Early 90's at the Daytona Turkey Rod Run. I had a '41 Plymouth that I was bringing back from the dead and needed the two rear fenders and the sheet metal portion of the grill. I had scoured every source I had at the time and came up empty. I had found a pair of fenders thru Hemmings from someone in Nebraska, but $300 a piece at the time was a bit expensive, I didn't get them. So, I'm at the Turkey Run and I'm looking thru the swap area. I come across a few grilles but they are in pretty bad shape so I resigned to the fact that I'll never find these parts. Lo and behold, I come upon a booth/area that the vendor has a couple tables setup with various pot metal parts on one and small sheet metal parts (radio deletes, speaker covers, etc) on the other with some carbs sitting in the background. On the ground is an array of axle shafts. But, on one side of his area is a rust free grille for a '41 Plymouth with a tag of $175, on the other side of his area are 2 rust free rear fenders for the very same '41 Plymouth with a tag of $150 each. I do everything I can to contain my excitement about my good fortune. I calmly walk over to the grille, pick it up and take it over and set it by the fenders, then reach into my pocket to pull out the cash. I see the vendor break loose from playing with the pot metal parts, comes over to me and barks "If I wanted these things setting together, I'd done it to begin with!". The guys is pissed that I moved the grille. I'm thinking he'll get over it once I pay him. I point at the parts and say, "I'll take all 3". His expression doesn't change. As I start peeling out the green, I asked him with a smile expecting to hear a "NO" or a "PRICE IS FIRM", "you have $150 on the fenders, would you take $150 for the grill as well?" Before I could get all the money counted out, he barks back, "I'm not into f***ing charity today!" and then turns around and walks away. I'm standing there with my money in my hand, dumbfounded. I put my cash back into my pocket, walk over to him and tell him "thats a good thing, because neither am I" and walk off. That was on the first day. Fast forward to Sunday, the last day of the event. My buddy and I go back out the swap area early to see if we can score a few last minute deals. As we approach the guy that had the grille and fenders, we see he's packing up and the grille/fenders are still sitting out. I figured that I'd just have my buddy buy them and be done with it. I kept my distance while my buddy walks over to talk to the guy. He pokes around in the stuff that's still setting on his last remaining table and asks about the grille. The guy doesn't stop what he's doing and tells my friend, "I'll give you a deal if you buy all 3 pieces. $75 a piece for the fenders and $100 for the grille. I don't want to have to pack them back up for the trip out of here". My friend pays him and then calls me over. As I walk up, the guys face turns snow white, then fire engine red. I reach down, grab the grille while my buddy grabs the fenders. I look back up and make eye contact with him and say "It's Sunday, I'm feeling a little more charitable today, thank you." The guy was so damn mad I thought his head was going to explode. We walked away laughing and never looked back although we did hear a few choice cuss words mumbled.
Conroe Swap Meet north of Houston 10 or so years ago. Under the big shed I noticed a guy had a PAIR of NOS 35-36 Rear radius rods. Each had a part number painted on it and the remains of the Ford paper tag hanging on the eyes at the front. The part number prefix for 35 is "48-". The guy had a sign attached identifying these as 48 Ford radius rods priced at $15. They are still in my garage waiting for a project. AT the time they would have sold for $100-150 rather than the $250-450 and more you see these days for used rusty rotten ones.
My swap meet stories usually revolve around me getting to a part I want just as somebody buys it for the biggest bargain price ever! I hope they're HAMBers so they post their story here!
I have a couple. Watched this guy selling the old military surplus ATV mules. For those that aren't sure what they are its a little flatbed atv with a seat stuck out on one corner. Well this guy evidently had made the deal and was coming back later. This idiot comes back and is looking it over telling his buddy all about it and then says this is my address where I want it delivered. The seller is looking at him with a clip board with the title on it and they are holding the cash waiting to finalize this deal. The seller dug this thing out and had it running for him so he could drive it off. They got into an argument this buyer wanted him to deliver this thing out of state. He never asked about it once when looking it over, how it was getting back to his place. That guy was cussed out called everything. He just stood there and took it. The seller kept saying get the F out of here! Go! He just stared and walked away. This rant went on a good ten minutes. My second one is short but funny. I worked a gun show business for years and this old cranky guy I was setup next to was throwing it down all day. Guy walked up to his table looked at his stuff. The old man said how we doing today? Guy ignores him and starts to turn he blurts out f--k you in the ass! The guy cringed and kept walking. Hell he had us all laughing.
