♪♪
mike: So what's up, man?
You seem stressed out today.
Mefford: Oh I'm constantly under stress.
I mean, my energy level is just kind of down in the dumps and
I'm just like, it's just- it's almost like I have man-o-pause!
I've got hot flashes, I can't sleep at night,
I got sweats-
mike: Okay, well here- there is a medical term for it.
Mefford: What is it?
Mike: Andropause.
What you have is andropause.
So what other symptoms are you having?
Mefford: I'm reading more home decorator magazines.
I'm baking a lot more.
And I'm doing yoga.
Mike: I do all that.
Mefford: You do?
Mike: If the worst of it all is you're reading
home & garden magazine, and you're baking?
That is a good thing.
Mefford: That is.
Mike: Now you start watching beaches?
Come talk to me then.
Mefford: Okay.
Thanks for talking to me about this.
Mike: That's what us younger guys are here for.
Mefford: Yeah.
Mike: You know, to keep you old guys lifted up, man.
Mefford: ...Lifted up.
♪♪
[phone ringing]
mike: Dani d, what's up?
Danielle: It's so cool, I've got my 2 favorite mikes
on the road right now.
Mike: We're almost to the car pick,
what's going on?
Danielle: Mefford, you're going to freak out at this pick.
They've got some really cool cars there.
Mefford: God, I can't wait, dani!
Mike: What's the- dani, what's the best car in there?
Danielle: There's a cadillac in here that is incredible.
Mike: What is it?
Danielle: It's like a cadillac station wagon.
It's a caddy wagon.
Mefford: No way.
Mike: You know what she's talking about?
Mefford: Yeah, the only one I can think of,
it'd be like a 1956 cadillac.
Super rare. Super rare.
Wagon.
Mike: Wagon. Station wagon.
Mefford: Station wagon.
Danielle: I'm talking to April and rosalind.
So this is rosalind's husband collection.
And April grew up around it.
Mike: Thank you, we'll let you know how it goes.
Danielle: Okay, I'll let them know that you're heading over.
Be good, boys.
Mike: Bye.
♪♪
mike: When we get a call that's 99.9% automotive,
mefford's the guy that I want to bring with me.
Mefford: Boom, boom!
Mike: Mr. Appraiser; mr. Restoration;
mr. Mechanic... Extraordinaire.
Mefford: Quit it, quit it, my head's going to pop!
Quit it.
Mike: European, american, mike mefford's your man!
Mike: The guy's specializes in automobiles.
Mike: Here it is right here.
Man, look at the size of this building.
Mike: For him to actually be there to put his hands on them,
crawl underneath them.
Mike: Grab a flyer.
Mike: Get under the hood.
Mefford: Let's go.
Mike: And look them over in detail...
Is huge.
[knocks on door]
mike: Hello!
Rosalind: Hey.
Mike: Hey, you rosalind?
Rosalind: Yes I am.
Mike: Hey, I'm mike, this is my friend, mike mefford.
Mefford: Hi, I'm the other mike, how are you?
Rosalind: Hi, we- in the south we hug.
Mike: Oh okay, I like that, how're you doing?
Mike: The first person that we meet when
we walk in is rosalind.
She's beautiful, she's charming.
Mike: So did you guys build this building?
Rosalind: My husband did.
Mike: What year was that?
Rosalind: It was in the '60s.
Mike: No kidding.
So he's been collecting cars that long?
Rosalind: Oh, he started in the '50s.
Rosalind: My late husband collected cars.
Cars was all he talked about, all he thought about.
It was such a passion, I kind of caught onto it,
and it was a wonderful experience.
Rosalind: He loved the cars, I think,
as much as he loved me.
Mefford: No way.
Mike: He's our kind of guy.
Rosalind: Maybe more, maybe more.
Mike & mefford: [laughs]
mike: So can we look around a little bit?
Rosalind: Yes.
My daughter's in there on the phone with a family friend...
Mike: Okay.
Rosalind: ...That's- that's helping us price the cars.
Mike: Oh well good.
What's her name?
Rosalind: April.
Mike: Okay.
Mefford: April.
Rosalind: Ms. April!
Mike: [chuckles] whoa...
Mike: This is literally a warehouse full of cars.
Mefford: No way!
Mefford: I'm thinking this is going to be a great pick.
They had so many cool cars, you name it, anything.
Mike: April. I'm mike.
April: Hi, nice to meet you, mike, I'm April.
Mike: Nice to meet you. This is mike mefford.
Mike: April walks up to us, she's very business-like,
she's on-point.
You know, I could tell she just got off the phone with like,
an appraiser or something, she was talking about the cars,
she was talking about value.
Mike: We just met your mom, she's amazing.
Mefford: Yes.
April: Yes, she really is.
Rosalind: [laughs] oh isn't he...
Mike: She is.
I love her, she's great.
April: He's the sweet one.
Rosalind: ...Just the sweetest thing in the world.
Mike: Well thank you.
Rosalind: You're welcome.
Mike: And just walking in here, I can see that this is like a
very serious, beautiful collection.
April: We've been doing some research,
trying to figure out, you know, what the current values are.
Mike: Wow...
Mike: That is smart.
You know, there's a lot of money sitting in this room.
I mean, this was rosalind's husband's passion,
but it was also an asset.
April: You know, I'd be happy to open the doors so we can
get some light in here and you can see them.
Mefford: That would be great.
April: I have an appreciation for them.
I look at them and I think they're beautiful.
April: There we go.
Mike: Woo!
