Hot Rods Went to the spring swap meet today

One sided....rediculous...... Stop and think a minute. Everyone complaining is someone who wants to make a business out of selling at swap meets and do it as a semi-regular money making business. There is nothing wrong with that, but don't try to tell me you don't haggle with the people you got the parts from. If you didn't get it somewhere at a cheaper price, you probably wouldn't have it to sell. Not too many vendors regularly frequent swap meets when all they have to sell is excess parts from their personal projects. Then you want to get all pissy when people try to negotiate with you. In case you don't remember, the first guy actually had a $25 price right on the carb. I didn't negotiate at all. Why should I think the next guy wouldn't sell his for the same price ? I made him an offer and he immediately accepted it. So both of them were happy.

So how many did he sell and how many did he take back home ?

 

Swap meets are like fishing. You keep coming back to get the one that got away.

 

Now THAT’S the attitude that sells parts.

 

I quit going to swap meets as a vendor 20 (or more) years ago. The money I got for selling stuff wasn't worth the effort I invested getting it there and back home.

My son and I often do a few swaps a year as buyers. Usually we take a list of stuff we are looking for, sometimes we come home with a few odds & ends, and occasionally a few things from our lists. By the time you figure the travel cost, food costs, and gate fees, just attending the swap costs $50 each, even if we come home empty handed. If it wasn't for the time we spent together, it wouldn't be worth the effort most of the time. Shopping on line would probably be a lot cheaper. For the time being, attending the few swaps we do is usually better then what we would have done if not for the swap meet.

As far as prices at swap meets, the seller sets his price, and the buyer sets his price, if the two reach an agreement, life is good. Nothing is forcing either to buy or sell the item for a specific price. As a buyer, if I feel the price it too high, I can always walk away. I've reached a point in my life where nothing at a swap meet is a matter of life or death. Gene

 

We set up at a dragstrip Saturday and it thier spring show and at 7 am it was snowing. I consider these things a lot of work and I have one plan in mind when I go and that is to not miss a sale if any way possible. People tell me I always have the coolest stuff and I do but it is hard to find and it only has so much value especially when you are sitting in the middle of a field somewhere trying to sell it. If it is that rare or highly sought after you will have it on ebay. So we came home from this swap . unloaded the truck and now have four weeks to get ready dor Charlotte. I have been going through my shop the last couple shows and getting rid of things I am pretty certain I will never need . I see all the guys with the same wore out spray painted intakes and whatever junk they have sometimes year after year with the same stuff. I hate to tell but nobody wants the junk. I love doing it but Charlotte this year is my last time. I am wore out and my help ( sons ) have grown up and my wife is my age and she has been with me at almost every one we have set up at for the last 35 years ( and it's a lot ) I look at it like this , if you are looking at an item you must need it and trust me I am going to do my best to sell it to you. At the end of the day it is all about cash flow !

 

A Holley 1850 carb is over $300. A rebuilt is $280. A new base plate with throttle plated is $180. In my mind a carb that looks rebuildable should be worth about 20% of a new carb. That would make a dried up carb be worth about $60. The Holley 1850 is about the cheapest Holley.

If a carb has any numbers on it to match a desirable muscle car the numbers quickly co crazy.

As far as prices on tools. It definitely requires you to be on your toes for prices on new tools. They are all over the place for price anywhere you look. Especially with things you plug in. My family had a small hardware store at one time. Companies like Black and Decker will make the same tool with 4 or 5 different price levels. For example same drill can have many different color cases, different length cords, ect. The part number will be basically the same but have a different letter added. The price could run anywhere from $9.95 to $69.99

 

TA DAD....I think I get what you're saying that you're taking things to sell, not to haul things back home. I'm sure that would be tempered a tiny bit to get at least a "reasonable" price for things.

I was walking a swap meet with a friend years ago. He was looking at a wheel and asked the seller what the price was. After a bit of "how much do you want for it? - what'll you give?" back and forth, the buyer finally said "I'm here to sell this stuff, not to get it appraised!" My friend's $5 offer was accepted, and the buyer had one less thing to load back up to take back home.

I just did a swap meet a couple weeks ago as a seller. I did rid myself of a few things I had been storing too long but when I consider the time to load, unload, reload and unload again, the cost of the space, and the fact that I didn't get to look at all for anything I wanted, I might have been better off and enjoyed the day more by selling things online. The problem with selling online is often the handicap of shipping cost to get things to the buyer. Every option is a trade-off in one way or another.

