Victory Glass - Steve Loots

[juke46]

While taking a look at Victory Glass (jukebox parts company) for a few goodies, I see Steve has the business for sale.  WOW!  Am I ever old or what!

I had an interest in jukeboxes, about 1972, (I don't remember for sure) and getting much of anything for parts was difficult.  I bought a few things from Wico that were generic to electrical items.  The magic of the internet was not available.  Then, suddenly Steve Loots came along.  A few this and that part's as I remember.  The business began growing and more and more parts became available.  As I remember the name, Victory Glass, came from the fact that Steve was working on a Wurlitzer Victory Machine (WWII) machine.  It was made by Wurlitzer from existing parts and refurbished parts.  Instead of plastic the "pretty parts" were made of glass panels instead of plastic.  As I remember those glass panels were the first reproduction parts Steve Made.  Could be wrong (memory you know).  Some Victory parts were even made of wood such as a lot of tonearm posts.  New parts and plastic's were not easily available due to WWII production and materials scarcity.  Jukeboxes were important during a stressful time for America.  Sorry to see Steve leave the scene but grateful he made so many parts!


juke46, Peoria, AZ

[Ron Rich]

David,
I believe you are correct-- Steve's first re-pro was that glass. As far as I know-- the "victory model" was a cabinet only-- gutz were to be taken from older models and installed in a "new" cabinet ( Seeburg also made such a cabinet), by the jukebox operators. Yes--VG is "4 sale"--but-- let's wait and see who buy's it--WHEN LOL Ron Rich

[doghouseriley]

Must be nearly ten years ago, I was looking for a record card insert for my Rock-Ola 443.

One of these.




Like the graphic below they all eventually go blue.


I e-mailed Victory Glass, but they said they didn't think they had any. But I managed to find the catalogue number and e-mailed it to them.

They took the trouble to have another look and found seven.

So I bought two to satisfy the minimum purchase amount. I put the second one on eBay and sold it to an enthusiast in Cyprus for half the total cost.

They didn't have the graphic so I made one out of cut down and overlapped coloured and frosted acetate A4 sheets.

But since then I believe Stamann now reproduce them, but I'm happy with mine.

[startgroove]

Just a little history, as I remember it.

Back in 1976, I was searching for parts for my Wurlitzer 1015. I was referred to a guy named Tom Cantella at a company on Olympic Blvd in Los Angeles. I was amazed that he had so many machines that he was parting out. I did not find the plastics and bubble tubes that I needed, but I saw that he was making a few other parts for the 1015. He mentioned he was looking for a source for the same parts that I was, namely the plastics and bubble tubes.
The following year, I heard of a guy in Omaha, named Rich Chec, who had some plastics and bubble tubes. Those parts were NOS, and he wanted more for that set of plastics than I paid for my machine. I bought them anyway. The bubble tube set was not part of the deal, but I heard somewhere that they could be made, if someone knew the formula. I did some research over the next year and learned how to make bubble tubes. Months of failed experiments finally resulted in a successful combination of ingredients.

In May 1978, I began marketing my garage made bubble tube sets under the name The Classic Jukebox Company, through advertisements in The Jukebox Collector. The first few sets sold quickly, and so I went into full time production, selling about 80 sets by the end of that year. Tom Cantella was my biggest buyer, since he was restoring a large group of 1015’s he had purchased in Mexico. I began making other parts, mostly graphics and plastic parts for pre-1950 Wurlitzers. By Spring 1978, I had a list of just under a hundred different parts. Some of those parts came from Tom Cantella, most were made in my shop, or by my vendors. By the end of that year, I added a few Rockola and Seeburg parts.

The Classic Jukebox Company outgrew the garage and two rooms of our home, so it was relocated nearby. So many parts were being made that we created a new 26 page pictorial catalog for the 1980 sales year. That catalog listed well over 400 different parts for Wurlitzers alone.

In 1981, the Classic Jukebox Company was sold to Ed Jones, who continued the product line under the name Jukebox Junction.