April: But enough time has gone by that we realized
it's time to start selling some of the cars now,
because we can't really take care of them like my dad did.
We don't have the knowledge my dad did.
Mike: This is one man's work, his life's work,
and what he thought was cool,
and what really resonated with him.
I mean, it's pretty amazing.
Mike: So everything, it looks like,
everything that he was buying was luxury.
Rosalind: Right.
Mike: You know, bigger cars.
Mefford: Oh here's- oh there it is, there it is.
Mike: Here's the cadillac.
Mefford: God, look at it. There it is.
Mike: A land yacht.
Rosalind: Ain't it a good looking car?
Mike: Probably one of the rarest cars in this collection is
the 1956 cadillac view master.
It's a cadillac station wagon - the caddy wagon.
Mike: This is the jayne mansfield bumper?
Mefford: That's it.
April: Only 11 of these cars survived.
12 were made, 11 survived.
Mefford: Um-hm.
April: At one time...
Mike: 12 were made, what, in '56?
April: In '56, yes.
Mike: Okay.
April: And out of the 12, my dad at one point,
had 4 in this building.
Mike: Really!
April: Yes.
Mike: This car was $12,500 in 1956.
That's a ton of cash.
This car was upper echelon, it was made for the stars.
I mean, this is hollywood, rat pack-type stuff.
Mike: So have you talked to, have you talked to you family
friend in regards to the value of this car?
April: Yes. I just got off the phone with him.
Mike: Okay.
April: And um...
The value of this car right now is about 70 to 90 thousand.
Mike: Okay.
Mefford: Well there was one that just sold about 6 months ago,
okay, and it sold for 55 thousand...
April: Oh...
Mefford: Auction setting, which is,
you know, usually builds up a little bit more hype.
Mike: What- what shape was that one in?
Mefford: That was in nice condition,
of course, you can't tell by pictures,
but it was running and driving.
Now of course, this car, I mean, how long has it been sitting,
you have to go through it, and you know,
do some mechanical repairs.
April: Right.
Mike: I've always said, you can't judge anything by an
auction price, because they're so many variables there.
But I really feel like you probably could do that
with this car just because it's so rare.
There's very few that are sold.
Mike: The ones that have been sold kind of become
the benchmark, okay, of the value.
Mefford: Really, this is the first one I've ever seen.
And it's just gorgeous.
Mike: It is.
April: Okay, well I appreciate that, guys.
Mike: We're too far apart, there's not going to be
a deal done on this car.
Mike: Yeah, man.
Rosalind: This is in better shape than I am, y'all.
Mike & mefford: [laughs]
mefford: I don't know about that, you look good, girl.
April: You're doing good.
Mike: Another thing that's happening,
is that we're the first ones in here.
And they're just kind of trying to navigate
the values of a lot of the stuff.
And they're trying to get top-dollar,
which I completely understand.
Mike: What about this '36 chevy?
Mefford: It's got a nice patina to it.
The interior looks great.
Mike: I mean, the leather work done is incredible.
You know, and it looks like there's been a
mechanical restoration done on it.
Mefford: It wasn't original paint,
but it had that good look, had a beautiful leather interior,
super cool banjo steering wheel in it.
Probably an older restoration.
But I just love that car.
Mike: What are you guys asking for this one?
April: About 60.
Mike: Okay.
Mefford: 60?
Mike: So that's 60k you're on that.
Mike: We're just...
We're just too far apart.
Mike: What about this car?
Rosalind: Well I'm not sure. Mike: Okay.
Mike: This thing looks like it's straight out of casino,
rosalind: Oh my gosh...
Looking robert deniro getting out of the back of it.
April: This one had sentimental value to my dad,
so I think I'm going to have to dig into it,
research a little bit more.
Mike: Okay.
Mike: I'm starting to realize that today's going to be kind of
a tough day, a tough day as far as like trying to do
a deal but also for them.
They're emotionally attached to a lot of this stuff,
and I understand that, I truly do.
Mike: Okay, this is...
I have interest in this.
Rosalind: I love it, love it, love it,
I'll admit...
Mike: Okay so you- that's- that was 3 love-its.
Mike: This is a chevrolet '36 woodie.
Rosalind: All it needs, mike, is a surf board on top.
Mike: Oh gosh, yeah.
Rosalind: I got him interested in the chevrolets.
And my favorite is the '36 woodie.
Rosalind: They had wood in the body,
like you'll see in the packards.
Rosalind: The wood is beautiful,
the lacquered paint is beautiful, it's a work of art.
Mike: I can see that they were like 90% done with
the restoration, 95% done with it.
Rosalind: Um-hm.
Mike: Rosalind's husband, don, wasn't an original paint guy.
He was a restoration guy.
He was collecting these cars at a time when everybody
was restoring everything.
Mike: I'm kind of a guy that's always shied away
from restorations a little bit.
I like original paint stuff and I like things that,
you know, are aged to the point where they kind of tell a story.
Rosalind: Um-hm.
Mike: I cannot tell you how many photographs I've seen
of an original paint flying merkel motorcycle,
incredible, the paint's a 9, original nickel...
And then it was restored.
You know, every car in this warehouse
is pretty much restored.
Mike: There was an auction about 2 weeks ago in chicago,
and the woodie prices were low.
Rosalind: Really?
Mike: Yeah, woodies that were bringing anywhere
from 25 to $30,000.
Used to be 75.
Rosalind: Um-hm.
Mike: Man, they have gone down, big time.
So when we're looking at this chevy woodie,
what's done is done correctly, but it's not done.