Lynn

 

Have not had the time to vend/buy at swap meets for years.

But 30~40 years ago when I vended and actively bought, the old expression "caveat emptor" certainly applied. I can remember looking at Corvette dual quad set-ups with "genuine" carbs, and laughing. Finally started counting. Of the first 100 (about 5 swap meets) 97 had incorrect carbs! May have been some of the same sets more than once, but you get the idea.

We had a sign "the final price can be adjusted by the customer's attitude". And I can assure you, it never went down!

I could write a book on vending at swap meets!

One final thought, since many seem to be comparing carburetor prices in this thread: the prices of scarce carburetors (and other items) is NOT set by the vendor..........................it is set by the buyers! But the "buyer" that thinks he/she will acquire a Holley R-1536 at the same price as a Holley R-1850 (after all, they are both Holley 4-barrels) is pipe dreaming.

Jon.

 

I have't read all the responses to the original post. But I veiw swap meets much differently then most. I really don't like buying stuff on the internet. {it's just not fun } I've always LOVED swap meets, and junkyards much better. But if you need that one certain part, and money is the issue I do understand the internet being a good choice. But I do like seeing the part before I buy it. The fun is in the hunt. I'm also very bad at selling stuff, and I do give stuff away lol { from home} If I only had enough money just to park, my entry, and food I would still go. You see much cooler stuff than you would at a museum, you see friends, and maybe find that one part or old toy. That you didn't even know that you needed. I love talking price also. No one is going to make me pay any more than I want too. If you see me pulling or sitting in my little wagon with the Virginia { Low UFO } tag. Say howey. Ron......

 

From a sellers viewpoint: Weather is always a risk. If it's pouring ass rain, you can bet foot traffic will be way low. That being said, the die-hards will still be shopping. Last spring Charlotte, I did way better selling in the rain on Fri then I did on Sat when it was a nice day; Sun was a total bust. I had my tent, and adult beverages, so it didn't bother me any. I do blame some of it on my particular spot location; I had stuff priced to sell (and did). I still had a good time though; all part of the fun!

 

i would love to know what internet you guy's are looking at where you can buy stuff much cheaper than at a swap meet.

 

No it's not. Any Chevrolet truck built before 1960 is NOT a C10.

That being said, they were introduced after I graduated from high school, so to me, they are just pickup trucks. I can get that some of the younger guys like 'em, it's just that I wouldn't walk across the street to go to something called the "C10 Nationals", even if it were free. (Pick me up in a limo with a couple of strippers and a bucket of Champagne and I might re-consider.)

 

I haven't bought many of the aforementioned cores for quite a while.

 

What’s in a title?

The truck show is for pickups from 1947 to present day.

To each their own. For some it’s corvettes to others it’s challengers so what ever floats your boat sir.

I just happen to really like most of the chevy trucks built between 47-72, then from 73-85 is kinda meah but I still like them. I don’t really care for any after that.

I also like Chevelles and since I’m a truck person I also have a 67 Elcamino. I can have my chevelle and it’s a truck at the same time. I’m the odd duck while everyone else thinks you have to lower everything I’m raising mine up and making them ride stiffer like a truck should ride including the Elcomino.

My next truck will be a 1947/8 if I can find a decent when the time comes.

But first thing first , next year I start on my Elcamino.


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At swaps I get sick of asking for a price and getting "What you give me for it" If I have to be the sellier and the buyer I am going to give myself a good deal and a low price. then I get to ask the same question again Whats the price!

 

Let me get this straight. You bought a GM turbo 475, packed that bitch in your suitcase and checked it at the airport? Please post a photo of your suitcase.....

 

I personally enjoy going to swap meets as a buyer, my gripe there is the vendor who brings so much stuff that you can't go through it because it's still packed in crates and boxes, if I can't see it, I can't buy it. Having set up as a vendor, it is a pain in the a$$ to pay to set up only to make your set up fee back because of tire kickers and cheapskates. I am not a vendor by trade only someone trying to part with stuff I don't need so I can buy parts I do need. Occasionally I will leave my junk to brouse through other's junk figuring that the worst that can happen is someone will steal something, at least I won't have to load it up and haul it home! Also, always take pictures of the part you need, as so many of them look alike on the table, only to get it home and find it doesn't fit.

