Making the rounds on the internet is the discovery of a former tour van believed to have belonged to the founding members of Aerosmith, which traced its beginnings to the Boston area in the 1970s. The International Harvester Metro Van was discovered in the remote Western Massachusetts town of Chesterfield, where it’s sat on a property formerly belonging to the band’s manager in the 1970s for decades. Find more background info here on the Daily Hampshire Gazette website, and thanks to Barn Finds readers Michael, CanuckCarGuy and Patrick S. for sending it in.
As television viewers can likely discern from the top photo, the boys from American Pickers snagged the van – for an eye-watering $25,000. I’m not a historian or artifact collector, so I’m unsure what type of value a rusty van belonging to a now-legendary rock band should sell for. But I do agree with much of the commentary I’ve seen online since the discovery, which is that the van cannot be over-restored or even mildly restored for fear of destroying its history – but given the rust, it absolutely needs some metal repair.
Interestingly, many locals and musicians knew of the van’s location. But the owner / band manager’s temperament and large, intimidating dogs kept on the property prevented most folks from indulging their curiosity any further. The manager supposedly had another tour van kept in a garage on the property, but its fate is unknown. Band members who inspected the Metro van in person confirmed that key details, like the carpeting on the ceiling, were intact and proved the van’s authenticity.
I know some of us love to hate the fake drama of shows like American Pickers (myself included) but it’s hard not to get excited about the prospect of discovering some ancient relic with cultural significance. Getting non-car folks excited about a discovery of the vehicular type requires some other connection to pop culture, so saving an ancient tour van will probably generate more Wikipedia searches for “International Harvester Metro Van” then there’s been in quite some time.
I am guessing Mike and Frank will flip it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And, I will get the black light comment over with early.
Hi Mike, I like AP for what they find, but they are beginning to be the smoking gun for overpriced vehicles. I saw this episode, and I thought this was pretty hoaky. Can’t argue with Aerosmith’s popularity (although, I never cared for them) but I just didn’t see the value here.
BTW, all you AP fans,( and Survivor, Pawn Stars and all those other shows) the show is totally scripted. If you think for a minute they drive around the country popping in on people unannounced,,,well, it’s Hollywood, and it just doesn’t happen that way. My daughter works in the TV industry and I know this for a fact.
Howard, I work in the industry myself and can verify that. However, AP is less scripted than say Pawn Stars. It’s impossible to totally script what you are going to find in endless piles of “junk”. They may arrive on site with a crew and script parts of the show, but much of the sifting through stuff and pulling it out of the pile is not scripted. That’s why I enjoy it.
Hello Howard, I agree on the smoking gun comment. Not only for overpriced vehicles, but autombilea and much more. Probably anything collectable. Oh, if your daughter needs a graybeard stand in, I am all in! Take care, Mike. P.S. are you getting new comments still? Mine quit again.
Of course HoA……..but I still like Frank and Mike even though over the years its gotten way too buttoned up. As for Aerosmith……………meh…..though that balding representation of Steven Tyler on the side of the van certainly reflects him today lol.
If Frank and Mike were playing with their own money I doubt that would give 1500 bucks for the van.
Yup totally staged, but some of the stuff was cool and it’s nice watching stuff be restored.
I totally saw Ron Dale from American Restoration on an early episode of Pawn Stars pretending to be a random customer selling something to the show.
I know from first hand that they travel based on referrals. They picked a friend of mine old barns and it wasn’t scripted but they did do about ten hours of taping for ten minutes of air time.
The guys came to my place a few months ago. Big entourage, the picture van of course with a production assistant driving it, Mike and Frank each arrived separately in their own rental cars, two other vans with film crew and producer and a big 5 ton box truck used for props and “finds”. It’s not just two guys roaming the country looking for things. Oh, and Mike is definitely in charge, there is no doubt about that. Frank works for him……
Extract DNA and clone the members from when they were young.
Probably some “treasures” hidden above that carpet too. This was no church van,,,
@ Fred, I enjoy the show too. A junkyard in Wis. I know, had an interview in Eau Claire, Wis. with the Pickers group. I don’t know if they featured his yard, but the place was packed for interviews, and this Danielle was more than cordial. I think they are cool people, just hit the right “Hollywood” button, and that’s ok.
I saw this on CNN a couple days back.
I only hope it will not get sliced in half and put on a bar wall..
