Anyone ELSE going on the 127 Yard Sale?

[Lump]

I'm leaving tomorrow late afternoon/early evening for the world famous 127 Yard Sale. It is a loosely organized string of yard sales stretching from Hudson, Michigan to Gadsden, Alabama. You might have seen some television special feature shows about it, on Home and Garden TV (HGTV).

This event is 657 miles long! : Check it out at the following site: http://www.127sale.com/

Are any other Garage Journal tool-folks going?

The event "officially" starts on Thursday the 5th of August, but some vendors are probably set up already now. I'll hit my first sale on Wednesday morning.

I have gone on this sale 9 out of the last 10 years. I had a big schedule conflict last year, but I don't want to miss it again.

I live in Ohio, and after my first year I learned to drive as far south as I plan to go the night before, and then work my way back home. That way, when we're all exhausted and broke from four or five days of driving and stopping at yard sales, we will find ourselves close to home...not 500 miles away.

If you like the idea and plan on going, GET ON THE PHONE NOW with MOTELS!! You won't find any one the route, so you'll need to check in adjacent towns and cities. It won't be easy!

If you guys DON'T do the 127 sale...you'll be leaving all those tools to ME!

YaaaHOOOO! I'm OUTTA here!

 

[makgreens]

im going sunday...gotta work thurs-sat

 

[sanya]

i dont need to ask for pictures when you're back, right?

 

[heelsroll]

I'm leaving tomorrow late afternoon/early evening for the world famous 127 Yard Sale...If you guys DON'T do the 127 sale...you'll be leaving all those tools to ME! YaaaHOOOO! I'm OUTTA here!

Lump, I've been dreaming/thinking about this for years but it never worked with my schedule....and now I'm 500 miles from the Southern Terminus.

But I did just fix the A/C, tires, and brakes on the wagon.....

You're killin' me.

Happy Hunting!

 

[Lump]

Lump, I've been dreaming/thinking about this for years but it never worked with my schedule....and now I'm 500 miles from the Southern Terminus.

But I did just fix the A/C, tires, and brakes on the wagon.....

You're killin' me.

Happy Hunting!

Thanks, Heelsroll.
I've been thinking of you and a couple others of the used-tool-hunters from Garage Journal lately. I've been hitting the yard sales, estate sales, flea markets, and auctions harder these last 4 or 5 weeks than any time in my life. And I've found some really great stuff. I'm just enjoying it right now, I guess...doing what I please.

Only problem is, I've found some really cool stuff at fabulous prices, but have had no time to post them! Ha.

I've promised myself that, when I return from the 127 Sale, I'm gonna stay home evenings and weekend for one entire week, and get caught up on photographing, posting, sorting, cleaning, etc. Then I'll try my first classifieds on Garage Journal, I think, and put some tools on eBay too. My goals will be to reduce my total investment on the tools I am keeping for myself, while getting some really neat tools (both antique and newer), learning more about the tools and the maker, and generating more capital for more tool hunting!

Thanks for the "good hunting" wishes. I'm gonna need them!

 

[heelsroll]

Lump, always good to schedule in some 'recovery time' for the shop, the inventory, and you! But when the deals are there, you gotta grab 'em. At some point, weather, or the economy, will change the dynamic.

Strike, sir, Strike!

 

[Lump]

I]

Lump, always good to schedule in some 'recovery time' for the shop, the inventory, and you! But when the deals are there, you gotta grab 'em. At some point, weather, or the economy, will change the dynamic.

Strike, sir, Strike!

[/I]
Heelsroll,
I just HAVE to tell you about just one of my recent sales, even though I still don't have time to make a decent post before I leave for the 127 sale...

I went to a garage sale last Thursday in an older, upper-middle-class neighborhood, which listed "tools" in their CL ad. When I got there, a tiny little old white-haired lady saw me looking through the tools, and told me that these had been her deceased husband's, and she really hoped I would buy them.

(Cutting to the chase...I'll make a post later with details),

I picked out a bunch of tools, and noticed a lot of strictly automotive items, like a big valve spring compressor. I asked if there were any auto parts somewhere. The helper (older gentleman...her neighbor) said yes there was, and invited me into his garage. He brought me a big plastic bin, and said there were car parts inside, including a big old carburetor. While I was digging, he confided that the carb and some other parts had actually been on a boat, but were indeed originally "car" parts. Anyway, the carb was a Holley, in beautiful condition. It had three rows of part numbers on top which means it is likely a factory-installed muscle car carb. There was also a nice Carter AFB, and some big chrome-plated brass fittings, as would be found on a vintage wooden boat.

I put everything in a big pile with the tools, and said that she could keep my entire hundred dollar bill, in trade for the whole pile. She said, "GOOD! It's a deal!" So $100 was my total investment for the day!

Again, I need to post more details later, but for now, suffice it to say that I went home and got out my books, and looked up the number on that Holley. It turned out to be the correct OEM Holley carburetor for a 1967 Corvette, equipped with the RPO-L88 430 HP 427 engine!!!!

I've got it on eBay right now, (you could easily find it with a simple search under "L88 Holley", or etc, if you wish). The build-date code is from 1972, which means that this was a "service" carb, sold by a Chevrolet parts dept across the counter, and then installed on that boat. It is in BEAUTIFUL original condition.

And the Carter AFB? Turned out to be an original 1961 Pontiac 389 carb...such as used on those hot Catalinas back then.

The Chrome-plated brass fittings included two "Aston" racing-style gas filler caps/necks manufactured in England by "Enots", such as those commonly used on older wooden race boats. They are near mint.

You know what? ...as I get ready to leave on the 675-mile long 127 Yard Sale...I'm feeling fairly happy right now.

 

[heelsroll]

I][/I]
You know what? ...as I get ready to leave on the 675-mile long 127 Yard Sale...I'm feeling fairly happy right now.

Nothing like a long road trip, miles of sales, and some good mojo along for the ride!

Soak it all up!

J