This is a little off-topic, but does anyone know whether or not the Swap Meet is still on for the Hunnert car Pileup this year?
yes, your correct, no swap meet. It is a shame, but I would rather see more parking area and less parking problems than a swap meet. Maybe we will see more parts in front of cars for sale than in previous years. That would be cool. I left the grounds to go to town at 11am last year and the traffic was backed up down the interstate in both directions. Having more workers on parking would be nice. I am assuming we will still see commercial vendors on the grounds, probably more this year. We will have $15 swap at the Shakedown, bring your parts there to sell. You should do just as good.
No, no swap this year. It was nice, but way too much work, we are focusing on the core... which is the car show itself.. making that run as smooth as can be. The lions club swap is the very next day, on route 6, 5 miles east of route 47 .. They have pretty much all the same swap guys.
They did the morning of and did a good job and we were very grateful. But it's still work all day Friday, and then the rest of the day Saturday. We need to focus all of our human resources/volunteers on set up and managing the show more productively.
Yeah, it was a lot of work, even with the Coopers' help. They were a tremendous help and relieved a big burden, but it just isn't worth it, especially with the Lion's swap the next day. ALL of our swappers were there, plus 100s of other. It's a BIG swap meet and not just Camaro crap. And in all honesty, there were some bad apples amongst the swappers that ruined it for the rest. As for traffic, well, there was no way we could've predicted that 15,000 people would show up, dwarfing all previous shows... just because it was a little warmer out. Sheesh! We ran out of spectator parking, but only had about 200 more show cars. Anyway, we've devised a plan to make for smoother traffic flow in and out of the grounds in the morning, and afternoon. The Sheriff will be on hand to help direct traffic in/out as well.
just a question...why don't you let the cars enter the fairgrounds as they arrive?...(is it due to an insurance timeframe? ) If the cars entered as they arrived, wouldn't this eliminate some of the "all at once" hassle when the gates are opened. ...this subject has been brought up many times with other rodders who attend your show. Thanks.
This is the one reason the pileup is different. I vote keep it the same way... Much more fun to BS in the confusion outside the grounds. If you start moving it up, then people bitch, it gets moved up again...and again...until it is a two day show. Then people bitch again...and again...and again...then it is a 3 day show. Do what YOU want to do, if they don't like it, they can go to another show.....or come to the Shakedown...LOL! The fun of the Pileup is that some people get turned away, we wait in line, it is busy and crowed, it is a little dirt fairgrounds......After all, it is the "Pile-up" not the neat and organized-up.
Why would we want to eliminate the all at once? It's much easier to park cars as they stream in, then one at a time. Besides, what time would you like the gates to open? Dozens of cars are there waiting when we get there at 6am. Should we open them at 5? If we do, people will line up at 4. Gates open at 9am. Everyone knows that, but they show up hours early anyway
9 AM was perfect. I got to bullshit with lots of people before the gates opened and had a ball. The deal about just letting the cars stream in one at a time sucks. What Hellfish said was right on. Last year was my first pile up and it was PERFECT! Later, Dick One of the neat things about it for me was the suspense of not knowing if your car was going to get in or going to the spectator parking lot. I loved it just in case you hadn't figured it out.
Half the fun is definitely hanging around outside prior to the gates swinging open, and then watching the spectacle as all the cars fire up and roll in at once. I will miss the swap, but frankly I was a little shocked how much time I wasted there last year, which left less time for bands and food and other vendors and CARS!! Looking forward to the PILEUP!!!
The first couple years we had the swap meet, it was pure heaven. Like Hellfish said, even with John and Dustin's help, it ran much more smoothly, but then a whole new set of issues cropped up. I was probably the loudest voice to keep the swap meet, but in the end the overall show is more important.
I will miss the swap, but certainly understand the added problems that come with it. You guys do a great job and I'll be back with or without the swap. Maybe you could encourage Morris to build some more motels though. Gary
That's a huge part of the appeal of the Pile-Up. Arriving hours early, "walkin' the line" and feelin' the anticipation as 9:00 AM draws near. Then the gates open, the cars fire-up, the line begins to inch forward and the magic continues.....
...OK,...it was just a question,...myself, I don't care one way or the other, it's just a question that keeps poppin up, after all it is one aspect of your show that makes it unique. I enjoy waiting to get in and see a lot of cars/people that you won't find the rest of the day. I know about people gettin there early, I was first in line for 3 years in a row!
Go to the Morris Lions' swap the following day. All the same vendors will be there along with hundreds of others! It's a great swap!
The mindset seems to be the the Lions Club Swap meet is the next day, the HCPU swappers will be there. Thats great if you want to spend 5 hours wading thru rows of flea market items and crybaby dolls. Most of the PileUp participants have to travel on Sunday to get home and don't have the time to spend at the lions Club meet.
Mercdueceman said it perfectly.I know I look as forward to the swap as I do the show.If space is an issue weed out some of the junk comin in the front gate.Then again thats just my opinion,and we know what thats worth.
It's not a space issue. It is, in part, a man power issue. The other part I'm not going to discuss here.
I should add that we've been talking about killing the swap for years. I asked several clubs and several individuals if they would run the swap. They could even keep the proceeds, but no one wants to commit that much time (basically all day Friday and most of Saturday). MercDeuceMan and VonDust are solely responsible for keeping the swap alive last year. We were going to kill it then. They volunteered to organize the swap and even refused any money. They were a HUGE help, as was Glenn aka Rebel Wire, and a couple of others who showed up on Friday to help, but it really wasn't enough. Too many problems, not enough help, just not worth it.
Everyone is always asking for a 2 day event... there you go! As for the flea market junk and cry baby dolls, have you been to the Lion's swap? There's some of that there, but less than most other swaps I've been to. Maybe I'm just used to ignoring stuff like that. Anyway, I know everyone is upset the swap is gone. Our volunteers are spread too thin as it is, so if someone wants to volunteer to organize and run the entire swap meet NEXT year, contact me in early 2010 and we'll talk. For this year, we'll see how it goes, OK?
I never really thought the swap at the Pileup was all that great. This is not because of anything the staff did or what the rules say. The swap vendors have their target audience brought to them so they up their prices(or so it seemed) because they know we all want the same stuff usually. I'd much rather sift through gobs of camero and mustang crap to get a good deal on a rare or needed part than to have it handed to me for more money.
Been to 6 HCPU and sold parts at the 2008 HCPU swap meet. I got to the swap area Friday afternoon and the guys that greeted me and directed me to my swap space were courteous and helpful. Saturday morning, same thing. I had a good time and sold most of my stuff. As usual, the HCPU was a fun experience. I understand about the sources of aggravation at the swap meet. No swap meet, your decision, nuff said. All the people involved in the HCPU do a great job. Thanks.
Speaking STRICTLY as a Volunteer the past 3 years and again this coming October, I do not want to be at the fairgrounds at 4AM just to let some early birds in the gate. Maybe the 'all at once' routine is a hassle but I think it lets all the volunteers get there, hangovers in place (again, personally speaking) and ready. Plus, on a selfish not, as an Inside Parker, I get to see the parade pass me by!!
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