Getting to Know Each Other - What do you Collect?

[Mark Crnolatas]

What do you collect, if you are a collector?

I used to collect books on "thought" and philosophies as well as musical instruments, but I'm talking about the "frivilous" collections, like leaves, bugs, purses, tatoos, and the like. I collect sneakers, western boots, watches, and a few other things, not counting keyboards.

Sneaker wise, if you google it, it's like an addiction, for the "first", the "rarest", the unique. Same with Western boots, the most ornate, the finest, the strangest, etc. I'll go into more detail if the thread goes there. If not I'll just be happy to hear if anyone else collects things for "fun".

By the way, if anyone out there has any old but good condition Nike Air's sz 11-12 they don't mind parting with, or any western boots sz 11-11 1/2, give me a private note : : ) :

Oh, and old watches. I have a 1930's Benrus I found in a resale shop for 6.00.

I'm now looking for the oldest working Timex I can get.
(wind up would be great but any old one or any old oops, vintage watch for that matter). If anyone has an old WATCH, you don't mind parting with, let me know too.

Mark Allan ( I too can be a pack-rat) Crnolatas

[Bryan Schwegler]

Hmm, good question. I don't really know if I collect anything at the moment. I collected stamps growing up, that was fun. I think I'd like to go back to it when I have more free time after grad school.

[Jim O'Bryan]

For years I used to have to drive my elderly Uncle to postcard shows. He was a Great Lakes Historian, and had started a massive collection of commercial ships on the Great Lakes, not as easy of a subject t find as you might think.

I have a pretty large collection of motor racing items ranging from photos and autographs to a Bobby Rahal Indy Car in the garage.

But one side collection I am alway trying to fill in is postcards of prisons which have been sent by prisoners. I try to stick to postcards before 1950, really 1920 in the era when postcards ruled the communications. I now have a couple hundred.

And T-shirts!

FWIW

[Suzie Dean]

Some may say that I collect children because I have 5 of them....

But in reality I collect Cherished Teddies. I have about 300 or so.

Greg collects Hot Wheels...And has already started to collect them for our 2 year old son. It kills him when I buy Jakie a hot wheel car and open it for him to play with it. I usually have to open it in the car before we even get home because otherwise Greg won't let him open it.

Greg has them that are older then him(35). He loves going to garage sales, good will, and resale shops to find them.

Ones man's junk is another mans treasure.

[Suzanne Metelko]

As I looked at my hardwood floors this morning it became clear - I have an incredible collection of dust bunnies - just in time for Easter!

[Danielle Masters]

I'll admit I am not a collector. I figure my kids have enough stuff I just don't like have anything excessive. It's just not me, but I do like looking at peoples various collections.

[Mark Crnolatas]

Jim, you have an Indy Car, full size real car that Bobby Rahal had?
Did I read that correctly or mistakenly?

Mark C.

[Joe Ott]

I have a pretty large collection of motor racing items ranging from photos and autographs to a Bobby Rahal Indy Car in the garage.

That's cool. I met Bobby and Jim Trueman on a number of occasions. In the 80's I raced F and E production in the SCCA. Ah the good old days... Early on, I used the same engine builder as Bobby and Trueman. Both of them would always give you time if you asked them a question. Nice people.

What do I collect? Hmmm. Nothing I guess. I was collecting early Adventure Team G.I. Joe stuff for a while (the fuzzy head guys-remember?). That's about it. Some people say I am collecting lots of cobwebs between my ears. I don't understand what they are getting at though.

Wait, I just re-read Jim's post. You currently have one of Rahals' cars? Wow.

Joe

[Jim O'Bryan]

Jim, you have an Indy Car, full size real car that Bobby Rahal had?
Did I read that correctly or mistakenly?

Mark C.

Mark

I have RH003, which is the aborted IndyCar project by Rahal Hogan. First carbon fiber chassis in IndyCar, powered by Honda.

That said it is mostly chassis. All chassis. I purchased it at a garage sale in Hillard Ohio. It seems that one of the employees brought it home when the project was canceled. I am missing some pieces and an engine.

The thought was to use it with my Playstation, as I am a total race freak. The average Indy Car driver is about 5'4" or so. I 6'4" it was nothing short of hilariou watching me try to get my fat butt in the thing. My wife came running out yelling "Stop. Stop they will have to cut you out of it!"

Now comes the small world part! I do not know if you remember when I Love Lakewood and Lakewood Motoring Society sponsored Paul Dallenbacj Jr. in the Pikes Peak Hillclimb a couple years ago? Lakewood, Ohio sponsored driver won his division and overall, get a little media coverage for the city.

The car that he drove, was rebuilt chassis RH001. They have a ton of body work and pieces out at their home, and the invite is there to come out and go through the stuff. RH002 is owned by a man in St. Louis who races it is Historical Racing. He owns the molds, for all the body parts, and jigs for everything else.

The next idea was to buy the pastic engine, finish it and mount it on the wall of my office. I have a feeling it will be headed to St. Louis or ebay.

Funny thing when you consider only three were built from all of the molds, then add in engineering, testing, building, scrap, man hours, etc. It is probably worth $500,000 or more. My cost at the garage sale $100. I think it is the coolest thing I have ever bought at a garge sale. My wife thinks it's the dumbest. Beats a egg whipper, or toaster oven if you ask me.

.

[Jim O'Bryan]

That's cool. I met Bobby and Jim Trueman on a number of occasions. In the 80's I raced F and E production in the SCCA. Ah the good old days... Early on, I used the same engine builder as Bobby and Trueman. Both of them would always give you time if you asked them a question. Nice people.

Wait, I just re-read Jim's post. You currently have one of Rahals' cars? Wow.