Donate it to Rock n Roll hall of fame 👍😎
They are in business, why should they take a loss in order to donate it to the rock and roll hall of fame?
Steve R
Beatles van? Yes. Aerosmith van? Meh.
Agreed, Beatles? Rolling Stones? Yeah, drag it out of the weeds, donate it to R&R H.o.F.. Aerosmith?? $25k?? Leave it in it’s grave.
What do you guys have against Americans
And I would have 0 interest in the beetles
I always feel their dealing with unsuspecting hoarders often borders on “we want it, you must accept our pittance to take it from you.” They ride that hard line in most episodes, so I feel bad for those that get “picked.” Has this Metro been flipped yet? My guess is the show dates back to the beginning of the year or maybe late 2017.
I guess I am the only Aerosmith fan here. Seen them a few times back in the day. Although this van is basically junk, still a nice piece of R&R history. I was almost kicked out the R&R Hall of fame years ago for taking a photo of Janis Joplin’s Porsche.
Well, I DO like the Aerosmith Rockin’ Roller Coaster in Disney World. If that helps :-)
@Michael, you are not the only one…I’ll take their music over the Beatles or Rolling Stones any day.
Looks like the Beatles/Rolling Stones faction of BF is in the lead…………..and rightly so :)
Sure it looks real, but on closer inspection it reads “Aerosmrth”. Probably a local cover band. :)
Doesn’t matter, any item they have for sale that was “picked” on the show is going to bring a premium regardless of it’s actual value.
“I was really drunk at the time” (Pink Floyd)
Well , I for one spent a good part of the 1980s driving around looking in garages and yard and leaving notes and knocking on doors.. Xk 120 dhc, several 356s, 911s. ,p1800, lancia, camaros, firebirds galore all mostly driven home illegal. But for the stoved up xk it was flat bedded. Yeah, tell me again ! Should have kept um. The green bomb is my latest find/ business opp. Lol its in Brazil if you need the contact. lol
You could do that in the 80’s , No problem !
The world has gone ‘barncrazy’ insane because of the www /eBay etc & shows like AP & Carini and cronies the fun has been taken out of the equation & now ‘anything’ in a barn has become overpriced dream and out of reach for the common man.
Let start off, with yes some of American Pickers is scripted, but when I received a call from the production company about my upright gas pump collection, they sent me a release form and request for more information on the pump collection, pieces and parts, plus wanting to know if I would be willing to sell any of it my collection. I told them I was not wanting to sell at this time. I later found out the production company sends out scouts to take pictures and to look over my collections, to see if it is enough stuff to do a 15-30 minute section of the show. They were also wanted to know about my car collection, Tractor collections and anything else I collect. I never sent the release back because I like keeping my collections private, so to speak, and I receive a thank you for Mike and Frank. The Scouts came to Farmington, Mo a few weeks ago, I was called and asked again, I just told them no Thank You!
I have toured both of the stores, and was not that impressed by them, but hey to each is their own!
I saw the show on the Van, and they had Ray Tabano one of the original members come out and look at it he even had pictures of himself inside the van including the hanging down carpet overhead.
Asspickers have ruined the collectibles hobby by running the prices up to the stratosphere. You think these 2 shysters actually paid 25 large for this. If you do, Pass the kool aid. All MHO….
There will always be deals for those who are willing to put the time and effort to search them out.
Steve R
I had to stop watching AP. Those guys are annoying as hell. I have an extensive collection of ACL soda bottles, stubby beer bottles and some cans, mainly from the Western states. I wouldn’t sell those guys a rusty cone top.
Two things strike me after reading the news article from the local news article. 1)the guys from A Pickers blow into town without the city’s leaders knowledge (probably to put the brakes on too many people “in the know” that might drive prices up) and 2)…do you think with national recognition the van could be sold for the charitable foundation It Takes A Community (??).
Food truck. With “special” brownies.
I don’t know what they do with their antique finds, but they aren’t for sale at their Iowa store…mostly promotional coffee mugs and T-shirts, pretty much a sovereign shop.
$25.00 Be more like it.
“Forget it, Jake. It’s show business”
They do over pay for items. This hurts the average collector, and they are getting money from the show. This is unfair to the rest of us as collectors, I refuse to wat h the show due to over paying. They offer $ 500.00 for an item that a seller wants $ 300.00 for ?? Tell me that’s normal, no it’s called “wanting attention “. Not my style , rather watch something that is more real.
