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Real Estate and Personal Property Auctions

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, email Don Oberfoell at don@do-bid.com or call 218-735-8619 and see how Do-Bid.com can help take your business to the top!!!

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OWNER Scott Robinson scott@wheelsofthunder.net 612-730-3719 OFFICE STAFF Vince Griffith vince@wheelsofthunder.net 763-210-5801 EDITORIAL STAFF Brittanie Fritel brittanie.fritel@gmail.com 763-210-5801 Jessica Kanke jessica@auctions-monthly.com 763-210-5801 PHOTOGRAPHERS/WRITERS Ceaja Philp Jenna Osterlund Mylie Lavold Erik Tormoen Jessica Kanke ADVERTISING STAFF SALES MANAGER: Jessica Kanke jessica@auctions-monthly.com 763-210-5801 SALES: Scott Robinson scott@wheelsofthunder.net 612-730-3719

Table of contents
Special Features
Garage Built.......................................................................4 Bid-2-Buy..........................................................................10 Auctions Dates.................................................................16 Blair Auctions...................................................................20

Right now on auctions-monthly.com

Featured Story

Place Your Ad In Our Magazine

Featured Company

Contact A Sales Rep Today 763.210.5801 Page 3 www.auctions-monthly.com April 2013

One 'Freaky' Ford Model A

Owner/Enthusiast:

David Butch Karcher

Written By Butch Karcher and Ceaja Philp

Stock Original
This is where it all started!

Sound Familiar?
Do you have a story of your custom ride? E-mail editor@wheelsofthunder.net and you could be featured with your ride in the next issue!
Page 4 www.auctions-monthly.com April 2013

As a younger man I was passionate about cars. I worked in the mechanical and body work field from the age of 15 to 35, and owned my own body shop from 1986 to 1992. During that time I had built or painted several award winning cars before selling my business in 1992. At that point I had completely gotten out of the car business, not even doing it as a hobby. Even my Award winning 1965 Pro Street Chevy Impala went away. My path took a completely different turn as I went into the field of Health and Human Services becoming a Foster Care Provider to Adults with disabilities. I was blessed with three wonderful boys, the twins, Jordan and Alex and their younger brother, Derek. In 2006, the older boys turned 15 and they were working on getting their drivers licenses. Their mother came to me and said, The boys will be getting their licenses soon and they are always asking about the pictures of all the cars you have done. Maybe you should consider building a car with them so they could learn some of your skills for themselves. Whats this, a green light!? So the quest began for the perfect project. After much thought and looking at cars for sale on the web, I had decided I wanted to do a Hot Rod. I knew I could probably save some money by buying one someone else had started and didnt finish, or find one that was intact but needed work. There it

was on E-Bay; a 1930 Model A Rat Rod with a 496 Big Block Chevy and a 4 Speed! Let the bidding begin! As the week went by it got down to the last hour of the bidding and of course the numbers went nuts, changing faster than I could refresh my page. In the end I won the bid war and away we went to Indiana to pick up our prize! The description on the E-bay ad stated that the winning bid would also get the Original Crower Fuel Injection Manifold shown in the picture. This is why I knew it would be the thing that would set this car apart from most other Rat Rods. When we got to Indiana to pick up the car it was in much rougher condition than I was told or expected, but I was there and really didnt want to go back empty handed. To top things off the seller tried to tell me I got the car too cheap and he wasnt going to give me the intake. Needless to say I wasnt going to leave without that manifold! We arrived home, took the car out for a real trial run and realized maybe I should have started from scratch. This thing was nothing less than scary! The suspension bolts were all bending, welds were done with an old stick welder and many of them were cracking. So our project began with a larger list than expected. At the end of March 2007 we started to tear the car apart. It took us less than a day to tear it down to just the body and frame. Then we had to create our plan of what we wanted

