What was your best "FREE" piece?

[pinballdude]

It's a great feeling when someone says "you can have this, just get it outta here!" Or something similar. Usually the price you really have to pay is a bad back or sore muscles, maybe a case or 2 of...? My freebie was a couple years ago. Friend owns a photography studio. I was offered a Glasco GBV50. All I had to do was get it out of a damp basement. Grabbed a friend and managed to get it up a short flight of stairs that included a 90 degree turn! Fun! My real cost? I own a Bar-B-Q restaurant so I gave him some "Q" for his trouble. And a greatful "Thanks!" Anyone have a similar story about their "Freebie"?
Terry

[Philip S]

I once picked up a Dixie Narco 501 for free.  It was free if you hauled it off the site which was in a hotel.  I think it weighed about 500lbs, heaviest machine I've ever lifted.  Then it sat in my garage for some time as I didn't need a machine that size.  I traded it for a smaller/older Pepsi can machine and $200 cash. I was pretty happy with getting a nice can machine and $200 for a little back pain.

[HowDueYouDue]

Guess for me if you are saying free and not received as a gift, it's this neon sign I found in the garbage not too far from my house

[Jared]

same story as phillip we were demoing a building and there was a dixie 501 in the basement.they said its yours .runs and vends great.

[MaineT]

Great thread!

I chased this ideal 55 embossed hires that was supposed to be in decent original. The first discussion said it was in decent original condition... 6 months later and a ton of emails, it had been hit by a skidder and dragged 200ft.

I still took it because it was free!!

[kbareit]

I was repairing a walk in beer cooler and spotted a Vendo H-90 and asked about it and was told to just get it out of his basement.

[mznb1u]

Great thread!

I chased this ideal 55 embossed hires that was supposed to be in decent original. The first discussion said it was in decent original condition... 6 months later and a ton of emails, it had been hit by a skidder and dragged 200ft.

I still took it because it was free!!

That doesn't look bad.  I am sure you could just wheel that out and it would look like new!

  Tim

[MaineT]

That doesn't look bad.  I am sure you could just wheel that out and it would look like new!

  Tim

Just patina, right!!!   
 It's way past patina!

[Kilroy]

When I picked up my first Soda machine a V39. the seller  handed me a Coke Acton Cooler. Still waiting to be restored

[kbareit]

Just patina, right!!!   
 It's way past patina!

A little Flitz on the stainless and it'll shine like new. 

[vintage-air]

I picked up a 7up transitional machine and when i removed the coin door bezel, i found around $75 worth of silver dimes! Not bad when the machine cost me only $250.

[Swachtelncc]

Vintage air,  nice find in the mercury head dimes.

[Larry]

A neighbor, where I grew up, gave me a N.O.S. Nut Hut still in the original sealed box.  He apparently would sell these as a side job back in the seventies.  Then a few years later he gave me another one to give to my folks.  I use mine and my folks used theirs once.  Then they gave it to me.  Moms allergic to nuts.  There's was washed out and sits in a box.  I'll probably give one to each of my kids when they move out.  I usually keep mine out but after I use it or months after when I say "Oh yeah, I should really do this" I will take it all apart wash out the salt in the bottom and wax it.

When my neighbor brought me my folks machine, I asked him if he had any junkers so I can have spare parts.  He brought me two that I gutted.  I noticed that the bottom sides were all rotted by the salt.  So that's why I wash them out.  

[cohammer]

Went by an old friend of my dads . He was the last coca cola sign painter in north Ga. I looked at his collection and when I was leaving he pulled a 1967 coke sign out of a box and gave it to me. Still had the paper on it .

[ClassicCokeLover]

I picked up a 7up transitional machine and when i removed the coin door bezel, i found around $75 worth of silver dimes! Not bad when the machine cost me only $250.

I remember as a kid always getting Mercury Head dimes in change. Haven't seen one in circulation for years. They always had a distinct sound when dropped on the counter.
Nice find!!!

[MoonDawg]

       I would have expected a machine that stole that many dimes, would have been pretty kicked in. 

[flippa]

How did I miss this thread?

This was my best free piece.    It definitely helped to turn me into a more serious collector.

http://soda-machines.com/discussions/index.php/topic,5593.0/all.html

[Eric]

What happened with that?.. Did you sell it? or keep it.. man that was a great find

[SIGNGUY]

Yeah what happened to it...

I was just re-reading that again and even though it was 2006 I was getting excited all over again for ya.. 

would love to hear how it ended up?

[flippa]

I still have it.  I cleaned it up and planned on hanging it in my new office.  I still need to complete the finish work in here, so installing it is still on the "things to do" list.  Funny how long things can get pushed off between being busy with work and after having kids. 

I can't believe it has been almost 8 years.  In hind site, I should have tried to trade it for a RC Vendo 81 back when I first found it.

I have thought about selling it a few times over the years, but it is just too cool to let go.  I know that I will never find another one at that price, and unless I hit the lottery for a large sum of money, would never buy one. 

My kids can fight over my stuff after I am gone. 

[Funtronics]

Mine is a Coke Ideal 55 complete.

[sodaman]

I was given (by a very close friend) a Vendo coin changer!!