Did anyone get this? It was on Ebay and I was bidding...but guy ended it

[Seven181]

Anyone here get this? Was going after it for the kids. Very neat!

[memorylane]

What this machine?? EarlyBird got the worm.... Thats a picture of the guy that sold it. Very heavy. Will be here Sunday by noon.
Curtis, Memory Lane Restorations
www.retrovending.com

[memorylane]

This machine works after all these years and is complete.

[memorylane]

Original ad. This machine is as rare as they come, happy to have coming home:)

[Ltransam]

Yep I guess That Even Know Some of us were Bidding Legally .Other Just Walk over the little guy .It was In My Back Yard (With IN 50 Miles )
I learn again

O yea !!!  Money Talks and Bull $#$% walks .

[halehouse]

It looks like it didn't have a reserve, is that right?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&hash=item256d88ba05&item=160751467013&nma=true&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&rt=nc&si=YT9V8qHj3WBziZoyA3M9s0zXn5s%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

That does stink if he ended it while it had bids.

[memorylane]

Yes it sure does, This might be a hobby for you but keep in mind it's a business for me and business is business and I have know way of knowing whos bidding. If it's rare and a customer says pay what you need to pay to get, he will own it. Anyone out there could have emailed this guy and made him an offer as I did and they would have because there was another guy coming at 10am sunday if my guy did not show up. so for that I'm happy to have it for my customer. The guy could have said no I'm letting the auction run but he didn't. I was instructed to put $3800.00 high bid if he wouldn't end the auction. If you all were willing to have paid more, then I'm sorry, if not I got a hell of a deal.

[TheGarbageHunter]

That sucks! To bad man, good luck finding another one.

[halehouse]

Yes it sure does, This might be a hobby for you but keep in mind it's a business for me and business is business and I have know way of knowing whos bidding. If it's rare and a customer says pay what you need to pay to get, he will own it. Anyone out there could have emailed this guy and made him an offer as I did and they would have because there was another guy coming at 10am sunday if my guy did not show up. so for that I'm happy to have it for my customer. The guy could have said no I'm letting the auction run but he didn't. I was instructed to put $3800.00 high bid if he wouldn't end the auction. If you all were willing to have paid more, then I'm sorry, if not I got a hell of a deal.

It's really not a case of the early bird getting the worm and of course you wouldn't know who is bidding. That's not a factor. IMO, it stinks more on the part of the seller. I think an auction format should run to the end, but eBay does allow the seller to end it because it is "no longer available...".

[memorylane]

Let me clear up something:
Understand I'm one of only a few in the country that do this for a living, I make my living doing this everyday. My customers range from celebrities, Fortune 500 company owners, Business owners and the average guy wanting a machine. Some have money we only dream of someday having and when they want something, they will get! If I can't get it when they call or ask me to get it, they will find someone else that can. So make no mistakes about it, if I'm instructed to buy something, I'm going to do whatever I need to do to get it. As I said, this is my business and has been so for more than 20 years and I'm not making no apologies for that. I have helped many of you out when you were in a bind about something, you have called at all hours and have I ever turned any of you away.Very sorry if I have affended any of you, this was not intended, Enough said. Curtis

[Ltransam]

As I said I learned Again .

Curtis .
I know Business is Business !!!   But As its been said The Seller Dose What He wants Even Know It was offered on E-bay For EVERYONE to Bid On .

You Said your Guy Gave You $3800 To Play With Could i IF i wanted to went Higher then that YEP!!!      If I had Wanted To !!!     But that's the Difference I never Got the Chance !!!  But I can Live without It. And YES your a Very Positive Person around Here And Yes You Have Help with your Knowledge .As Many Other here have done .Including ME helping you a couple times ..

Again It's more about the seller I Fell

But I'm Sure You'll Do it Right 

As I would Have put in the garage with the rest of the stuff i don't do anything with .

[globalcompressors]

Goes back to what I keep saying...you People just don't get it. The SELLER can ask for whatever price they want or sell to
anyone they wish... yet, you Guys will continue to bash people and WHINE like little girls, because you didn't get your way.

Good job Curtis.

[davethebirdman]

I would hate for this post to end up like a couple previously. I have been a seller in the past and someone has made an offer that I have thought could not be beat and jumped at it.
Patricularly when you take into account eBay fees and PayPal fees on top and the fact that the bids don't come til the end. Wrong I know but a calculated guess on my part. At the end of the day as the seller you want the best you can get. Some would say "you've got no balls" and I think  you'd be absolutely right. But I'd rather have no balls and cash in my pocket than balls and feeling regret that I have "given" something away. 

As the buyer you want the lowest you can get. You're not going to turn round to a seller and say, you sold that too cheap here's a couple of 100 dollars more..

