Bad news at Roman's Surplus in PA

Stopped at Roman's Surplus in PA today on my way back from Millersburg, PA. The surplus store is still in business, which is good. Got lots of good stuff in store, and the paintball is only a side business, it hasn't fully taken over the store.

BUT

The paintball field has been bulldozed, and the armor that was still there was scrapped out. A few pieces were saved, according to the owner, I reckon at least 1 or 2 half-tracks and 1 or 2 M5 WWII high speed tractors were saved by selling to collectors who wanted to restore them. However, several half tracks, several M5 high speed tractors, a Long Tom carriage, at least one M151 jeep, a rare M8E2 high speed tractor, and the M60 tank hull out front were torched and melted down into Hondas. I'm not sure about the M578 recovery that was there, I gotta ask him next time I see him.

I'm glad a couple got saved, but we lost a lot of classic steel in the cleanup too.

RE: Bad news at Roman

arghhhh.

I hate hearing that crap ! I am spending my saturday cleaning up a pile of twisted metal and wood, the remains of a burnt Winnibago body, to keep the owner from letting the 72 440 get hauled to the scapyard to get the rest of the mess cleaned up. He has no appreciation for the fact that the motor is worth more as a motor than it is for scrap metal. I seem to spend a huge portion of my time saving crap from getting flattened by idiots....it is never ending now that scap is going so high.......

Carguy, no wonder there is so many goodies in your yard! As for me I have yielded to the scrap yard. Forgive me for I have sinned. There is a reason though. I wont go into that. The only thing is when I bring pieces in they deduct if its not cut up less than 3-4 ' long, so I didnt end up with what I had expected for the metal. Should have kept it.

I don't care how high the price of scrap is... Cutting up half-tracks is STOOPID.

Very interesting thread. I agree with JDToumanian,

Cutting up half-tracks is STOOPID.

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But... and there is always a "but" I am sure you never even pondered what got scrapped to make those half tracks? I also collect antique single cylinder farm engines (AKA "hit & miss" engines). These engines were made by the thousands by thousands of companies during the first quarter of the twentieth century. They were made obsolete by small air cooled engines like Briggs & Stratton in the 30's and the WW2 scrap drives turned many a fine engine into the turret of a Sherman Tank and undoubtedly the armor on those half tracks.

Here is a photo of my 1914 Associated Mfr's Co. 6HP engine. Weighing in at 1900lbs you can see why it was a easy target for the scrap collector armed with a sledge hammer back in '44. Today an engine like this in original work clothes will set you back about $4k

AMANCO, in case I never thanked you before, thanks for the Seabee truck info. Ironic that the one truck that got me into Seabees trucks was the M756A2 pipeline maintenance truck. Just so happens that the truck is from NMCB74. Any contacts back at 74? Love to get a couple of beep stickers.

Sorry for the hijack folks, back to your regularly scheduled program

I have a few of the old make and break engines myself , although none as big as that one. I too realize lots of our cool military stuff was once cooler civilian stuff, but in that case if the country had not given up that stuff we would all be goosestepping right now , or answering to the Kremlin ....

I have a problem with historic stuff being scarificed to the scap Gods so China can buy it all to build more cut rate stuff to flood our markets with, or for Korea to build more substandard automobiles to flood our markets with.

One day this country will wake up when we have no industry left, no steel left, no natural resources left...and most importantly no way to sustain our WAY OF LIFE LEFT. My dad fought in WWII and Korea to protect the rights and privelages that we now let slip away bit by bit every day....and nobody seems to care.......Well, if by saving a bit of our past I save a little bit of that independant spirit that it all stood for, welll maybe others might follow suit........we can only hope

carguy455 said:

. . .I have a problem with historic stuff being scarificed to the scap Gods so China can buy it all to build more cut rate stuff to flood our markets with, or for Korea to build more substandard automobiles to flood our markets with.

One day this country will wake up when we have no industry left, no steel left, no natural resources left...and most importantly no way to sustain our WAY OF LIFE LEFT. My dad fought in WWII and Korea to protect the rights and privelages that we now let slip away bit by bit every day....and nobody seems to care.......

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Well put Gary. I wholeheartedly agree. (now you got me all fired-up and I have to do some flag waving)

Guys, I don't want to start a flame war here, but just think about this the next time you walk into that %@#&$#@ Harbor Freight store. That socket set you are eyeballin' could be what is left of a former MV. Just say no.

I know it is hard to afford the American made stuff, and I know that it is getting harder and harder to find, but please just make an effort.

BUY AMERICAN.

Ok, rant over.

Buy american

Too, cars, that is why I drive a ford CVPI....

Still looking for the deep snow to try out my new 12.5 XLs

Bill in PA

MVPA 21439

RE: Buy american

What is a CVPI ?

RE: Buy american

Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. I drive one too since its free but truth be known, if you gave me one, it would be on Ebay before you got to the end of the driveway. Some folks like em, some hate em. I'm of the latter group.

RE: Buy american

They probably would have gotten more selling those old vehicles then what they got from the scrap! What a waste!

Junkyard Wars Crusher said:

Guys, I don't want to start a flame war here, but just think about this the next time you walk into that %@#&$#@ Harbor Freight store. That socket set you are eyeballin' could be what is left of a former MV. Just say no.

I know it is hard to afford the American made stuff, and I know that it is getting harder and harder to find, but please just make an effort.

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If it ain't American, I try not to buy it. If ALL the new made stuff of a type of product is made in China, I'll buy an old used American item of same type. And BTW - all my tools are CRAFTSMAN. I buy nothing else in hand tools.

I'm not so sure CRAFTSMAN tools are made here anymore...does anyone know for sure ? I use em, but have wondered as of late what their country of origin is now.

I'm not so sure CRAFTSMAN tools are made here anymore...does anyone know for sure ? I use em, but have wondered as of late what their country of origin is now.

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I am not sure, but 15 years ago, I started buying the stuff and in the last 10, I have seen a significant decrease in quality.

Snap-On for me, here on out.

The overwhelming majority of the handtools are made in USA to this day. A few, mostly the smaller tools, I've noticed are made in France, Taiwan, etc, but very few. I don't believe there are any Chinese made Craftsman tools, but Sears does sell a couple tradenames like "Sears" brand tools, and Companion, which are made in China, and are cheaper. I will buy Craftsmas as long as the letters USA grace them.

As for Snap-on, where I used to work, we called them "Snap Off". They had a notorius reputation for breaking while building the machines we were working on.

I have a craftsman handwrench that has made in china stamped on it. beware!

Right on about buying american I do when I can and even thought one of the thing I fool with to make ends meet is sell scrap metal evertime I go to the shredder I do wonder how much of this is going to come back to us in the form of enemy bulletts or war machines and yes Ill say it China is our for sworn enemy My dad fout them in Korea in the 25th infintry. It hard to imagine that a place founded on american principles like Wall Mart has sold us out in a large way to China
OK rant over

All of my Craftsman tools have Made in USA stamped on them. I watched a show with the guy from Cheers, "Made in America." He visited on of the Craftsman tool factories in the US. Outstanding episode if you can catch it on re-run. Gives you an idea of what goes into each socket, etc... in your box. Like Mike said, stay away from the Sears brand stuff as they are mostly made overseas.

Mike, that really stinks about those trucks and tracks being cut up for scrap. I know you and I chatted about them one day. Hopefully the ones that were sold will make a complete recovery.