 

I get that a lot at meets. If I have to set a price, it’s going to be CHEAP! And that has helped me buy items way cheaper than expecting to pay sometimes. The last meet I went to I was looking for a power unit for my Souix valve seat grinding set, since the set I acquired had it missing. Checking on the net, this item was going for $150+. Looked for a year or so, most were more than I cared to pay. Found one in a somewhat complete set of valve seat tools, with a nice metal box. No price! I didn’t offer. The guy checked with his friend and said $20! I looked like Matt Dillion going for my wallet. But that’s the fun of going to swap meets, the prices are all over the place! Depends on the buyers needs or wants as opposed to the sellers needs!








Bones

 

It's all part of the game, and these guys only hurt themselves. As a buyer, it can actually work in your favor. I skip these guys on my first pass becasue searching boxes early in the meet is not worth the time while there's still well-priced stuff available elsewhere. But I'll come back later to root through the boxes, and if I find something, my offer is going to be low because I'm pretty sure nobody else has shown interest. Also, I figure the seller has already made the calcualtion that anything in there isn't worth the time of unloading.

It's interesting how popular swap meet threads continue to be on the Hamb. Seems to belie the idea that they're dying.

 

I love the guys with boxes of junk not out where people walking by can see it. that is where the ebay stuff is... made a buttload of money from buying at swaps and selling on ebay. one buy in particular stands out. two milk crates of 1940 Chevrolet small parts.. $75.00. I had $750.00 worth of sales from there.

so please keep leaving items unidentified in boxes and crates.... I'll figure out what they are.

 

That’s the secret to making money! Buy in bulk and sell one item at a time! Takes work, but then making money , most of the time, does involve work!








Bones

 

The last swap meet I ever sold at, I did something I'd always wanted to do. I had a bunch of automotive trinkets, tail lights, trim, interior shit... just general stuff. I set it all on a 4x4 card table with a big 'EVERTHING ON THIS TABLE FREE' sign. Part of the days conversations...
"How much?"
Me. "Free"
"What's it fit?"
Me. "Fuck if I know."
"You take a buck?"
Me. "No"
"What is it?"
Me. "Ain't got a clue."
"Why not?"
Me. "Don't care."
"Guy over there has one for ten bucks,"
Me. "Go buy his then."
"It really free?"
Me. "Can you read?"
"Why's it free?"
Me. "Because I don't want it."
Listened to this shit all day. I packed up, split early, and left the table.

 

I always went to the Louisville, KY fall and spring swap meets. Can't remember the last time I found someting I really needed. I've found better parts on eBay.

 

Only go to the big swap meets to see friends from far away places. If I’m looking for a particular something, the www. and the Fed-Ex guy are my go to.


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Been doing the "dollar trailer" off and on for years, if I have room for the trailer in my space. The conversation is similar, but the house rule is simple... no matter the question, the answer must be in the form of "its a dollar".

"What does this fit?" - "It fits a dollar."
"Do you have more of these?" - "Dunno. If you find more, they are a dollar each."
...etc.

We usually piled really junky stuff on the trailer and folks would spend a bit of time looking it over, where we could then strike up a conversation, which resulted in selling them something they really need from the much-more-than-a-dollar pile.

 

G'day, I did not take the case or converter. We were flying first class so we had four suit cases between the wife and myself and split the load up. The guy packed everything so nice with clean shop towels. Those internals went into a K-case 4wd case with a reversed valve body, a brake, and blue clutches for the transmission I am considering for my 59 Vette. Those square cut gears sound every bit like an M22. Getting a lot of pressure to use a manual though.

 

The swap meets in the PNW are so much bigger and older stuff than those in Michigan. I didn’t expect that at first when I moved here. I did well selling stuff when i cleaned out my garage, a lot of stuff I sold just to get rid of. Some stuff I did have a certain amount invested so stuck to my price range and still sold it by the end of the day. I sell stuff to get rid of it. See some guys with the same stuff year after year, they must be there as a social event.


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I've done 1 swap meet a year as a seller for over 20 years. Tri Chevies in Peotone Il. Been with the same group all that time--6 or 7 spots all in a row. My attitude has always been I'm taking stuff out to sell 'cause I don't need it or don't want it and price it accordingly. The day is also a day I see old friends and folks I see once a year, and have an extra chair or 2 and cold drinks in my cooler to share and besides that, Hunky always makes Great hamburgers around noon. I usually sell most of my "treasures" and even give some away for a good sob story. In the last few years I have shared my spot with a few buds with worth while smalls they want to sell, or taken their stuff with me to sell, and that works well. For me, it's an event, once a year and I look forward to it. Bill Rinaldi