National Dragster collection
 

The time has come ......as part of my New Years resolutions I promised to get rid of my lifelong collection of National Dragsters along with a zillion others such as Hot Rod , SuperStock and Drag Illustrated , Car Craft , Hemmings , and those others -- you know -- the ones that came in a plain black wrapper . Anyway , I simply can't bring myself to just toss 'em into the dumpster and am looking for other ideas .The best thing in my mind would be to donate to a museum or something on that order - but who or where is the question .......ideas ? ? ? Don't be bashful - just spit out your thoughts .........Happy New Year ! ! !

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Jack, It's a very nice idea to donate to a worthy cause. I would think maybe Garlits museum. I'm sure someone would like to have them, maybe a collector. If you decide to donate, donate a few my way. I have some feature articles on my work in several magazines. ND, DRM, DRUSA, SSDI, etc. I am sure some others would like to have a copy of something with their cars featured. Hey, a few bucks, is a few bucks. Send me a PM and I'll send you a few bucks!

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Wade -- thanks for the offer but I'm not doing it for a few bucks ( or any bucks for that matter ) I'd rather see them preserved as a group .I do like the Garlits thought ................I guess my point is that I'd rather donate them then sell .

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Jack,just so you know,some of the early Super Stock mags (mostly 1960's) are worth respectable money.I had a bunch at the E'town swap meet and the vendors almost chewed
each other apart when they saw that I was giving them away for peanuts.I couldn't be bothered negotiating with them.In the end I told them I knew why they wanted them (some
needed violins in the background while they thought they were bull$hitting me).To a tee all they wanted were the ones in mint condition.
If Garlit's will take them that would probably be the way to go.There's a collector in Pa.
I forgot his first name,last name Goyda who can give you an idea of the value of them.
You can probably get a tax break for donating them.And that's a good thing.

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If it gets to that point, i would be interested in the national dragsters.
Bob

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Jack,

Bob Frey is always looking to complete his collection (it does still have some holes) and what he doesn't need he does have connections with a couple of big time collectors &/or brokers.
PM me if you need to.
Unk

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Jack,

Another option would be to donate them to a Veterans hospital or even a
kids hospital, that is if Garlits falls through.

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Jack,

The best way to deal with your dilemma is to inventory your whole collection and sell it as one lot on ebay; include the inventory with titles, dates and tallies. Then donate the money to the charity of your choice. People will bid the whole lot up to get the plums. Put it on ebay for 14 days. A buddy sold off some old magazines last fall and was shocked to see some of them sell for $50.00 to $85.00 each. Good luck to you and to the charity of your choice.

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Jack, contact me when you have time. I do alot on Ebay and can steer you in the right direction. But, they may not be the best choice.........


wadeowens2007@yahoo.com

Re: National Dragster collection
 

boy i know i would like to have all of them (Nat Dragsters) that covers sportsman national events in the 70's and 80's for my monster database I'm working on. lol

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Eddie - I sure know what you mean about the vendors at E-town and I'm sure I don't want to deal with them and the hassle it would bring .Tax advantage sounds good but in this economy - well - lets just say you have to have profits before you need an advantage .

Unk -- Bob Frey .......hmmmmm -- didn't know about that part of his life .Does he share the collection he has or just hoard ? I'll PM you later in the day .

Philip -- Veterans Hospital is a great idea but I really hate to see them split up .

Bruce -- Do you have any idea how long it would take to inventory 30 plus years of this stuff ? I would need several volunteers -- you available ? $50 to $85 each sounds like a huge tax advantage ............One last thing -- my back is going to hurt just dragging these down from my garage attic not to mention the lifting of all the cartons on my cellar...you still in ?

Nitro Joe -- You're in the running ..........Monster database ? Tell us more please .........

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Jack,

You have to eyeball the stuff if you 're looking for a fair value. Packing and shipping requires the most work. Or call a scrap man if you want a clean sweep with out much effort.

