Vintage Signs

"JR1" (type35bugatti) 12/18/2013 at 12:01 • Filed to: Sinclair, Gulf, Vintage Americana, Oppositelock

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Old signs have always been a piece of Americana and ever since I was little I always had a fetish for old Americana, specifically gas signs. There is just a certain romanticism about vintage Americana that makes me love vintage signs. It reminds me of the glory days of route 66, carburetors, and when cars were truly stylish. Call it nostalgia or call it a waste of money I love it (even if I wasn't born until 1994). I am going to an auction next week with a bunch of these signs (Hopefully I spend too much money and buy one). And it got me wondering if I am the only Oppo on here who likes these hunks of metal or not. I have fetish specifically for Sinclair signs because dinosaur+car=perfection. What about you guys?

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > JR1 12/18/2013 at 12:15

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We are currently in possession of a 5-foot light-up Mobil sign, like pictured. My parents are friends with the owner of the local Mobil station and he gave it to us when he got a new one. He's a cheap bastard so I suspect it was so he could avoid having to dispose of it properly.

$kaycog > JR1 12/18/2013 at 12:35

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I like old gas and oil signs as well. The garage in my previous life had dozens of them on the inside walls.

UserNotFound > JR1 12/18/2013 at 12:45

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One day I will have a beautiful collection of vintage automobile and gas & oil signs. It will be majestic.

pdx107 > JR1 12/18/2013 at 12:46

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I have one of these in my bathroom

Ntovorni > JR1 12/18/2013 at 12:52

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I like those, in addition to any old signage. I've started keeping my camera with my on longer drives to look for ghost signs (fading painted signs) and just any other old interesting things I may find. Gas stations are always a great spot to find old signs. There an interesting Gulf station with a huge tall sign with the letters in a vertical position, has a fairly old look to it and I hope to snap it soon.

This one I passed god knows how many times on my way to cross country practice when I was in high school, just recently recognized how awesome it looks.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > pdx107 12/18/2013 at 13:22

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That is one of the coolest ones I have seen just because of the bright colors

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > JR1 12/18/2013 at 13:23

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I've got this old Mopar sign up and plan on getting more too

JR1 > pdx107 12/18/2013 at 13:35

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I have never seen one of those but that is a sweet find! The husky makes the sign funny

JR1 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/18/2013 at 13:36

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Hey one mans trash is another mans treasure! Does the light up actually work?

JR1 > UserNotFound 12/18/2013 at 13:36

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You and me both! I just gotta find the money first!

JR1 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 12/18/2013 at 13:37

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Mopar themed or a little of everything?

JR1 > Ntovorni 12/18/2013 at 13:39

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That one is really cool! I might have to copy your idea and snap pictures of old signs, sounds like a lot of fun! I'd love to see pictures on here if you ever get a chance!

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > JR1 12/18/2013 at 13:40

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Little bit of everything... I really like the old Sinclair stuff and some of the older Goodyear

JR1 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 12/18/2013 at 13:43

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I drove to Auburn Indiana to vist the Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg museum and on my ride in I saw an old Sinclair sign service station right in the middle of the down, it was the weirdest thing. I took a picture with my truck underneath of the big sign. If you ever go to the museum look for that gas station it was like a time capsule!

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > JR1 12/18/2013 at 13:44

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I don't know. It was made to be hung on the side of the building so we'd have to wire it directly into a circuit to test it.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > JR1 12/18/2013 at 13:46

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Words cannot describe how cheap he is. He has an Austin 100-6, a TR-6, and an Alfa Spider. He's loaded and can definitely afford the insurance but he doesn't want to pay it so whenever he wants to drive them he uses the dealer plates that his garage owns.

Takuro Spirit > Ntovorni 12/18/2013 at 13:48

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That is cool.

Reminds me of an old diner downtown where I used to live. It was a office building, then they tore off the facade to make it into a bank recently.

Under the facade was the old painted diner sign, all turquoise and 50's and everything. Sad, because the whole town likes to keep its heritage intact, yet they completely missed the point with that building.

JR1 > Takuro Spirit 12/18/2013 at 13:52

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Yeah it is sad, everything seems to just be a lot more generic and cheaper nowadays. Guess thats one of the reasons I'm always drawn towards the old Americana

JR1 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/18/2013 at 13:53

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Thats kinda pathetic haha. If you have money you might as well spend it a little!

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > JR1 12/18/2013 at 13:59

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He's only loaded because he's so miserly, BUT he gives our whole family gas for nearly wholesale (next to no profit for him) so there's that.

JR1 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/18/2013 at 14:05

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From the way it sounds I'm surprised he didn't sell that sign he gave you guys

pdx107 > JR1 12/18/2013 at 14:27

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I picked it up at Hot August Nights when I lived in Reno. Someone had one of these... for about $700

It was about three or four feet tall.

Ntovorni > Takuro Spirit 12/18/2013 at 14:28

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That's a shame they took it down, that would have been awesome to capture.

Takuro Spirit > Ntovorni 12/18/2013 at 14:30

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They literally just covered it up with a new facade for the bank. Wish I would have taken a picture.

Ntovorni > JR1 12/18/2013 at 14:41

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Oh I have a good bit now actually. The champion sign was on the other side of the Regal Ride shocks building, and the diner sign was just an old diner in middle of somewhere PA where I was getting gas. Thankfully had my Nikon handy. I need to set up a Imgr or Flikr account for them now that I think about it.

JR1 > pdx107 12/18/2013 at 14:45

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That's the worst part about signs is the cost!

JR1 > Ntovorni 12/18/2013 at 14:47

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Those are great! I love the colors on the Kwik Shoppe and how it's misspelled, it gives it character

Ntovorni > JR1 12/18/2013 at 15:00

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Without a doubt. I guess it's a little diner that's been there for ages. I'm driving back from Norwalk to Pittsburgh next week for Christmas, I intend on grabbing some food there.

I appreciate the compliments on the sign photos, I take them for myself, and outside of random likes on Instagram I feel like everyone else thinks I'm a weirdo! haha

JR1 > Ntovorni 12/18/2013 at 15:04

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Absolutely it seems like a great idea, keep it up man they are really cool.

Ntovorni > JR1 12/18/2013 at 15:20

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I'm expecting pictures of any signs you get at the auction now too.

JR1 > Ntovorni 12/18/2013 at 15:22

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Oh trust me I'm planning on posting some next week if I am irresponsible and buy any with my limited money!