Mike: Collecting anything is always subject to trend
and obviously the economy.
Rosalind: That is true.
Mike: Times have definitely changed.
Right now, the ford woodies, the '30s stuff,
late '30s, mid-'30s, that's the hot ticket,
as far as I'm concerned.
Mike: But the chevy woodie is something I'm really
excited about here, something that I would love to buy.
Mike: I have interest in this.
Can you call that guy, see what he's-
see what's thinking on that one?
April: I certainly can... Yes.
I will give marc a call.
Mike: Every time we look at a car,
there's a lot of boxes that have to be checked.
First thing, is do they have an emotional attachment to it,
do they even want to sell it?
Second part of it is, we start going through the car,
what's correct, what's not, um how-
how good is the restoration done.
April: Hey marc, it's April, how are ya?
Marc (on phone): Hey April.
Mike: And the final thing is making sure that April
and her guy are happy with the number.
Mike: There's a lot of moving pieces that are happening.
April: We're looking at the 1936 chevrolet woodie right now.
Do you have photos of this one?
April: What are your impressions of the car?
April: Okay.
Mike: Yeah, I understand what you're saying.
So you're saying based on the cost of like,
even buying the wood to restore the car.
Mike: That would be a big number.
April: Marc tuwiner is a family friend and fortunately
very active in the car community.
And he has just been a huge blessing.
Mike: You know, I hate to walk away from this chevy woodie,
but you know, we just can't get together on it,
this was another one of those we just can't get together on.
Mike: We appreciate your input.
Nobody wants to buy anything or sell anything unless they
both agree on it and feel good about it.
Mike: For us to buy something, I mean,
there's going to have to be a little bit of money
left on the table.
Not a ton...
But enough to make it worthwhile.
Rosalind: A wonderful truck!
Mike: Can we look at the black truck?
Rosalind: Oh yeah, yeah, of course.
Mefford: Okay, come on over. Mike: What is it, a '64?
Mefford: That is a '64.
Mike: The black chevy pickup.
1964, 283 v-8, original paint, automatic,
wolverine pup camper on the back looks like
it's been on it since day 1.
And the more I look, the more I like it.
Mike: Unbelievable!
Mefford: Look at it, factory automatic car.
Look at the engine...
Rosalind: A wonderful truck!
Mefford: ...That's original paint...
Mike: [laughs]
mefford: What?
Mike: She said it's a wonderful truck, mike.
Mefford: Oh it is wonderful.
Mike: This is really the first vehicle that we're looking at,
that they're trying to sell us!
Mefford: Look it, original radiator shroud is still on it.
Mefford: I look down at the radiator,
which you never ever see, because they don't last,
is the original fiberglass shroud around the fan.
And I know this car is original.
Mefford: Just incredible.
Mike: The camper and the truck are in immaculate condition.
I can see her father baby this truck.
Mefford: It's got a heater...
Rosalind: Yes, and a windshield wiper.
Mefford: Um-hm.
Mike: [laughs] mefford: This is incredible.
Mike: Got the original seat in it, mike.
Mefford: Hey, you could pull it up,
see if you can get the seat cover up.
This looks, no that's original.
Mike: Climb inside of it, original interior,
the dash is perfect, it's like kind of a champagne color.
The condition of this vehicle really speaks for itself.
Mefford: Look at the condition of the glove box.
It's absolutely perfect.
Mefford: The paper cardboard glove box,
and that's what they were made out of at that time,
is pristine.
Mefford: Ashtray, mike, it's never been used.
There's not even anything in it whatsoever.
Mefford: In 1964, a large part of the population smoked.
So to have an ashtray that's
never been used, unbelievable!
Mefford: Incredible, the corners on the cab are rust-free.
It's absolutely perfect.
Mike: It's almost impossible to find a truck in this condition,
because when people drove them, when they ordered them new,
I mean, these were work horses, man,
they were meant to be used.
This truck was not used in any way other
than just because pampered.
Mefford: I'm just amazed at the condition.
Look at the driver's seat right here.
Mike: I mean, this thing is cuh-lean!
Rosalind: I used it to store things.
April: She loves to decorate, loves throw pillows.
Rosalind: I do. I do.
Mike: Oh yeah, yeah, you did.
Rosalind: [chuckles]
mike: Wow, this is like the bedding department.
[group laughing]
mike: It's so full of pillows and junk,
that you really can't see exactly what it is.
You know, but what I can see, the ceiling,
and the cabinetry, you know, it's all wood.
And the wood is in beautiful condition.
Mike: Look at this.
I mean, it's just- this is just me.
Watch.
Mefford: That's- mike: That's a dog bed.
Rosalind: It is- that's what it-
April: Yeah.
Mefford: That's- that's a beautiful dog bed.
Mike: That's a puppy bed.
Rosalind: Well that goes on a camel.
Mike: That's a puppy bed.
Mefford: So this was a camel's blanket?
Rosalind: Yeah, this...
April: It was on, it was like a saddle for a camel, or like a...
It's a persian....
Mike: Oh really?
Mefford: Oh that's...
Yeah, look at the tassels coming off of it.
Rosalind: Yes.
Rosalind: And all the beads and all the work...
April: I believe it's from turkey.
Rosalind: Yeah, from turkey.
Mefford: We're interested in this one.
April: Okay.
Mike: Can you call that guy and see what
he's thinking on that one?
April: I certainly can... Yes.
I will give marc a call.
Mefford: Now this thing's cool.
Mike: We're checking off all the boxes - no emotional attachment,
mefford's giving the double thumbs up on it,
and now, we're just trying to figure out the price.