I'm sure Curtis will turn that machine into something of real beauty and if we were all honest I don't think many of would have would have bid as much as he offered. I saw it when it first came on and thought that  i would go that way. It is extremely frustrating to see the occasional odd piece disappear when you're ready to throw your bid on at the end thinking you're going to get it for a bargain. You watch it for a week. Checking in regular and then it goes. I tend to put a bid on "early doors" so they can see who is interested.

Chin up chaps.... They'll be another old  girl along any minute.

Dave

[halehouse]

I see your points. It's the same when someone has something on CL, agree to a price and say they'll hold it for a day, then sell to somebody who came that day or offered more. Plenty of people complain about that too, but it's no different. You win some you lose some I guess.

[aspbear]

I agree that business is business and this really goes to the intergrity of the seller.  I dont believe it is whining when someone places an item on ebay in an open auction format and then turns around and sells the item before the auction ends.  I sale some items on ebay and have had offers to take items down, I have never done that and I would say that 90 to 95 percent of the time it brought more than the person was offering.

Now I am not a fan of ebay or their fee's but do you think that the guy took the item down and then told ebay what he sold it for and paid their fee's.  That is fraud if he used their site to sell the item and then did not pay the fee's that is why ebay keeps placing more and more restrictions on buyers.

Finally, these things are not worth losing sleep over and it is sure not worth hard feelings over a piece of metal.

[halehouse]

I agree that business is business and this really goes to the intergrity of the seller.  I dont believe it is whining when someone places an item on ebay in an open auction format and then turns around and sells the item before the auction ends.  I sale some items on ebay and have had offers to take items down, I have never done that and I would say that 90 to 95 percent of the time it brought more than the person was offering.

Now I am not a fan of ebay or their fee's but do you think that the guy took the item down and then told ebay what he sold it for and paid their fee's.  That is fraud if he used their site to sell the item and then did not pay the fee's that is why ebay keeps placing more and more restrictions on buyers.

Finally, these things are not worth losing sleep over and it is sure not worth hard feelings over a piece of metal.

I agree. That's what I said earlier. The "issue" in my eyes falls more on the part of the seller. If he needs a certain price for it, then list it with a reserve. If you are willing to end it early, then don't list an auction with no reserve. To me, listing with no reserve says you agree to sell to the highest bidder. Isn't that how ebay and other auctions (are supposed to) work?

Of course the seller can ask whatever he wants. I've pointed that out before too. Just because an item is listed for what seems like a lot, doesn't mean he gets it. And if he does, good for him. In this case, if it was started at $200 w/ no reserve, he was saying to the potential buyers, "Here it is at $200. Let it ride."

I think it makes for a good discussion. No hard feelings. I wasn't bidding. It's a discussion of principle.

[Seven181]

Ok, I will chime in on the topic. I was in on this, when it was first listed. I was the high bidder, when it ended. I was not sure what I was going to spend, but figured it would go for $3500-$4000 being rare. I hold no hard feelings toward anyone, Curtis congrats on getting it! This is a business for you and a hobby for me. I don't speak for anyone else, accept myself. This is only a hobby, but I spend what I spend, on this hobby. I see something I want and I try to go get it.

My issue is with Ebay. I don't agree that someone should start a listing and then be able to end it at anytime, unless they clearly say they have it for sale locally and can end, then I understand. This listing did not say that. Now, who knows maybe the guy lets it run and get gets $3500 maybe he gets $10,000. The point is, if you put an item on Ebay, let it run, unless you otherwise state it's for sale outside the bidding format. Congrats on a nice rare item. Who knows if we will ever see another one, but it shows that they are still out there!

Brian

[bcharlton]

I think those of us who are weekend warriors in the restoration hobby need to realize one thing.  Ebay is ebay.  On the positive side, it establishes retail market for the sellers to sell things for realistic values.  The negative side is that, for us "armature" junkers, we are finding amazingly cheap finds are getting more and more scarce.  The average person is a little smarter with regard to what stuff is really worth.  It probubly all washes out in the end.

Curtis is one of the few people who makes his total leaving on his trade.  Most of us just dabble.  He is also very generouse with his help.

(now if he would only call me back so he can pick up his Stoner Pastry machine in my garage)

Just my .02

Brian

[MoonDawg]

       I think it's rather huge and ugly and wouldn't have even placed the $200.00 bid but that's just my opinion.
      At least one our members got it and I really hope he shares pictures of it restored!