I have been doing Flea-Markets and Car Parts Meets for about 25-30 years now. I go to Flea-Markets and buy Car Parts and Parts Meets to buy Flea-Market stuff. I also grab stuff on eBay to resell at both and buy at both to resell on eBay. Every year it gets a little harder to find stuff but I always manage to buy and sell enough to make it worth my time and I enjoy the time at the events and all the bullshit stories. I'll never get rich at this game, but I have cut my losses down to 30% this year! Only 3 weeks till the biggest car parts/bullshit fest on the east coast - Carlisle, PA ! I have really enjoyed all these stories here, read them all from page one.
The sign that always gets a laugh i put up when vending at various swap meets, "yes we take trades, old cars, old boats & old ladies & not necessarily in that order" cheers
Couple of week ago went to a swap meet, never been to it before a bit of a drive but nothing better to do. There was one vender there selling new parts a $1.00 a box his spot was busy. Started talking to him and asked if he had any more GM stuff. He came back from his truck with a few more boxes one be a case of AC oil filters PF-29. I asked what he wanted and paid the $20.00 for the case. The were originals from 1968 and I put the first on ebay that night and it went for $122.50.
some people will buy anything at a swap meet. i used to sell about 10-15 cases of rocks a day at englishtown. guess it helped that if you bought a rock for 2 bucks you got a free beer . rocks always sold the best
so i went to a motorcycle swap, i saw some things i liked and asked the guy how much? he sasid 5 bux (it was a deal, i forget what it was but it was a deal) so i look around and see some other stuff and ask how much? another delightful price so i start makin a pile....after asking him how much about 7 times on various stuff he says gime me a hundred and i will leave you take over the spot...i look around, way cool deal ill take it.........it was later in the morning but i still sold about 45 dollars worth of stuff...kept the stuff i wanted......plus the bonus of the other parts....great day oh yea it was all English parts,, bsa triumph ect ect ect
I was walking by one of those booths where the guy is selling all kinds of used tools and crap that doesn't belong at an auto swap meet when out of the corner of my eye I spotted a Rochester 2G. I had to take a closer look. It looked to be NOS or rebuilt and it had a big vacuum diaphram attached to it. A closer look revealed that it had no idle mixture screws. Yep, factory rear carb for a 3 duece setup. Price.......20 bucks. I paid the asking price as there was a guy that walked up behind me and I felt he was waiting for me to put it down.
Years ago I spotted several SW Police Special speedos on a table at Carlisle. The price was decent-$150.(high for the time then,but good now) and I thought I'll circle back and get it later? Bad idea.... Jet ahead eight years later and we're walking thru the gate at Carlisle and I'm telling my buddy Jocko about that gauge.I swear it wasn't 100 yards and he spots two of them on the left;one tan/black and one black background w/ white figures. I talk to the guy about them and he wants $65. per gauge! I'm pulling out my cash to pay the guy and relate the story about 8 years of searching for the gauge and he smiles and tells me "$50.I know that gauge will go to a good home!" If there's karma,I've tried to show favor to 10 buyers since then...
My good deed story, also to keep the younger generation involved. I bought a 40 Ford with too big tires and wheels, Cragar dish mags and Uniroyal tires in great shape. Replaced them as soon as I got home. Selling the old wheels/tires at the next swap meet for $300. A 15 year old boy comes up & is very interested but doesnt have enough. Putting them on his 66 Ford, 390, C6 that he & his dad are building for his 1st car. After talking for 30 minutes, I told the kid "give me $20 and get them the hell out of here before I change my mind." Dad came back & gave me a handshake with tears in his eyes.
