Event Coverage What the hell happened to Hershey

The last time I went to Hershey was in 1980 looking for Model T and Model A parts with my dad for his resto business. I did the Iola WI swap a couple of years ago and have done Carlisle a few times so I'm no stranger to larger swap meets, however, I was shocked at the size of the event when I got to Hershey last week. Where else would you be able to take a leisurely 1 hour stroll and see piles of parts for Stanley Steamers, Pierce Arrows, Stutz's and slews of other brass era cars you've never heard of along with piles of vintage trinkets from the more common marques we are more familiar with? The car corral alone would take the better part of a day if you were really serious about it.

My legs STILL hurt.

Everything you need is there somewhere and somethings you don't need are everywhere.

I think it's definitely a car guy/gal bucket list show.

 

Hi Bob;
Even for ONE GOOD dry day (preferably a cloudy one, as a lot of the rain-soaked guys this year, may NOT have experienced the agony of getting a wickedly painful SUNBURN on the first day, and dealing with that for the next couple!-I learned to bring sun screen and a broad brimmed hat every year,,,the Hard way!) I wish I had been there. But it is so frustrating even in a mild rain, to slog through the mud,back then.. and seeing mostly tables covered in blue tarps! and the other side...trying to keep a lot of our OWN vendor tables crap from getting wet and ruined.
I do really appreciate any & all of the photos from this year. Thanks guys
Two questions Bob..
1. I am assuming? that there was no race car condition run, in the stadium due to rain? one of my must see/favorite Hershey priorities
and
2. would get a kick out of hearing/seeing any or all of the speed parts you found, knowing you have an "Eye" to recognize rarities, in piles of junk..

 

Dylan60 and I were there from Tuesday night till Friday morning.Hit the pavement first light weds.By 8am I had my NOS 47 Olds fender(Thanks Clark!!).Delivered a 34 windshield frame.We walked to the farthest away corner behind new stadium and walked our way back.We both got some killer deals!!!Two or three trips back to the truck.We actually found three dash boards he wanted only 50 yards from the very end of our walking Thursday!!! You could say Good to the last drop!!

Also thanks Josh from Rochester for the Olds lower control arms,the guy in the firetruck tent for the HUGE V10 rods and of coarse the pizza guy!!!.

Yes its not like 20 years ago.There isnt an unlimited supply of 50 year old + parts.

Heres a pic of a Lasalle trans(I got one already) We had a killer time!!!

 

Yep-I covered most of the swap meet Wednesday and put in over 13 miles on my pedometer-I did not see everything, but I did see a ton. Came back Saturday with my 5 year old granddaughter-we had a blast. We looked at the steam car and the Baker Electric and all the old fire engines and talked about "horseless carriages" and how brakes worked. The food vendors made her a personalized cheese sandwich. I saw well represented cars of the types I own and some real interesting cars I'd never seen before.

There's no point to discussing Hershey as it was, or might be. If you can't appreciate it for what it is, you should stay home. For $12 to park and free admission for all-I'll be back next year.

 

Joe, the only Speed parts I found were for Model T Fords, best being a twin oil pump for something really nice. Dry sump I think, can only dream of the DO Fronty or Galivan it once lubed. The Ardent Alligator was there, kind of neat to think your Dad worked on it in the early 1950's. I still have the original hood side panels I replaced on it in the late 1970's. Having my Son in Law and Grandson and rest of the family at Hershey made it one of the best for me. Bob

 

Had a good Wed and part of Thur. Went to museum on Fri. well worth it and was dry. Didn't find what I was looking for but that's alright. Been going since there was only the red and blue field and you could pank for free side the road.

 

Took my 10 year old son to his first Hershey on Sat. I hadn't been since before they paved everything late 80's?

Picked up a couple thing for the ABone and my son got a couple vintage license plates and hub caps to decorate his bed room.

I was kinda disappointed with the lack of vendors but I understand the weather was bad.

