There are things that one must do in order to get what one wants in life. For the guys at American Pickers that means begging, throwing verbal jabs, and even leveraging multiple items to make a deal. Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are no strangers to making deals. The two are professional hagglers and know what they have to do to get the rarest and best finds.
For the opportunity to own a 75-year-old scooter, Frank Fritz had to do quite the “dance” to pry the item from the owner. In the early days of American Pickers, back in season 3, Fritz and Wolfe came across quite the pick. In rural Tennessee, the two met a man that had been collecting for over 30 years.
The finds that are the best on the show tend to be the large collections. These picks look like they span acres at times and according to this owner, he had over 30 buildings. As Mike and Frank greet Joe, their Tennessee host, it is clear he is one of those classic characters. According to Danielle, Joe is the sweetest man in the Volunteer State.
The pick wouldn’t be an easy one, though. Frank Fritz didn’t get any of that sweetness that Danielle spoke of when he bargained with Joe. The pickers knew that Joe had a love for steam-powered items, and it showed. The property was covered in old engines, cars, trucks, and even trains. Steam trains and other locomotive pieces laid around the property in great condition. The camera showed just how big Mike and Frank’s eyes got as they walked through the property.
Frank Fritz Does the Dance for a Scooter
There were so many buildings throughout Joe’s property. The pickers found themselves in one particular outbuilding packed with old motorcycles. Fans of the show know those old bikes get Mike and Frank more excited than most other things.
The first thing that the boys pick up on is a 1970s model motorcycle. The frame was Harley-Davidson, but the bike itself was an old Honda. Frank is a big sucker for those old Hondas. The preliminary questioning started. Joe claimed it still ran like a top and so Mike checked the license plate for the last time it was registered. The only problem, no license plate. Well, not the only problem. It didn’t have a title. Frank backed out immediately but found something much more interesting.
Among the motorcycles and other small engines, Frank Fritz found a small motor scooter. The brand of scooter, Moto Scoot, was made during the depression for a short time in Chicago. There weren’t many made and even fewer lasted throughout the years.
After a short dance between Joe and Frank, a verbal back and forth, and quite a bit of wheeling and dealing, the deal was made. Frank ended up taking the Moto Scoot for just $1000 after Joe started at $1500. For Mike and Frank’s purposes, the scooter would fetch about $1700+ when they sell it. Not a bad payday for Joe or the pickers.