I sold parts on ebay 2003-2008. at one swap I bought a "Frantz" toilet paper oil filter for 10 bucks because it had a cool sticker on it. sold for $75.00. next swap meet I get 2 of them for 10 or 15 bucks... same thing, they sold for +- $75.00 each. these were made in Stockton Ca, which is about 50 miles from me, and as I soon found out there was at least one for sale for 10 - 15 bucks at just about every swap meet I went to. I would say I bought 20 of those suckers over the years never paying more than $15.00 (for NOS ones in the box) and they all sold for anywhere from $50.00 up to $150.00. crazy how that works.
I remember when the rocks were only $1 and they didn't card you for buying rocks Now that I am a bunch years older I still get a kick out of buying rocks, bolts and a piece or barb wire every once in a while.
Completely selling out 3 year in a row ( 1996, 1997 and 1998). Priced to low or just that good of stuff at the time? it was a good feeling that I haven't had since. Rod
I remember in the early days of carlise some guy across from me was selling baggies of ice . The law came and removed him because of the cans that were in the bags. 25 years ago at a aaca meet in winchester va. When we would pull in early in the morning.the wife and i would always walk counter clock ways around the flea market before unloading. That year i told her we would go the other way. As i was getting close to my truck i noticed a guy pick up a 41 willys grille. For 25 dollars!! 3 spaces from my space. If i wouldn't have changed my routine i would have seen it.
I was building a Model A and some dude had a bunch of parts. I only had enough for a couple pieces. So we made a deal and I was walking away with my parts (gas tank and cowl). He called me back and said if I wanted the rest give him $20 and I can have everything. So I call my girlfriend at the time for the other 20. His quote "Paper is easier to carry then all this metal". Of corse we then talked for a while. Cool dude...
I have a couple. Both were about 15 years ago. Walked into the swap at MSRA '50's event just as a guy was pulling a '41 Willys front fender out of the back of his Truck. It was blue and so nice looking from 50 yards away that I thought it was fiberglass. It also had the complete headlight assembly attached. As I got closer I could see it was steel. When I got to it the price on the fender said $75. It was no misprint and I was trembling as I pulled out my wallet. He only had the one, but what a score! 2nd Story...we all know how nick knacks, and trinkets have invaded swap meets along with old clothes! Went to Hershey one fall, and while walking down an isle there was this table filled with old jeans and levi's. No car parts, except for one box right in the middle of all those jeans. In it was a complete NOS (never been on a car) headlight assembly for a '39 Willys, with the harness wires, and a factory tag attached. The guy thought it might fit a Studebaker, but I knew better. Still have the complete assembly (not for sale), and found a couple of decent used ones to complete my car. Haven't had that kind of luck since. g-willys
That reminds me of a swap meet in Des Moines, Iowa about 20 years ago. I was looking at a Thickstun PM-7 with two 97's on top. It was out of my price range, and I already had a couple PM-7's, so I was dealing with the seller about buying just the 97's. Another guy with an big accent comes up and is also looking at the intake. I couldn't come to an agreement with the seller, and I think the guy with the accent ended up buying it all. But then I ask the funny-talking guy where he's from. He told me he's from Belgium, and his girlfriend and he come to the US, tour swap meets and Goodwill stores, and ship stuff back home. He buys old Ford and hot rod stuff, and his girlfriend buys used/vintage Levi jeans. She sells her jeans to hip young folks in Europe to pay for the trip and his parts, and they still make a profit. I think that funny-sounding guy is a HAMBer now.
At the Billetproof Detroit show in 2009, I was walking the aisle and found a presto-lite cigarette lighter/dispenser brand new in the box. Asked the guy what he wanted and he said 10 bucks. Sold it a week later for 125.00. In 2007, at the davisburg swap, I found a pair of electroline taillights for 20.00 (didn't know what they were at the time) I ended up not using them so I put them on ebay. I never checked the listing because I just wanted my money back. They sold for 835.00. This was before they were being re-popped. Somebody in California bought them.