[BONOVOX]

I can see everyones point of view on this... and I'll put my 2 cents in I guess....
But like others have said, lets not turn this into a hate post lol

What I read in all of this, is that yes, Memorylane did what he had to do, and at the time of bidding doesnt know who he's up against.
He saw something that he wanted, and made a move that all of us would do if we wanted something enough and/or had the cash to do that. Ebay is Ebay, it is what it is, and no complaining here will change what it is.
I agree with others too that if there is an Ebay listing with no reserve etc... than once 1 bid is placed, it should run to the end, period.  But thats for Ebay to correct, not Memorylane.

In saying that, I do think that the initial reply of Memory Lane could have been a bit nicer, learning that a fellow member here was bidding on it.  Putting up little icons and rubbing it in  by saying early bird gets the worm, is not something I would have done.
Yes, it's a business for him, and I can appreciate that, as Im in business for myself too, in construction, but at the end of the day, he's on a site with 99% of the people on here are customers for  people like him.  So a little bit of a nicer reply would have been in order with regards to Seven181, and then his reasoning which comes off like "screw you guys this is my business" when Im sure its not, rather far from it.

I just think this is a issue more with Ebay, than it is with anyone here on this board.
Lets just say that we agree to disagree

PS, I too think its ugly ... but then again, my wife thinks ALL my machines are ugly lol... so what do I know.  We all cant have the same taste.  For a millionaire fruit store owner, this is his holy grail!

[halehouse]

  For a millionaire fruit store owner...

Dang. I should have opened a fruit store!   

[bcharlton]

PS, I too think its ugly ... but then again, my wife thinks ALL my machines are ugly lol... so what do I know.  We all cant have the same taste.  For a millionaire fruit store owner, this is his holy grail!

Bonovox you are too funny.  My wife feels the same way.

[mznb1u]

A very interesting machine, although I probably would not have given it a second look if I had even seen it on Ebay.   That being said, I would love to learn more about the machine and see it through the restoration. My main reason for posting though is that I think we have another thread going sideways among friendly people on this site.

Anyone here get this? Was going after it for the kids. Very neat!

When I read Brian's original post above, I read it as a simple question about whether or not somebody on the site got the item.  No sour grapes, just a simple inquiry.  It is like any other unique machine that we have seen in the past.  Quite often members ask the same question to see if "one of us" got it if we did not!  Usually that is because we want to see pictures, learn more about the item and see it when and if it gets restored.

I have known Brian for a while through this site and we have helped each other grab deals, find and pick up machines and talked about the ones that got away and the ones to come.  Brian understands the hobby that is also a business for a few of us.  You win some, you lose some and that is just the way it goes.  That is part of the fun of collecting.

What this machine?? EarlyBird got the worm.... Thats a picture of the guy that sold it. Very heavy. Will be here Sunday by noon.
Curtis, Memory Lane Restorations
www.retrovending.com

As far as Curtis’ reply, I don’t see this as gloating.  I see it more as the excitement of a business owner who was able to secure a rare or unusual item for an important client.  And lets face it, when we all close a deal on a machine that we really “need to have” (a point that most of our spouses would debate vigorously), we are pumped and often put excited sometimes almost giddy posts on the site to show our new acquisitions.  Curtis had a big order from an important customer and he was able to fill that order.  This is how he makes his living so I am pretty sure he was damn excited to be able to get this machine.

Curtis goes out of his way to help members of this site.  He has always taken my calls and given me free advice.  As a matter of fact, he helped me identify the early model Stoner Theater that is now part of my collection.  He could have told me that it wasn’t worth it and grabbed the machine for himself but he gave me the facts and has told me more than once to call if I need help.  While he does this for a living, he also understands the hobby part of what we do and I really appreciate that.  Eric at Global Compressors and Rod at Fun-tronics also do this for a living but help members all the time at no charge.

Now, on to the Ebay rules and seller’s behavior:

Ebay has made it easier to collect buyers to sellers, find out the relative value of items and find things that we otherwise would not be able to find.  It has also made it harder from a standpoint that more potential buyers become aware of “deals” that you might have been able to grab up in the past.  These good and bad aspects of Ebay have worked to the benefit and detriment of all of us at one time or another.    Bottom line—we will never change Ebay and have to take the good with the bad if we want to use their service.

Seller’s behavior:  “The Carson/Johnson Law of Human Behavior: 80% of all questions that begin with the word 'why' can be answered with the simple sentence 'People are stupid.'”  If we are honest, there have been times when we all have contacted Ebay sellers in an attempt to buy something that we really wanted offline or contacted CL sellers to buy something that was already “sold” but not yet picked up.  Sellers are going to do what they are going to do and in most cases money talks and as previously pointed out, usually the first guy there with the money wins!  Sellers will charge what they think something is worth or whatever the market will bear and that is their prerogative.  Whether they honor a deal or not usually goes back to how fast you get there with the money.