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it to be when we were done. One thing we knew for sure was that we wanted to use the Crower Intake. The intake had been reworked at some point in the past and updated to EFI but it was very dated. The tag on the computer had the name Carl McQuillen, from New York on it. I was able to reach him and asked what he could tell me about the intake. He got very excited to hear it was still out there and someone planned to give it life again because it used to belong to a very close friend of his that had died of cancer many years earlier. He told me the whole history of the intake, everything from gangsters trying to buy it to the Budweiser Girls having their pictures being taken standing by the 1968 Corvette that his friend had owned. Carl had in his words nursed this intake for way too many years and couldnt believe someone else was willing to tackle the job. He laughed as he suggested I should just sharpen up a good strong stick and poke it in my eye right now to get it over with before I spent the rest of my life pulling the hair out of my head trying to make it work on the street. He offered to take the intake and my engine so he could rebuild the engine, designing it around the needs of the intake. Then he would update the intake with a modern day Fast XFI Fuel Management System. I wanted this setup done right so we sent it all off to New York. One of the next things I did was order a tube bender as I knew we would be needing it soon. Then I sat down with the Jegs and the Speedway Motors catalogs and began ordering parts. The 4-link suspension parts and other race car fabricating parts came from ART Engineering. We built our own frame jig and began cutting apart our 1932 frame. This is when we found that the body was only held to the floor by 4 one inch welds! As I said...very scary! As we began the build we had decided that the car should end up looking like an old school Hot Rod, flat black in color with an unfinished overall appearance.

It was agreed that no matter what it ended up looking like we wanted it to be functional. We did not want to build another fancy Street Rod with a big motor that sounded awesome and looked cool, but if you actually beat on it, it leaves you stranded and picking up parts off the ground. The idea was to keep it looking old school cool but could be driven everyday as if it was a race car. So we fitted the chassis with front and rear motor plates, Wildwood Brakes, Koni Shocks, and several other race proven features. Once the frame work was done we knew we were well on our way to succeeding at our goal! A true dilemma arose. The frame was done and ready for paint, but could we really paint it dull, flat un-noticeable black? Maybe it should be a shiny black and leave the body in flat black. This may have been the point of no return. We decided to paint it gloss black, and then started having our friend Joe Deters from Deters Polishing in Forest Lake work on polishing the aluminum and chroming some of the parts. It took weeks of welding on the body, replacing all of the flooring, firewall and tubbing the rear wheel wells for the 31.5 X 18 inch Mickey Thomson Street Radials. We also installed a roll cage to have a little more protection. In hind sight knowing what I know now about how fast this car would actually end up, I might have built it a little stronger! With all of the welding and fabrication of the body and chassis done, we began the mud work. It had been almost 15 years since I had done any body work, and I quickly remembered how much I did not miss this part! A young local guy, Gabe Minnick, who used to walk by my body shop in the old days as a young boy had taken up body work as a profession and was more than excited to help me finish out the mud work. With his help we flew through that part, and he wanted nothing more than to actually paint the car. Now this was a tough decision as I had always

painted my own stuff, but he really wanted to paint it so I decided to let him. The next dilemma came.... what color do we paint it? With all of the chrome and a shiny black frame we just couldnt go with the flat black as we had initially thought. So the quest began for the perfect color. I had decided in my head that it would be yellow, but it wasn't all agreed upon so my boys and I went down to the Back to the Fifties Car Show in St. Paul in a quest of the perfect color idea. As we left the show and were driving down the road, we were talking about all of the black, red and yellow Hot Rods and Street Rods we had seen. It really didn't appeal to us to have our car look the same as everyone elses. Then it came to us, literally! A 2006 Dodge Daytona painted with the new Sublime Green passed us and as it was about a mile ahead we could still see it! It stood out and screamed, look at me! Problem solved. Once the car was painted we all jumped in to do the wet sanding and buffing. It took a couple of all nighters reassembling the car so we could take it on its first voyage, a local car show known as Wings and Wheels in Osceola, Wisconsin. With no interior and rubbing compound in most of the cracks of body lines, we still won a first place trophy! It was 7 months from the initial tear down to the day of that show. Since then the car has had a few changes. I had entered a burn out contest and blew the flywheel apart destroying the engine, transmission and frame of the car. Back to the shop we went. I had the new motor built, a 540 Dart Aluminum Block by Tim Huttner of Huttner Enterprises in Dayton, Minnesota. He also installed a few new go fast high tech things such as a Data logger, and a Fast XIM ignition system. We also decided at this time that we just had to plumb that intake with Nitrous! It was also decided that the car would be much more drivable with an auto-

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matic, so we had a Turbo 400 built. Once the car was done the second time around, my youngest son Derek and I went out for a pizza at a local pub. As we were getting out of the car a drunk driver came by and ran into the rear right quarter panel, once again sending the car back into the shop. As of now, it is done and running great thanks to the expert computer work and help from Tim Huttner. We have run the car just once at the drag strip in Byron, Illinois. First run out it pulled a three foot wheelie, about crapped my pants causing me to back off for a split second and still was able to run a 10.0 at 138 mph! It hit so hard I cracked the welds on the wheelie bars. As I said...should have built a better roll cage!

