Its not as good as it once was. It good if your going to buy quarters for you Camaro from Year One or something. but the quality of the good used stuff is way down from what it used to be, and prices are through the roof for some reason. I have not gone in the last 2 years because it just wasn't that good. But its hit or miss like with any swap meet. Hershey on the other hand is awesome. I don't think they let the guy selling sunglasses and used jeans in there. always good stuff. I would look into Hershey and its right up the road from Carlisle. .
Save your time and money, especially if you're coming from Wisconsin! Carlisle is a mere shell of its' former self. Hershey on the other hand, is probably worth the trip from Wisconsin.....JMHO.
Carlisle is a big swap meet you never know what one will find and gets your juices flowing for car guys.. It beats staying at home watching T.V. or looking at the computer.. haha..
How can anyone that "hasn't been in 2 years" even comment??? I go the Ford day and always find something I need. It's a swap meet! You never know what will show up.
It's still big. There's a ton of vendors there, 35 mins away so at least 1 or two days is normal for me. Better than working!
Yes Carlisle is not what it used to be. We have to remember that the parts that we are looking for are 40 years older than when it first started. Tri 5 Chevys were daily drivers for a lot of us in the late 70's. If you have the time and were never there, you will have a good time. If you find the parts you need it will the best place ever. If you don't find the parts you need it will suck just as much as any other swap meet that you didn't find parts at. Only it will cost more to find nothing.
I agree it isn't what it used to be,there doesn't seem to be as many people selling used stuff,it seems Ebay,Craig's list has been a major cause of that but. As some one said if your going Any way to get out of town and there's something you know you need there's money to be saved in shipping. Also the new parts vendors offer decent prices if you order stuff. I haven't been to Hershey in a long time and was thinking of going. Glad to here that's still good. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Yes. Go to Carlisle and Hershey if you don't like them don't go back. But go, I'll be there as long as I can make it.
Just my opinion here so flame me if you like. When Carlisle Productions created all of the subordinate swap meets they diminished the relevancy of their "main" event. They didn't always have the all Ford week-end, GM Carlisle, MoPars at Carlisle, Trucks @ Carlisle, Imports @ Carlisle, Corvettes @ Carlisle and on and on. A serious vendor might consider passing on the "general" (read that original, Carlisle) and only truck his parts to a target market of the marque that he specializes in. Don't get me wrong, it's still a huge place, wear comfortable shoes, there's just a whole lot more cry-baby dolls and Chinese tools for sale than years ago. Yeah, I understand that the parts we might covet simply aren't to be found anymore, except maybe on the 'net, that's a given. That said, you might still stumble upon a treasure that you didn't know that you couldn't live without.
I try and go to the spring event every year it's a day off work and like what's been stated it's probably not as good as it once was. I look at it as the official start of the Hot Rod season a day with fiends looking for rusty gold. Keep in mind it's only as good as you make it although they really need to stress car related booths. Overall it's worth my four hour one way drive for the event. Just my opinion. Hobo Jim
Just my opinion, { YES ! } I been going to Carlisle since the first one. Then you could camp outside the gate. Build a campfire, make Hamb and eggs, and all for free. And then there were tons of old parts. Well so much for the good old days. lol Like a lot have said, it's not as good as it once was. But for myself, I can't think of anything more fun to do, if I weren't there. If you had to chose between Carlisle or Hershey. Hershey would win hands down. But if I can go to both, I will. If you see a little wagon, with a Virginia UFO tag, say hay. Ron...
Any US car show is a bit of a journey for me, but I've been to Hershey and the Fall Carlisle quite a few times. Most recently last year. IMO, there isn't the sheer quantity of old parts there used to be at either show as against my first visit 12 or so years ago. Hershey is definitely better for older stuff, but the asking prices tend to be higher there -even for the the very same stuff you've just seen with the very same vendors at Carlisle the week before! I think of it as HAT (Hershey Added Tax) I've also been to The Iola, WS show a couple of times. this show can't be too far from you, not as big (in terms of vendor numbers) as Carlisle or Hershey, but still a big show; I though that the prices were much more reasonable and my brother and I picked up a lot of parts there -here's a "high Nickel" 4 bolt SBC motor that I bought there -the seller is doing the heavy lifting, my brother Chris is doing the huffing and puffing Proof that you can fit a Chevy V8 into your Subaru hire car.
When station at Letterkenny Army Depot, I would attend, always looking for something that no-one had, but always did get a good breakfast at a restaurant outside one of the gates and did made a few trips to the High School hot dog stand for lunch. Prices always seem high until Sunday afternoon. All in all, a good event to attend if you are within 5 hours of the place.
I have been going 2 to 3 times a year for almost 30 years. I have seen the dwindle of parts and the introduction of more bull shit stuff so Carlisle productions can sell spaces to any Tom Dick and Harry that has the bucks for the space fee. 15 even 10 years ago it was still pretty good. But it has gone way down hill. Don, I probly walked right past you for years when I was dragging my giant yellow wagon around! Don't get me wrong, Carlisle is still good if you are restoring a Camaro or Chevelle or a Mustang, something like that. You can really get good deals on NEW parts from vendors like Year One, Classic Industries, stuff like that. I got a complete package of stuff from Legendary Interiors for a 64 Buick Skylark I had. Got the full interior, seat covers, headliner, every piece that they offered for my 64. they had none of it there, but I ordered on site so I got show prices and saved about 500 bucks off ordering it from them and they shipped it for free. You can get good stuff, but the stuff that we covet on the HAMB is pricey and is usually a giant pile of shit with Carlisle prices. If you need muscle car parts its still not bad, but got to Hershey for early ford and old stuff, better quality, better prices, and a more relaxed environment, but that just me.....
I have noticed that a bunch of vendors pack up Friday night myself included. The Pa. tax thing doesn't sit right with me so I stopped vending but I still go. Have not had a bad time yet.
Im from S E Wisc and have been to Fords of Carlisle quite a few times and to Hershey twice. I have a 61 and a 65 Galaxie and have found parts at both places, the rarer stuff I needed I found at Hershey. If I had to go to one, even though its not Ford specific, Id go to Hershey. Tons more stuff there.
I've never done Hershey but have done numerous spring and fall carlisle swap meets. First the grounds are big, lots of walking. Second, i agree that it is muscle car geared mostly but there are still older stuff around. My brothers and I have 68, 71 and 86 C10s and we find plenty. Memorabilia? Plenty. Third I think the car corral is always fun to peruse. Fourth if you need certain parts check and see if any vendors of them are there. Even if they don't have it there they usually give you a show discount and free shipping. When I lived in MD it was a 2 hour drive and totally worth it. Now Im in Florida so my trips will be less frequent. I believe Hershey and fall carlisle are back to back weeks so make a combo trip
I went last year and found a full grille assembly for my DeSoto...so yes I'll be going this year too. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Not what it used to be but I go to swap meets for a social event as much as finding parts. Like anything if you have super high hopes/standards you'll have a higher chance of being disappointed. If you stay focused and are able to look past all of the BS trinket and yard sale booths there's some good deals to be found. My lady and I got a nice pile of stuff in my truck last year spending one day there.. Make a trip out of it and do some sight seeing/shop visits while you're out and you'll enjoy the trip much more. I'm a little over an hour or so from the swap, feel free to hit me up if you want to visit one night after the swap. I do that on all of the swaps I go to that are more than a couple hour drive away. Made tons of new friends and didn't bother me as much if the swap was a bust that particular year.
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