t-shirts, used parts, and why would you want to buy them? (1 Viewer)

[flapjack]

I recall a thread in which a person asked why anyone would want to pay a team/company money to advertise that team's/company's product. Good question. I generally don't buy t-shirts that advertise a product when I get nothing in return. Well, except for my Rush t-shirts, but that's another story...

On the other hand, I occasionally buy a used part or two when I go to the track. Then I use them as conversation starters. I work for a company full of engineers and most every one that comes to my cube asks about the piston and connecting rod I use as paper weights. The conversation gets interesting and I find that people walk away with a better understanding of drag racing, or I find a fellow motor head at work. That can't be a bad thing.

Does anyone here use their collectibles this way, or do they store them away in hopes that they'll be worth a lot more in the future (as in base ball cards, etc...).

 

[smokemasterJ]

I do the same. I've got a piece of Doug Herbert's blower that rained down on us after his starting line explosion at Pomona some years back. I've also got a mangled and twisted connecting rod (he gave it to me). He signed both, and people are always asking "why do you have an autographed hunks of metal on your desk?" After telling the story, I've gotten a few converts to go to races with me. Funny though, they never want to sit close to the starting line. In somewhat the same vein, I've often wondered about those guys you see happily rolling a used slick through the pits. I'm really tempted to ask, "so what are you going to do with that once you get it home?"

 

[Nick Name]

The only thing I have like that is a piston and rod clock, from Darrell Gwynns car, signed by Darrel

 

[rckymtn3]

I don't use parts to start a conversation, I usually explain one racing versus another, as I've seen pretty much every type of racing to be had in North America, I can usually talk someone from work into GOing to the track....I find the best explanation of what drag racing is, is the vibrating leg hairs during a jack stand cackle, or the violent assault of your senses in general....bright colors, louder than a fireworks show in the back seat of your car, and incredible acceleration...it sells itself quite well....you just need to get them there...still, most never go back....either you get this type of sport, or you don't...you're hooked, or not...I can't think of anyone that was so-so about the drags...

 

[flapjack]

Good point, Kevin. But racing is not like other forms of sports (football, baseball, basketball and, where I work, soccer) that get talked about around the proverbial water cooler. I can't just hijack someone and start talking about motorsports; I have to have something that leads them to ask the questions. Not that was my original intent -- I had brought the parts in to have around (like some people bring in plants) and they ended up being a conversation starter.

 

[smokemasterJ]

Good point, Kevin. But racing is not like other forms of sports (football, baseball, basketball and, where I work, soccer) that get talked about around the proverbial water cooler. I can't just hijack someone and start talking about motorsports; I have to have something that leads them to ask the questions. Not that was my original intent -- I had brought the parts in to have around (like some people bring in plants) and they ended up being a conversation starter.

Thank you Tom, nice evenly-tempered answer. My first thought was to go a different way...

 

[DrRocket]

I've got a burned copper head gasket from Luigi Novelli hanging in my cubicle.

I work in an engineering office as well. My boss is a motorhead and racer (roundy round) himself, as is one of my co-workers. ('65 Sattelite bracket car, mid-tens.)

Everyone here "gets it." They're not all motorheads, but they understand.

I don't get shirts that advertise, (Summit, Jegs, etc.) but I do buy and wear event shirts. My problem is I love them to death. I sure wish I still had my KB racing 300mph shirt. It finally just fell apart on me, barely readable. Wish I had taken better care of it.

 

[FC138fan]

I remember in high school I had tons of drag racing shirts, I wore them nearly everyday. I was the only kid in my school to wear these type of shirts (literally). I collected a ton of Al Hofmann signed stuff, just cause he was my favorite driver. Over time though, I got over the autographs... and T shirts... and today as I go through the pits, don't understand the fascination with autographs. I guess you just out grow it....

I understand having one or two shirts to break out when you go to the race to show your support for a particular team, and understand having a piece of a car as a conversation starter - I have a used piston signed by Hofmann and Jim Dunn - It's in a case at home with a bunch of other stuff so it's not a conversation starter... but I like to pick it up and imagine that that thing produced 1,000 horsepower on its own one day. I could see having it in my office (I probably would if it weren't signed) and starting up a conversation... have someone hold it and tell them it alone produced 5X more power then the entire engine on your own car. Just think having 8 of these things going at 5,000 rpm.

