Von Dutch transit bus goes to auction
Moderator: TMAX
Von Dutch transit bus goes to auction
For a number of years, I've kept a page on Von Dutch's GM Transit bus. After combing through my web site statistics (which I do every Sunday morning over coffee), I've found several outside forum entries that indicate that Danny Brucker, the owner of the bus, is putting it up for auction January 17th at the Barrett-Jackson "Rock-on-the-Block" event in Scottsdale, AZ, along with other Dutch artworks, tools and artifacts. I couldn't find any other details of this auction, a listing of the bus, or anything other than the forum posts and the page on the B-J web site. Anyone with better detective skills and a faster internet connection able to sniff out more info?
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Phil Feinstein
Von Dutch
Lots of chatter about previous Von Dutch auctions as well as hints about the bus being in the hands of the Brucker brothers. I found http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto ... re_auction as well as http://www.laweekly.com/art+books/art/d ... ion/13462/
The Barrett-Jackson site has more details now about what will be auctioned in the Von Dutch lot, but still no details about the bus. There isn't even a lot number assigned to it on the website yet.
Found an interesting article on Von Dutch at http://www.orlandoweekly.com/util/print ... sp?id=3352
I'm keeping my eyes peeled
The Barrett-Jackson site has more details now about what will be auctioned in the Von Dutch lot, but still no details about the bus. There isn't even a lot number assigned to it on the website yet.
Found an interesting article on Von Dutch at http://www.orlandoweekly.com/util/print ... sp?id=3352
I'm keeping my eyes peeled
Phil, thanks or passing along those links. I had seen the LA Weekly article when I was searching about. I also found a page of results from the prior auctions, giving a list of items and the prices paid for them. $10k for a spray gun! I have one exactly like it I'd let go for a mere $5,000!
There was never any doubt about the Bruckers having the bus, that's where I got my photos, and after reading some of the forum posts, I found similar photos of the bus in the same setting. Many of the posts indicated that the bus had been stripped of much of the "artwork" (if you can call machine-turned cabinet doors "artwork"), which was apparently being offered for auction separately. The famed "flying eyeball" etched glass window (pictured below) has been removed from the bus and put into a wooden frame. There was a photo of one of the forum posters holding it in front of his chest, and another one of him standing in front of the bus.
With the sale of Von Dutch's artworks, tools and artifacts, there seems to be a lot of animosity directed towards the Brucker family, so I thought I'd weigh in with my half-baked, possibly ill-informed opinion and describe my brief acquaintance with Danny Brucker, which led to my posting of the Von Dutch bus page on this web site.
The year was 2001, and the occasion was a June vacation trip to Tassajara Mountain Zen Center. It was also the observance of my 50th birthday.
A short description of Tassajara is that the San Francisco Zen Center operates the Mountain Center as monastery. The center is closed throughout the fall, winter and early spring, but opens to paying guests from May to September. There are a variety of small guest cabins, dormitory-style accommodations and “luxuryâ€
There was never any doubt about the Bruckers having the bus, that's where I got my photos, and after reading some of the forum posts, I found similar photos of the bus in the same setting. Many of the posts indicated that the bus had been stripped of much of the "artwork" (if you can call machine-turned cabinet doors "artwork"), which was apparently being offered for auction separately. The famed "flying eyeball" etched glass window (pictured below) has been removed from the bus and put into a wooden frame. There was a photo of one of the forum posters holding it in front of his chest, and another one of him standing in front of the bus.
With the sale of Von Dutch's artworks, tools and artifacts, there seems to be a lot of animosity directed towards the Brucker family, so I thought I'd weigh in with my half-baked, possibly ill-informed opinion and describe my brief acquaintance with Danny Brucker, which led to my posting of the Von Dutch bus page on this web site.
The year was 2001, and the occasion was a June vacation trip to Tassajara Mountain Zen Center. It was also the observance of my 50th birthday.
A short description of Tassajara is that the San Francisco Zen Center operates the Mountain Center as monastery. The center is closed throughout the fall, winter and early spring, but opens to paying guests from May to September. There are a variety of small guest cabins, dormitory-style accommodations and “luxuryâ€
Writing about getting the photos from Danny made me think about the images that I didn't use on the web page, so I went looking for the originals. Had to dig out a backup CD-R from 2001 to find them.