Next year I think my son will be sick on Friday and I will have to keep him home from school

 

I went back in 1989 and they had a class for racing cars of all types. They had to make a lap around the track of the Hershey High school. Early drag cars had to do a burn out. I still recall trying to film A J Foyts Indy car while it was running on methanol. My eyes were watering and I couldn't breath but I was in heaven. My wife bought me a 57 Cushman eagle there that I restored and sold for $7000 10 years later. They said if you walked every isle you went 17 miles and I did it twice. My inner legs were so sore I could barely walk after we left. We also did Carlisle the same year

 

Went down to Hershey on Friday. It rained all day and quite a few vendors pulled out but I still managed to leave a few bucks behind.
I understand they got like 9" of rain in the area...damn.
My buddy and I stayed overnight and made the show on Saturday. I have to say we were both impressed at how good the show field was. They must have great drainage as I didn't see any mud on the field at all..
I am looking forward to next year but I hope it will be a little dryer than this year so don't just talk the talk...walk the walk.

 

I was there on Wednesday....THE day, this year. Walked from 7:00-5:30 and hauled three Radio Flyer loads of junk out to my truck. I wanted to recanvas the first area I was in at the end of the day, but I was almost dead. I had so much strapped to my wagon on my final pass that people were stopping and taking pictures of it. It's a pity that so many people wait for it all year, only to get washed out....especially when the weather at Carlisle the week previous was perfect.

 

Glad to help! I haven't seen so much rain in all my life. 30 hours of it. Started about 1 pm on Thursday and didn't let up until 8 pm on Friday. I think Harrisburg had close to 10 inches by the end. I was soaked and everything I brought was soaked. Still the best week to spend with friends and be surrounded by cars and parts you will never find anywhere else.

 

We bought and sold well on Tue. & Wen. before the rain came. This was my 41st year at Hershey and I am already looking forward my 42nd.

 

........But you're not that old.

 

This was my second trip to Hershey. Even with the rain, I still had a blast.
Bought a nice 34 Ford cowl complete with dash & windshield frame. I also bought 2 very nice '32 wishbones. Sold a few things Wednesday...All in all a great time.

For what it is worth, if you are into early cars, especially 32-34 Fords, you need to go to this swap meet. Here on the east coast, it is rare to find early Ford stuff in any quantity at any swap meet & I try to go to all of them...Charlotte, Daytona, Moultrie, etc. It's everywhere at Hershey. Even if it is not what it used to be...it is still the best there is...
Sam

 

Even one good Hershey day (wed) is worth a month of workdays. My son and I had a ball as usual. Checked out Guffey's awesome Miller barrel valve carb...WOW! Met Jack Stireman and got to ogle his turbo flatty '34... hang of a nice guy. Met a guy from Washington state who is repopping SP tops for 97's & Holleys...to cool! Would have loved to pickup that black '40 std v8 60 tudor for $12,500 or the Yellow '34 p-up stored since the '60s. All &all a classic meet. Opted for the Aces& eights on Sat...great show! great tunes!

 

If you log onto the AACA site they have aerial photos of past Hershey meets. It's interesting to see how it's changed over the years. We can't do anything about the weather but if you can get a copy of last Thursdays and Fridays USA Today, the entire USA from Colorado east was clear EXCEPT for a dime sized area over Hershey! It's almost as if the weather gods were pissed at us. I talked to a guy at our hotel and he came from 100 miles west and he said the sun was out when he left his house!

 

The best show really isn't the show...the show is the pinnacle of the year's activities and has only a few cars of each type, the shiniest but not necessarily the most interesting.
The vehicles scattered through the flea market are astounding...there's even a little section of REALLY hard core antiquers who allow nothing newer than 1905 in their perimeter. In the fields and in the cars-for-sale section ringing the flea area you will see gigantic super classics worth millions, quite a number of cars more than a hundred years old, wild American and European racecars from the fifties, ALL the strange old technologies such as electric, steam, Knight valve, etc., restored or complete bare chassis that allow you to see the works, and of course an absolute zoo of neat stuff scattered in parts. Half of what you see is entirely unexpected and even unknown stuff...

 

They say, "A bad car show is still better then a good day at work!"

 

I have to agree.

 

I havent been there since '09. The swap meet is much nicer on all blacktop then in the mud.... They are against Hot Rods in the CAR CORRAL, but in the swap meet they seem to turn an eye to it. However, in the show on Saturday they allow Race Cars, and cars with racing history. Bonneville and the Dry Lakes qualify as racing history! Saw the Walker Morrison '32 Roadster there in '09. What a car! Hot Rods at Hershey!

