[GMCnet] Elkhart Surplus Stores

[Rob Mueller]

G'day,

Helen and I had a nice visit with Tom & Nina Hampton, Walt & Sara Halley, and Gary and Kara Kosier yesterday. Today I'm going to
replace the blower motor in my Atwood furnace (I hope). Tomorrow we're off for Elkhart to raid the surplus shops.

I did visit them last year during the Great Lakers Rally in Elkhart and noted some were better than others, can you guys put
together a list of best to worst for me?

Regards,
Rob M.

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[Mike Teets]

Rob, If you are at Tom's, you are about 10 miles from my house. Where
are you staying?

Mike, Dublin OH

[Erv Troyer]

Robert Mueller wrote on Sat, 14 September 2013 08:15
> .... Tomorrow we're off for Elkhart to raid the surplus shops.

>
> I did visit them last year during the Great Lakers Rally in Elkhart and noted some were better than others, can you guys put
> together a list of best to worst for me?

Rob, I made up a list of area surplus stores for the 2011 GMCMI Rally. From my experience Johnson RV west of White Pigeon, MI is the best place to deal with.

Some of the older companies that used to be good to deal with have decided to raise their prices, and are not so good to deal with anymore. This includes RV SURPLUS & SALVAGE 1400 West Bristol St. Elkhart, and Bontrager Surplus east of White Pigeon, MI. Both have large stocks of stuff but overpriced. Another store that gets bad reviews from most GMCers is GRABER INDUSTRIES INC. 19100 Fairchilds Road, Constantine, MI. Lot of hardware items, but prices about like the local hardware stores - hardly worth the drive.

Another smaller shop I would recommend is DOUBLE D SALVAGE - 12678 CR 34 Goshen, IN. This is run by an Amish family and their stock is not all that big, but prices are better, and they will bargain on some salvage items.

Send an email to reo43 at aol dot com and I will send you a copy of my surplus store list. And I welcome any revisions or updates for this list - I don't get to the Elkhart area but once or twice a year, and I have a surplus store seven miles from my home if I need something.

One company I don't have on this list is Handshoe Salvage at 0835 W Northport Road, Rome City, IN. This is located about 40 miles southeast of Elkhart. I was there this morning for a HUGE inventory reduction auction - there was an unbelievable amount of stuff they were selling (almost giveways on some stuff - if you bought a whole skid or lot). Most stuff inside the store (not on auction) was not priced, so I don't know how they are price wise. I only stuck around a few hours as it was cold this morning, and I had a to-do list to take care of.
--
Erv Troyer Lagrange, IN
74 Sequoia
re...@aol.com

[Rob Mueller]

Erv,

Thanks! I've printed out copies of the email and the attachment and will plan a route to hit the best ones.

Regards,
Rob M.

-----Original Message-----
From: Erv Troyer

Rob, I made up a list of area surplus stores for the 2011 GMCMI Rally. From my experience Johnson RV west of White Pigeon, MI is the
best place to deal with.

Some of the older companies that used to be good to deal with have decided to raise their prices, and are not so good to deal with
anymore. This includes RV SURPLUS & SALVAGE 1400 West Bristol St. Elkhart, and Bontrager Surplus east of White Pigeon, MI. Both have
large stocks of stuff but overpriced. Another store that gets bad reviews from most GMCers is GRABER INDUSTRIES INC. 19100
Fairchilds Road, Constantine, MI. Lot of hardware items, but prices about like the local hardware stores - hardly worth the drive.

Another smaller shop I would recommend is DOUBLE D SALVAGE - 12678 CR 34 Goshen, IN. This is run by an Amish family and their stock
is not all that big, but prices are better, and they will bargain on some salvage items.

Send an email to reo43 at aol dot com and I will send you a copy of my surplus store list. And I welcome any revisions or updates
for this list - I don't get to the Elkhart area but once or twice a year, and I have a surplus store seven miles from my home if I
need something.

One company I don't have on this list is Handshoe Salvage at 0835 W Northport Road, Rome City, IN. This is located about 40 miles
southeast of Elkhart. I was there this morning for a HUGE inventory reduction auction - there was an unbelievable amount of stuff
they were selling (almost giveways on some stuff - if you bought a whole skid or lot). Most stuff inside the store (not on auction)
was not priced, so I don't know how they are price wise. I only stuck around a few hours as it was cold this morning, and I had a
to-do list to take care of.
--
Erv

[J A Holland]

I have dealt with Bontragers of White Pigeon
for well over 20 years and have been a well
satisfied and Happy Customer
But when I stopped by their buildings last
November
They Had more than TRIPLED IN PRICES
and
Since I was the only Customer during my
2 hour stay,
I asked them 'What Happened' ?
~> They Answered "OVERHEAD" ~

I stated
'Since I Have Been Your Only Shopper For The
Last Two Hours
Plus Due To Your High Overhead
And My Poor Fuel Mileage From Alebamy
It's Beginning To Look Like I Will Not Able
To Make Any Purchases Today Or Any Future

~ It Was A Wasted Trip ~

~ Joe ~
--
/_]*[__][] *[__|] ~ * '73 TZE063V101887 ""
O----------OO--]* ~ '78 TZE168V100234 ""
" Joe & Lavelle " ""
'sweet home alebamy'

[Ken Burton]

The stores that Erv recommended are exactly the ones I would have recommended. There are a few others I have stopped by but never bought anything there. Erv definitely gave you the best ones. the one on the west side of White Pigeon.

If you are going to be near Goshen there is a small on an Amish fellow's farm a few miles east of the fairgrounds on the road that runs by the fair grounds. Let me know if you going through there and I'll try to find the address.

Do not make this one a priority, go to the one in White Pigeon first.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

[Erv Troyer]

Ken Burton wrote on Sun, 15 September 2013 00:32

> The stores that Erv recommended are exactly the ones I would have recommended. There are a few others I have stopped by but never bought anything there. Erv definitely gave you the best ones. the one on the west side of White Pigeon.
>

> If you are going to be near Goshen there is a small one an Amish fellow's farm a few miles east of the fairgrounds on the road that runs by the fair grounds. Let me know if you going through there and I'll try to find the address.

>
> Do not make this one a priority, go to the one in White Pigeon first.

Here is the address for the place east of Goshen owned by an Amish family:

DOUBLE D SALVAGE - 12678 CR 34 Goshen, IN 46528
About 4 miles east of Goshen Fairgrounds
574-642-3316 Ext. 1 (VM only)

--
Erv Troyer Lagrange, IN
74 Sequoia
re...@aol.com

[Rob Mueller]

Erv,

Thanks! Added to the list.

Regards,
Rob M.

-----Original Message-----
From: Erv Troyer

Here is the address for the place east of Goshen owned by an Amish family:

DOUBLE D SALVAGE - 12678 CR 34 Goshen, IN 46528
About 4 miles east of Goshen Fairgrounds
574-642-3316 Ext. 1 (VM only)
--
Erv