The images on the Von Dutch web page here have been copied and distributed all over the 'net. When I was looking for more information about the auction, I came across more copies of my photos than I care to think about. So here, exclusively for those of you who haunt the forum, are some additional images of Von Dutch's bus:
This shows how close some of the bullet holes in the bus came to taking out the eyeball window. Of course, we have no evidence that the bullets didn't come from inside the bus, or that they weren't fired by Dutch himself...
Street side of the bus, more bullet damage to the front cap and side windows.
The images on the Von Dutch web page here have been copied and distributed all over the 'net. When I was looking for more information about the auction, I came across more copies of my photos than I care to think about. So here, exclusively for those of you who haunt the forum, are some additional images of Von Dutch's bus:
This shows how close some of the bullet holes in the bus came to taking out the eyeball window. Of course, we have no evidence that the bullets didn't come from inside the bus, or that they weren't fired by Dutch himself...
Street side of the bus, more bullet damage to the front cap and side windows.
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Phil Feinstein
Hey; How about this as an oddball tie-in?
A journalist named H.L. Mencken coined the term "Booboisie" to refer to a dominant sociatal group controlled by idiots. A combo of the words "Boob" (meaning "idiot" in 1940's context) and "Bourgeoisie".
This word has seen a resurgance of popularity when referring to the pop culture folks clamoring for Von Dutch jeans and other merch.
Thanks Sharkey; History is always more fun when someone is willing to share some perspective. Could the world have become a much different place if you took ownership of Von Dutch's bus rather than the crown?
A journalist named H.L. Mencken coined the term "Booboisie" to refer to a dominant sociatal group controlled by idiots. A combo of the words "Boob" (meaning "idiot" in 1940's context) and "Bourgeoisie".
This word has seen a resurgance of popularity when referring to the pop culture folks clamoring for Von Dutch jeans and other merch.
Thanks Sharkey; History is always more fun when someone is willing to share some perspective. Could the world have become a much different place if you took ownership of Von Dutch's bus rather than the crown?
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Phil Feinstein
Took some looking around the B-J site, but I eventually found the listing. No photos though. One of the forum posts that I read stated that photos that were posted (somewhere, possibly not B-J) had been pulled down due to the decrepit condition of the bus and to avoid revealing that it had been stripped to the bone of Von Dutch artifacts.
I'm no expert on transit buses, but I con't help wondering if the the make of the bus is actually considered "GMC"? I assumed that it was a "GM Coach" (possibly the same thing?), but maybe that's getting to esotetic about the whole thing.
If the camera resolution had been better, we could possibly do some research on the bus and find out more about it's history, at least more than the facts that are already known, that it was a Long Beach, California city bus:
I wonder if they actually got it running? The post did say that it has new tires mounted on bright red painted wheels...
I'm no expert on transit buses, but I con't help wondering if the the make of the bus is actually considered "GMC"? I assumed that it was a "GM Coach" (possibly the same thing?), but maybe that's getting to esotetic about the whole thing.
If the camera resolution had been better, we could possibly do some research on the bus and find out more about it's history, at least more than the facts that are already known, that it was a Long Beach, California city bus:
I wonder if they actually got it running? The post did say that it has new tires mounted on bright red painted wheels...
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Phil Feinstein
On Thursday, Lot 638 (a very sweet looking F100 pick up) went for $60,500. The High dollar mark was a 58 Corvette for more than 90 large.
I'd be very surprised if the bus goes for less than 30 grand regardless of how clapped out. Especially with all the buzz around the jeans and what-not.
If you look at the vehicles BE CAREFUL OF THE LINKS. Some of the files are elephantine and will lock your computer up if you don't have a fast enough connection.
I'd be very surprised if the bus goes for less than 30 grand regardless of how clapped out. Especially with all the buzz around the jeans and what-not.
If you look at the vehicles BE CAREFUL OF THE LINKS. Some of the files are elephantine and will lock your computer up if you don't have a fast enough connection.
I checked earlier in the evening and it was obvious that the list of auction results had not been completely updated. I just checked back, and Von Dutch's "clapped out" bus sold for $46,000!! The Grundig console HiFi went for $19,550.
