Stevens tools and why online auctions are not always good for the seller.

[dobro1956]

Got lucky and found some Stevens tools I was needing to add to the collection. I bought three Stevens engine lift eyes that are used to pull the engine or to help install a head when replacing the gasket. I already had one of the 1/2-inch pipe thread versions for Model Ts and have been looking for years for the other one. Found three of them in an online auction selling a lot of old parts, and stuff from an estate. One was 1/2-inch pipe thread and the other two were 7/8 SAE threads. What were the chances of one finishing out my Model T pair and the other two being another pair of a size I also did not have.? They were listed poorly and included with a wall mount tire tube patch tool. They sold for 2.00 and shipping was 21.00 for all of it. I was going to only have them ship the Stevens tools and let them keep the tube patch tool, but they went so cheap that I had them ship it all to see how bad the shipping was on heavy items. I only bid on the Stevens lot, but if I had known how cheap most everything went for, I would have bought more. There was a nice-looking KR Wilson floor jack that just brought four dollars. The estate was broken into two separate auctions. In the second auction I bought a lot more. Some more Stevens tools, several Ford Z-tool pullers and lots more stuff. Same thing. Most items brought 2 to 3 dollars with one of the pullers bringing 12.00. I do not know why that one brought more than the other 3 just like it that I gave 2.00 apiece for them. I'm still waiting for them to be delivered. But shipping was 47.00 for a lot of heavy tools.

If a person wants to put in the time, the online auctions are doing terrible as far as getting good prices for the sellers on some of the rare car stuff. . There are some great deals out there. Main thing is to contact the auction house and check out their shipping policies and prices before bidding. It would be almost impossible to look at all the online auctions. There are many hundreds if not more at any given time to look at. And most of the auctions I have been watching, the auction house knows little to nothing about what they are selling on our kind of stuff. Happy hunting ....

[tdump]

I feel like that is the only reason I was able to afford to buy my parts of a Republic Truck is because the seller just had it listed as "old truck parts".
Someone far away needing a radiator or transmission for a Republic would never find it listed that way.

[dobro1956]

tdump.. I'm always looking for poorly listed auctions. I've created a search system to make it easier. I have looked thru the online auctions in the past, but not much luck. Here lateIy I have noticed how poorly a lot of things sell on online auctions. Some things do good, but for the most part items do not bring near their worth. So now I have been concatrating on the online auctions. It is amazing how many really good deals can be found. All the auction houses have different rules. Some ship, some don't. So always check before bidding.