After stopping at garage sales off and on over the last year to look for slot cars I finally found an HO set for sale (now I haven't been all that aggresive, probably only stopped at 9 garage sales in 12 months).

It was laying open on the floor under a table. I cooly (or so I thought) bent down and took a look to see what it was. The open box had a blue plastic bag in it and I peered into the bag to see three HO bodies, two with chasis and a loose chasis missing the rear axle, along with numerous pickup shoes and tires. Had to take a second glance to figure out they were 440X2 cars. I didn't want to look to interested so I rolled the bag back up put it back in the open box and looked around for a price tag. No luck.

I got up and moved on (this took will power as I wanted to grab somebody and ask how much how much how much!!). After some more casual browsing (oh kay I held out for maybe 30 seconds) I went over and asked the price. $5. I said ok. I could tell they felt guilty selling me an old used up toy, which made me feel quilty, because they didn't know how much I wanted to buy it.

So what did I get: The set was called California GT and the set cars are 280ZX cars with "Camel" and "Budweiser" livery (both missing rear spoilers, but the spoilers were loose in the blue bag.) I really like these cars as they are both sponsor's that you won't see on "toy" slot cars again (beer and cigs). The other car is a "Kraco" Indy car, missing both front wings, only one of which was to be found. I had all three chasis running fine with about 10 minutes work.

I'm hooked. Can't wait to hit the next Garage Sale.

Man, what a GREAT score!!!!!! I like those old 80's Tyco sets too.....I've got several sets that I've found over the years....I also like the artwork on the boxes interesting.

Dude, nice haul. As Tyco sets go, that's one of the more desirable ones. I happened to get the California GT set at a yard sale about 5 years ago. It has a TON of track compared to the dookey little figure-8s you find a lot at yard sales and flea markets. And the 280ZXs are pretty nice too... they're somewhat collectible if I'm not mistaken, not as common as some other Tycos. Dunno anything about the Kraco car...

ps... saturday is my Yard Saling day... I'm leaving in about half an hour... :thumbsup:

--rick

I have to go to work...:cry:

Way to score, Bandits! They will look great rolling round that mountain! :thumbs up:
As far as garage sales go, I am 0 for 30+, but I will keep looking. You have renewed my faith!

Awesome!! I had a great find today at yard sale!! I found two lifelife nascar slot cars (one was silver monte carlo with chassis) and (one was white ford taurus with chassis - both chassis looks like brand new i looked at pick up shoes not even a scratch!!!) I think it was one of those twin pack and guess how much i paid for them??? 1 buck!!!!!!!!! i tried not to jump or act too excite like a little kid i just play it cool when i approach the table i was looking at them and i asked how much.. whhhhooooo... I did see two slot car box from tyco (one was from glow in night corvettes) and another was tcr but no cars so I didnt bother to buy them. And also I found 3 stompers (all vintage from 80's and all works!! )

Wes

a few weeks ago my step son found a kyle petty 440x2 for a quarter, chassis was complete and runs fine.

my best find was at a church basement sale. an afx 55 chevy green, tyco "s" series AMX and a tjet ford gt ....................cost.............1.00......... total. I felt go guilty I gave her 5.00

Great find! To be so lucky. :thumbsup: rr

I bought a near-mint, Loose Tyco Motta Mario Indycar for £5.00.

But, on the flip side, I also missed the chance to buy 50 Chapparal-style Tyco Indycars with the Bennetton paint scheme for 50p each!!

http://homepage2.nifty.com/lsrc001/Images/gallery/benetton_ford_b188_tyco_c_001.jpg

I stopped at a yard sale yesterday and my heart started pounding when I saw two vintage TJets sitting there in a group of el cheapo diecasts. A Buick Riviera and a Ford Thunderbird convertible. Yee ha. But cue the disappointment music, they wanted $30.00 each for them, non negotiable. E-Bay sucks.

Unless they were Premo....30.00?....Nah.....I'll just go to sucky Eb@y and bid on what I want.
Sorry for your disapointment, eh.

I stopped at a yard sale yesterday and my heart started pounding when I saw two vintage TJets sitting there in a group of el cheapo diecasts. A Buick Riviera and a Ford Thunderbird convertible. Yee ha. But cue the disappointment music, they wanted $30.00 each for them, non negotiable. E-Bay sucks.


Aww mannn... Those lifelike cars were my first HO cars I found at yard sale. Man they are hard to find. Sometime you get lucky and sometimes you dont.

Wes

I guess that all is fair when it comes to collecting and selling collectibles. There used to be a time when you could travel to out of the way places and hope to score a good deal. You know, the rube factor. Did that constitute "taking advantage" of the sellers? Damn right, but I'd say it was an underlying motivation and everyone knew it. With E-Bay the playing field is more level but it sometime tilts in strange ways. It's amazing how E-Bay seems to set the high water mark for a product's value. If 10 identical items sell for $50 on E-Bay and for some strange reason (sun spots, moon phase, lottery winner) one sells for $125 on E-Bay the new price for that item out in the brick & morter stores is now $125. It's like them there rubes got themselves a corn-puter and cipherin' machine and even though they can't find the "Any key to Continue" they sure have a knack for finding the high water mark for everything in their store. Dang it.

I buy and sell on fleabay and use paypal, one thing I hate is the constant fees and their always increasing them here and there. and try finding a 1-800 number to call and ask a question.
Sure it changed the "finding" value of cars (what I mean by that is so many people think everything is worth a mint these days, they want to hold onto it, or sell thru an auction site like fleabay but get in an area like NY or NJ and trust me, the big boy collectors have picked the area clean years ago with there "we buy all old slot car" newspaper adds.
but if I want a red cheetah, I'll find it on fleabay.....if I want a purple chrome escort, i'll find it on fleabay.
I guess it has its good and bad, but either way fleabay is not going away anytime soon, and if it did, there would be another online auction site running on its heals.

Last weekend I found a LL set that had the #99 Taurus and two TYCO cars, the "Road Reaper" and "Grave Runner" Pickup trucks. The LL car was missing the pickup shoes. The asking price for the set was $.50. I gave the woman her money and told her all I wanted were the cars, she could keep the set and resell it. She was thrilled.


I also found three Artin cheapo 1/43 Camaros. A little beat up but I only paid $.75.

Marty