Custom Made Oil Pan using a Triton Oil pump and Pick-up An Original Crower Fuel Injection Manifold Custom made NOS Pro Shot Nitrous System Fast XFI Fuel Management System Fast XIM Ignition System D200 Data Logger Custom made Headers and Side Pipes by Bob Fuller of Ramsey, MN Turbo 400 Transmission 8 inch Converter Hipster Trans Brake Straight Cut Gears Nine Inch Ford Rear End with a Mosier 4:33 Wave Locker Third Member and Mosier Axels Wilwood Brakes

SPECIFICATIONS
1930 Ford Model A 5 Window Coupe built on a 1932 frame using a 1932 Grill The Engine is a 540 Aluminum Dart Big Block Chevrolet AFR CNCed Aluminum Heads with Stud Girdle Comp Cam Red Line Roller Lifters, Cam and Roller Rockers

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Yvette VanDerBrink
www.vanderbrinkauctions.com 605-201-7005 or 507-673-2517
Auctioneer/Broker

The lil Nordstroms Gal

Join our Free E-Newsletter! Never Miss a Sale! Thinking of Having an Auction Give Us a Call. Check website for more auctions!

PONTIAC GTO CARS & PARTS-CAMARO & TRI-FIVE CARS AND PARTS AT AUCTION!!
SATURDAY MAY 18, 2013 AT 10:00 AM PREVIEW FRIDAY MAY 17TH 10 AM TO 7PM
2408 40TH ST, ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA, 56301
VanDerBrink Auctions is pleased to bring you this truly amazing auction of Pontiac and Chevrolet cars and parts. John Jendro has been collecting for many years and loves his Pontiac GTOs and Chevrolet Tri-Five cars. This auction has not only an assortment of GTOs and Tri-Five cars but a huge assortment of GTO and Tri-Five parts including NOS and Many Rare and hard to nd GTO parts. He also has a Rare 1957 Chevrolet convertible that is 12th body and serial number 10! Plan now to attend this amazing auction!

Join our Free E-Newsletter! Never Miss a Sale! Thinking of Having an Auction Give Us a Call. Check website for more auctions!

THE JENDRO COLLECTION

PONTIAC GTO-LEMANS-TEMPEST CARS:

1965 PONTIAC GTO CONVERTIBLE, (project), 1965 PONTIAC GTO 2-DR HT, projectparts, 1965 PONTIAC GTO COUPE, V8, 4-spd , factory a/c, project, 1965 PONTIAC GTO COUPE, V8, 4-spd , Posi, project, 1965 PONTIAC GTO COUPE, factory Tri-Power V8, 4-spd , Posi. 49,495 miles, project, 1965 PONTIAC GTO COUPE, numbers matching, V8, 4-spd, project, 1965 PONTIAC GTO COUPE, V8, 4-spd, 52,457 miles! Older restore!, 1965 PONTIAC LEMANS 4-DR SEDAN BODY, 1965 PONTIAC LEMANS COUPE, V8, 3-spd, project, 1965 PONTIAC LEMANS COUPE, 326 V8, a/t, 82,555 miles, survivor!, 1965 PONTIAC LEMANS CONVERTIBLE, V8, a/t, Texas Car, survivor!, 1965 PONTIAC LEMANS PMD ROLLING BODY, AZ Car, project, 1966 PONTIAC GTO CONVERTIBLE, original driver, blue/white, 389 V8, a/t, 79,222 miles! Survivor! 1966 PONTIAC TEMPEST 4-DR SEDAN, Texas car, factory a/c, V8, a/t, project-parts, 1967 PONTIAC LEMANS COUPE, V8, a/t, project-parts, 1967 PONTIAC LEMANS COUPE, 400 V8, 4-spd, project, 1967 PONTIAC GTO COUPE, HO GTO 400 V8 car, no motor or trans - project, loaded, rare car to build, 1967 PONTIAC GTO COUPE, AZ car, 400 V8, a/t, project.