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Jack I'm working on a project right now that will have every car number, driver, hometown, car entry and car type into a database that will go from 1970 till now, i wish i could go earlier but i don't think programs that you bought at the track started until 1970. Anyhow at first i wanted to ad in ET's if i could, but after contacting NHRA i'm finding out i might have more data on sportsman racers then they do back in the day, lol.
Anyhow everyday while no racing is going on you would think I would be kicked back playing x-box or watching tv, no i got this brain fart and started doing this project, might take me over a year, but I will have it done sometime. Eliminators will be Comp, Modified, Super Stock and Stock. I'm working on Comp & modified right now and while I'm at it, D1, D2. D3,D4, D5, D6 and D7 racers, if you have any programs for races out in your area between 70 and now, let me know, I would love to have you scan the pages or even borrow them and get them back to you in a safely manner.
Back to Work, I'm still in 1972
Quick facts
1970 120 Comp entries so far
384 Modified entries, and these was all from Indy program only

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I have a SS&DI collection dating back to issue 1, Nov. '64 to the late '70's and every time I think about getting rid of them I catch myself digging back through them to find an article that I remember and want to see again. So, my wife can deal with them when I'm gone.

Re: National Dragster collection
 

I called Don about donating my 4000 plus car magazines and he said he would be happy to have them, then I got an email from a magazine seller who said the Don sells the magazines!

I never got back to Don to see if this is true.

JimR

Anyone need a 1953 issue of Hot Rod? lol!

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Jack,I was just relating my experience trying to sell them piecemeal.The figures Bruce is quoting is for mags in as new condition.If yours are and they are from the 60's and some select later ones,those prices are pretty close.The problem is finding buyers.How long are you willing to sit on them?

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Ed -- I don't want to sit on them another day as I'm weary just from arguing with my wife about getting rid of this stuff before I'm too old to move them without help .

Bobby Z -- I feel your pain brother but my wife is relentless .

Nitro -- Your "job" sounds like it could take a lifetime .

Bruce -- Yes , I want a clean sweep but not the trash can .I just can't do it .............

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Just dump them Jack unless you can get someone to come and pick them up.....I just dumped about 18 of those large plastic tote boxes jamed FULL of magazines (some old and some newer and all brands) and several full of ND and old eastern drag news, drag times. Some from as far back as 1962 &1963. After the first load it gets easy. I made 4 trips (pick up truck bed full) this past weekend because of selling my house and wanting to move to a warmer climate (?). Its a lot of weight to move. It only hurts for a little while. I didnt have time to try to sell them to a collector. They represent a life time of memories but they just turn out to be trash in the end.

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I havent done the Dump yet. Hot Rod to 1956 Car craft small magazines and all. I would sell them if anyone interested... Too much to move .
Thanks Dick

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Donate them to UTI (Exton Pa) or some other automotive school. Hopefully they will see what class racing looks like and maybe some students will get interested enough to get into it. It is a long shot but it could get some new blood interested. Combine that with an invite for the students to come to Atco or Maple Grove to see class racing first hand.

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The last line of Jack's original post on this thread." Don't be bashful - just spit out your thoughts"

Selling the collection and donating the money to a worthy charity certainly would be more rewarding than donating them to Don Garlits. Garlits is all about the dough. Sell them to someone who really wants them and do something good with the money. And as Jack asked, these are my thoughts!!!!!!!!

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Bruce - I do like your thoughts and would rather see charity ( or a racing based organization ) get the benefit than a for profit deal .That being said it certainly is a giant task to try and sell this stuff off on E-bay or somewhere so that I can donate the proceeds .

Recently it has been brought to my attention that I could donate them to Darwin Dolls' (former D1 Director) museum here in Division one .Has anyone else had any experience with this organization? Sounds like a good idea but ........Does anyone have contact info for him ?

SuperStock1890 -- Rich - I have contacted my local Community College Director -- his answer -- Most youths today are more interested in the fart can cars than what we do .Nice ..real nice .

1664SSJA -- Glad you understood my words ...........

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Darwin Doll (mail@dragracersreunion.ning.com)

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Problem is that most large collections weigh a LOT and most want the owner to deliver them to a charity or what ever place you decide on. To sort thru them to find and catalog them would take more time than they are worth. The part about most younger guys being more interested in "Recycled Tooth Paste Tube" cars with fart can mufflers is correct. Its a sign of the times and a reminder that we are getting older.

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Had a nice conversation recently with Darwin Doll ( former D1 Director ) who now runs the York Nostalgia event yearly and is connected with the Eastern Museum of Racing in York Springs , PA and they would be glad to have my Dragster collection and any other memorabilia that I or other racers might have to put on display .They have now been moved to the top of my list -- any other thoughts ? BTW , if I send them there I'll have to separate them into at least years - a big job in itself -- volunteers ? ? ?