April: Hey marc, sorry to keep bugging you...
But we are calling you about the camper, um...
April: Yes, yes.
April: So what are you thinking price-wise for this?
April: Okay.
Great, well thank you so much for the information.
April: Okay, appreciate it.
Mike: This truck is really clean,
um there are some areas that have been touched up on it.
The only thing that I disagree with him on it,
is like, he's thinking 25, I'm thinking like, 20.
Here's what has to happen to it - the fuel lines do have to go
through, the brakes have to be gone through,
the gas tank.
It definitely needs new tires, I can see that.
I mean, all I'm saying is to get it road-worthy to where
that number he's talking can be realized,
all that stuff has to be done.
Rosalind: Um-hm.
Mike: I mean, I'd be a player on it for like um...
Like 15 grand.
Rosalind: Oh darlin', I'd love to,
but I think it's a little low.
Mike: Yeah.
Rosalind: Even the little wolverine pup,
I love that little pup.
Mike: [laughs]
rosalind: Mike, how about 19?
Mefford: Umph...
Mike: Yeah...
Mefford: No...
Mike: It's just...
Mefford: 'cause mike, you're looking at probably 3,000 bucks,
by the time we get done with tires,
brake lines, wheel cylinder, master...
April: Yeah and shipping.
Mefford: ...Then we got shipping also,
and the shipping...
Mike: 16,000, rosalind.
Rosalind: 16,5.
And I'll throw in the pillows.
[group laughing]
mike: Mefford is going to have to fully go
through this vehicle mechanically.
It's been sitting for a number of years.
We're not going to hear it run before we buy it.
So we're going to buy this thing and hope that we don't
have any issues after we get it back to the shop.
Mike: 16,000...
300...
And you throw in the fancy dog bed.
Rosalind: [laughs] April: I would say sold.
[group laughing]
rosalind: Okay, okay.
Mefford: Uh-oh... Okay?
Are you okay, you're going to smile when you say it?
Thank you.
Mike: Hey thank you.
Mefford: I can't wait to work on it.
I really can't.
It's going to be great.
Rosalind: I know, because you don't have to do that much.
April: Thank you.
Mike: Hey, I love it. Thank you for working with me.
Mike: Black cats, roman candles,
mike: There you go, whoa look at this.
Mefford: God, look at that.
The old park bench.
Mefford: Mike and I are down in florida.
Mike: Alright, let me try it out here.
Mefford: Picking with rosalind and April.
Mike: Ahh yeah...
Mefford: I've been jonesing to get upstairs.
I mean, you can see it the whole time I'm down in the shop,
I'm looking up the staircase,
and all I see it all kinds of cool stuff!
Mike: Um-hm...
Mike: When you walk up into a space like this,
I mean, this is hallowed ground, man.
I mean, this is one man's life's work.
This is a lot of swap meets, this is estate sales,
this is him going to junkyards.
I mean, he bird-dogged all of this stuff,
and for one reason or another,
these are the things that he chose to keep.
Mike: This is something, let's see what this is.
Mike: You have to honor it and respect it,
because it's just so much work and so much passion
and so much drive.
April: Oh my gosh.
Mike: Ohh...
April: The hudson fireworks sign!
Mike: The hudson fireworks display company,
hudson, ohio.
April: Yes.
That was my dad's family business.
Rosalind: My late husband, his father came over from Italy,
couldn't speak the language.
He went to work for zambelli, famous firework people.
He learned how to do the fireworks,
and then he decided to go into his own business.
So don grew up around that.
April: So it's like this is so much history.
Mike: So he- his family was in the
business of making fireworks.
April: Yes.
Mike: What's more american than fireworks?
Black cats, roman candles, screaming mimis,
snicker bombs, church burners, finger blasters,
gut busters, zippity doo dahs, crap flappers,
spleen splitters, whisker biscuits,
hoosker doos, hoosker donts, nipsy daisers, cherry bombs
I mean, fireworks, man.
It's explosive!
April: It was my dad's factory.
I've seen pictures, but I actually haven't seen this.
Mike: Can you imagine?
I mean, being in the firework business,
yes it's creative, you know, you're putting the displays
together and you're choosing the colors.
But I'm thinking, you know, at the end of the day,
you just wanna blow crap up, right?
I mean, that's what it's all about.
It's about the finale, man.
Imagine going to work and having to create a new finale.
Something you have to top yourself constantly.
How are you doing to do that?
Mike: That is the challenge,
and that's what's so cool about the fireworks business.
Mike: This is hand-painted on canvas.
April: I know, that's amazing.
Mike: Oh here, wait, whoa, whoa, whoa...
Okay look.
There you go.
"hudson fire works display company"...
April: Display... Yes...
Mike: ..."keep fire away."
mike: Hand-painted banners, bad-to-the-bone colors,
a lot of these banners were actually made to probably hook
on the side of a truck or on the side of a car.
Patina, the paint's cracking a little,
I mean, there's a lot here.
They look brilliant.
Mike: So you got 1, 2...
And then this one.
Okay, so...
450 for this and the big one.
April: That and the big one... 5.
Mike: Yeah, I'm just thinking maybe if you've got any like...
Snakes or sparklers?
April: [laughs] I'll get some for ya, I'm throw them in,
I'll find some, I'll find some.
Mike: ...That you can throw in, you can throw in with them?
Mike: We're doing it. April: Great.
Mike: There's a lot of people out there that
collect old fireworks stuff.