CHEVROLET 1955, 1956, & 1957 CARS-CAMARO:

1967 CHEVROLET CAMARO RS ROLLING BODY, white, factory disc brakes, no motor or trans, straight, black buckets, ready for your motor and transmission! AMAZING RARE 1957 CHEVROLET BEL AIR CONVERTIBLE. #12 BODY, SERIAL #10, restored red with black top, VC57L100010. 283 power pac V8, Powerglide a/t transmission, 162 miles on restore, pw, beauty!, 1957 CHEVROLET 2-DR HT, survivor! 283 V8, 3-spd on column, red/white. Great Original! 1957 CHEVROLET 2-DR HT ROLLING PROJECT, Bel Air, lots of parts to complete, in primer and ready for rod or restore, 1957 CHEVROLET 4-DR SEDAN, project-parts, 1957 CHEVROLET 4-DR SEDAN, project-parts, 1957 CHEVROLET 4-DR SEDAN, project-parts, 1957 CHEVROLET 4-DR WAGON, projectparts, 1956 CHEVROLET BEL AIR 4-DR SEDAN, project-parts, 1955 CHEVROLET BEL AIR 2-DR HT, restored beauty, V8, a/t, pb, fresh restore!, 1955 CHEVROLET 4-DR SEDAN, project-parts, 1955 CHEVROLET 4-DR SEDAN ROLLING BODY, Texas Car, project-parts.

CHEVROLET 1955, 1956, & 1957 PARTS-CAMARO PARTS:

Spotlights, trim, power steering unit, power brake units, fenders, and much more!!! Terms: Cash, good check, credit card with payment in full day of sale. Letter or proof of funds preferred for checks, no cars on cc cards. Removal day of sale. Sold as-is, all sales nal. On-line bidding available. On-line bidders have separate terms. No buyers premium for on-site bidders. Drivers license or id for bidder number. Statements made day of sale take precedence over written advertisements.

HUGE COLLECTION OF PONTIAC GTO-LEMANS-PARTS:

Hubcaps, Posi rear ends, Rallye rims, rally gauges, Year One center caps, power GTO seats, GTO consoles, grab bars, GTO radios, GTO Tri-powers, carbs, Pontiac motors, NOS GTO trim, GTO seat belts, heads, trim, chrome, Ram Air manifolds, Munci 4-speeds, & much more!!

VanDerBrink Auctions, LLC Yvette VanDerBrink-Auctioneer MN 67-73 507-673-2517 or 605-201-7005

Dale Pavlis- Auctioneer MN 51-53 - Aaron Williams- Auctioneer MN 67-68

ATTENTION COLLECTORS
MAY 11TH, 2013 - MURDO IN MAY - CLASSIC CAR CONSIGNMENT AUCTION - MURDO SD

ATTENTION COLLECTORS

JUNE 29TH, 2013 - 10AM - FABULOUS COLLECTOR VEHICLES THE BUD ROOTBEER JOHNSON COLLECTION AUSTIN, MN FAIRGROUNDS
1957 Chevrolet Fuel Injected Corvette, Model T Roadster, 1905 Cadillac, And More!

ATTENTION COLLECTORS
JULY 20TH, 2013 - AMAZING BARN FIND! - APPROX. 100 COLLECTOR VEHICLES AT AUCTION THE HASTINGS COLLECTION! HASTINGS, NE
Ford, Chevrolet, pickups, pars and more. They are all here including Ford coupes, 1958 Chevrolets including a convertible and more! Watch for details.
NO RESERVE NO ON-SITE BUYERS PREMIUM

For More Information, Pictures, Detailed Inventory

www.vanderbrinkauctions.com Cant Come to the AuctionBid Online.. www.proxibid.com

www.auctions-monthly.com April Page 2013 9

Page 9 2013 March

During the days of March 12, 2013 to March 26, 2013 the Thayer Hotel in Annandale, Mn had a very unique auction. The auction sold the contents of the historic Thayer Hotel. The hotels current owner had engaged Frank Sullivan of Bid-2-Buy.com, to run this two week online auction. This auction was open to the public, like most auctions Bid-2-Buy.com has online. The hotel furnishings include many antiques and furniture of the era, from the 13 bedrooms on the second and third floors and public spaces. In addition to the bedroom furniture, many pictures and historic memorabilia from the Annandale area, a player piano and dining room furniture were up for bids. Considered one of the most modern and majestic of hotels in the region when it was built in 1895, the Thayer was more technologically advanced than most businesses at that time. It was the first building in Annandale to have gaslights and electricity. Page 10 www.auctions-monthly.com April 2013

