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hazetguy Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2001 Posts: 10773 Location: iT StiNgeD iTseLf tO dEAd
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Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 10:10 am Post subject: |
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the busses on the north side are Lin's. those are the ones he gives/gave tours in. last time was through there, he had a price tag on them, since every yahoo in the world would stop by and ask if they were for sale. the price: $3,000,000.00, and it was serious too. he does NOT want to sell them, and there are a few more in the back you can't see from the road. if you get a chance to stop at the rock shop, he has alot of pics of various busses in the canyonlands areas, many in very precarious positions! he also has a cool little Tesla museum (the scientist, not the cheesy band).
Tom-Tom's business card:
_________________ thebucket: I invested in hoodride, now DBD won't return my call?
hazetguy: invested?
thebucket: Yeah Haze, its where people put money into a company in hopes of a return on their money |
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TimGud Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2002 Posts: 6459 Location: Rio Rico Arizona
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Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 10:35 am Post subject: |
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That would be the ultimate tour of the moab area! |
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Dave Roach Samba Deputy
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Utah Valley
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 9:05 am Post subject: |
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Well I'll be damned... the man himself contacted me via e-mail. I had an ad out for a 914 windshield and Tom Tom mailed me saying he "probably had one", but that I'd "have to come down and see if he was for real". I talked to a couple of guys yesterday that said he wanted 20K for his splitty. This gives me very little hope of bartering. I liked the $6,000 projection someone gave earlier. Perhaps half a dozen ovals for a splitty? _________________ "If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hour... you're gonna see some serious sh*t."
Last edited by Dave Roach on Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:09 am; edited 1 time in total |
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moabbaja Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2002 Posts: 14 Location: Moab Utah
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 11:30 pm Post subject: Tom Tom's Volkswagen Museum |
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My 2 cents.
I have lived in Moab full time for the last 18 years and drive by Tom Tom's Volkswagen Museum every day. I think it's cool seeing all the VW's nestled safely in his yard, Moab wouldn't be the same without it. I would have to say I don't think there is another like it anywhere, a very nice collection of VWs. I have never seen Tom advertise any of his VW's for sale, its a museum not a scrap yard. Every time I stop by, Tom has always been very personable, helpful and fair.
Hers a link to some history about Tom and the Museum.
http://www.canyoncountryzephyr.com/aug-sept2001/tomtom.htm
Tom Tom
Tom Tom's Volkswagen Museum, Moab, UT ~spring 1988~ |
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Dave Roach Samba Deputy
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Utah Valley
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Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:06 am Post subject: |
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I highly reccomend you all follow the link above and read about the life of Tom Tom. A lot more than just vw's, although that has seemed to be one of the driving passions that has remained thoughout his life. I think as he gets older, he'll sell them more and more if its to the right person. I can clearly see now that money means nothing to this man. It has yet to be seen if I can talk him out of the splitty though. _________________ "If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hour... you're gonna see some serious sh*t." |
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53 0val Samba Professor
Joined: July 03, 2003 Posts: 11396 Location: Irvine, CA
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Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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If you go there.......Make sure you take Vanhag or tell Tom Tom you're a Mormon. Utah is pretty tough on non-Mormons. _________________ "What a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away." Dobee, Dobee, Do |
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wythac Samba Member
Joined: August 02, 2004 Posts: 2791
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 10:40 am Post subject: |
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I own property near Moab and have met Tom Tom. One of the reasons he can be so cagey is that Moab is filled with kids living hand to mouth, running their VWs of various stripe into the ground on the local roads, and then coming to him essentially for charity. I would imagine that being bombarded by people coming to you all the time with a need and a story would have the effect of making you a little jaundiced about wheeling and dealing. He is a smart businessman..reclassifying his junkyard as a "museum" to get by revised zoning codes in the City of Moab was a stroke of genius.
He's an interesting guy...was on a bomber crew in WWII. Don't stop by unless you have some time on your hands. |
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TimGud Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2002 Posts: 6459 Location: Rio Rico Arizona
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds like he's an interesting person to talk to after reading the story on that link. |
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AndrewM Samba Member
Joined: February 18, 2002 Posts: 496 Location: Charlotte, NC
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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I seem to meet alot of old vw mechanics and collectors that tend to have the same stand-offish character traits. I think it must come from a lifetime of being mooched on and disrespected. Think about how alot of people approach them about their cars. Everyone is looking for a good deal, no one wants to pay anything, some people are looking for a handout. Some folks just want to get their hands on their cars to flip them for a profit. I believe years of this has soured alot of the old guys in the hobby and understandably so.