They're going to go nuts for these kind of things.
Mike: Alright.
So I found the hudson fireworks display company,
hudson, ohio, so this would have been back when like...
April: Wow...
Mike: ...Artists actually had to do artwork for
magazines or for signs.
April: Wow.
Mike: Look at this...
So that was like a display they were doing.
Mike: There's a lot of paperwork here
from the fireworks business.
There's original paintings that are depicting different displays
that they were trying to do or did do.
Mike: This would look killer framed,
look at the ferris wheel here,
you've got all the fireworks going off.
I love this.
I'd do uh...
50 bucks.
April: Yeah, okay.
Mike: You know.
And then another 100 for that stuff.
April: Okay.
Thank you.
Mike: Appreciate you.
Mike: Let's see what else you got in here...
Rosalind: Make yourself at home.
Mike: I'm going through the display cases,
looking at all the smalls.
Mike: Pretty cool.
Mike: You know, it's a beautiful thing,
because we all want to preserve things either for
us in our lifetime, or somebody's going to
push it forward, move it forward.
Mike: These are 2 great pieces.
Look at that, duesenberg.
April: Duesenberg, yeah.
Mike: That would have been mounted on the car.
Rick: Duesenberg.
Mike: Really.
Frank: Well...
Rick: I had one.
Mike: Well- that sounds expensive.
Mike: If you collect cars, you dream about
being a duesenberg guy.
Mike: So what happened to the duesenberg?
Rick: Sold it to jay leno.
Mike: Really!
You get good money?
Rick: Yeah I did.
They paid me to take it out to his house.
Mike: This piece looks real to me,
because you can see the old nickel on it.
April: Right.
Mike: You know.
This one looks newer to me just because
you can see how shiny this is.
They reproduce both of this.
April: Um-hm.
Right, I see what you're saying.
Mike: Like I think this one, the retail on this one's probably...
Just this one alone may be...
Between 4 and 500, for just that one.
April: Awesome.
Mike: You know.
But then that one's reproduction, then...
April: Ooh... [laughs]
mike: Alright, so I got all this stuff.
So I've got...
These steer assist pieces...
And then these were obviously for like a
car club that he was in.
It says "classic car club of america."
April: Right.
Mike: A big touring car on here.
And then these are pittsburgh automobile triple-a stuff.
What are you thinking?
April: Uh...
650 for all of it.
Mike: [laughing] that's exactly what I was thinking.
Alright!
Mike: The fact that he saved all of these things is so great,
because they now exist to go on to so many different projects.
This is one man, this is like a seed planted in the ground,
and you're growing this tree and this tree has all of these
limbs, all of these limbs are actually projects,
from that one seed.
It's huge.
Mike: I turn the page and there's elvis.
[knocking on door]
danielle: Hello! Dave?
Dave: Dani? Dani?
Danielle: [gasps] oh my gosh, look at it, it's huge!
Dave: The pictures don't do it justice.
Danielle: They don't!
Dave: I know.
Danielle: What!
Dave: I know.
Danielle: Ahh... Man...
Dave: I was so happy we found it.
Dave: Wow...
Mike: It's so cool, it's a passenger ship,
it's an ocean liner.
You can really see all the little detail
and how much work needs to be done to it.
The lifeboats, the smokestacks, the ropes.
There's a couple of things broken on it.
But if it presents really well, that's what it's all about.
You know, imagine if we cleaned it up and
dave does his magic on it - it's really going to pop, man.
Danielle: Why she looks so pretty, huh?
Dave: Yeah. I'm pretty excited about it.
Danielle: Oh mike's going to be happy.
Dave: I think it turned out pretty well.
Danielle: What- so tell me all the stuff that you did to her.
Dave: Well, first of all, it had this much crud on it,
fly droppings and dust.
So I took a dry paintbrush and dusted it off...
Danielle: Okay.
Dave: ...Loosened it up, and then I blew if off lightly.
When I did that, stuff just went everywhere,
these little pieces.
Because when it's this old, the glue just lets go.
It came unglued.
I bet there was like over 200 pieces that had to reattach.
Danielle: Wow.
Dave: So then I just continued cleaning it,
you know, and then I reattached all these.
I love the copper highlighted stacks.
They're a little bit different size and shape.
Those are all handmade, guarantee it.
Danielle: Yeah.
Dave: Each little lifeboat is a different size,
for example.
Danielle: They- they do look...
It's really cool.
Look at these portholes.
They look like denim grommets, don't they?
Dave: They do.
And this looks like maybe it's chicken wire,
cut down for the fencing.
Danielle: Yeah it does. What...
Dave: Yeah.
It's definitely not a kit.
It's kind of like, to me, like a piece of folk art.
And I wish there was the history with it,
that we can know who the man was and why he did it.
Danielle: Right.
Dave: When this guy built this thing,
it wasn't a specific craft.
I think it was several different ones in his mind.
Like it has that flavor of the queen mary,
the titanic, the normandie.
And he put it all together and made this beautiful model.
Dave: There are some parts he bought.
These boat davits are manufactured.
These little ship wheels are manufactured.
Danielle: What's going on over here?
This is...
Dave: Oh those are your anchors.
Danielle: Will that come out?
Will the anchors come out?
Dave: They do not come out.
Um...
Danielle: Okay.
They just- they hang on the side.
Dave: They're just for decoration.
You can see the propellers are hanging too.
Danielle: Oh yes.
Dave: So the guy isn't a master boat builder.
Danielle: Sure.
Dave: But it's historically accurate,
if you look at it.