The hotel boasted as many as 35 guest rooms, a grand lobby with a Steinway piano, a room for traveling salesmen to display their wares, laundry service and a fine dining room. The Soo Line Railroad was concerned over a loss in revenue because there wasnt enough lodging in the community. The Railroad offered the Thayers land and operating capital to build a new hotel opposite the train depot. Construction on Thayers New Hotel began the following summer and it opened for business in December 1895. The name Thayers New Hotel eventually gave way to justThayerHotel. Page April 2013 11 www.auctions-monthly.com April Page 2013 11

Place Your Ad In Our Magazine

Contact A Sales Rep Today

763.210.5801

Your Farm Equipment & Real Estate Specialist

TERMS: Cash or check. Nothing removed before settlement. Statements made sale day take precedence over all advertising.

320-843-3003

AUCTIONEERS & CLERK: Zielsdorf Auction & Real Estate Service, 119 3rd Street North, Benson, MN 56215
Robert Zielsdorf, MN76-22, 320-760-2006 Jacob Fragodt, 320-760-3652 Lefty Norling, MN34-35, 320-382-6566 John Carlson, 763-238-6049

www.zielsdorfauctions.com

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TUESDAY FRIDAY 5 6 2 3 4 WEDNESDAY THURSDAY SATURDAY 9 10 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 25 26 27 30

SUNDAY

MONDAY

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April 2013

Bid-2-Buy

US Power Bid
Delano, MN

Online Auctions April 1-30, 2013 New Auctions Listed Daily

Restaurant Equipment Auction Wednesday, April 3 @ 7:30 p.m.

www.Bid-2-Buy.com

Do-Bid.com

Synergy Auctions

Online Auctions April 1-30, 2013 New Auctions Listed Daily

Shop Tools, Beer & Pop Collectibles, Storage Racking, & More Thursday, April 4, more info on website 7788 Industrial Park Rd. Suite 2

www.do-bid.com

Baxter, MN

4-Bid.com

Bid-2-Buy

Online Auctions April 1-30, 2013 New Auctions Listed Daily

www.4-bid.com

Campers & Bed Trailer Auction Ends Thursday, April 4 @ 7 p.m. West Suburban Auto 610 Hwy 55 East

Buffalo, MN

Blair Auctions

For Full Listing of Storage Auctions

Blair Auctions

www.blairauctions.com
April 1-30, 2013 For MN Storage Auctions

General Merchandise/ Food Auction Saturday, April 6 @ 7 p.m. 1609 Barnes Rd.

Muskegon, MI

www.auctionadvantagemn.com

US Power Bid
Delano, MN
Page 16

Henslin Auctions

Hardware & Equipment Auction Wednesday, April 3 @ 7 p.m.

JD Antique Tractor Auction Saturday, April 6 @ 10 a.m. 2425 West Lincolin Ave

Olivia, MN
April 2013

www.auctions-monthly.com

Powers Auctions

Roeder Implement Auction Saturday, April 6 @ 10:30 a.m. 2550 Rockdale Rd.

Henslin Auctions

Concrete Business Auction Thursday, April 11 @ 10 a.m. 220 CO Rd 8 SE

Hiller Auctions

Dubuque, IA

Kandiyohi, MN

Auto Auction Thursday, April 18 @ 1 p.m. Saint Paul Police Impound Lot 830 Barge Channel Road

Powers Auctions

Roeder Outdoor Power Auction Sunday, April 7 @ 10 a.m. 2550 Rockdale Rd.

Hiller Auctions

St. Paul, MN

Consignment Auction Saturday, April 13 @ 9 a.m. Auction Barn

Henslin Auctions

Dubuque, IA

Zimmerman, MN

Equipment Auction Thursday, April 18 @ 10 a.m. 305 3rd St.

Bid-2-Buy

Auto Auction Ends Tuesday, April 9 @ 7 p.m. The Car Company 1420 West 3rd Ave

Synergy Auctions

Prinsburg, MN

Consignment Auction (check website for details) Monday, April 15, more info on website

Shakopee, MN

www.synergyauctions.com

Tractors, Parts, Motors, & Tires Auction Saturday, April 27 @ 10:30 a.m. 18881 180th St. SE

Henslin Auctions

Bid-2-Buy

Auto Auction Ends Tuesday, April 9 @ 7 p.m.