Blaster — had the same thought as you. How can a picture painted on a van without any protective sealant for 20 to 30 years look a whole lot better than the vehicle it’s painted on. Also notice how the rust stains disappear under the jeans leg instead of staining over top of it. Me thinks they’ve been had.
I am so sick of so called barn finds These two clowns only money to burn because TV has made them rich. Their resale prices are insane. I only watch the show to look at Danielle even if she is covered in disgusting tats.
Tip of the iceberg, pal. Until my daughter started working in the “industry”, I had no idea how much money Hollywood pisses away on making these shows. It, and the food at the production they throw away, could feed a small nation.
Good eye! That painted dude looks so fresh it’s tacky. (The paint, the image and the scam…)
The hippie/stoner on the Van nabbed that 25 G
and is heading out for a BBB blast – He’s saying
I’m so out of here – Later Dudes…Catch ya on the
backside of wherever ☮️
“BBB”???? Better business bureau?
I think you’re right. The paint is way too clear for being parked since the 1970’s. If it were original paint it show much more deterioration and wear.
Anyone who bought this ‘van’ will still have to “Walk this way” for the foreseeable future.
The original band “KANSAS” also had a IHC Metro stepside van just like this Metro around 1969/70. I know, I road with them in it from Topeka, Kansas to Estes Park, Colorado where they played at the Rock Inn and we all stayed in an old cabin out back. This was when Kerry Livgren headed up the band and wrote most all the original tunes. I remember riding across very hot western Kansas on I-70 with the sliding doors of the Metro wide open for ventilation. I was a friend and roadie of sorts back then. Ended up hitch hiking back after the tour with the sax player, but that’s another story. Good times indeed……
Good story Rickyrover.
My very first concert was Kansas at Madison Square Garden in 1976-77? They were great.
My wife asks me why I still watch the show as I ge so annoyed! Especially every time Mike walks in a building and shouts “HEY, HEY, HEY !!!” I about come up off my Lazy Boy !! I have a couple of small collections and would love the opportunity to refuse to sell anything to these two. They just seem to act like people would have to sell to them.
Jaysus criminy, what’s with all the petty hostility towards the Pickers guys? Yes, the show is staged – Duh! – it’s television. As for “driving up prices”, meh, I doubt it. Prices of old junk reflect what people are willing to pay for nostalgia. Some of you guys seem to really resent anyone who can pay more for any given vehicle or item than you can, all the while disparaging it as not being worth anything at all. And if that’s the case, and you don’t want it anyway, what do you care?
I confess that I don’t watch Pickers that much, but from what I can see the guys on the show might be more congenial company than a random cross-section of the Barn Finds commentariat.
Congenial? staged. Didn’t run the prices up? You have no clue to the market. Are they really paying that kind of scratch? I doubt it. its the perception by the viewers, and it trickles down to the flea markets. I had a good business with Eco Tireflators, used to buy them right , restore and sell for a reasonable price. Now you can’t buy a restorable core for $750. and guess what–nobodys buying at that price. The barn finds guys? most of us have been there and are in the trenches. How much dirt do you have under your fingernails, Mikey???
Well, I have a little I suppose. I’ve been repairing and restoring (and, obviously, buying and selling) cars and motorcycles since 1963, did it professionally for 35 years, currently have 72 vintage motorcycles and 8 vintage autos in my stable, and don’t sublet ANYthing but chrome plating and the like. So yeah, a little.
As for my having “no clue to the market”, well, you may be right. But gosh, I seem to have done all right at it; I haven’t worked a day in 15 years now, and my collection is only limited by space. But I’m open to learning from people who understand “the market” better than I.
I do have to confess a bit of skepticism concerning your contention that prices for vintage items get driven up to a level where “nobody(‘)s buying”. That seems to me to be a fundamental misunderstanding of the concept of supply and demand – if no one is buying the price will fall until they do buy, otherwise the item will not trade in the marketplace at all, an absurdity – people buy and sell things, and in a free market, items trade at whatever the market will bear.
But hey, what do I know. Peace.
Boy howdy cyclemikey. Couldn’t agree more.
I had one of these Metro vans in the junkyard back in the 90’s. We used it for storage. I think it got crushed when I sold the place. Hated to see that, but no market for them at the time.
