SMC Discussion Areas

We found a VMC81 7-Up at a plant nursery in our area. It appears to be original and complete, but beat up and should be restored. The owner knows it's rare. We want to make him a fair offer but we know prices are soft. What would you guys offer?

wheres the machine located? any photos we could see?

Machine is in So Cal - Orange County. Guy says he was offered much more money but would let it go for $8K. I passed.

There are currently two 7UP VMC-81's on eBay - both are BIN priced less than $8k.

It's hard to  guesstimate without seeing pics, Rust, missing parts,  dents,  all factor in.
The 7Up vmc is rare, but not 8k unrestored rare

This quote in itself says a lot.

I turned down $3500 for mine unrestored missing the cooling unit. But 8k is too high maybe somewhere around 4-5k.

Show him the ebay auction going on right now.. a guy is restoring one and is going to sell it for 5995.00 restored, or at least painted if you look at his other work,, not quite "restored" in my book...

I paid 3k for my unrestored beat up one 6 months ago... but it was complete but painted solid red.. needs total restoration.

Give him an offer of 3500-4000 whater your comfortable with, leave him that offer and your number and he'll call when he wants the money..

Good luck

6k for a restored one? Ask to see pics of the restoration process meaning the body work. Doubt he will show those or even has them, these have been faked and unless you got pictures of the original 7 up embossing, then its probably a chopped up vendo 81. Just something to watch out for.

That is why I put the words "restored" in Parenthesis.... meaning Watch out.. I have looked at his other "restored" machines and they are just paint jobs , so yes I was using that term litely...

The machine does seem to be a real one, as he does have photos of it.. but I would be leary too of the quality..

Just for reference, here is a 7up machine that looked really nice at the rich penn auction last November. It was lot #390 and sold for $5900. That was the realized price. I'm assuming that means with buyers premium. Hope that helps.

JB

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/bondovian/0320.jpg)

The machine that is pictured above is in my shop as we speak, I'm restoreing it for the owner who bought it.. Yes as is , looks nice, decent outside paint job, but that is where it stopped, insides where spray bombed, bottle stack had spray paint all over it, original breaker strips where still on machine and all broken up, coin mech not restored, inside coin door all bondoed up and poor paint job, and insulation was missing on over 1/2 of the inside cabinet when I took the liner out.. Very poor job which is too bad as I know who "restored" it originally as it had their sticker on the inside door.. thought they did better work? 
Oh well, the machine is being properly restored, completely torn down, all bondo removed and areas fixed, new Two Tone Paint Scheme, coin mech restored, powdercoated, zinc plated and rechromed all normal parts in a restoration... machine is coming out awesome! 

$5900 for a machine with an incorrect bottle door ???  ( notice the "Ice Cold" medallion that someone took liberty's  within the middle of the bottle door) all the other VMC 81's I've seen in other brands such as Pepsi, RC Cola. & even 7up have had a bare cross-bar in the bottle door, "Ice Cold" is particular to original Coca Cola machines only.  this oversight would make me question the machines correctness let alone it's authenticity. It's like hanging a Mack bull dog on the hood of a Corvette.

( Yes I'm being picky, but when you pay good money for a "restored machine" it should be done correctly)  so there's my two cent's in regards to the auction...not to the prior post mind you.  :smile:

Glad it's in good hands for it's Re-restoration! so what's the inside of the main door look like SignGuy? inquiring minds need to know..

I asked the person who originally did the machine,(that John signguy mentioned he saw the sticker). I told him I was surprised at the quality of the restoration. He stated that the machine was redoneabout 17 years ago the owner only wanted the outside done.  He said it was very common back then to just paint the exterior of the machines. That most people then didn't really want to spend the money redoing the inside of the machine since it was only visible when restocking. I remember buying a few machines like that 20 years ago.

The machine IS an authentic VMC 7up 81 no doubt.. and as Diego stated, it was just a quick, down and dirty make it look nice from 5 feet away, restoration.. which it was... it's just too bad that the auction that it was recently purchased in, Claimed the machine to be "Meticulously" restored by Larry Smiley from Iowa? it was not restored by Larry and it was not Meticulous.. the guy who bought it is ok with his purchase and is even more happy that I'm redoing it properly for him.. It's a Beautiful machine now.. and should be done soon...

John I must say, I have seen your restorations and in my opinion they are complete and meticulously restored machines. Your attention to detail and pride in your work is very evident. outstanding workmanship

Yep, looks like it's real! thanks for sharing the inside door pick, so is the "Ice Cold" a medallion or is it lettered on the bottle door? & is it going to be kept or restored as stock? ( the bottle door in regards to the center medallion)

The VMC 81 bottle doors are solid in the middle, unlike the Vendo 81's where they are cut out and the "Have a Coke" Medallion was inserted, Green with Gold lettering for 81a, Clear or frosted with gold lettering for 81b,d.

This one just had some vinyl lettering in that area, which was removed for restoration and on the newly painted solid Green Bottle door a matching 7up vinyl decal will be placed that matches the rest of the logos used on the machine.  I do the same for Pepsi machines.

Photos of the restoration and progress of this machine can be viewed on my site at www.popmachineshop.com .. click on recent restorations / VMC 7up 81

Thanks
John

         Was the customer aware of this machine's condition at bidding time John,
or was he an internet buyer?

where'd you get the decals for the VMC 81 7UP?

No, he went on the description from the auction house and the photos, which there where 3 and nothing showed the problem areas very clear...
He was an internet bidder...