Blair Auctions

Lake Lillian, MN

Aberdeen, SD

General Merchandise Auction Saturday, April 16 @ 7 p.m. 1609 Barnes Rd.

Muskegon, MI

Bid-2-Buy

Furniture, Antiques, Lawn & Garden Auction Tuesday, April 30 @ 11 a.m. 10140 Shamrock Lane NW

Henslin Auctions

Gun Auction Ends Wednesday, April 10 @ 7 p.m. 15486 209th Ave NW

Blair Auctions

Garfield, MN

Elk River, MN

General Merchandise Auction Saturday, April 16 @ 7 p.m. 1609 Barnes Rd.

Blair Auctions

Muskegon, MI

Bid-2-Buy

Shop & Home Auction Ends Wednesday, April 10 @ 7 p.m. 33234 180th Ave SE

Synergy Auctions

General Merchandise & Food Auction Saturday, April 30 @ 7 p.m. 1609 Barnes Rd.

Mentor, MN

Tool & Equipment Auction Friday, April 19 @ 11 a.m. 7788 Industrial Park Rd. Suite 2

Muskegon, MI

Baxter, MN

For More Auction Dates Visit: www.auctions-monthly.com

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320-843-3003
Your Farm Equipment and Real Estate Specialists

Call today for more info on Live and Online Auctions

www.zielsdorfauctions.com

For Full AUCTION CALENDAR visit:

800-843-3050

Your #1 Source To Buy & Sell in the Northland!

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Mylie Lavold

From Michigan to Mississippi and New York to Texas, Blair Auction and Appraisal has the storage auction business covered in 20 states. That comes as no surprise to those who know Wayne Blairs story.
I attended auctions with my parents as a child. The first auction I can remember was our farm auction in 1958. In 1979 and 1980 I was asked by my mothers family to act as the auctioneer for my Grandfathers estate auction (this auction was open to family only). This was enough to give Blair the auctioneer bug. I enjoyed this so much I decided to go to auction school. After saving up the money for school I attended Reppert auction school in 1989. Like most auctioneers just starting out, Blair worked a fulltime job while honoring his auctioneering skills. Back in the day auctioneers like me were called part time auctioneers, which Page20 www.auctions-monthly.com

was true, we worked our full time jobs and did auctions on the weekends. We did estate, benefit, business liquidations, real estate auctions and online auctions. During the start of my auction career I worked for General Motors as a skilled trades Millwright from 1973 to 2002. I retired after 30 years. During this time Blair also served in the military. I was in the Army/ Army National Guards from 1971 to 1992. I was a Chief Warrant Officer responsible for an engineer company maintenance in South Haven, Mi. In the beginning of Blair auction career he worked for different auction companies where he continued to learn the auction business. He also mentioned his wife Eva. I met Eva in 1991, our first date was a benefit auction. This was the first auction she ever attended and I had her clerk. After we met she helped me with auctions on the weekends. We married in 1994. April 2013

I met Eva in 1991, our first date was a benefit auction.

In 2003 Blair and Eva purchased their auction house, but as far back is 1991-92 Wayne Blair had his eye on the storage auction niche of the auction world. Not many (if any) other people were seeing the potential that Blair saw in storage auctions. By 2000, people were slowly starting to catch on. We were contacted by U-Haul in 2000 to do their storage auctions, and thats where the fun began and the storage auctions began to grow. There were people coming out then but the crowds were small, says Blair. Maybe 6-10 people at an auction. Today, its a very different story. Thanks to the Internet and television, storage auctions are not a hidden treasure hunt anymore. In fact, they have become so popular Blair does very few other kinds of auctions anymore. Currently we conduct retail, estate and food auctions. But the storage auctions are by far the bulk of Blairs business. Others always talked about specializing in the auction business which is what happened to us with the storage aucApril 2013 Page Page21

tions. Sometimes things happen which you need to recognize as an opportunity, be willing to try other things. Blair used technology early on to get the word about storage auctions. We were one of the first companies to advertise storage auctions on our website. Other companies had websites that advertised other types of auctions, but no one had a storage category. Blair encouraged others to advertise storage auctions too. Some people listened to my advice and added storage auctions to their list of services, others didnt. The ones who did were darn glad they did. Storage auctions became a household name with the premier of the cable show, Storage Wars. Blair Auctions and its auctioneers have been featured on the show but Blair prefers reality over reality television. The show has had some bad press which doesnt sit well with Blair who prides himself in being an honest guy who values his reputation as a good businessman. Although the show has had www.auctions-monthly.com