Still none! I’ve seen them wrapped and cut open to make mobile food trucks around Nashville. Downside is, if original drivetrain is retained the cost of the vinyl wrap is probably more than the vehicle is worth.
I wish the Pickers would FIND my 1961 Pontiac Tempest SW. She is a Survivor car, 33915 miles of which I’ve driven 487 miles myself just making sure she’s reliable. She is!! Believed to be a 2 owner car. Genevieve owner her for 34 yrs in Colorado. Treated her nice! Very straight body, original glass near perfect, No PS or PB- doesn’t really need it. Big cargo area when rear seat is folded down. Seat is nice. Runs & drives very well. I added one gallon of racing fuel to 3/4 tank of Shell premium & she loves OCTANE (110).
It’s a rare one with the 4cyl 4bbl option: 10.25 comp ratio, 4bbl (Rochester), 4″ pistons, 155hp. It’s really half of a 389V8- from John DeLorean. Thanks John! 3sp on the floor, & yes a trans axle w/355 rear gear. Independent rear suspension. 4 new radials- 195 65 x 15. Has all 5 original 15″ steel wheels. Plus original jack & handle. Radio, gas guage, turn signals, speedometer, odometer all work! Everything works! Amazing grace!!
So how do i find Pickers? so they can find Me?…
why not cut the aerosmrth van in two? twice the re-sale and twice the potential exposure to this rock relic.
The two photos of the van are at different times – one has the ferns all grown up, the other three stumps out front; the scarecrows at the back end are also dressed differently. The top photo definitely looks to be showing correct patina on the graphics, the second may have been cleaned up a bit. Pretty cool none the less.
Does the painting of the weird logo and R Crumb guy repeat itself on the passenger side? Anyone know?
It’s a rusted out van, some might put value on it because it belonged to a successful rock band. Other than that it’s just an old rusted out van. Scap metal value is all it’s worth.
I also sent a version of this story in for submission, they probably got a lot of them.
Is the show scripted? yes! Do they have production staff who call you, send out scouts, ask for pix? Yes!Do i like the 2 guys? Not really,,,I like the lady Danielle better (I asked their staff to send her instead).
I heard they wee coming to Oregon, and a friend sent me a link to their requests for submission. What I wanted was to get our car & Motorcycle museum featured or be part of the story as well as our education efforts and classes. That did not seem to interest them too much and part of the reason I backed out.
I still have the copies of the contracts and release forms and the emails from the production staff. But I too did NOT go thru with it.
Perhaps I should have, but I did not want people converging on my farm or accosting me in the grocery store every time a rerun came on. The episodes shot in Oregon, allegedly they spent more money in Oregon than any other trip. One of our members Larry Leek passed away and his family sold a bunch of his stuff to them, I think they UNDERPAID personally, Larry had an incredible collection and one of our founding members of the NW Vintage car & MC museum.
I agree with the comments that some of the people here seem overly caustic and hostile, But TV is TV and you can make it work for you or against you, my only goal was get publicity for our museum and when that didnt look like it was going to happen is when I pulled the plug. I would be willing to revisit the issue again if the terms were better (And Danielle would be on site Did you guys know she ALSO performs in Burlesque shows?)
If I’m not mistaken, they found Danielle right here in Nashville. I remember when the “casting call” went out. It was a pretty benign ad in the local music and antique rags, not gender-specific. I had just visited the Pickers store in the old Marathon Motor Works building and saw a flyer there too. Little did I know that what they really wanted was a superb, tatted up, knockout example like Danielle. And yes, I have seen her burlesque and I believe she is also part of a woman’s rollerblade team.
Nothing against Aerosmith or its followers and to each his own for what he spends his money, but I put nothing into any sort of faith based on the likes of “The Pickers”, Danny The Count and Lightin Rod Richard Rollins and these over fake History Channel and Velocity channel Experts. If they are authorities the world of fun and “old” is doomed. If they actually paid prices they have often shown I would just like to “Broker Junk to them every day and I would donate half to world hunger and paying the US Debt.Some of that stuff if you just get out and look can be bought at 1/3 of what they pay. Just TV folks there are a few of the shows that are fairly on. Some guy we know calls it I think : FAKE NEWS
Looks like Frank with long hair.
