# Not bad for free



## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

A couple weeks ago, I stopped at a little rural antique-store-flea-market type place a couple towns away and asked about slot cars. The proprietor, who looked a few years older than me, said, "You mean them little ones with the pin on the bottom? Man, I done run the wheels off mine when I was a kid... I think I have some of that stuff in a storage unit. I'll check if I can find it." I went home with my greedy little mind imagining an old cigar box full of Tjet and/or AFX stuff. Finally got around to checking back with the guy today. Here's what he had:










These were the only cars in there:










This is what's left of the track:










The guy was busy with a customer who was trying to buy a used cell phone off him while I was there, so I figured I'd wait till he finished with her. At one point he stopped and asked me, "Any good, or is it junk?" I explained that it wasn't exactly the stuff I look for, but the cars were okay and would run if I put a little parts and work into them. (The Tyco needs a pickup shoe, the Marchon needs a guide pin, they both need tires.) I think he could see I was disappointed. He asked if I wanted the track too, so I asked how much. "Take it," he said. "Free." 

"You sure? I'd give you a few bucks for it all..."

"Nah, go ahead. Come back when you need somethin'."

I'll be back, just so I can buy something and say I'm a paying customer.

--rick


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

You can't beat the price!! Next time, think it's gonna be an old TYCO set with a couple messed up cars and maybe the slot gods will surprise you!! :lol: And you never know... he might be testing you. Next time you go back to make your purchase, he might have some really good stuff!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## WesJY (Mar 4, 2004)

SWEET!!

Wes


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

slotcarman12078 said:


> You can't beat the price!! Next time, think it's gonna be an old TYCO set with a couple messed up cars and maybe the slot gods will surprise you!! :lol: And you never know... he might be testing you. Next time you go back to make your purchase, he might have some really good stuff!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:


Yes your right!! This guy will now be a good source for Rick. You bet your bottom dollar he will be searching all the slot for you now!!!! 

I would hit him once a month or two just to check in!

And the single lane track is kewl!!!! Wish I had a few pieces of the single lane.:thumbsup:


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## wheelszk (Jul 8, 2006)

Where do you see single lane track?


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

wheelszk said:


> Where do you see single lane track?



Duh!!!! My bad. I couldn't see clearly this morning.:freak:


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## wheelszk (Jul 8, 2006)

Thats ok, I thought my eyes were going bad.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Yeah, no single lane, just a squeeze, a wiggle, and an intersection. Pretty cool that they're different from Tyco and AFX specialty sections.

Interesting followup: in another nearby town, in another teeny little antique junk store, a guy has a BIGGER Marchon set similar to this one with the box in better shape and everything there but the cars. (the box shows Corvettes fwiw) The set is marked $25, but the guy is having a going out of business sale and the signs say everything is 20%-50% off. Now this guy annoys me because he drives his big old Buick wagon around all summer and beats me to the yard sales looking for stuff to sell at this store. I understand that it's called capitalism and it's what we built this place on, but I guess something about the guy just gets on my nerves. 

Anyway, I ask how much for the set without the cars, and he does a little mental math and says 20% off would make it 20 bucks. I ask if he'd go 15, and he tells me he just saw the same set on Fleabay go for 70. "Really? That brand? No cars?". Uh huh, he says. I smile politely and put the set back where he had it. Bugs the carp out of me when people think they can stick the word eBay in a sentence and use it to sell junk for big $$$...

--rick


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

ParkRNDL said:


> Anyway, I ask how much for the set without the cars, and he does a little mental math and says 20% off would make it 20 bucks. I ask if he'd go 15, and he tells me he just saw the same set on Fleabay go for 70. "Really? That brand? No cars?". Uh huh, he says. I smile politely and put the set back where he had it.
> --rick


That's when you say, "And you haven't listed this one yet?" :lol: :tongue::wave:


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## win43 (Aug 28, 2006)

Free is always good :thumbsup:. Cool stuff.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Is your track tradable?


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

yeah, i guess... you looking for individual pieces or the whole set? cuz shipping on the set would probably suck... 

--rick


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