Joe

Joe

Jim Truman was a straight up guy. Would give you the shirt off his back. Might be one of the last true sportsmen in motor racing. Bobby is a great guy, though I have not spoke with him in over ten years.



Jim Truman and Roger Penske relax during the first Lumberman's race at Mid-Ohio. (Photo by Bill Davis, from the http://racingforamerica.com)

When did you race Joe? I had an Alfa Romeo Guiletta Sprint Velocé Spider I ran in SCCA until I went broke that car could run F or G depending on carburetors?

Bunch of SCCA and closest racers online here. Billy Davis introduced me to motor racing back in the late 60s, with Formula One at Watkins Glen and CanAm. I first met Brad Babcock at an SCCA rally.

The Lakewood Motoring Society has a rally each year that the Observer now sponsors.

Also some talk of starting A Formula One Sunday Morning Fan Club at Malloy's.

Just so you know, I am not making it up. Art Brow Super Vee champ, was just in my garage last week, and I store my cars in the winter with The Winner Circle.

Stop by the office sometime.


.

[Joe Ott]

When did you race Joe? I had an Alfa Romeo Guiletta Sprint Velocé Spider I ran in SCCA until I went broke that car could run F or G depending on carburetors?

No way! That's the same car I had. Yours had a smaller engine I think for F & G - 1300cc? There was a guy named Eddy in River that had one. His was pretty fast. It was early 80's. We raced a few years with the single carb in F prod, then put a couple big Webers on it, some other stuff to the engine (too long ago-don't recall details) and ran E Prod for a couple years - nice engine and gearbox, not so nice car. Then I bought a Spridget that was a Nationals car. It was a lot nicer than the Alfa competition-wise. Ran that a couple years. Then my chief mechanic moved out of town (my brother the engineer) and I eventually quit. I tried by myself for a year but I'm no engineer/mechanic. Plus I ran out of money... I only ever raced at Nelson's and Mid-Ohio - still do in my sleep .

The guys I used to hang around with all ran FF. A couple you probably knew and/or know like Greg O in River. I always wanted to get into FF. Drove them, but never raced them. In the mid 80's a friend offered me his Lola and everything for $2500. I am still kicking myself for not taking him up on it. They go for good money now.

You paid a hundred bucks for the Hogan car? Wanna double your money?! No wait, quadruple it?

Joe

[Jim O'Bryan]

When did you race Joe? I had an Alfa Romeo Guiletta Sprint Velocé Spider I ran in SCCA until I went broke that car could run F or G depending on carburetors?

No way! That's the same car I had. Yours had a smaller engine I think for F & G - 1300cc? There was a guy named Eddy in River that had one. His was pretty fast. It was early 80's. We raced a few years with the single carb in F prod, then put a couple big Webers on it, some other stuff to the engine (too long ago-don't recall details) and ran E Prod for a couple years - nice engine and gearbox, not so nice car. Then I bought a Spridget that was a Nationals car. It was a lot nicer than the Alfa competition-wise. Ran that a couple years. Then my chief mechanic moved out of town (my brother the engineer) and I eventually quit. I tried by myself for a year but I'm no engineer/mechanic. Plus I ran out of money... I only ever raced at Nelson's and Mid-Ohio - still do in my sleep .

The guys I used to hang around with all ran FF. A couple you probably knew and/or know like Greg O in River. I always wanted to get into FF. Drove them, but never raced them. In the mid 80's a friend offered me his Lola and everything for $2500. I am still kicking myself for not taking him up on it. They go for good money now.

You paid a hundred bucks for the Hogan car? Wanna double your money?! No wait, quadruple it?

Joe

Joe

Eddy's car is my old car. Long story how he ended up with it, but...

I know Greg well enough.

You didn't happen to buy those Webbers from Greg did you?

I had a bunch of friends racing Fords most Lolas some Citations.


.

[Mark Crnolatas]

Yo Jim,
I must agree, it beats the Toshiba VCR I found at a garage sale.

Not sure if you hung around Dragway 42, but I did, and used to race against some very very fast guys. Lot of those guys went on to some degree of fame. I just went on to loose money on trying to keep up, when the Road Runner hit the streets with a Hemi, and in those days, trying to crank up a 327 chevy to compete with a Hemi Road Runner just didn't cut it.

Very cool, tho', any part of of an Indy Car let alone yours.

Mark Allan Crnolatas

[Jim O'Bryan]

Yo Jim,
I must agree, it beats the Toshiba VCR I found at a garage sale.

Not sure if you hung around Dragway 42, but I did, and used to race against some very very fast guys. Lot of those guys went on to some degree of fame. I just went on to loose money on trying to keep up, when the Road Runner hit the streets with a Hemi, and in those days, trying to crank up a 327 chevy to compete with a Hemi Road Runner just didn't cut it.

Very cool, tho', any part of of an Indy Car let alone yours.

Mark Allan Crnolatas

Mark

Never hung around 42, but visited it many times. I was lucky my intorduction to racing was at the highest level, seriously. By a stroke of luck I ran into someone that opened my eyes to rest in dramatic fashion. I now enjoy all forms of racing from drifters to swamp buggies. Road racing and FIA Rallying will reamin my favorite, but it is all good clean fun.

Top fuel is something everyone should experience once in their life. There is no way to describe it. One of those crazy minutes, Formula One start, NASCAR start, Funny Car run. Insane, what goes in and comes out of those engineering projects.

Do you remember when TV Tommy Ivo lived behind Spitzer?


Can't find the signature Tommy Ivo shot of the car emerging from a wall of fire.


.

[J Hrlec]

Comic books and trade paperbacks are my passion... running out of space in the back room to store them.