Moving up from Lurker to Newbie

[BrianS]

Been looking through this board for quite a while as a guest.  Finally had to register to join in the fun. I have started looking in earnest for a coke machine to add to the REc room and you guys are a very interesting and informative group.  After reading through past posts
I am hooked on Craigslist as a source for that rare diamond in the rough.  Nothing so far, but there is an interesting, although huge, Bevco currently available locally.

http://columbiamo.craigslist.org/clt/1226223740.html

Think I'll keep looking for something a bit smaller.

[Creighton]

Welcome to the board and something smaller will be of more value.
Creighton

[Ginger Prince]

welcome to the board from across the pond

these guys will sort you out with a machine

and then you will be looking for the next....

GP in England

[Kilroy]

The bevco could be the start of a nice  bar.
and welcome.

[Pat Pixley]

Welcome to the Board  .

  And Creighton is right smaller is better something like a V63  or V56
or a Cav64 & even a Cav80  all four are great machines for people getting it the hobby,
These are easy to work on  and part are available from the Vendors or from
the members here at this site.

Or even a nice 55 Slider with rack and in working order  .
Pat

[BrianB]

Welcome to SMC, great to have you around. Do you have any pic's of your rec room? We love pictures around here! 

[Kilroy]

Ans some pics of your Rockola...

[BrianS]

Well thanks for the welcome guys.  I am definately looking for a smaller machine.  I have four young boys, so my rec room is not truly my own yet, but I have been thinking about adding a machine for years.  I saw a post about a Nostalgic Restorations auction in Springfield Mo back in April.  I went to an auction in Springfield about 20 years ago - lots of jukeboxes, coke machines, pedal cars, slot machines, and oddly enough an 8' re-creation of a bigfootlike creature that came out of some defunct museum in the Ozarks.  A great assortment of stuff.  Anyway, my roomate who went with me bought a Cavalier C-51 that he still has in his basement and I have regretted not buying one ever since.  Time to change that.  The rec room is not too much to see yet.  I did just acquire a complete set of vintage barrell furniture from the early 70s.  Not something you see every day.  I can pull up some pics of the Rockola.  It has been a great machine.  It is all original and I have had it for over 20 years.  In fact I didn't buy the C-51 because I just got the Rockola.  Told my roommate it was his turn.   The only lower res pic that I have is the one for my Avatar, but I am glad to share it.  I will take a couple more and some of my Williams Pinch Hitter game also if you like pics.  Hopefully soon I can share one of my new Coke machine as well.

[coke_and_stuff]

Welcome to the board, Ive got a Cavalier 96 Roundtop for sale. I could deliver it to the Springfield, MO area if interested.

coke_and_stuff@yahoo.com

Joey

[vendo39]

Welcome to the board.  I'm in Kansas City if you ever need help with anything you find over here. 

I also know of a collector in Topeka that is slowly selling off his collection if you are interested. 

And I know a of a good restoration shop close to you if ever need.

[loman4ec]

Welcome to the site. That is a beautiful Jukebox! Joey's offer may be a good choice. Since you are new to Coke Machines you can trust that Joey will not sell you junk and he will stand behind the sale. Joey is a good guy and a Cav 96 is a good machine. A little tall but they are good sturdy machines. I have had three or four and they are good machines. Much better than the Cav 51 your friend has. The Cav 96 has 12 selections and will vend any size bottle that you want. You can vend Beer bottles, water bottles, IBC Root Beer and just about anything in a bottle you can imagine. Well welcome to the site and we all hoe you stick around.

[BrianS]

Man, you guys make this way too easy.  Thanks to Joey, Brian, and Loman for the info and the offers.  For now, half the fun of getting an old machine is the hunt for it.  If I just went out and bought one the thrill of the chase would be over.  Not to say that the frustration of the chase may not make me change my mind on down the road, but for the time being I am going to look around a bit. 

