What's your Holy Grail?

[RobbleBobble]

You know, I just posted over on the ironing thread, but this bears repeating since my holy grail has been recovered! My husband got me an Ironrite for my birthday, it's darn near brand-spankin'-new.
There are two other "Holy Grails" on my list, but they must seem rather silly compared to what folks have posted above... an Electrolux XXX vacuum, and a GE Wall-Mount Refrigerator, preferably in Aqua... *sigh*
I'm highly unlikely to find either of them... but then again, that's what I thought of the Ironrite. :3

Good luck to all of you, may you find what your heart desires!

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Artillery Model Luger with the rare 32-round snail magazine.
So-called because it was originally intended for issue to artillerymen to replace the carbine.

 

[Mr. Hallack]

1958 Edsel Roundup. It's a 2-door Edsel Wagon only produced for the 58 model year. 936 made

Also 1960 Edsel Villager 9 passenger wagon. Only 59 examples produced

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I have a soft spot for the Edsel. Tried to buy one when I was 16, but my dad talked me out of it. I love the 58's. My favorite little ugly duckling of sorts.

 

[Miss Moonlight]

1936 Packard Hearse. I've wanted this car since I was about 11 and first saw it in a really horrible horror movie called The Hearse.

 

[Edward]

Heh, where to start....

My wish list is pretty modest, really - I do try to keep it to things that I will realistically one day own. At the minute, that would be a wardrobe full of thirty odd vintage-repro suits, a few rockabilly style casual clothes, a bunch more hats, shoes and other accessories.....

The biggest thing for me I think, in terms of stuff I don't know that I could ever afford or at least would feel able to spend the money on if i could, would be a Gretsch 6120 (left handed, of course) - either the Brian Setzer sig model, or the Eddie Cochran one, along with a tweed Fendr 59 Bassman reissue - and maybe a few other, smaller 50s RI Fender amps to go along with it.

Well, well. A few years on and my wish list is similar... I'd like to add a couple of things with "think bigger" in mind.... One, Bogart's diamond and ruby ring (one day I hope to have enough money to have a repro made for myself). Secondly, I would dearly wish to own Oakley Court Hotel:

If ever you are passing through the Windsor area, this beautiful building is well worth a stop over. It was originally a family home, and is believed to be where de Gaulle stayed while in England during the war. At some point after the war, it fell into disuse; like many of the big houses, it was inherited by someone who couldn't afford it, and so it sat mostly unused. It was often used as a location by many films made at Brae Studios, just down the road (now, sadly, to close itself and be turned into luxury flats). The house served as the schoolhouse in the original St Trinians films, Dracula's castle, and perhaps most notably as Castle Frank'n'Furter in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. By the Autumn of 1974 when Rocky... was being filmed, the lead had been stripped off the roof and the interior was in a sorry state. Eventually it was bought over and reopened as a hotel in the early 1990s. It will cost you in the region of GBP150 for two for a night's B&B, but you won't find a more beautiful hotel in the land. Very close to Heathrow also. It would be my dream to own it as a going concern. I wouldn't want to be based outside London on a daily basis, but I would keep a small cottage on the castle grounds for my own use, spend many weekends there, and the skull and crossbones would fly proudly when I was in residence.

I actually missed the chance to buy a few blonde Fender 60s amps at excellent prices back in the 70s - as well as a few choice Gretsches and Gibson hollow bodies - this was in-between the CSN&Y years and the yet to come Setzer Revival of the 80s. Oh, well......

Just in case you hadn't tried one, pick up a Harmony amp from the late 50s-early 60s and you will have the basic tweed sound for a fraction of the price. They may need some sorting out at the local shop, and the cabs are essentially thick cardboard (watch those beer bottles!!!), but the circuitry is there, and the original speakers should be Jensen Alnicos.

I currently own two of the model H-303 pee-wees for quiet at-home use, but I once owned 3 or 4 of the bigger ones with 12" speakers (basically a clone of the Deluxe; not sure if they made a Bassman clone). Instant Eddie Cochran on the cheap!!

Sometimes the grail is not quite so holy, but nice nonetheless!

There are a lot of nice old amps around, certainly. As I haven't played out for years (only my cats have heard me in the last six years or so), I can't really justify a nice tube amp. I do have a Vox AD120VT, which at the 1 watt (2 x 1w in stereo, actually) is plenty loud for me for now.... I wish that I could buy essentially the same amp in a 50s tweed looking package, though.

The ultimate "cool" gun

Riddle me this.... I know the deal with the round and square magazines, but.... why did the military issue ones never have the extra handgrip at the front? Was this something to do with the way the guns were used by the military, or was it a cost-saving device? I'd love one of these as a wall hanger, but it's not an option under our current laws. (Non-firing replica guns which recreate a design made after about 1890 or so - can't remember the exact date - are not permitted in the UK, subject to certain exemptions - membership of a recognised re-enactment group, a film company, or that it be painted bright red, pink, orange, etc).

A vintage wardrobe, mixed with Bold Look Suits, maybe a Zoot or two, and of course, some Atomic Era Duds for Casual Affairs. An Atomic Ranch Home, and a 1960 Impala. And of course a loving lady to tie it all together

I have a real thing for a zoot, but I don't know when I'd ever wear it, nor am I sure I could realistically pull it off....

Sabre Royale, 40's style roadster kit car, right hand drive, Automatic tansmission, two tone colour scheme navy blue and cream, thankyou!!

Then I will have a reason to learn to drive, again!

Some of the pursits look down on them, but a kit car is a great way of getting a car with older styling but cheap and reliable modern guts that can be run on a daily basis. That particular one looks like it has been rather "inspired" by a Morgan. That's the route I'd go if I wanted one car for daily use.

