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The one that got away.... :veryangry:

I called a guy today on Flint Michigan CL.  He had a Vendo 81B for sale.  I left voice mail for him to call me.  No call back.

It was only missing the coin box and needed a new power cord...otherwise complete.

He was asking $400, ended up selling to "Brad" for $300.

I just called him again and he said he didn't call me back because Brad was on his way over, and just bought it.  I told him he probably could have got around $2000 for it...I was bummed, but not as bummed as him.

He had no idea of the value...you win some, you lose some.  Today, we both lost.  

Here is the link, while its still there.

http://flint.craigslist.org/clt/2810302881.html

Happens to the best of us, don't let it get to you.

What makes the 81 so collectable?

        If it's any consolation to you, that was an 81D so you wouldn't be stripping some old Vendo 39 to get all those coin mech parts from.  Brad is still facing an additional $500.00 to $1000.00 to get it just back to a complete state, so he didn't get that good of a deal.

Because People will pay a lot of money for it!  :tounge:

     Style!  Same thing that makes the 57 Chevy more desireable than the rest.

I am also a little confused by their value and I own one.

There are other machines that I personally are better looking and have more unique features and I always thought that the 110 would be a better option based on capacity; however, now that I have an 81 I understand the popularity.  It is an easy sized machine to move around and it does not have a big footprint--smaller than a standard fridge.  And for parties, it has the multi-selection features which makes it a hit.

Of course, if I had one of these when I was in college, 81 beers would not have lasted to long during a Friday night card game! We would have been into those 17 beers in the pre-cool area pretty quickly!  :laugh: :happydrinkers: :biggrin:

 :drinking: Tim :drinking:

"What makes the 81 so collectable?"

Size - small footprint
Easy to move, especially if on wheels
9 visible selections, both long and short bottles
Lots of resto parts
Great looking
Refrig units last a long time
They don't make em any more

I get more positive comments on my 81B than any of my other machines. 

It is collectible due to its size and the "slant shelves".  You can vend multiple selections.  To spend $6000 on a restored Vendo 39 that only vends 8 oz Coke bottles has become a little to impractical for most people.  The Vendo 81 allows you to vend your typical beer of soda bottles.

Just my .02

ps  Here is my 81d in a hundred pieces.  I may never get around to it.  Too many projects.

With all that said I don't have one but the main reason I like my CS 96 is because I can vend any type of bottle that I want and is not very big . I have had it for a long time and did not even know what I was buying when  bought it , an electrician on the job site I was at knew I collected coca cola stuff and sold it to me . It was my first machine and I learned more from there.

Brian, does this mean it may be for sale...?

All the reasons posted above are why 81's are collectible. Another one in my opinion, not mentioned yet, is there are many 81 models out there. If there's one thing collector's like, it is collecting a group of similar items. In the case of an 81, you can collect several models 81A, 81B, and 81D Coke, 81D Pepsi, 81D 7up, 81D Dr. Pepper, 81D RC Cola, 81D Orange Crush (repro), and the 81C Coke (which I hear really does exist). What other model of soda machines can you collect in that many flavors but in the same size?

I think that is an 81B you have in pieces Brian

Hey Collecture,

You are 100% correct.  It has been in pieces for so long that I don't even remember the modal.  I should stick to cash registers, jukeboxes and Stoner Candy machines.

BC