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wish i lived closer to you, i would separate them, cause i would of loved to get some info out of the 70 and newer papers.
Doll's deal is a good deal for sure.

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Jack,,, I know what you're going through,,my wife sings the same song from time to time.Luckily for me, I came up with a filing system back in 65' as a 12 year old spending my allowance on car mags. Fast forward to 2010, and I've got thousands up in the attic, many different titles, but can find a particular issue if needed. I don't know what you're going to do, but if you decide to separate the Super Stock and Drag Illustrated magazines let me know as I only need 4 issues to have the complete collection. Thanks to swap meets and E-Bay I've filled a lot of holes.
The ones I need are: July 68',,, Oct 69',,, Jan 74' and Aug 83'.
Thanks for any help,, and good luck whichever direction you take.
Danny Durham

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Jack,,,,,What did you decide to do? We're all curious.......Danny Durham

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The only thing I wasnt aware of until I went to have something worth a large sum donated to a Museum for my Granfathers "Legacy" as it were.

MANY Are Not NON Profit, and DO sell items regularly.

Ask if they will be sold off (maybe thats Ok depending on what they do with the $) Displayed , whatever you wish of them, 1 a large well known museum even kept calling back, and back and back....then only to find out while they have an amazing display they quite regularly sell stuff off to keep the place "profitable" ?!?!

But in our case donating something worth 40k only to have it sold to a collector would make us sick. They need to be "Seen" in our case....

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Danny -- As far as the Dragster collection goes I've pretty much made up my mind that the" Eastern Museum of Racing" that is located right here in York Springs , Pennsylvania will get them once I get a few volunteers together one weekend soon so we can separate them into years and bag them .That weekend my allergies are not looking forward to as they are stored in my garage attic , basement and a few assorted closets -- all great places that are just breeding dust and dust mites .

As for the magazines thats a whole another job I've got to look forward to ................

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Hey Jack,are the mags hidden behind the bags stuffed with Silver Certificates?

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Jack,
If you haven't already done it, get yourself a paint respirator (the good kind that look like an old Top Fuel guy but in black), and wear it while sorting. I have lots of respiratory allergies as well as asthma, and my respirator does wonders when doing tasks like this.

That's great that you are donating them. One of these days I plan to sort out my collection (only dating back to the early 80's).

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Ed -- Most of the "Silver Certificates" left during the rotten economy we've had the last two years ..........good news is there is less to move around !

Michael --Great idea but a bit bulky to keep on for hours at a time -- I think I'll just use some of those paper filters -- at least some of the stuff can't get in .

Re: National Dragster collection
 

Jack,
If you get a good brand (from a paint supply place, not from Harbor Freight) they are pretty comfortable and can be worn all day (but you'll have funny lines on your face). I actually wear mine doing yardwork, including mowing my 3/4-acre yard. I'm sure it looks goofy, but it beats the asthma attack!

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Hope you thought of a "strategy" to avoid collecting future issues.......
They are much smaller now but we are getting older.....
I also have to get stronger glasses to read the current print.....
MB

Re: National Dragster collection
 

If I had the money I've spent on car magazines since 1954, I could pay cash for one of those new 2008, supercharged, intercooled, 4-valve per cylinder Mustang "STOCKERS" that enjoys such a generous HP factor...


LOL!!! "Foresight..." I never was blessed with much of that. :(

Re: National Dragster collection
 

What a sin. You threw away irreplacable historical literature! At least you could've shown some effort and GIVEN THEM TO SOMEONE WHO'D APPRECIATE THEM. They more than likely would've given you a C-note (or two) as a sign of appreciation; I know I would've!

Real bonehead move, X-Tech Man.

"They represent a life time of memories but they just turn out to be trash in the end."

That's pure bullsh*t.

M68

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Yeah, but you can't put a price on the enjoyment and education your received from them.

M68

Re: National Dragster collection
 

I know you don't want to split them but I would love to have a few issues that feature events from our old track. We are having a Reunion later this year.

Re: National Dragster collection
 

This thread has really caught my interest.

I too have a similar dilema. My ND collection covers 1980-2007 and for years I have wondered if there was a respectable museum to donate them to.
Mine are all boxed and organized tho. (48 issues per box) so moving them would be easy.

I also would love to preserve them for future young gearheads, but with all of the new factory hot rods being built, I doubt many younger guys are interested in the old stuff.

Too bad there is not a "National Automotive Publications" museum. (or library)