I myself look foward to being a cantankerous old vw fart someday. |
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Flipseat Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2000 Posts: 1089 Location: Nursing 40 horses back to health.
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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AndrewM wrote: |
I myself look foward to being a cantankerous old vw fart someday. |
Andrew - thats sig worthy _________________ Insert random important looking club initials here. |
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dickie Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2004 Posts: 275 Location: southern alberta
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 9:21 pm Post subject: largest VW graveyard |
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Yeah, I met a guy like that a couple of years ago. He had about 20 vw's, including several ovals, early type 3 and type 2. I was sent to him by a friend who had dealt with him previously. The guy was outright rude, abnoxious, and foul....for the first five minutes. When I stood my ground and did not turn and run, he warmed up and we talked for two hours and he showed me his collection. He apologized about 20 minutes later, and said he was sick of young guys trying to mooch from him, giving their sob stories, browsing during the day and then coming back and shopping after dark when he had gone. He said he spent the better part of the last 20 years developing a reputation as a miserable son of a bitch, and that it seemed to be working. He was a good guy, just sick of the bull shit, which there seems to be a lot of in the VW community, especially among those that think it is such a cool thing and are involved for the image or money or flipping, as you said. It is a path with heart, and if you don't get it, stay away from guys like Tom Tom, they don't need the grief. |
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chrome Samba Member
Joined: March 21, 2003 Posts: 746 Location: back in NorCal
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Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:25 am Post subject: |
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i lived in Moab in the mid 90s and worked for a bicycle tour company for years, i still call and talk with ole tom from time to time, he is a cantancorus fart ill tell you what........its all true what ive read here, loves to talk, loves to listen to your stories, especialy if you get excited about his stuff, then drops the bomb on you just as he did to germany in WWII, it IS 99% IMPOSSIBLE to get anything from him, my 10 year friendship with him has nothing to do with anything, but i still cant seem to agree on pricing with him his rollover 23 is a 54 barn door and very complete good luck, he tells me im in his will, but he still hasnt sent me a copy to proove it....hahahahahaaaaa....crap!!!???? _________________ 65 21 window
57 T1 ragtop
58 ghia vert
68 fastback
73 Thing
74 Thing
54 chevy 210
63 mercury meteor wagon |
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jeremyrockjock Samba Towbar Builder
Joined: January 01, 2002 Posts: 5008 Location: Richmond, Verjinya
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Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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Do you mean this one? I took these in 97 will on a Mt biking trip.
_________________ Why buy what you can build.
Step away from the fiberglass and no one gets hurt!! |
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chrome Samba Member
Joined: March 21, 2003 Posts: 746 Location: back in NorCal
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Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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yep, thats him man......perfect shot of the homemade single cab too...i was talking to him today as a mater of fact, and he said he was up to 32 ghias!!!!....laughing al the way, ill see him this fall on my way to or from the jerome jam just to see how things are, he just turned 83, and says he still gives tours crawling all over the yard....... _________________ 65 21 window
57 T1 ragtop
58 ghia vert
68 fastback
73 Thing
74 Thing
54 chevy 210
63 mercury meteor wagon |
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campingbox Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2000 Posts: 10198 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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hazetguy wrote: |
the busses on the north side are Lin's. those are the ones he gives/gave tours in. last time was through there, he had a price tag on them, since every yahoo in the world would stop by and ask if they were for sale. the price: $3,000,000.00, and it was serious too. he does NOT want to sell them, and there are a few more in the back you can't see from the road. if you get a chance to stop at the rock shop, he has alot of pics of various busses in the canyonlands areas, many in very precarious positions! he also has a cool little Tesla museum (the scientist, not the cheesy band). |
Lin is still giving canyon tours but not in the busses.
The photo album was stolen by a journalist a few years ago and not returned.
He claims there are no more vintage photos of the busses.
These busses were advertised in Hemmings a while back (5 years?), 90K for the package of nine. He will not separate.
They are now stored indoors offsite because too many parts were being stolen from them.
Aparently they are all deluxe models, some with and without sunroofs.
All "baja'ed" with big tires, cut wheel wells, modified rear corners, smoke stack intakes going through the roof, and all have logos.
Monument valley is pretty though.....cool place to travel through....all kinds of erosion.
