THOUSANDS of Dollars in Recovered 'Junk' - American Pickers (S12)

Hello, hey, no, god dang. I can spot that truck a mile away. You see that satellite Hi, I'm John Dude this reminds me of so many places that I kind of grew up around in Iowa. Well, this is an old farm place I mean, it's been your family since like 1946. So what generation are you with it? Be about the third generation. No kidding So who was the last one in your family to live on this property? My uncle he he was a World War two I think 2013. He was nine years and six months when he really I thank my uncle. He was my mentor He didn't start collecting engines till he was in his mid-sixties I'd bring him back for him to look at and work on and get running. He just he loved it He didn't care where they was here. This is my they were our engine. My dad's 94. He was mechanic in Korean War But yes, both of mechanics. So did those guys work for themselves? Did they have their own shop or where they they had their shop? Martin Brothers, that's right. That's cool I grew up picking places like this guys Just like his uncle that were mentors of mine, even if it was for a short time I mean basically they lived in their own little world in the center of their collection really frozen in time and those are people and places that I'll never forget and The greatest gift that any of us have ever been given is more time We're all living longer and what are collectors doing we're coveting more we're collecting more We're searching for more and we're learning more and we're passing that on to younger people open sound horn You remember where that came out? I was out here when your uncle was here. It might have been my uncle's sign I didn't know it was in there anything that's connected to Petroleum It's a service stations the body shops All of this stuff is hot this would have been like and they would have pulled the door up to let you in You know, especially in the winter time. No, we're just keeping the door open So the sound the horn sign is cool because it's hand-painted. It's older. I'm thinking like 75 It's one-sided and it's peeling pretty bad. But obviously it's for some sort of service. Absolutely service garage 8580 Good all right. I like the way you work. You got the windmill to this or you just got the tail fin. Oh the F Ronstadt that was part of the Linda Ronstadt family. It came out of Linda Ronstadt. Yeah. Yeah This is from her property. She's from her stuff. That was from no That was when they were using it that was you know, we're talking 19 5 19 10 Linda Ronstadt's from Tucson Yes, she's from that area out there. Absolutely. Maybe she wants it This obviously started out life as a tail fin of a windmill But its application in the future is probably something decorative, you know Like hanging this on the hallway wall Directional looking down. I've done that with a wooden tail fin before. It's very cool The advertising is interesting the fact that it could be Linda Ronstadt's family takes it to the next level That means a lot to me Mike. Okay, it is the Ronstadt family. I'm thinking 300 Samson that's if that's the windmill brand dad. I think it is 250 Yeah, you holding tight I am I really like it I mean, all right, I like it too It's really hard for me and the scrappers around here that they don't like when I see me at auction They're like they just cringe they come to me and they're like Jim. Are you yeah I mean that Model T that engine that you're not taking to the scrapyard. I'm gonna save it I can't and I will he's it's got a steam engine in here Mike. There is where here. Let me show you There's a lot of things that are laying around this property that are collectible now But back in the day when they were here originally they were just utilitarian That's how long these people have been on this property. This is a generational property. It is a rare Opportunity for us to even be in a situation like this Which one right here, that's a little craters pop. Yeah, you grab one and I'll grab this one You grab that I can this little model hit and miss engine is Exactly, like all the other hit miss engines that are on this property It's an internal combustion motor, but it's made in miniature that one runs. We had it running out long ago. You did Yes, it will run. So is that like a kit somebody built? I want to say it is a lot of the gas engine magazines You can yeah gas engine magazine. You can buy a little kid, but like from what time period well Well, here's the thing Mike you see these screws Allen head screws. Okay, so that came out like I would probably 50s. This is cool. But what do you think this is? It's a steam gauge Tester you put a gauge on it and you test it with it or a tractor You put a gauge up here. Yes, and then you would like pressurize. Yeah, but it tested steam gauges. I do know that It's very interesting because the way it's constructed its tests gauges for steam equipment So you would know that your gauge was accurate It said the right pressure because if it did your steam engine could blow up. Oh, yeah now the creators man This thing is cool. That is real. Yeah I mean, I love the way they did the connecting rod is all tapered. It's got the bronze fittings on here It's got the label on your creators company number of it, right? Yeah, it's a good number to the 7-7-1-1 I mean good gambling numbers It's a small piece of steam equipment that would be on top of a popcorn machine It brings you back to like an old carnival or you're on the boardwalk in Atlantic City And you could smell the popcorn and you could smell the roasted peanuts. I mean the critters is the best part Oh, yeah for sure that engine is worth around $1,300 Yeah, I agree with you. Okay, that's a good retail number on that. What's that one worth this thing? I'm thinking 350 I think you're close. You're kind of thinking like all three pieces retail 1,900 maybe two grand. Yes. All right. I tell you what, how about 1,500 bucks for all three of them? 1,550 The struggle was real Mike Come here look at this little scooter I got here. I'm not even sure what it is. You probably know a little bit more about it Yeah, it's a moto scoot. Okay, you know, here's the front fender to it. Oh, really you have a fork to it Actually, if I do it, it's gonna be this stuff came together. It might be and I don't know Oh this whole pile came together Yes The last time I saw one of these moto scoots Frankie and I were picking a guy named Joe Rainbow and he bought one of these scooters from him a moto scoot scooter That's cool, what's a tank look like Mike fresh as the day was made It's pretty clean. Don't want to be ever seen scooter guys get into one type of scooter Then they get into another and another and another because you know Like like the way you look at the history of the hit-and-miss engine or I look at the history of the motorcycle Well, the scooter guys doing the same thing. He's looking at the history of the scooter And what's great about the moto scoot is that it's just so airflow. It's very art deco I mean even look at the front there. Oh, I know that's all her name line. Yeah from 1937 to 1947 the American moto scoot was made in Chicago, Illinois There was obviously a lot of manufacturing in Chicago Excelsior was there super X was there Agnes Schwinn was there? I mean Chicago was a two-wheeled town what people love about the American moto scoot though is how rare they are I mean every once in a while you'll find a frame or a set of wheels or maybe a body part There was this it was delivered. What's this? That's it, ain't it? What's this that looks like it's it this would have to sit in here. Yeah. Oh, yeah this thing is Almost intact, but what's there the bones of what's there is the beauty of the scoot itself The frame the way it swoops down that really interesting front fork that skirted fender like a little Indian fender and then that art deco Airflow piece that just sit on top of it the body that goes back. I like this here this cooling these cooling Yeah, that's pretty cool. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah for sure. It's just so cool There's a lot of guys out there that collect scooters But there's another breed of collector that all they collect are American made scooters. All right, you ready? 300 That was fast you got a deal. Thanks, man. Hey, well, here's you you know more about I do I love this Yeah, I know I thought you're passionate about it But I want to buy it at a price where I can sell it to a guy For a reasonable price too because he's gonna be the one that's gonna restore it and you know that that's when the money comes Oh, I get what I mean. I have no doubt that the stuff I let go of today There's gonna be another collector that's gonna want it. That's gonna appreciate it I've got a lot of stuff. So, you know, I I'm okay with letting some of it go right now John find any more moto scoop parts. Call me You guys I think this is gonna be a friendship for life. It's gonna be good the next time I'm in this part of the country. I'm gonna give Jim a call We're gonna go to the hit miss engine meet and that that's the best part about picking I mean you could meet people we both have the same interests and that's really cool