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davethebirdman
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« on: January 24, 2007, 03:47:03 pm » |
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Okay... it wasn't this week but a couple of weeks ago.
A shop on the area I work was being renovated. It was an old sweet shop originally but had been left to fall into a state of complete disrepair. It was in a row of shops (remember we are quaint so a row of shops ain't like a strip you guys are used to) and to be honest I'd never noticed it. Then one day driving past I looked over and saw a old fruit gum vending machine stuck to the outside of the wall. How the hell had I missed that.
Well I stopped and had a closer look. It was in a sorry state and had lots of penatrating rust with a few holes on it. It had faded over the years but still salvageable.
It had been abandoned years ago.
Now I had a dilemma. There it was looking at me. Nobody wanted it. Let all alone. But I'm in uniform. I can't just take a crow bar out the boot and jemmy it off the wall. So I make some enquires and they all draw a blank. Nobody had seen the builders for months and months. Not sure even if they are coming back. So I leave it.
I'm going past the other day and decide to have a look around the back of the shop. To my suprise there the owner is. I ask him if he wants the machine out the front. He takes one look at my uniform then looks at his work force all made up of probably illegal immigrants and say "its mine." He even takes it off the wall for me.
I shake his hand and off I go with my new toy. Not a penny. I strip it down. y father who was runnnig out of projects re-sprays and fills it and I got it back from my man up the road who did the graphics for me. All told it has set me back £25.00.
It has not been used since we went from old English money to new money in 1971. Has probably been there since the 1950's. Te area it was in has the highest crime rate in the country and yet it has mmanaged to withstand it all.
Not as exciting as a RC 81 but in its own little way my favourite little treasure. The first item I own that I actually know where it worked.
Dave
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collecture
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« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2007, 03:58:56 pm » |
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Very cool Dave and also very unique!
Congratulations on your own personal find!
Can you still get Rowntree's Fruit? I've never heard of them.
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Cav 27, 33, CS-55E-2, 72
S-48 DP
Ideal CC 35, Barq's 55
1930s DP Counter Cooler
Vendo Coin Changers (ea. style - orig w/ stand)
Vendo Junior (rest.), 23 Deluxe, 39D, 44, 56RT, 80SS, 81A (orig), 81D, 6 C.V.
VMC 27, 27A, 81D DP, 110 DP
Westy WC-42-T, WC-44SK, WD-5(2), WB60
Victor C-14
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MCarter
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« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2007, 04:59:08 pm » |
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Very nice Dave !! Great Job!
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Matt
RC VMC - 81 Orignal
Vendo V-56 Two Tone Round Top ~~ Currently in use
Seeburg 100 G Jukebox ~~ Restored
Minit Pop Popcorn Machine ~~ Restored
Cavalier 55-D ~~ Restored
Rockola 1426 ~~ Orignal--- For Sale
Chicago Coin Band Box ~~~ Restored
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Kilroy
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« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2007, 05:44:03 pm » |
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A great story, and a great find.
It looks great Dave
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"Restored they go for $6-7,000!!"
Member : Michigan Mafia
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Creighton
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« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2007, 06:34:22 pm » |
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Dave,
Excellent story and find!! I hadn't seen the word pastilles before.
Rowntree Pastilles
Creighton
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aspbear1
Guest
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« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2007, 06:53:27 pm » |
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Great find, great story and a very nice looking finsihed product. That is what is nice about this site....I am surprised those 80 MPH winds did not blow it off the wall for you...
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johnieG
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« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2007, 06:55:32 pm » |
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An excellent job Dave! well done, I guess it's in my blood, but as a young boy growing up in Detroits east side, & in the course or wandering the back alleys with my gang of little holdems, it never ceased to amaze me , even then what some people consider "trash" & worthless, maybe it's just the nostalgia of it all, but when I see something be it a vending machine, a childs toy, or an old automobile thats been restored, it does my heart good, knowing that some parts of the past are "new" again & presented to the current day. what 's old will be new again! (a loose paraphrase)
My Grandfather on my mothers side owed a candysweets store that survived the great depression, and Rowntrees where part of his penny candy's ( I only know them from the old black & white photo's of his store)
again great job!
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Spoon-feeding Newbies since 2001...  Yeah..220,221 whatever it takes. Remember, all it needs is a shot of Freon! The Vendo V-83 is the '59 Edsel of the coke machine world. ;p Spray painting does NOT restore a compressor 11 is louder than 10... "Hope" is good, but it's not an action plan. |
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Ltransam
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« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2007, 10:24:57 pm » |
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Dave ,
Great Find !!  '>
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Glascock Counter Top
VMC 81 7Up
Vendo-110-81D-V-56 V-23
Jacobs Pepsi-56
Stoner Cookie &5 Pull Pastry& 180 Candy
Kelvinator FS-51(Canada)
Cavalier's C-55-E-C-55-D
Selmix Sprite
Selmix Pepsi on Draugh
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collecture
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« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2007, 11:24:51 pm » |
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QUOTE And you kept this a secret from us for a few weeks?
I think he did take a crow bar to it while in uniform and he was waiting to see if he got caught before he fessed up.
P.S. I guess the wife is not complaining about a free one - huh Dave!
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Cav 27, 33, CS-55E-2, 72
S-48 DP
Ideal CC 35, Barq's 55
1930s DP Counter Cooler
Vendo Coin Changers (ea. style - orig w/ stand)
Vendo Junior (rest.), 23 Deluxe, 39D, 44, 56RT, 80SS, 81A (orig), 81D, 6 C.V.
VMC 27, 27A, 81D DP, 110 DP
Westy WC-42-T, WC-44SK, WD-5(2), WB60
Victor C-14
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