Now the question is: who paid that much for a stipped-to-the-bone rat infested trasnit bus, and what are they planning on doing with it?
Just so I don't have to look for it again, here's the link to the '07 Scottsdale car auction results.
A quick scan shows a 1959 DeSoto Firesweep Convertible selling for $333,450.00!!!!
Now the question is: who paid that much for a stipped-to-the-bone rat infested trasnit bus, and what are they planning on doing with it?
Just so I don't have to look for it again, here's the link to the '07 Scottsdale car auction results.
A quick scan shows a 1959 DeSoto Firesweep Convertible selling for $333,450.00!!!!
Last edited by Sharkey on Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Phil Feinstein
I seen it, but I don't believe it!
Flipping around the TV dial and I find that there's a Barrett-Jackson auction being covered. In Scottsdale. Live.
Lot 1042.1 came up for bid at about 9:38pm MST. It had shot up to $60k, but apparently there as confusion over who was bidding on what so the bidding restarted. The bus sold for $40,000.
There were machinist tools and shop tools all over the bus as well as a pinstriped refridgerator. As per the announcer the brakes, suspension and engine had all been revitalized, so the bus was actually drivable and there was a giant wood carved flying eyeball in a case leaning against the bus. The bus was not completely stripped of artifacts. BTW; There is now a metal panel over where the etched flying eyeball was.
Lot 1042.1 came up for bid at about 9:38pm MST. It had shot up to $60k, but apparently there as confusion over who was bidding on what so the bidding restarted. The bus sold for $40,000.
There were machinist tools and shop tools all over the bus as well as a pinstriped refridgerator. As per the announcer the brakes, suspension and engine had all been revitalized, so the bus was actually drivable and there was a giant wood carved flying eyeball in a case leaning against the bus. The bus was not completely stripped of artifacts. BTW; There is now a metal panel over where the etched flying eyeball was.
Phil, looks like we cross-posted while I was editing the sale price into my latest entry.
So, there were some tools and artwork included? I still have not been able to get the images in the auction listing to show me anything on the Von Dutch lot numbers. Seems to work fine on the other listings. Was the bus still all full of bullet holes?
If you come across any photos or find out additional info on the buyer, etc, let us know.
So, there were some tools and artwork included? I still have not been able to get the images in the auction listing to show me anything on the Von Dutch lot numbers. Seems to work fine on the other listings. Was the bus still all full of bullet holes?
If you come across any photos or find out additional info on the buyer, etc, let us know.
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Phil Feinstein
No word on the buyer, but it wasn't a phone bidder or internet bidder. The guy was in the skybox.
Yes, it still had all the bullet holes. In fact, one of the announcers had mentioned that since Von Dutch made guns, the holes could've been from the inside of the bus. That remark sounds familiar somehow.
Yes, it still had all the bullet holes. In fact, one of the announcers had mentioned that since Von Dutch made guns, the holes could've been from the inside of the bus. That remark sounds familiar somehow.
Went back and checked some of the forum posts that I had found about about this auction from, read a variety of reactions there. They are also reporting the sale price as $40k, but the B-J web site is showing $46k?
B-J did manage to get the images working on the bus listing:
The Grundig HiFi image is still kaput for me...
Maybe I'll fire off an email to Danny congratulating him on the auction and ask him to clue me in one some inside dirt on the buyer. The worst that could happen is that he wouldn't answer, but I'm used to that.
B-J did manage to get the images working on the bus listing:
The Grundig HiFi image is still kaput for me...
Maybe I'll fire off an email to Danny congratulating him on the auction and ask him to clue me in one some inside dirt on the buyer. The worst that could happen is that he wouldn't answer, but I'm used to that.
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Phil Feinstein
I can imagine the actual price is $46k. That number would include the 12% buyer's premium on the auction (also known as B-J's cut of the deal)
That picture might not have been taken too long before the auction. It was raining in Scottsdale Friday afternoon.
Dude; The pinstriped 'fridge is worth $40k!
That picture might not have been taken too long before the auction. It was raining in Scottsdale Friday afternoon.
Dude; The pinstriped 'fridge is worth $40k!
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