your first elvis record, whatever.
Robbie: Wow. Jim: So, you know,
That's something I just can't sell
Because it's so much of our local history here.
Jim: But I do have the end piece around, the cap.
Robbie: Oh you have the bullnose.
Jim: I do have, I've got both ends.
Robbie: Would you sell the end?
Jim: Yeah, I probably would sell those.
Robbie: Where are they located at? Where are they at?
Jim: Well, they're right over underneath the stairway there.
Robbie: Jim. Jim: There's a sign.
Jersey jon: There's a door? Robbie: Jim. No, no, no, no.
Hold on here. Look at this. Jim: Yeah, this is...
Robbie: Hold on here, hold on here.
Jim: You want to pull that out? That's a sign.
Robbie: What is this? Jim: Well, I was going to tell you about that.
Robbie: Are you... Oof! Were you going to tell me before I found it or...?
Jim: Yeah, I forgot to. This is an absolutely...
Jersey jon: A packing crate? Robbie: I'm trying to find a way to get through here.
Jim: It's an original willard battery...
Robbie: Let me see here.
Jim: ...Sign that's twice that size.
There's two, there's two sides to it.
Robbie: Oh it says right here, hold on, hold on, right here.
Yeah, right there...
Robbie: It says, "vincent, indiana, two..." uh, the...
Jim: Should be organ battery. Robbie: Organ battery.
Robbie: Yeah, bell number 246 or something.
Jim: Yeah. Robbie: Yeah.
Robbie: From the allen-morrison sign company,
Lynchburg, yeah, lynchburg, virginia.
Robbie: And I thought to myself, wow!
N.O.S. In the crate?
That's the stuff that dreams are made of.
Robbie: Here's the question,
There's a little crack already in the wood.
Jim: Yeah, I see it. Robbie: I mean,
Before I open this thing up, do you even want to sell it?
Robbie: Like this piece of wood right here, jersey,
Is broke right there. Jersey jon: Yeah, I see that.
Robbie: Bigger doesn't always mean better.
My hope is that it's got some battery on it.
Character signs are what people are looking for.
Robbie: Here's the question, there's a little crack already in the wood.
Jim: Yeah, I see it, yeah. Robbie: I mean,
Before I open this thing up, do you even want to sell it?
Jim: If the price is right, uh, yeah, yeah.
Robbie: I mean, you know, I'm looking at, you know, a couple of things.
Jersey jon: Well, we got to see what it is before a price on it.
Robbie: Let's see here, hold on here.
Jim: 'cause it's been a while since we had it open.
Jersey jon: Careful, robbie. You watch that break--
Robbie: I know, I know, got it right there. Dude, settle down. Yeah...
Jersey jon: He's like a bull in a china shop sometimes, I got to watch this guy.
Jim: There we go, there we go, there we go.
Robbie: You pry lightly, jersey.
Jersey jon: You ain't got to tell me, brother.
You want to pop it down, yank the nail out?
Robbie: There's... Yeah, we could try.
Jersey jon: See? Robbie: There's only one nail though.
Robbie: You got to get the other side.
Jersey jon: Who told you that? Robbie: I gotta get the other side,
Is what I'm saying, the other nail.
Jersey jon: There you go, brother.
Robbie: Is there another one? Jersey jon: Nope.
Robbie: Okay, this should then lift up.
Jersey jon: Right. Robbie: Right.
Jersey jon: Then we could see it.
Jim: Ohh... Robbie: Hold on...
Jim: Oh, wow...
Robbie: Wow, it is cool. Willard batteries.
Robbie: Large, in charge.
Jersey jon: So this is like a billboard for the side of a building.
Robbie: Yeah, it was on the side of a building, probably an automotive.
Jim: See, there's one up there behind the station
That's exactly like that in miniature. Just like this.
Robbie: It's a small version. Jersey jon: Oh, I see it.
Jim: Yeah, it's exactly like this but small. Yeah.
Robbie: There's a nail. Jersey jon: Self framed.
Robbie: You could see there's a couple of dents in there.
Jersey jon: Yeah, there is a couple of dents, right there.
Jim: Right here, there's...
Jersey jon: It's so cool it's in the crate though, robbie.
Man, the condition doesn't get any better than this.
Robbie: Well, it'd be better if it was an embossed sign though.
Jersey jon: Yeah. Robbie: Money-wise.
Jersey jon: Right. Robbie: Jim.