I had taken 3 cars, 2 trailer loads of parts of my own then 2 more cars for a buddy(i thought) 2 days to move everything by my self..sold some stuff, and my friends cars, he came for his cash, but come time to help me pack up, no show, and everyone I knew was busy Was a sweltering texas weekend, ,I only got to sit , about 5 hours, sunday..then started loading again by myself...got I load home,and unloaded..next thing I know... and woke up 0n the kitchen floor at noon monday, didnt real;ize Id had a heat stroke, hauled as 12 miles to the swapmeet location, and yep everything else was gone as it ended sunday...lost about 5k in parts,nice big window 55 chevy cab, 55-59-truck parts, tires wheels, motor parts...that was my last swap meet
Wow, I feel really bad for you. Why didn't anybody realize that something must have happened to you and guard your stuff?
Myself and two buddies were at the the Spring Jefferson (WI) swap meet and it was drizzling (as it always is), two of us bought $2.00 rain ponchos, which don't fit well and make you sweat like a dog. The third guy made a reference to our sexual orientation and decided he didn't need one. In the next few hours it rained HARD, he was soaked, and he still didn't want one. Well, arthritis began to kick his ass and he had to head back to the truck, we were hurting too (none of us are young guys) but we made it sound like we didn't want to leave him behind, so we left. But to this day we talk about all the great deals we missed because he wanted to go first.
Kinda funny to see that a few of the guys that bragged the most/loudest about flipping the $20 swap meet find for ten times that amount are now banned...coincidence? This is really more of an e-swap meet story, but I was looking for a set of '32-'34 perch pins...posted a wanted ad over on the Ford Barn - had a gentleman contact me, sent me a picture and shot me a price; $40 for the pair IIRC. Messaged him back & told him that was too low (I've seen them go in the classifieds here for $175-200; and no, I'm not stupid or wealthy...doing right by others is important to me). He emailed me back and said that he appreciated the gesture and that he knew how much they were worth...we agreed upon $75 and I also ended up buying some spindles he was wanting to get rid of. Just before Christmas, and very much out of the blue I get a card from him with McDonald's gift cards for my girls enclosed...and I've got a friend I wouldn't have had otherwise.
Some of you Washington state guys will know old Marcus Dilley. He was a staple at every swap sale and auction for decades. I saw him buy a couple entire racks of assorted tail lights and turn signals at the end of the day once. He pulled his trailer up next to the racks and put his shoulder into the shelves, dumping everything onto his flat deck trailer. Probably 3 or 400 lights (and he probably cracked half of them the way he dumped them..). That was probably around 1989-90. As recent as a couple years ago (he has since passed) I would see him with that same trailer still loaded full of lights, sitting at the swap meets. 20 years having his trailer taken up with those. Same guy had an antique store/auction house. One saturday we were at an auction and he spent most of his day telling people "Watch out- The Dog shit on the floor- Don't step in it!" Always thought that was funny, couldn't clean it or have someone take care of it, just spend the day standing next to it announcing it's presence. I hope somebody on here knew Dilley- he was quite a guy.
I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. I paid $40.00 a piece plus 8 bucks shipping for the last two I bought and was glad to get them for that. That $20 buck deal was killer.
Bout 5 years back I was at a swap meet, and a lady was selling off her retired husband's tool collection, she had a whole table (for some reason) There were over 20 1-1/2 inch wrenches for $5, almost all of them were NAPA Chinese brand and a I noticed in the middle was a Snap-on in the mix, but as I patiently waited to look at the wrenches two Mexican men were looking through all the wrenches and took a napa wrench for $5, they walked away and I picked up the Snap-On wrench and asked "how much for the Snap-on 1-1/2?" they lady said "the sign reads $5 dollars" so $5 dollars was given and now i own a 1-1/2 Snap-on wrench that I was just looking at buying from the Snap-On driver for over $100 bucks and this thing looked new, and At that time i was doing Diesel heavy equipment, I used this wrench ALOT!
I had some guys mob my 10 year old son at Carlisle years ago at the Mopar meet while I was parking the truck. A man in the next spot kicked them out but some things were missing in the few minutes I was gone. Same show, next day I had a pest trying to buy a few small parts off a nice, running 68 superbee I was selling. He never understood "no" and kept coming back at least a dozen times, finally I told him he could have them for the asking price of the car and I would throw in the rest of it for free.
The Jalopy Journal