The slicks through the pit... another thing I don't understand.. so big and bulky, I wonder how many end up as a mosquito nursery in the back yard... and its just a tire, which doesn't even look cool unless its mounted and inflated.

 

[Von Halen]

My most prized possession is a cylinder sleeve from Blaine Johnson's engine, signed by Blaine Johnson. I have it displayed in my den.

 

[Jeff]

I'm the only motorhead in my office of 1000 ... got plenty of parts on display, but mostly from carnage from our car. I mainly have them there for my own mental diversion during rough days at work. Bunches of 10 x 8 photos are the more likely conversation starters ... people are shocked at how obvious the acceleration is in a still photo.

I'm on a never ending quest to collect neat black t shirts. I sit here in typing in a Jim Dunn shirt, one of 6 I recently ordered from Stith. Earlier this week I was on the MSD site getting ready to order a PowerGrid system for the new Spitzer and noticed they had a bunch of shirts for $3 each .... 8 t shirts coming my way for a grand total of $37.

I tend to work on the cars for about an hour each night ... necessity and therapy, and white t shirts, while better for the Houston area's hot weather, rarely get worn twice before they've got some stain on them.

I've got at least 20 slicks stacked near the tire changing area upstairs in my barn. I have often thought of putting them in the trailer prior to a national event to watch them roll off in amazement ... it just seems so wrong to allow somebody to make the mistake of thinking that would be a cool memento.

 

[DrRocket]

I know a couple of people who've turned the slicks over on the side, built a support on the inside, and then put a clear top on it for a neat coffee table for the den or rec room.

At Brainerd one year, this kid, face beaming, rolled not one, but TWO fuel slicks up to where his dad was standing. "And just where the heck do you think we're gonna put THOSE???" he let the kid keep them though.

 

[SoCal Racer]

I recall a thread in which a person asked why anyone would want to pay a team/company money to advertise that team's/company's product. Good question. I generally don't buy t-shirts that advertise a product when I get nothing in return. Well, except for my Rush t-shirts, but that's another story...

On the other hand, I occasionally buy a used part or two when I go to the track. Then I use them as conversation starters. I work for a company full of engineers and most every one that comes to my cube asks about the piston and connecting rod I use as paper weights. The conversation gets interesting and I find that people walk away with a better understanding of drag racing, or I find a fellow motor head at work. That can't be a bad thing.

Does anyone here use their collectibles this way, or do they store them away in hopes that they'll be worth a lot more in the future (as in base ball cards, etc...).

I have a BME rod/piston combo sitting on my desk as a conversation starter, although I am one of the engineers so people see things they are unfamiliar with on my desk all the time. I get a lot of looks.

I don't typically buy product T-shirts, but do buy event shirts. My big collection though is handout cards. I have them dating back to the early '70s when I started collecting, but I don't think any them have any great value to anyone except a drag racing nut.

Oh, and I do have a Rush T-shirt. Rock on, Bro!

 

[mick]

- grace under pressure t-shirt worn by son till he outgrew, now
sits in drawer just looking good.
- tommy ivo t-shirt purchased @ world series in cordova 1978
- cracked rack&pinion discarded from former strange rolling shop
- gilby's piston given to son by beserko bob
- valve spring son somehow got from jegs
- really cool signed poster of original nitromater firebird FC, son got that too
- slick from hartleys (son wanted), sits in garage, good conversation starter

 

[jackass]

As someone who's closet is full of racing tee's from dirt oval and drag racing... and i wear them ALOT...lol... i once had a girl friend ask me why i had so many and why keep buying new ones.... my reply to her was why.. every time you go to the beach do you pick up a sea shell and bring it home and place it on a book shelf?...... her reply was.. ok i get it ..never mind....lol..

 

[BaldyLochs]

Oh heck yeah. I'm like a couple of you, by placing various race car pieces and chunks on my desk at work. I don't buy too many shirts anymore; when I do now, it's rare items I specificaly want. For personal reasons, my Della Woods, Wayne Bailey and Doug Kalitta's USAC Championship T's are tucked away in the vault

 

[Bob]

I don't use parts to start a conversation, I usually explain one racing versus another, as I've seen pretty much every type of racing to be had in North America, I can usually talk someone from work into GOing to the track....I find the best explanation of what drag racing is, is the vibrating leg hairs during a jack stand cackle, or the violent assault of your senses in general....bright colors, louder than a fireworks show in the back seat of your car, and incredible acceleration...it sells itself quite well....you just need to get them there...still, most never go back....either you get this type of sport, or you don't...you're hooked, or not...I can't think of anyone that was so-so about the drags...