Robbie: You know. Let's lay it back down.
Robbie: To a sign guy, this it the holy grail.
You find it in the original shipping crate.
It was made by the stout sign company.
All the pluses are here.
Robbie: It's self framed, it's painted.
It's probably around 1957, I'd say.
Robbie: You know, the fact that the paint's not flaking off it,
Jim, that's a big plus. I was hoping that it was going to have the battery on it.
Jim: Yeah. Robbie: Um...
$1,400. Jim: Eee...
Where's the chair? Robbie: Hold him up.
Jim: Can you bring a chair?
Jim: Oh god... Oh...
Jersey jon: We're losing him.
Robbie: Don't lose you yet. Come on, jim.
Jim: What did he say? Jersey jon: I like this guy.
Robbie: I said $1,400, here.
Robbie: I think this sign's 2,000 bucks.
And that's a retail number.
And the reason being,
Large signs don't always sell well. I mean, it's...
Jim: Uh, yeah that... You know,
I was certainly valuing it at two or better.
Um... Robbie.
Uh... Give me 15.
Robbie: 1,450.
Jim: God...
(chuckling)
Robbie: I'll tell you what, you said, here,
Those bullnoses that are in here?
Jim: Yes. Robbie: Alright. Let me look at these things.
Jim: Okay. Help me up, jersey, I'm about over it now.
(laughing) jersey jon: Alright.
Robbie: You got them? Jersey jon: Yeah, I got them.
Robbie: Alright, hold on, let me shut this light off in here.
Robbie: The bullnose or the end cap, you would want to call it,
Is a piece that went on any sign.
It was typically on a vertical sign
That hung off of a building, and it was just to add
The value of a decorator piece to the end.
When you find the bullnoses, you buy them,
Because they are so rare.
Robbie: You got two bullnoses.
They're blue and white, that's a big plus.
Jim: Mm-hmm. Robbie: Ford's blue and white.
Robbie: Bullnoses are always missing on every porcelain sign, it seems like.
Jim: Yeah, yeah.
Robbie: Look at how they did that.
Robbie: 1953, basically. Jim: Hardened enamel.
Robbie: 3, 6, a '53.
This is actually etched in the porcelain fixture, yeah.
Robbie: Isn't that cool? Jersey jon: Yeah. They are cool.
Robbie: They're porcelain. So they could go on any sign.
Robbie: 2,150.
Jim: Let me sit down again.
(laughing)
Robbie: Man, I'm telling ya... Wow.
Jim: Would you tell him that,
Reluctantly, I'll tell him yes, would you tell him that?
Jersey jon: He's going to say yes, robbie.
Robbie: Oh thanks. I appreciate ya. Seriously. I'm loving it.
Jersey jon: That's great, thank you.
Robbie: Dang... Jersey jon: That was great.
Robbie: Wow.
Robbie: The museum is cool.
But to me,
This world that jim created at his house
Is mind-blowing. I love it.
Robbie: How are you? Jersey jon: How are you?
Linda: You're going to take him with you?
Robbie: Yeah? Oh, you want to get rid of him that bad?
Linda: Yeah. Jim: This is my wife, linda.
Jim: Once you become a collector,
You're afflicted for life.
And so I'm still there, you know,
I'm not through collecting.
Jim: Hey. Robbie: Thank you.
Jim: Alright, alright. Linda: Come back.
Jim: And... Even though I'm selling some things now,
There's still things out there that I know,
Wow, when I come across it,
I'll know that that's something I still got
To put in the collection.
Jersey jon: Thanks, guys!
(horn honks) jim: Okay, see ya.
Linda: Come back.
(upbeat music)
Mike: So... What are you guys looking for us to do?
I mean, you're looking for parts or what?
Jack: Well, check out this brochure up there.
Danielle, if you could grab that.
Danielle: This right here? Jack: Yes.
So, here's the original brochure that this recording--
Danielle: Stop, this is it? Jack: Yeah, it was in here.
Take a look at this picture. Danielle: This is wild.
Jack: You can see, there's a trailer attached to this truck.
Bill: They had a generator in there, a backup tape machine,
A lounge, and all the microphone storage and everything,
You can see a schematic of it.
Mike: This is just as elaborate as this?
Jack: Yes, and they made a walkway between the two,
So they could go back. Mike: Oh, like a little dog run?
Jack: Extra tape machine, generator, so...
Bill: So it's a vital part of this thing.