some bad press, you cant deny that it helped make storage auctions a household name. In fact, Blair does about 100 storage auctions a month himself. Of course he cant be in 20 states at the same time so Blair employs sub-contacted auctioneers and auction companies to cover the auctions he does not do himself. If you attend an auction, you will see all kinds of people from amateurs to professionals, all hoping to find a little (or a lot) of treasure in someone elses discarded or forgotten belongings. Blair explains that some of them buy and sell to supplement their income while others actually make their living doing this. I personally know people that make over $100,000 a year buying and selling the contents of storage units. Some own resale shops while others sell at flea markets and garage sales. Many use Internet outlets like E-bay and Craigs List to resell items. For buyers, Blair offers the following advice: Due Diligence: If you are planning to bid on a vehicle, be April 2013 Page21

Blair has plenty of advice for both storage facilities and buyers.
sure a lien check has been done. If a person buys a vehicle and this has not been done, there is a good chance you could lose the vehicle or you could have a hard time getting the title. In many of the states Blair does business, his company provides this service. He is adamant about telling the storage facilities to do the lien check and about telling buyers to make sure they get a title. Annie get your gun: If you find guns in the unit you probably dont have to turn them in. I have talked to the ATF and my company has an FFL license. Nowhere have I seen (in the places we work) where you have to turn them in. If its stolen thats another story. As long as the serial number checks out, they just assign the gun to you. Every picture tells a story: Beware if you are buying something based on a picture. Whether its on the internet or somewhere else, remember that things almost always look better in the picture than they really are. Open your eyes: Bid on what you see. Your profit is on what you dont see. If you see bunch of toys, lower-end furniture, boxes and stuff like that you probably arent going to find collectables, antiques or other valuable items. None of your business: If you end up buying a unit, pull the door down, lock it and come back after everyone is gone. You may find something you dont want other people to know you have. To the storage facilities: Communication: If you have something noteworthy please let your auctioneer know! If they dont know, it will sell for far less than if they do. Know the laws: In most states, if you sell a storage unit and the tenant owes $400 and it sells for $200, the storage facility can turn that delinquent tenant into collections for $200. On the other hand, if the tenant owes $400 and the unit sells for $800, the tenant is entitled to get money back. Depending on the state, if the tenant cannot be contacted, the storage company may get to keep the money after a certain period of time, or it may have to turn the money over to the state. (Blair does his best to keep up with the changing laws in each state as a service to his clients.) Everyone likes a good story and Blair has more than his share. He can tell you about buyers who paid a few hundred dol-

Blair told me about a husband and wife who opened a box in the unit they bought and found $44,000 in cold hard cash! Page22 www.auctions-monthly.com April 2013

lars for units and found things worth many hundred and even thousands of dollars. Some examples Blair noted were a doll collection worth $10,000, autographed pictures from celebrities from the 20s and 30s, camera collections, antique furniture, stamp collections, coin collections, office machinery, several brand new Kirby vacuums, vintage cars, motorcycles, guns (both stolen and not), drugs and even money! One of my favorites stories Blair told me about a husband and wife who opened a box in the unit they bought and found $44,000 in cold hard cash! Sadly for the couple, upon closer examination all the bills had the same serial numbers. Talk about going from treasure to trash in heartbeat! Runner up would be the Firebird that sold for about $300. But, while everyone was standing around they opened the trunk and found $50,000 in cash. They called the police, who confiscated the what turned out to be drug money. (Remember Blairs advice to make sure you open your unit and examine your merchandise in private?) As I said, Blair has more stories than mother goose but thats another article. Lets get back to business. Food auctions are the newest service offered by Blair Auctions. The currently operate food auctions out of three Michigan locations. Blairs son-in-law heads up these auctions, selling discounted food that comes from truckload purchases or overstock from businesses. Items are the same makers and same quality as what you see at the Page April 2013 Page23

at things in a different way, accept the challenge to make it work, says Blair. Most recently, Wayne Blair was honored as a 2013 inductee into the Michigan State Auctioneers Association (MSAA) Hall of Fame. Being inducted into the Hall Of Fame has been the highlight of my auction career. Blair is not retiring his gavel yet. Im the type of person who has to stay busy, says Blair. Eva would like to have me retire but when you enjoy what youre doing its hard to let go. Hopefully that will be in the far future.