Please don’t let Ebay rules and human nature—both things we can not control—get in the way of all of the positive things related to SMC.  Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox and get back to work on my “honey-do” list.

[scalebowler]

Thats a pretty neat looking machine. I would be interested in seeing how exactly it works.

[BONOVOX]

Tim, that was very well said.
We should all leave it at that 

[collecture]

Tim, that was very well said.

Ditto!
I don't see any wrong doing here.
I have bought like Curtis and sold like the seller and unknowingly probably made a few of you mad!

I think it's rather huge and ugly and wouldn't have even placed the $200.00 bid....At least one our members got it and I really hope he shares pictures of it restored!

Ditto again!

[Matt]

Curtis - Will we get to see some color pictures when it's complete?

[cohammer]

I do not know any one in this deal but I think an auction with a bid should run till its over. Even if no harm was intended  by what was posted its not good business to tell every one you jump over who ever it takes to make a deal. I have had it happen to me and it stinks . I wish I knew why it hurts to let an auction run. Just my opinion

[memorylane]

Hey guys, I was excited about getting the machine and had no idea any of you were bidding. As for offering my advice on things, I'm happy to help whenever I can because I remember so many times needing help and most wouldn't give me the time a day, my door is always open if you need my help.
I will be posting pictures in a few months of the restoration, I will post a few later of us unloading it but for now off to Baseball Practice, with high school baseball and reg. season starting, evenings are shot. Thanks so much for all the kind words and sorry if I might of upset anyone, I didn't mean too.

Curtis, Memory lane Restorations

[Larry]

I figure that I should put my two cents in here too...crap....I only have a penny.  Nevermind.

[Ltransam]

  Larry

  As you Can Tell I have NOcents 

 Im good With Everything   

[Fire708]

My jr. High had a similar machine back in the day. I don't remember it being that big. 

Would love to see your Picts of the restore and finished machine.

[VMAXMAN]

Let me clear up something:
Understand I'm one of only a few in the country that do this for a living, I make my living doing this everyday. My customers range from celebrities, Fortune 500 company owners, Business owners and the average guy wanting a machine. Some have money we only dream of someday having and when they want something, they will get! If I can't get it when they call or ask me to get it, they will find someone else that can. So make no mistakes about it, if I'm instructed to buy something, I'm going to do whatever I need to do to get it. As I said, this is my business and has been so for more than 20 years and I'm not making no apologies for that. I have helped many of you out when you were in a bind about something, you have called at all hours and have I ever turned any of you away.Very sorry if I have affended any of you, this was not intended, Enough said. Curtis

I for one think you are in no wrong...I (along with others) would have did the same thing!
cudo's to you

[memorylane]

I'm just adding a few photos, I'm not trying to start anything but just wanted to share a rare machine with everyone. This will be a piece of history saved. This is at my warehouse. Anyone looking for a Jacobs 56 Pepsi, older restoration but not mine. Nice paint and chrome, good pepsi light up, no cracks. Was cooling but noticed it was not the last time I pluged it in. I can have that checked. $4800.00 ? Nice overall.

Curtis/ Memory Lane Restorations
301-991-3532

[memorylane]

More

[globalcompressors]

So Curtis... is that a banana in you pants or are you just happy to see me?  


Knock it out of the park Bro...like you ALWAYS do! Again, great score...

[Slapshot42]

When does the tear down begin?

Awesome!!!!

[Marvin]

That thing is a monster.

[mznb1u]

That is a big machine.  How much does it weigh?  Any idea on how many were made?

Should be a cool restoration.

  Tim

[memorylane]

I think it weights 400 to 500 pounds after reading the Vintage Vending site and Blog about it, this is the only one found so far and not sure how many were made. There has to be more you would think? It works, restoration will be mid summer but won't be as bad as it looks, the insides has alot of stainless and thats in good shape, body is nice....Piece of cake?? Wright, as we always think.

[Creighton]

Cool find. Had to be more but bet they were scrapped or sitting in someones barn.
Thanks for the pics!!
Creighton

[MoonDawg]

        Manufactured in Van Nuys, 50 miles from me and I have never seen one.

[bcharlton]

So Curtis... is that a banana in you pants or are you just happy to see me?  


Knock it out of the park Bro...like you ALWAYS do! Again, great score...

Lauged my ass off

[Slapshot42]

How do you like them apples Curtis?

[Ltransam]

  Curtis .

  There Was Another one about 8 years ago in Dayton Ohio at a closed Factory in the Basement when I went to Look at it with the Wife to Buy . But it was missing everything On the Inside for the Fruit conveyor /Chain system . So I passed on it for $100 Bucks Because I knew trying to locate parts would be like finding a needle in a hay stack .But I did Buy a Candy Machine that was in another room .
The Building Has been gone for 5 years now .