The artwork might have been carefully washed prior to filming or even refreshed as it is a central part of the theme, The artwork itself is from a period artist or copied from him known as “R. Crumb” and theres variations of that work with the guy long stepping out and common to see it in stickers, T shirts and such back in the 60s & 70s and that version usually said
“keep on truckin’!” But he was known for Mr Natural, The fabulous furry freak brothers, Fritz the cat, and some strange artwork depicting himself dominated by a Amazon Bigfoot-yeti woman and dragged around by her. Freaky stuff.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_on_Truckin%27_(comics)
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Crumb
**Note: He ALSO did the artwork for Janis Joplins “Cheap thrills” album cover.
There is a LOT of history with all that, so I totally get why they want the vans artwork front and center.
If you look at it that way, the $25K is cheap for the amount of exposure they got.
A friend of mine’s cousin was featured on the show several years ago. He answered an ad in a local paper – they interviewed him – signed the papers, etc. When the show aired, it showed Frank and Mike on the road “cold calling.” They see a guy standing by his mailbox, and stop and ask him if he might know anyone in the area that might have some stuff for sale. He says, “yeah, a guy lives just down the road here a little way.” You guessed it – my friend’s cousin!
Canadian Pickers with Scott and Sheldon was a much better TV show.
I still watch it, even though it was only made for 1 or 2 years.
I’d be more interested in the FLIPPER truck, which oddly enough also an International Metro van!
This reminds me of the “tongue in cheek” Partridge Family bus that was listed here a few months ago, and in the same neck of the woods as I recall. Manure must be running pretty deep in the Northeast. Lol.
There was a West Coast Customs episode that featured Ryan’s Team restoring an old “Green Day” Rock Group tour van for their introduction into the R & R Hall of Fame. It was visited by the band and documented proof positive that it was their former tour van. There were many original items still present including a tour calendar posted on a wall. That was a cool episode.
i did not realize just how fake APs is. I read about and saw a video that was proof positive that in one particular over the road AP’s driving scene, they were exchanging dialogue when they could not have possibly even been in the same van. The dead give away was looking out Mike’s window and seeing one topography and looking out Frank’s and seeing something entirely different.
Danille is one cool lady!
I think I’d prefer seeing Aerosmith during the period they used this van than now. I did see them live and had backstage passes sometime around 1998-99 tour. Fast forward to today…. Check this out:
http://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/aerosmith-announces-%e2%80%98deuces-are-wild%e2%80%99-las-vegas-residency/ar-BBLXBE3?ocid=ieslice
THAT is freaking pathetic. Maybe Wayne Newton with do a duet with Tyler. ( And dont anybody reference Tony Bennet and numerous later day rock singer duets.) Aint even close. Las Vegas has always been cheesy. Still is.
There wasn’t near this much excitement when some of Jon Bonhams cars showed up for sale. Think Led Zepplin. They only wanted about 6K for one of his cars and ya’ll fussed about that to. SMDH
buddy (Mach [as in mach 1] Bell) did a short stint in the band when 1 utilized inpt recovery & took a breather (for Tyler? mid 70s?). He did cartooning (at least in late 60s early 70s) & some may have been RJ Crum-like. He could answ authentisity frm 100 mi away near ‘the Cape’.
Interesting, is this an entry w/the most posts? Also more bout TV than barnfinds (vehicles)?
On a side note – a couple of years ago,returning from Montana.
I was driving through Portland,when one of their vans passed me at
speed,in the pouring rain.
* My brush with fame*
This poor Metro has spent “A night in the ruts”….,
way too many.It would take the money of “Kings and Queens”
to revive it,I would have to see “What it takes” to preserve,I would “Draw the line” at restorationand hopethat when people see it that it will receive “Sweet Emotion”.Until the time my ship comes in, I’ll keep my “Toys in the attic”..,and.,i’ll just “Dream on”…LOL
The seller, after filling out the TV release form, told the pickers to “Walk This Way.” At which point the Metro appeared. So much rust, they said, as if “Uncle Salty” had long been at work. It would take an “Angel” to bestow some restoration funds on the next owner. It really is quite a “Rag Doll” at the moment. In one photo, the “Dude Looks Like A Lady” entering the vehicle but in reality its Tabano who verified this is the real deal. If this was the Kansas roadie truck, it would prove to be at “The Point of No Return.” hee hee
If this was the “Kansas” early tour van..,it
would be “rust in the wind”……haha..lol…
Janis Joplin car sold for 1.6 million. I believe that this van is worth about 250 thousand if they can repair it and get it in basic running condition.