I believe Victory glass started in 1980 or 1981, after the Classic Jukebox Company.

Here a few pictures of the 1980 catalog, showing reproduction Victory Glass set for $295.00. Cheers, Russie Ofria

imageshack.com/i/pofrtVjcj
imageshack.com/i/poJTS
imageshack.com/i/pndldGePjbUej

[Ron Rich]

Hi Russie,
I think the first catalog looks very familiar-- 2nd and 3rd ones say they have been deleted ? I'll try to remember to ask Steve, or Denny when they started in repro parts-- seems to me, it was much earlier then what you recall ? Ron Rich

[Startgroove]

I don't understand why the 2nd and 3rd pics are deleted. The first link actually shows all three pics that I had uploaded.

I'm pretty sure Steve started selling reproduction parts a year or two after me. I started in 1978, and up to 1981, there was no one else who offered as comprehensive a variety of new parts, a few people made one part here and there, such as Tom Cantella and Fred Roth. Before Steve went into the reproduction parts business, he was buying parts from me, and likely privately reselling some of them. At one time, we were going to trade a number of sets (I think 10 or 12) of 1015 plastics for his Porsche. Instead he wound up buying them from me outright. I learned then, that his intention was to go into business as my competitor. That was near the end of 1980.

BTW, this story I tell is in no way intended to detract from the hard work, or anything else, Steve has done. As far as I am concerned, Steve has performed a fabulous and much needed service to the hobby. I admire his tenacity and steadfastness. Many a time, there has been a part that I needed which Victory Glass supplied. I too am disappointed to learn that we will be losing his valued involvement in the parts business.

Cheers, Russie Ofria

[juke46]

I have enjoyed reading all the various information in this series! I recognize all the names but I have some trouble connecting them all to what they did or were related to. My first machine was an AMI Continental 2, shopped out by the local AMI dealer and the terrible price of $150 cash! This happened in 1972 I believe. I got a lot of questions such as "why do you want one of those things in your house"? "It looks spacey", "it's ugly" but most of all "that is really neat"! One friend worried that these machines were somehow connected to the Mob and violence! I liked them and the music they made. They are sort of a robot to me. They make a good night-light too but unplug em before sleep!! I've mentioned before our jukebox fun began with Night Gallery, an episode called "The Tune In Dan's Café".

I knew Russie had a very high quality, knowledge packed enjoyable newsletter. Almost certain that I have every copy (somewhere in storage). We started taking machines to local antique shows and it was fun but the darn thigs are so heavy! Every machine sold had a service manual to go with it. Then the Fun Fair Coin Op Show started in Pasadena, CA. We usually sold nearly everything we brought. We've met many people and made some great friends. My best find at the Fun Fair - Wurlitzer 4002 remote speaker for $350.00 in perfect condition. It resides near our W-1015.

Most annoying happening was a young man who became a good friend but soon "made off" with a restored Seeburg B from our home. I did not pursue it but became a lot more careful with "credit". New policy! "None". Today, as old age takes its toll we play and maintain the machines we have kept. Every year they keep getting heavier, it seems. All serviced this year except for two more to do.

There was a company that set up a "jukebox" store in the most prestigious shopping mall in Phoenix. I wandered around in there, often, and admired all the machines. I think the name was "Jukeboxes Unlimited". He had a huge warehouse full of them as well.  I wanted more machines but we could not afford them at the time.  He, I believe, moved it all to Los Angeles.

The Fun Fair, a link to pictures of our booth (below).  We use a photo host (Smugmug) for all our photos.  This is the link to few the Fun Fair pictures I had presence of mind to take.  The older gentleman was a jukebox mechanic who helped us out on the "tough" ones.  He rebuilt the 24 select Wurlitzer mechanisms and any other thing I did not know how to repair and/or the ones I messed up!

www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-mGJV6d

[Startgroove]

David,
Jukeboxes Unlimited did move to the LA area, near where my shop was located. I was in Northridge, he was and still is, in Granada Hills. Don is a very personable and friendly guy. He wound up acquiring the remaining stock of Seeburg parts and literature when they sold out. He still repairs, rents and sells jukeboxes.