 

First trip to Hershey..........on Thursday............. and all I got was........well..........WET!

 

Have to be there weds when it opens,no bought a dought it.

 

What was MY Hershey 2013 experience ??
My buddy & I went to Hershey on thursday & it rained ... A LOT , LOL !! We were prepared though , each wearing rainsuits . It was kind of a bummer though , as a lot of the stands were covered up . Some people were smart & used clear plastic so someone looking for stuff could actually SEE something we might want . If someone can't see what's under the tarp , you'll sell nearly nothing . We did OK though , and each bought a couple "smalls" we were looking for . Are we sorry we went ?? NO WAY !! It was well worth taking a vacation day . Maybe next year will be better weather . If not , we'll STILL be there !

 

As promised, a sort of "Best of Hershey" compilation from me. I tried to narrow it down as much as possible and this selection is only a fraction of the pics I've taken at Hershey from 2009 (my first time) to 2012 (didn't go this year). In all, I took 2,089 pictures at Hershey in those years; here's a few that I though might be relevant to H*A*M*B readers.

First off, from 2009:
- Honest Charley's V8-60 powered motorcycle.
-Thought this American Bantam would make a cool hot rod project.
-When was the last time you saw a '23 Rickenbacker?
-The polished stainless steel '36 Ford.
-I love Muntz Jets!
-Who said there's no hot rods at Hershey?
-The fantastic GM Parade of Progress Futurliner!

 

Part 2: 2010

-Very cool 1960 Lincoln Continental Mk.V.
-This mild-custom Merc should appeal to HAMBers.
-1918 Scripps-Booth.
-1920 Stutz Bearcat.
-The Nimbus, a very interesting Danish four cylinder motorcycle.
-1937 German-Ford Eifel; like a miniature '37 Ford roadster with a four cylinder.
-Gorgeous 1953 Buick Skylark.

 

You know, on one hand people bitch about newer cars being considered antiques, and on the other hand, they bitch about the youth of America not being as interested in "old cars" as they were at that age....???????????

 

Part 3: 2010 continued

-'49 Allard J2 prototype powered by an ARDUN-equipped flathead raced by Zora Arkus Duntov, himself.
-More hot rods at Hershey; the famous Larry Shinoda Deuce coupe and Don Fergusen's '34 coupe. As-seen in numerous speed/hot rod mags back in the day.
-Did I say I love Muntz Jets? Check out the pleated interior! Complete with a cartoon of "Madman" Earl Muntz in the center of the steering wheel.
-When was the last time you saw an all-original, stock 1941 Willys coupe? Love the old ad slogan "Drive Willys, save gas". Guess that didn't apply to all those blown BBC/HEMI gassers, huh?!

 

Part 4: 2011

-This "Push me/Pull you" Corvair is a regular. Will do wheelies all day long!
-How cool is this vintage chopper rolling chassis?! Notice the molded frame.
-A very rare (and expensive!) Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A boat-tail phaeton. Yours for $450,000!
-Very rare, fish-faced '58 Packard Hawk complete with Paxton-blown 289!
-Someone mentioned Stanleys? There were four in the show field in 2011. How 'bout this 1906 race car?
-One of the Three Ps of 1920s American luxury, a '29 Peerless.
-A different era. Love the slogan, More Doctors Smoke Camels Than Any Other Cigarette!

 

Part 5 (final one, I promise.): 2011 continued and 2012

-Mid-engined lakester. (Sorry I don't remember who built/ran it, but I'm sure another HAMBer knows.)
-1906 air-cooled Franklin.
-Another of the Three Ps, a 1909 Pierce Arrow. Could you imagine how much it must cost to plate one of these things?!
-A very cool and unique 1914 Woods cyclecar. The driver and passenger sit in tandem.
-A rare 1928 Gardener.
-Finally, one of 50 Sapphire Blue Metallic Shelby GT350H "rent-a-racers". I know it's not exactly HAMB-approved material, but I figure its rarity and cool factor excuses it.

 

Bobberz, you have good taste. The yellow roadster belongs to Frank Marawski, built and raced by Carillo, of connecting rod fame.