grocery stores, explains Blair. A lot of people are unaware of the food auctions. The crowds are smaller and people get really good deals. Bidders can find a large variety of items including cereal, nuts, candy, cheese, and meats. The selection varies from week to week. Wayne Blair has had a long and notable auction career, earning both a Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI) designation and is also a member of the Certified Appraisers Guild of America (CAGA). CAI taught me to look www.auctions-monthly.com

Contact Information: Blair Auction & Appraisal, L.L.C 740 Baldwin St. Jenison, MI 49428

Phone: 616.457.5303 www.blairauction.com April Page23 2013

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License 65-25 Bird Island, MN Allen Henslin 320-979-1808 Frank Roering 320-290-8490

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Join our Free E-Newsletter! Never Miss a Sale! Thinking of Having an Auction

we would pick up the melted stainless and chrome to make jewelry and crafts. When we heard a rumble from the shed, it was i out of f hib i Dads Hotrod 400 plus horsepower 8N Ford Tractor creeping hibernation and ying down the gravel road. We knew it was the start to Racing Season. Every weekend, all summer to the area tracks. There were always Racecars at the farm, Derby Cars to paint, and horsepower everywhere. WE even raced out bikes around the yard and Mom made us a set of ags. When I was 18, my Dad entered me in an Enduro Race- 200 laps or 2 hours whichever was rst. I was the only gal out of 92 guys and nished the race 10th. I was the happy heifer and we got the cars from the police auctions. Mopars worked awesome! I did more races and had 5 Happy Heifer cars. I learned to drive it was in a 1955 Chevrolet Panel. We would take turns bringing seed cord to Dad in the eld and then practice driving in the hay eld. When we got over the South hill, we would spin cookies and practice our driving maneuvers .But drove like Angels on the way home. Dad just a couple years

a and show the world. Im not just an au auctioneer, but a fellow lover of old iron and work to s save this important piece of their life and make sure that its re remembered and enjoyed by others. S h you are looking to have a sale, remember to pick an auctioneer that So when understands your passion and will work to show what your collection means to the world. Experience and Passion that Counts. I can do that for you- so 2013 is looking to be a great year- and if you are thinking of selling your collection I want to talk with you, lets sit down and see what wishes you have and make a special plan for your auction and it to be a success. I rmly believe that every Dog should have its day- Give me a Call, Ill be over and lets talk about your auction, old cars, trucks, tractors, and Ill bring the donuts. Yvette Yvette VanDerBrink VanDerBrink

inking of Having an Auction - Give Us A Call. Check website for more auctions!

Auctioneer/Broker nk erBri VanD e lil Yvett The Nordstroms Gal

ATTENTION COLLECTORS!!! MAY 11TH, 2013 MURDO IN MAY CLASSIC CAR CONSIGNMENT AUCTION MURDO, SD ATTENTION COLLECTORS!!! MAY 18TH, 2013 2408 40TH ST., ST. CLOUD, MN THE JENDRO COLLECTION Call Now To Consign!
Amazing collection of GTOs and Tri-Five Cars! Huge Collection of Rare GTO parts and Tri-Five Parts Huge assortment of GTO and Tri-Five Cars! Restored, projects and Parts. Including a RARE Body #12 and Vin #10 1957 Chevrolet Convertible! HUNDREDS of rare GTO parts and Tri-Five parts!

VanDerBrink Auctions, LLC

ATTENTION COLLECTORS!!! JUNE 29TH, 2013 10 AM FABULOUS COLLECTOR VEHICLES THE BUD ROOTBEER JOHNSON COLLECTION AUSTIN, MN FAIRGROUNDS 1957 Chevrolet Fuel Injected Corvee, Model T Roadster 1905 Cadillac, And More! ATTENTION COLLECTORS!!! JULY 20TH, 2013 AMAZING BARN FIND! APPROX. 100 COLLECGTOR VEHICLES AT AUCTION THE HASTINGS COLLECTION! HASTINGS, NE Ford, Chevrolet, pickups, cars and more. They are all here including Ford Coupes, 1958 Chevrolets including a Converble, and more! Watch for more details!
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Cant Come To The Aucons - Bid Online at www.proxibid.com

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Preparation, Marketing, and Presentaion: From Set Up to Selling Up, Our Auction Sta works diligently to make your Auction selling or buying a pleasant and successful experience. www.auctions-monthly.com

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