Danielle: Yeah.
Dave: And I think it's early too.
I feel strongly it's from the '30s 'cause it wasn't just
a cruise liner or a passenger ship.
It also hauled cargo.
It has a cargo hold in the front with these cranes with hooks.
This thing was utilitarian in its day.
It did a lot more than just haul passengers around.
Danielle: So dave.
How much time you got into it?
How much is it going to cost me?
How much, how much, how much?
Dave: You might be surprised, it's not that bad.
So it's going to be like 500 bucks.
Danielle: I mean, I guess I'm not- I'm not shocked,
look at all the work that went into it,
that's great.
I think mike's going to be super happy about that too.
So 2,500 bucks is what we have into it right now.
Dave: Right.
Danielle: So the big question is...
[rubbing hands together] what's she worth?
Dave: You know, I've been thinking about that.
And I love it.
To me it's a statement piece that you could put
in a bar or above your mantel.
It has the look, it's a one-off.
Realistically, my gut tells me...
3,500, the over-the-rainbow price - 4,000.
Danielle: 4 grand, huh.
Dave: Why not?
Danielle: Really.
Dave: I'd go for it.
I mean, maybe even put a little more on it,
you can come down to 4 grand.
With somebody that wants the ultimate piece
for their man cave or wherever...
Danielle: Or their woman cave.
Dave: Yeah, exactly.
Danielle: Hell yeah.
You did me right, I'm so happy, I love it.
Let's get you paid.
Dave: Alright.
Danielle: I think mike's going to be really excited.
Rosalind: Show him these sexy headlights.
Mike: Look at this packard.
Mefford: Yeah, we've dealt with these before.
Isn't this beautiful?
Mike: Oh my gosh, this thing's incredible.
Mefford: God, 4-door convertible.
Rosalind: '32.
Mike: Yeah, did you guys use to cruise around in this?
Rosalind: He'd take it out and drive it around the yard.
Mefford: Now this was style, wasn't it, mike?
Mike: Oh my gosh...
Mefford: Imagine driving down the road in this.
Mike: This thing's incred- ugh...
Mefford: God...
Rosalind: They're works of art.
Mefford: When I look at a packard and I compare it to the
same year of rolls royce, to me packard's got them whipped.
The casting, the engine design.
This body style on this packard's called "the dietrich."
dietrich was a coach builder that just did beautiful work
and this is one of his designs.
Mike: I've got a guy that specializes in packards.
Mike: April and rosalind have been doing a tremendous
amount of research on all the cars in this building.
But they've run into a dead end when it comes to the packards.
Mike: If you guys want me to, I could send...
Rosalind: Oh please do, please do.
April: That would be great, we would really appreciate that.
Mike: ...I could send him some pics.
Rosalind: 'cause marc's more a cadillac man.
Mike: Mike, can you hold this up?
Mefford: Oh you bet I will.
Mike: I've got a guy, he's name's paul tacy,
he's known as "packard paul."
mefford: I don't see anything.
Mike: There's no tag at all on it?
Mefford: No.
Mike: Paul is great.
He's going to share his knowledge with them,
and give them an idea, at least a jumping off point,
what they should ask for these cars.
Mike: Let me take some pictures of this one too.
Mike: There's a reason that paul tacy is known as "packard paul".
And that is because he has devoted his
life to researching packards.
I mean, the guys eats, sleeps, and breathes this brand of car.
Mike: As soon as I send these, I'm going to call him,
'cause he's usually like, this guy is like
glued to his phone, man.
He's always...
Mefford: [chuckles]
rosalind: Show him these sexy headlights.
Mefford: [laughs]
mike: Show him sexy headlights?
April: I've never heard you say "sexy."
[group laughing]
mike: Wow, alright.
Mefford: I have to agree with her, they are sexy.
Rosalind: I know.
[phone ringing]
mike: Paul. What's happening?
Mike: [chuckles]
mike: Ah. Hey um, so basically mike mefford
and I couldn't find a vin number on the
fire wall of the packard that we
just sent you photos of.
Mike: Okay. Have- have you seen this car before
or are you familiar with this car?
Mike: I know you can't do a full appraisal on it by any means,
but I mean, I told you could maybe
give them some sort of a...
Jumping off point in regards to the value of it.
Mike: Yeah. I mean, you can see that the water pump
was leaking pretty bad.
That's not the end of the world or anything.
This- this car was restored a long time ago.
I mean, the paint is nowhere near like,
concours d'elegance, you know, I mean,
I'm sure you could see that in the photographs.
April: Wow!
Mike: Yeah.
April: It was impressive, 'cause that was a pretty valuable car.
April: Wow.
April: We've already had an offer of 285.
So I'm sure we'll have to figure it out from here.
Mike: What about the-
what about the um... The red '32?
Mike: Yeah, it's beautiful, man.
Mike: Once you get so much money tied up into a collection,
you have to think of it as an asset.
Mike: Would it be okay if I gave him you guy's number?
April: Oh yeah.
Mike: You guys can deal with him-
you can deal with him directly.
April: Definitely.
Mike: You know, I've got a lot of motorcycles.
And I think maybe beyond my life,
that those bikes are going to take care of my wife
and my daughter and my family.
Mike: What do you think of the number on this?
That was pretty fat, I think.
April: Yeah.
Mefford: Um-hm.
Mike: You know.
We're not talking wolverine pups or anything on this.
[group laughing]
mike: It's a whole 'nother level here.
Mike: You know, I want to help April and rosalind out any way
I can, the same way that I would want someone to help my family
out, if they were in the same situation.
