Let’s Go to the Swap

It was still dark when my alarm went off at 4:45 a.m. I lumbered out of bed and collected my things. I had packed the truck the night before, so all I needed were the essentials. As the city slept, I slinked down the driveway and made my way north.

The surface streets were all but empty. Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge at dawn was calming, and I especially liked seeing the bridge’s rust-colored towers touch the inky sky. Mile by mile, the world became brighter. Once I hit Sonoma County, the sun was up. I was ready.

A few months ago, my friend David di Falco handed me a flyer for the Redwood Empire Early Ford V8 Club swap meet, which fell on Sunday, May 15^th. I’ve been to plenty of swap meets through the years, but I immediately jumped on the chance to help him vend. With any luck, I would find some things for my project, too.

After loading up his 1948 F-1 pickup, we rolled over to the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds. Both of us are well trained in the art of the trade show booth, so it didn’t take long to set up our spot. We laid out our treasures, which ranged from Model A roadster parts and Wide Five wheels to a British cane that can be transformed into a portable chair. Diverse selection, low prices and a traditional vending rig all helped our cause.

We spent the rest of our morning selling and catching up with friends. Much to my surprise, I sold most of my parts in the first hour. I was able to use a little bit of that money for a slice of homemade cherry pie, which proved to be the perfect swap meet breakfast.

With the sun out and a few dollars in my pocket, I wandered the aisles. I studied finned heads, GMC superchargers as well as old stacks of magazines. Motorcycles, project cars, license plates, wheels, fenders, headlights, Deuce grilles—there was a whole lot of everything. I savored every moment of it.

Hot rods can be a funny thing. Early mornings, full days and late nights are all part of the game. When I walked back through my front door that Sunday, I was exhausted, but I couldn’t have been happier. It was, without a shadow of a doubt, a day well spent.

—Joey Ukrop