Brian, I actually lived in KC for about 13 years.  Small world.  Still work for a company out of Lenexa, but I live in Jefferson City now.  Bought my Rockola from a guy who owed an Italian restaraunt down on the Plaza.  Thanks for the info on the Topeka connection.  I will keep that in mind.  I like to work on the old stuff but the kids take up most of my spare time right now so I would like to find something decent and working.  Does not need to be fully restored, but something I can use now and possibly improve on into the future.  Based on the comments and reputations a lot of you obviously have, I would certainly have a high comfort level acquiring a machine through this board! 

[bubba]

The thrill of the hunt never ends... Once you get one machine, you will still have to hunt for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc.... Soda machines get very lonely if you only have one..

[RC kid]

Just keep looking in the Craigslist, and elsewhere, a nice machine will turn up.

Welcome aboard.

[BrianS]

Thanks Bubba.  I'll keep looking for the first one to start.  Based on a couple comments from my better half, if the second third and fourth follow too soon, the coke machines may not be lonely, but I might be!

[mznb1u]

Brian,

Welcome to the group!  Great Juke Box you have there.  I love the looks of that vintage Rockola.

You certainly have to keep the War Department happy; but, remind her that you are not in the bar, betting on the horses or chasing loose women (at least as far as she knows) !  You have stumbled onto a great hobby and a great group of guys who are always willing to help and share their knowledge.

Bubba is right--the thrill of the chase is the best part of this hobby!  I started about 16 months ago and have averaged some sort of coin operated or related item per month.  Such as:

Cavalier USS-8-64 Coke with beautiful wood grain!
Vendo 39 early model
Stoner 180 with Gum Wheel no Fresh Candy
American Penny/Fortune Scale
VMC 144SA Coke embossed
Heintz C2P Embossed Canada Dry--sold to another SMC member
Condom Machine--hey I have two teen-aged boys!
Stoner Junior with Gum Wheel/Fresh Candy
National 7 Pull Cigarette Machine
Big Plastic Coke Bottle Store Display Cooler
Antique Automatic Electric Wall Phone
Candyette 5 cent Candy Bar Vendor
National 9 Pull Cigarette Machine
Coke Fishtail Sign
Vintage Coca Cola Store Display Rack--got mine for $25--there is one listed for over $600 on E-bay--I think I hear Supertramp "Dreamer" in the background!
Stoner 180 no Gum Wheel/Fresh Candy
Ideal 55 Embossed Royal Crown Cola
Kelvinator FE-S-52

Oops!  Looks like I violated the one item per month rule somwhere along the line! 

Not to mention:

Appliance Dolly
Air Compressor
Soda Blaster

But I can stop anytime--REALLY!!!  Actually, so far I think my investments are outpacing the market--at least that is what I will keep telling myself!

Okay,  "Hi, my name is Tim and I am an SMC-aholic!"

  Tim

[MoonDawg]

        Then if your first machine is nicely "reconditioned", both you and the family can use it, as you seek and purchase your first "restoration project", which may take a while to complete.
        Later, you will find that so many friends will want your old/first machine, that you can sell it and start all over again ...........searching for # 3.  

[RC kid]

I found a machine I wanted nearly twenty years ago. Eventually found one I liked better. Later it was the machine in the house plus one or two more out in the garage. Selling the machines I didn't have a use for, but only buying machines that I wouldn't mind keeping for years on end. By doing this I now have my dream machine along with a few others that I actually use and abuse.

I average one machine purchase every three to five months and there are machines out there that if and when I find one close enough, I will stop everything in order to go get it. A vendo 44 for example, I still don't have one.

I am also in the process of stocking up on parts. I figure I may need to have something to do when I retire.

Anyway, enough with the babbling, I recommend you get yourself a nice round top machine that compliments the beauty of your Juke Box. Then later your can look for something to use in the garage or out on the patio.

I use Vendo-39 in the garage and a Junior on the Patio. Both are plentiful as well as inexpensive. My prize machine (a Royal Crown Vendo-110) is in the house on display. I use it only occasionally in order to ensure it continues to work and I never use it for parties for fear of it getting all scuffed up.

Good luck and happy hunting.