Last edited by campingbox on Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:01 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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DopeBeatDerrick Banned
Joined: February 04, 2002 Posts: 207 Location: 602
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:52 pm Post subject: |
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Anyone interested in having a cruse out to Tom-Tom's? We've been wanting to take a weekend off and go hang out down there. Plenty to look at and Tom is a great guy to share your best VW stories with. He came over and checked out John's split when we were working on it. Even though he's an old timer, he can still appreciate a bagged split! Let me know if anyone is interested in cruising out there. [email protected] _________________ http://www.HoodRide.com |
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campingbox Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2000 Posts: 10198 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:18 pm Post subject: Re: The largest VW graveyard in the west? |
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Dave Roach wrote: |
So I got a call a few months ago from a man in moab utah introducing himself as Tom Tom. He told me he has a yard with many, many old volkswagens. After doing a little research on the samba, I found pics of his yard, and sure enough, it exists. Has anyone been down here? It looked like there were a hundred or so. How many vw are there really? And of coarse the most important question, is he willing to sell any at a reasonable price? I saw he had a banged up split down there, but heard that he wont part with it? What can the forum tell me about this guy? |
Tom Tom is an interesting cat to the say the least......there's nearly 200 VW's which haven't really been parted out or sold as pieces. Probably the largest collection (outside of a salvage yard) of Volkswagens I've ever seen.
Nice guy.....gave us the whole tour and didn't get too mad at me when I let out one of his cats from the building (took us a few hours to get that one back inside!).
He claims he has a '52 deluxe sunroof bus around chassis #29,000.....mentioned it "fell off a mountain".
He wouldn't show it to me though......anyone seen this one?
Be cool to hear what kind of condition it's in and what parts it has with it?
Other busses worth mentiong were a '63 deluxe, a '58 standard in original paint, and a really nice singlecab......few cool cars inside the building too.
He showed us his collection of magazines and workshop manuals which was pretty intense too.....I don't think I've seen that many books in one place before.
The split beetle is a bit rough but fixable I think.......but it looked like it had a lot of hard to find parts (full crash tranny and front seats).
Might be a good resto project? |
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Roamingwesty Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2003 Posts: 492 Location: Carmichael, CA 95608
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 11:41 pm Post subject: Re: The largest VW graveyard in the west? |
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campingbox wrote: |
...He claims he has a '52 deluxe sunroof bus around chassis #29,000.....mentioned it "fell off a mountain".
He wouldn't show it to me though......anyone seen this one? ... |
Did Tom tell you it's at his friend's warehouse? I almost got to see it once. Tom called his friend but the friend didn't want people there. Then Tom said he has pictures of the bus that I could see if he could find them. I went back there the next day; he couldn't find those pics. Fast forward a few months, I passed thru the area again. No pictures still.
IIRC, Tom thinks that BD dlx is going to command top dollars. As far as parting it out, I doubt if he would let even his sons commit that crime as long as he's around.
He's a cool cat, yes. Only when it comes to transaction time would you be exposed to his quirkiness. Some items he agreed he could sell 45 minutes ago would suddenly be NLA. Cuz he doesn't wanna part ways with them. Others have said it, he doesn't want money. I think he's just comfortable surrounded by stuff other people want. Makes him feel needed still. How can you be necessary when you aint got any stuff people come to look for? That also explains the "museum" bit. Evasive manuver from local laws, yes, but he could've just got rid of it all and move to Hawaii, way ahead of hobo williams. He prefers his spot in the VW world, I think.
Let the non-parts-whore amongst us cast the first stone. Heck, I might even have to defend him for that. |
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jeremyrockjock Samba Towbar Builder
Joined: January 01, 2002 Posts: 5008 Location: Richmond, Verjinya
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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 4:20 am Post subject: |
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campingbox wrote: |
Aparently they are all deluxe models, some with and without sunroofs.
All "baja'ed" with big tires, cut wheel wells, modified rear corners, smoke stack intakes going through the roof, and all have logos. |
I have a picture of one of those. I will see if I can dig it up. _________________ Why buy what you can build.
Step away from the fiberglass and no one gets hurt!! |
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DopeBeatDerrick Banned
Joined: February 04, 2002 Posts: 207 Location: 602
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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 9:41 am Post subject: |
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Jeremy,
Is it time to plan another biking trip to Moab?
So far we have Ricky from Flag, Katie from Phx, the KCW crew, Kombi Monster is a maybe, a gent from Utah is also interested... Anyone else? _________________ http://www.HoodRide.com |
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