red pepsi 81

[vendo_81]

Hello,  I am new to the SMC forum group.  Did anybody see pawn stars and american restorations with the red Pepsi 81?  I'm sure it was factory red.  I know this because I have two of them.  Both of mine have serial #'s 20 something apart and the one on the show was one # off one of mine.  They aren't actually red.  They are more of a redish orange color, definately not coke red.  I would like to know why and how many of these were made this way?  Both of mine were found about an hour from each other.   

[Kilroy]

Welcome to the boards! And I'm jealous - 2 Pepsi VMC 81's? I still haven't found my first one.

We had a discussion on the red VMC's.  No one had seen or heard of them before,and ifi recall, the general thought was they were repainted at some point years ago.
That thought has now changed with 2 more popping up.  The mystery continues

[sc1101]

I'd love to own a Pepsi 81 in red or blue. Rare red would be my first choice. As long as it was painted red originally. The more uncommon the more I want it.. It's funny how the longer you collect the items you want are harder to find and more expensive. I think I might have to go back to collecting bottles.

[MaineT]

Where were they located at? That could help in figuring this whole thing out. Is there a local reason or event for the red pepsi machine?

[vendo_81]

The machines are located in Nebraska.  I thought about Big Red Cornhuskers, but the color is pretty orangish.  A friend suggested that possibly Howard Johnson motels requested it, but their color is pure orange.  On American Restorations, Rick Dale said that his prediction was that maybe the factory had some left over unpainted in the factory when the square machines came out with the red/white/blue theme and they might have painted them red for a new look?  I have 5 Pepsi 81's and the red ones are the latest s/n's.  My oldest blue one is 101007 with single louvers.  I have two blue 104233 & 104255 blue double louver and the two red  105926 & 105953.  The one on tv was a 105927 I believe.  They showed a close up of the fake I.D. tag after restoration.  Their stamping was all wrong, way too big of numbers and sloppily done, but I would guess they remade the tag so it would look new.  The s/n had to be taken off the old tag, which falls in line with mine.  Ron Vanoveren from Omaha had one that he sold a couple of years ago, before anybody realized that VMC actually might have produced red ones, that he had listed on ebay that was painted blue over red.  There is a good chance it was originally red as well.  I contacted him and the machine was sold and he didn't give me any info on the buyer.  You would think there would be records somewhere that Vendorlator would have kept on how many of each machine they produced.  People that worked at the plant at the time must be in their 80's or older if they are still alive.  I haven't tried contacting Vendo or the local distributor yet for info.  I did call Rick's Restorations and Ron called me back.  He said that the machine they had on tv went back to Pawn Stars and to contact them.  He had little interest that I had red machines as well.  He probably thought I wass full of B.S..  I tried Pawn Stars and no answer.  No answer to e-mails either.   They probably get bomarded with a zillion calls and e-mails.   So here I am, scratching my head.  How many red ones and why?

[mznb1u]

Welcome to the board and nice machines.  I would love to have a Pepsi 81 but with my wife's Coca Cola heritage that will never happen.

  Tim

[Kilroy]

Get one Tim, and you can keep it at my place

[Creighton]

Welcome Vendo_81!!
Wow, that is a home run for a first post :-)
Regret I know nothing of Pepsi history.
Hope those that do will chime in.
Creighton

[Slapshot42]

Welcome to the Site Greg!

Jared

[sc1101]

Nice pic. Makes me want it more.