What finally happened to the Force parachute that you used to have?

Check your email!

 

[rckymtn3]

I can't just hijack someone and start talking about motorsports

I understand...I just wait until they talk about racing...or something that's loud, or something that is fast....then I say "oh yeah, well....those are loud/fast etc, but you should really go to the drags" ....I don't feel it's hijacking a conversation, as I am as interested in their hammock-swinging story as they are of my redneck drag tan...fair's fair....bore me? I bore YOU! plus, I do have parts and fragments of stuff, but there's this guy down the hall with an intake valve from a SeaLand container vessel....and trust me, you don't want to get into a pissing contest with a guy that has a valve the size of your head...

Thank you Tom, nice evenly-tempered answer. My first thought was to go a different way...

seriously....can a person share their thoughts without someone taking offense? I simply say "I don't use parts to start a conversation" and you take it as an assault to all those that do....jeez...I'll type it all out next time so you too can be "evenly tempered" in a non-passive aggressive manner ....and just to mess with you, please share what other "ways" you've gone in your life. (feel free to laugh, or get pissed, I'll still be here) Wasn't picking, was sharing....you guys use a part, I don't...pretty simple....I understand the value of a show and tell object, and as you see below, I don't have a thing against having greasy parts in your possession
And he also said he doesn't like to wear advertising for free, so should I be upset if I like to wear a Coca-Cola shirt? I am not upset, just saying...perception is a curious thing...

What finally happened to the Force parachute that you used to have?

Check your email!

I sold it quite a ways back...many moves ago...I've either sold or given a lot of stuff away....I'm down to some magnesium/body fragments from occasional 1000ft mishaps that would shower down....guess if it hits you, it means more?

had a nice vintage aluminized breather mask and firesuit....sold that too....but not before the girlfriend dujour caught me doing a darth vader impression....luckily, it was before this depression they keep calling a recession happened, so at least I realized a 'lil profit.

ps....the mail? I had some issues with photos coming through and basic operations since I downloaded IE9, and it's been nothing but a big fat headache. I finally gave up on it and downloaded Google's Chrome, and haven't looked back. So I will resend a note I tried to send...I got several photos and reports about you at Rockingham (looks almost exactly the same!) and Norwalk and the AWESOME handicap seating at Mooresville! The one I was missing was the turbo plumbing....I assume it's a mess of spaghetti all-over! Anyway....will you be my friend Bob...apparently I'm mean.... insert guffaw here have a great weekend buddy....

 

[Bob]

ps....the mail? I had some issues with photos coming through and basic operations since I downloaded IE9, and it's been nothing but a big fat headache. I finally gave up on it and downloaded Google's Chrome, and haven't looked back. So I will resend a note I tried to send...I got several photos and reports about you at Rockingham (looks almost exactly the same!) and Norwalk and the AWESOME handicap seating at Mooresville! The one I was missing was the turbo plumbing....I assume it's a mess of spaghetti all-over! Anyway....will you be my friend Bob...apparently I'm mean.... insert guffaw here have a great weekend buddy....

I'll see if I can resend the turbo photo in a format that you can actually see. If I remember to load it into the car, I'll bring my Mavica with me to take some photos at Bandimere this weekend.

Will I be your friend? I probably wouldn't have gone to my first drag race if I hadn't met you more than 20 years ago! ...it sure doesn't seem that long ago.

 

[bing]

The only t shirts I own are either drag racing or music and I have recently changed jobs and I went out on the road one day with this bloke who I was sick of after 5 mins but after he seen my tatt (xmas tree) and asked the silly question 'are you into drag racing' we talked drag racing for the rest of the day. I was saved from what was looking like a pretty long day.

I will talk drag racing to anyone who will listen and have had many a conversation about the sport that started out because I had a racing t-shirt on. I am 40 and I still reckon I will be wearing drag racing shirts and talking up the sport for another 40.

And while we are talking drag racing memorabilia, I am always looking for stuff if you got anything you want to get rid of. Really want an Antron tee and a patron crew shirt. That Force chute mentioned earlier would look really good hanging from my roof!!!

 

[bing]

Jeez i'm good at killing threads, just ignore my rants and carry on your discussion....I really should just go back to lurking..or quit drinking