Vintage Sign Collectors: Show Off Your Stuff!

I couldn't find a thread that seemed to focus solely on sign collectors and collections, so I figured why not fire one up myself!

I got into this stuff pretty heavy following COVID, and love chasing down unique stuff, or items that have been discarded or broken, and can be brought back to life.

I tend to not focus a ton on neon, and while most older collectors lean towards porcelain, I actually am drawn more to the bigger fluorescent, acrylic pieces.

Manufacturers, and oil + gas typically. People call or ask me all the time about other types ('Hey, want my Hood Ice Cream DSP?') but it just isn't "my thing". It doesn't excite me like the auto related stuff.

This could really be a move from the 'Garage Pics' thread to show off what is IN your garages on the walls etc. for signs.

Anyway, I'll kick it off with this massive piece I just sent to California.

Over 9ft in length, 4+ft tall and it had to have been over 400lbs.

It took me 40 days to finally get a single hi-roof van to agree to drive it XC from CT to CA, and the cost was INSANE, but hey, on a pallet I feared it would be broken...so I did what I had to do!

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Here’s a 79x39 I created from a large gas station rectangular sign that came down a few weeks ago from a station here in CT.

cut the logo out and made a new extrusion, new LEDs and power supply. And it’s only like 30lbs


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This was a super neat flange sign I found up in Maine.

Had to have it.

And then I turned the corner in his house and he had this beautiful Federal tires piece. Had to nab that too!
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Badass

 

This was a 84"x75" sign I found in PA.

Easily one of the coolest pieces of garage art I've come across.

It was double sided, and wheeling it around took time and strength lol it was massive!

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This was a beautiful MBZ service sign from the 80's

Had it out in my garage for a bit.


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super vintage Suzuki motorcycle sign, 4x4 and it was double sided!

I sadly sold it on PCAR for a few hundred bucks.

That was a dumb decision on no reserve that week...
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This was a lovely vintage (by the looks of the face and material, late 60's early 70's) Mobil Pegasus

I converted it to LED, and added an aluminum extrusion, as the old one had disappeared, and it was very fragile by itself with no back.

The original trim ring was still all there with set screws, which was pretty cool.

The TEXACO was a piece I picked up at a hot rod shop in NH on my way home from Maine to view the eclipse!


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Built a twin to the smaller SUNOCO above...

Two is always better than one, right?!




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I have to pick this up in a few weeks
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Drove out to NY the other day for this piece.

I guess I really like Sunoco lol

The ballast was ok, but it smelled like burning when I plugged it in, so I ripped out the fluorescent and put new waterproof IP65 LEDs inside. It was pretty challenging though, the rear was only accessible through a small slit opening, and the backing was glued in, so I couldn't remove it, had to work in the limited space I had.


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GREAT STUFF!!!

 

I just finished this guy

This being the 60” version, not the more common 48”


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I have not seen this one before. It sits at my friends warehouse

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Finished this up today

45.5” about

“Polished” aluminum I thought was a good look for the side trim


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I’ll shoot illumination shots tonight
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