This one's easy....a 1959 Gibson Les Paul cherry sunburst standard in mint, and I mean mint condition. I currently own over 20 guitars, including 4 Les Pauls, but this is the one I dream about.

Yeah, good luck with that! Last I remember reading there are, what, about two hundred confirmed, surviving 59s? Can't have been more than about 500 made to begin with. If memory serves, they now change hands for in the region of USD400,000 a pop, mostly within an elite group of collectors. Sad that none of them ever actually gets used for its intended original purpose, but understandable with so valuable an investment. In any case, I suspect more than a few of the surviving examples aren't actually outstanding as instruments - so often, guitars that stay mint for decades are because no player was that thrilled to play it to begin with... Still, as an investment, I don't think there is anything much outside of a guitar associated with a specific player that can touch it for market value. In Les Paul terms, I much prefer the 56 spec, or, even better, the 56, single-cutaway Junior. Really, though, I' more of a Fender boy. As an instrument, I'd much prefer something new from the custom shop (with a good, modern polyurethane finish rather than sticky nitro!), but vintage guitars are lovely. I think the one Gibson in the sorld I would most like to own is Jimi's Black Angel custom flying Vee. There are other people's guitars I would love to have - Johnny Ramone's white Mosrite Ventures II (or the blue one it replaced, which was stolen just after they recorded Rocket to Russia), Robert Johnson's acoustic, Steve Jones' Never Mind the Bollocks Les Paul (a 1973 Custom model) - but a guitar of Jimi's would be the ultimate, as being left handed like him I could actually play it. I'd adore to own either of his 68 Strats. The Vee, though, will always be special to me as I actually have had the chance to play it on a couple of occasions, which was a real thrill.

Artillery Model Luger with the rare 32-round snail magazine.
So-called because it was originally intended for issue to artillerymen to replace the carbine.

Interesting looking device... looking at that butt-piece, was it intended to keep the gun attached to the belt at all times, or am I missing something?

1936 Packard Hearse. I've wanted this car since I was about 11 and first saw it in a really horrible horror movie called The Hearse.

That is utterly beautiful. If I get to ride in one of those at the end, my life will be truly complete. Ha!

 

[Zemke Fan]

I want to find a surviving Boeing 307 Stratoliner. Supposedly the only one is this example in the NASM, but I am CONVINCED that there simply MUST be another one somewhere in the third world.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Interesting looking device... looking at that butt-piece, was it intended to keep the gun attached to the belt at all times, or am I missing something?

It was a combination holster and stock.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Omega Speedmaster Professional
Apollo 13 Commemorative

I collect almost anything with Snoopy on it but when I last looked on eBay it was $6,000 :eeek::eusa_doh::sad:

 

[Mr. Hallack]

I have a soft spot for the Edsel. Tried to buy one when I was 16, but my dad talked me out of it. I love the 58's. My favorite little ugly duckling of sorts.

Love them myself, the 58's I think are not that ugly, worse looking cars out there. The 60 Edsels are a bit plain looking but so few built, I'd like to have one just for the rarity factor.

 

[Edward]

It was a combination holster and stock.

Any links on how it worked? I've never handled a handgun, but I'm told that they can be heavy to keep held to firing height for any length of time. This looks like an evolutionary step on from the broom-handled Mauser that could be adapted with a stock or used as a hand pistol.

 

[John in Covina]

I don't think I could point at a certain item and say it is the be all to end all.

Made to measure dress shoes might be my lead item. However, I would love the have a 1930's peak lapel double breasted suit that fit me.

 

[David Conwill]

Love them myself, the 58's I think are not that ugly, worse looking cars out there. The 60 Edsels are a bit plain looking but so few built, I'd like to have one just for the rarity factor.

Not my holy grail by far (automotively, that’s probably a full-fendered ‘32 Ford roadster), but I happen to think the ‘59 Edsel Ranger four-door sedan is a really good looking car. The '58s are decent looking too, but I prefer the '59 styling.

My dad had a friend whose parents owned a ‘60 Edsel ragtop. Talk about a rare car!

-Dave

 

[rue]

My 25 year old body

 

[Edward]

Made to measure dress shoes might be my lead item.

Highly recommended. I have a pair of co-respondents I had M2M in Beijing a couple of years ago. Beautiful shoes. The cobbler took three measurements, drew round my feet, and two weeks later had made the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever owned, bar none. GBP110.

My 25 year old body

My dear, were you not a married woman and I not a gentleman, it is entirely possible I may have noticed that what you got is just fine!

 

[rue]

^ Well, thank you Edward

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Any links on how it worked? I've never handled a handgun, but I'm told that they can be heavy to keep held to firing height for any length of time. This looks like an evolutionary step on from the broom-handled Mauser that could be adapted with a stock or used as a hand pistol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luger_P08_pistol

[video=youtube;PEdRo0g-Mp8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEdRo0g-Mp8[/video] [video=youtube;T8C5Mjh4l54]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8C5Mjh4l54&feature=related[/video]

It looks like it's just a stock. The artillery model Luger was supplied with a standard holster. Here's the whole outfit with the holster.

 

[John in Covina]

I don't think I could point at a certain item and say it is the be all to end all.

Made to measure dress shoes might be my lead item. However, I would love the have a 1930's peak lapel double breasted suit that fit me.

 

[munimula]

1937 silver king "flo-cycle"

frame made of aluminum. no process for welding aluminum in the 1930's - all tubing is pressed fitted into the steering head and bottom bracket. the curved upper rear stays have metal rods inserted for strength and flex. note the small leaf spring behind the bottom bracket and the bottom stays.

 

[nice hat dude!]

Anybody want to buy me one?