Rich: Here it is!
Mike: That's pretty cool.
Mike: So I open up this leather portfolio,
and it's basically a scrapbook for the circus.
And then I hit it, I turn the page and there's elvis.
April: Elvis presley!
Wow...
Mike: Look at that photo of him signing autographs.
Mike: Elvis was extremely famous,
there were a lot of people around him all the time,
they were always snapping photographs.
April: My dad's friend, jack, was friends with colonel tom,
who was elvis' manager.
Mike: Really.
April: That's why we have all of this.
Rosalind: Don's best friend, jack,
traveled with the carnival, he was a barker.
So he was friends with colonel tom parker,
and don saved all the photographs
and put them in that big suitcase of a thing.
Mike: Look at this.
April: [gasps]
mike: Okay, check those guys out...
It says "welcome music operators of america,
elvis presley's midget fan club."
April: [gasps] oh my god...
Mike: "elvis and the colonel."
mike: Midget elvis fan club.
It's not a politically correct statement,
but back then, they didn't care.
Mike: Now obviously that would be little people.
Mike: They're all dressed up, they're at like a nice dinner,
and they're smiling, and they've got the banner above them,
and it's unusual, it's different.
With photos, that's what sells.
Mike: Here's one there, look at that one,
look at the girl freaking out next to him.
Mike: There are a lot of photographs of elvis out there.
Mike: Any time I see elvis photos like this,
if they're not autographed or anything,
they're like 15 or 20 bucks for something like that.
Mike: A lot of them don't even have his eyes looking at you...
Mike: But these I feel have a little bit more cachet than that
just because of the little people conference.
April: Oh my gosh, yes.
Mike: And then on top of that, this is a circus scrapbook.
April: Yes.
Mike: It's got a little bit more oomph to it, you know...
April: True.
Mike: ...And so for the scrapbook...
250 bucks.
Yeah.
April: Could you do 300?
I mean, the leather alone, the leather...
[laughs]
mike: Alright!
April: Thank you.
Mike: This scrapbook, it's cool, it's unusual,
it's different, and with subject matter with photos,
that's what sells.
Mike: Wait till you see some of the stuff in the scrapbook.
April: Mike, I love his overall excitement about everything.
Mike: Alright...
April: Aww...
Mike: Thank you guys.
April: And he is genuinely very fair and very kind.
Mike: Your husband, your dad did a great job.
April: I think he's a really good person.
Rosalind: Yes, he is.
We love mike.
Well, we love the other mike too.
[chuckles]
April: Thanks guys.
Rosalind: Bye guys.
[honks horn]
mefford: See ya in nashville,
come and visit us!
Rosalind: Come back any time!
♪♪
mike: That's the original dealer decal?
Rich: Yeah, yeah exactly.
Just as it left the factory.
Mike: Oh my gosh...
Rich: So anyways, I thought we were here to look at your uh 23.
Mike: No we are, I mean, what do you want me to walk by that,
I got a pulse, don't I.
Rich: Nah yeah, she's a gem.
But here it is.
Mike: Hooh!
And back to my world.
Rich: In all your glory.
Mike: I know, it's glorious, isn't it?
Rich: [laughs] it is.
Cool like fonzie.
Mike: The 23-window is one of those buses that every
volkswagen guy dreams about.
Mike: 23-window?
Frank: That is cool. Mike: No way!
These things are so sought after now.
Art: It does have some problems underneath.
Mike: Yep.
Overall though, this thing is solid, man.
14,000 on the 23-window.
You know, so it gives me some room there.
Um... What do you think?
Art: Let's do it.
Mike: Urgh!
Art, this is amazing, man.
Mike: The 23-window is extremely expensive now,
and one reason they're so expensive,
is because it's such an extensive process to
restore one and to restore it correctly.
The guys that are doing it correctly,
are not cheap.
Mike: Well remember when I sent you pictures of this thing.
Is it worse than you thought it'd be?
Rich: No, because the majority of these things
are all rotted like this.
But you know, long way around the barn,
it's a big project, you've got... You know...
Mike: It is what it is.
Well when's the last time you saw a crusty 23?
Rich: Unrestored buses just don't pop up.
They're either being restored or they're
3 weeks from being back to the dirt.
Mike: Or they- what about the nose?
Didn't you say that that was off of something else or something?
Rich: Yeah, that's just junk.
Somebody put that on years ago, it's macgyver-ed
on there real bad.
But we've got your donor nose right here.
This is made by gerson at klassic fab,
funky green metal, this stuff is the best.
Mike: So it's the same exact gauge, everything.
Rich: It's, everything is 100% correct,
and it actually saves you money because we're not
wasting time trying to make something fit, and it doesn't.
Mike: Yeah.
Rich: So his stuff is aces.
His factory is down in bogota, colombia.
Mike: Really.
Rich: Yeah, as in south america, yeah.
Mike: Man, and here we are in columbia, tennessee.
Rich: Who'd've thunk it?
I've been using his stuff for years,
and man it's just killer, it's absolutely killer.
Mike: So all of the metal that you're going to
use on this bus is from him.
Rich: Is going to be all from him, yeah.
Mike: Okay.
Rich: And it's- it's basically the bottom 6 inches
of the bus all the way around.
Mike: Alright, so what's the worst part of it?
Rich: Well, I'll tell you what, let me run it up in the air,
and I can show you and...
Then you can put your eyes on it.
You got to get underneath it to see it.
Going up, stay clear!
Mike: Alright.
Rich: Get ready for some ugly.