I too remember the great times, and great deals, at the Fun Faire. That one was sponsored by Dan Mead and Loose Change magazine. At the same time in history, the other big coin machine show was the Chicago Coin-Op Show. Not to sound like a name dropper, but these shows were a good place to meet prominent dealers and collectors of jukeania. Like Bob Reno, Steve Loots, Ed Jones, Melvin Walker, John Bennet, Rick Botts, Ed Liss, Glenn Streeter, Randy Fogel, Dan Zavaro, Bill Bickers, Dan Colabuno, Steve Granowski, Butch Bartlett, Jim Fritts, John Durfee, Ross Blumgren and so many more, were some of the approachable personalities that I enjoyed meeting up with at these events.

At the November 1978 Chicago Coin-op show, I bought a Gabel Automatic Entertainer from Frank Zygmunt, that had previously belonged to Elmer Cummings, and which we still have in our museum. This was in the days when no one knew much about the real early stuff, made before the end of Prohibition. It was also about that time that I made it my quest to find out as much as I could about the history and progression of jukebox styling and technologies. That quest turned into Nickel A Tune magazine.

Cheers, Russie Ofria

[juke46]

Russie,

I recognize just about every name you listed.  I met several of them through the years.  We had so much going with both of us working and goofing around with all sorts of collectibles there was little time to wander too far from Phoenix.

Northridge!  Anna and I visited someone in Northridge who had parts!  I don't remember what all I bought but I know I got some amazing grill cloth.  It was gold but somehow, as I remember, it had sort of a green sheen to it as well.  I used that in a W-700 I was restoring.  I've never found another piece of cloth like that one.  Seems like our Northridge visit was not too long after an earthquake had occurred near Northridge.  The people I visited had a jukebox(s), I think, that had moved and did some damage. 

We never made it to the Chicago show.  I've heard a lot of fun and remarkable stories from those who did.  

Without the people who reproduced so many vital parts restorations of beautiful machines would not have been possible.  Those parts were a very welcome thing that made beautiful and quality jukebox restoration possible.  I wanted a 1015 very badly.  I hesitated to purchase one but when bubble tubes and plastic sets arrived I bought our first 1015.  This website and all the information made possible by people like Ron Rich have helped me and many others.  The jukeboxlist web site was a big help too, in the day's when it existed.  I think the entire jukeboxlist is still on the internet and somewhat active.

There was an attempt to start a Fun Fair type coin op/advertising show here in Phoenix.  I think it was at the Arizona State Fairgrounds.  I bought a few things there and made a connection with someone who later purchased several Seeburg machines from us.  These days I have to take a machine apart to load it (lighten it up).  My jukebox days were fun but Old Father Time is chasing us down!  A few pictures in link below, I hope!

www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-wZdbn4

[Startgroove]

Oh yes, I remember that grille cloth. It was the closest I could find to the original model 700 grille cloth. I saved a little of it, just in case I ever restored another 700. And, yes, that was me who you visited in Northridge! I think that was about 1978 or so, since I moved the parts business to Reseda in 1979.

One of the best friends I made at the Fun Faire was Danton Burroughs. He lived in Tarzana, just down the road from where I lived as a teenager. His collection was one of the biggest and best of all I knew, and certainly better than mine at the time. We had a lot of fun going through records and creating title strips together to load into our machines. We also often engaged in trades, and we once bought a small collection from an old coin machine dealer in Northern California, and split the machines between us. Sadly, he passed back in 2008.

Cheers, Russie

[Ron Rich]

Good news-- Victory Glass has been purchased, and the new owner, Aaron Schmitt, is moving the operation to a new location ! He promises a new beginning for Victory, including a return of many of the currently "no longer available" parts, plus many new, re--pro parts ! Ron Rich