And that's why we were getting ahold of you guys.
Bill: We don't know where it is.
Jack: That's what we're looking for. Can we find that?
Or if we can't find it, can we find something--
Mike: Oh you're looking for this specific one.
Jack: Yes. Mike: Well, is this custom-made?
Or is this like mass-produced?
Bill: It's custom-made.
Mike: Oh, just that little trailer's custom-made.
Danielle: So there's only one of them.
Bill: Only one. Danielle: So...
Jack: It may not exist anymore, but we gotta say we looked.
You know, we gotta at least try.
Jack: And if we don't, then we're looking to getting something
That looks like it, or maybe even build one from scratch.
Mike: It's a tall order, dude.
I mean, it's a lot to take in, to be honest with you, it's...
Jack: Can you imagine if it came back to life and was working again,
And you know, new bands, modern bands could record through it?
Mike: To be a part of that... Danielle: Yeah.
Mike: So if you've talked to people that were associated with it...
Bill: Mm-hmm. Mike: Have you chased down any leads with the trailer?
Have you talked to anybody that actually remembers that?
Bill: No, because it all disappeared in the late '70s.
It moved down to florida, and the truck retired,
And then everybody just lost track of it.
Bill: And it sat-- mike: And you got it out of ohio.
Bill: I got it out of ohio.
Mike: So the trailer could be in ohio too then.
Bill: It could be in ohio.
Mike: I mean, there's forums, there's websites,
Like tin can tourist, that are connected with travel trailers.
We could post photos and then,
I have a really big collector friend in california,
That like, he has trailers that airstream doesn't even have.
I mean, he's got the prototypes.
Here, you want to look at it? Danielle: You guys are reviving
Some serious music history here.
Jack: We had dealt with mike and antique archaeology before.
And I loved the way that mike can appreciate history,
Whether it's motorcycles or signage
Or antique mechanics of any kind.
So I knew that he would understand the beauty of this truck on its own.
The thing I like about this truck, is it's a romantic way
For people to experience recording music
In a way that can kind of inspire them and do something they wouldn't normally do.
By embracing the historical things that worked in the past,
That were soulful and beautiful.
Mike: I wanna sit in the front of this thing.
I mean, now that I know it recorded all these bands,
It's like, I want to sit in the captain's chair.
Danielle: And recorded seger too, man.
Danielle: Ugh... Wait for me!
Jack: Get in there. Mike: Alright... Woo!
Bill: So this is a 1969 chevy p-30.
(engine starts)
Mike: Woo!
Bill: That sounds like a 350.
It's like a hot rod, a recording studio,
And a taco truck all in one. Danielle: That's so cool!
Mike: You guys are halfway there, it runs.
Bill: Yeah, totally runs.
And luckily, we got an aluminum body.
Bill: Because if it was the steel bodied version,
It could have been completely gone by now.
Jack: You gotta get in there and sit down at the desk too.
Mike: Yeah dani, sit down up here, man.
Danielle: Yeah, I'm gonna sit in the back of this.
Mike: Have you gone through any of this stuff, like the motherboard and stuff,
And kind of just checked out what you have in regards to...
Bill: I've looked through it, yeah.
Like the power can come on to the mixing console.
Mike: Wow. Bill: It totally turns on.
And we can pass audio through this and listen in.
Mike: Alright, man. Danielle: Yeah. I'm stoked to do this.
It's an honor, I'm super thrilled.
Jack: Thank you so much. Danielle: Thank you for reaching out.
Bill: Yeah well thanks for coming out.
Danielle: I'm on it. Yeah. Mike: Alright man, let's do it.
Danielle: My brain's already like, ch-ch-ch!
Mike: Alright, I'm excited!
Mike: Jack's passion for this project is contagious.
It's a tall order.
But when you think about what this vehicle has done,
I'm honored to be connected to it,
Because this is a big deal.
Mike: Man, oh my gosh. That's pretty cool.
Danielle: It's pretty, right?
Mike: Yeah. I think what we need to do
Is we need to get ahold of emily.
Danielle: Right. Mike: And then, we for sure need to get ahold of vince,
Because he knows every trailer collector.
I mean, I think we know enough people to like,
Actually get to the point where, you know,
At least we can give them some sort of an answer.
Danielle: I feel positive. Mike: But hey, freakin' wonder-twin powers, baby!
Danielle: Dude, right? Activate! (laughing)