Mike: Yeah?
Rich: Yeah. It's scary. [laughs]
mike: Alright. Thanks for the warning.
Rich: Did you bring your cheque book?
Mike: Woo!
Rich: So...
Mike: Hit me, hit me.
Rich: When you start looking at stuff,
as you can see, super crusty, everything's going to have
to come back to the main frame rails here.
Mike: Okay.
Rich: That's not cool, that's a big ol' hole right there.
Mike: Oh yeah.
Rich: So, everything's got to come off here.
We got to get down to the main rails,
and the inner support.
Mike: Everything that rich is telling me,
I kind of already knew.
Rich: It's going to need the outriggers replaced,
that's this part, this is the jack post,
that's got to be replaced.
As you can see in the front right there,
it's already gone.
Mike: It's gone, it's totally gone, yeah.
Rich: Right.
Inner valves will be all new.
They'll have a whole new front floor section.
All this outside will come off, that's the outer rocker
and inner rocker...
Mike: So you'll pull- you'll pull the
whole body off of the frame.
Rich: Well, it's a unibody construction,
so you don't really take it off, but we'll strip away the metal
that has to come off, and then that's when we'll start to get
down to the bare metal that can be worked with
and build the bus back up from there.
But you've got to go to the core,
you got to go to the center, you know,
it's the only way to build it.
Mike: I mean, this is extensive, man.
Rich: Yeah, you're going deep on this one,
dude, for sure, for sure.
Mike: I know.
You know I mean, we've talked roundabout about numbers
on other stuff I've had, so I- I think I have like a little bit
of a jumping off point, like what you're going to tell me.
But the way you're looking at me right now...
Rich: [laughs] you...
You...
Uh yeah...
Mike: ...The way you're looking at right now,
I don't think, I don't think I'm anywhere close to...
Rich: You haven't been this deep in the pond
in any of your stuff.
I- I already purchsed all your metal,
you're 5 grand in just in metal alone.
Your labor number...
You're going to be 40-plus...
Yeah, 40,000.
Mike: Wow!
Rich: It is what it is, dude.
Mike: When rich told me what it was going to cost...
I kind of knew we were already there,
but it's not real until he says it.
Rich: It's the scope of the project,
it is what it is.
Mike: Okay, so where does that put me after all of that's done,
if I'm 45k into your bill, what would this be worth,
metal done, sitting in primer?
Rich: If people see that it's done correctly,
which we document everything, every step of the way,
the money will be there no matter what.
You will have nothing but upside on this bus.
Because you know the market, I know you're not going to do it,
but if this was fully restored, you know,
you're over 200k in value.
It's a rare bus, it's a special bus,
it deserves it.
If it's done right...
Mike: That number's consistent.
You're talking about like auction number consistent.
Rich: Yeah, even- even private sale market.
Mike: In today's age, if you see a 23-window bus,
they're like unicorns, man.
Rich: I know it's a big project, it's extensive,
but you know, it's the time and place, man.
Mike: They're extremely hard to find.
I mean, this is the type of bus you don't want
to go half- way on.
Rich: You know, I say we just do it and get it done.
Mike: No, no, I mean, I- I'm going to do it,
I'm going do it.
Rich: Cool.
Mike: We've already gone down the path,
I just got to dig in.
You know, I just got to get my mind in it.
Rich: Yeah, you know don't forget,
you already sold the other 2 buses,
so you're already up and you can use that to fund this project.
Mike: The only thing that's helping ease the pain
on this project, is me selling the 2 other buses.
Mike: 11-window combi.
Art: Yes sir.
Mike: Panel van?
10,000 on the double-door, 10,000 on the 11-window combi.
We're doing it?
Art: Let's do it.
Mike: I don't even know which one to hug first.
Mike: Selling those 2 buses and coming up with some money
to push towards this project,
that's what I had in mind all along.
Mike: I'm excited about it.
Rich: Sure.
Mike: My heart's in it.
Rich: Exactly.
Mike: I just got to get my mind in it.
Rich: [laughs]
mike: I'm going to have like what,
60 grand in this thing with no engine. [chuckles]
rich: We could talk about that later,
but it'll go up.
Mike: You got to spend money to make money.
Yes, it's expensive, but rich is the guy to do this work.
Mike: You know, alright-
rich: Just take some time with it, let it soak in, you'll-
you'll get there.
Mike: -I got to tell danielle about it.
Rich: [laughs] hey, I want no part of that.
No, exactly.
Mike: She's going to be like, whut!
Actually, you know what, you could call her.
Rich: Yeah... Well no. [laughs]
[beep]
rosalind: Well where's that cute frank?
[group laughing]
mefford: I'm sorry, wait a minute, wait a minute...
...I'll pretend to be frank.
Rosalind: There's my 10-pound baby.
Mefford: 10-pound baby?
Mike: [laughs]
mike: Here, I'm going to help you since no one else is.
Rosalind: It's going to be...
It's going to be in her mind...
Mefford: That's right, hairdresser, makeup...
Mike: There you go.
Rosalind: It's a really neat pickup,
and ah you can pick up a lot of girls in this truck.
Mefford: Ohh...
April: [laughs] mike: Yeah...
Mefford: That's trouble.
Mike: ... I'm kind of tied up at the moment.
Rosalind: My husband told me if I bought
one more there was going to be a divorce.
Mefford: God...
Mike: So you bought 3.
Rosalind: [laughs] no...
Mefford: And 4, and then it was on sale and you had to buy more.
Mike: [singing] oh yeah...