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Swap meets, buy it when you see it....

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by darkk, Nov 7, 2011.

  1. fbama73
    Joined: Jul 12, 2008
    Posts: 989

    fbama73
    Member

    I'm a firm believer that when you're dealing with 50 year old stuff, you've got to be ready to act. If it's soemthing that you can't find every day, you buy it when you find it, and work out the details later.

    Last New Year's eve, I found myself looking at a complete running 235 and 3 speed for 150. I had no way to get it out of my truck, and no place to put it. So, I did the smnart thing and bought it anyway. Didn't take too long to figure out the details once I was in a position where I HAD to figure them out.
     
  2. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I had one guy buy an item while I was standing there deciding if I wanted to buy it and holding it in my hand. I hemmed and hawed, he paid the asked price.

    Some times you win and some times you loose. I've missed deals by waiting, got better deals by not buying the first thing I saw and walked further and sometimes got a better deal on items by waiting until the day was almost over and going back and making an offer with cash in hand.

    Two years ago I bought two doors a hood and two fenders for an AD truck along with four boat trailer wheels and tires out in the parking lot when the seller was leaving and had stopped to figure out how he was going to tie things down to keep them on the trailer. i got the load for about the same as the asking price for one door I had looked at inside the swap meet.
     
  3. brad chevy
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,627

    brad chevy
    Member

    darkk ,once you left the guys spot,you are just a short memory of another nosale.Giving you his phone no. in the 1st place was his mistake. I can see giving my phone no. to a potential buyer if I'm selling a $10,000 car but parts,no way. Well lesson learned.Buy what you want when its in front of you or lose out on it.
     
  4. Swap meet 101,,,If you don't buy it when you see it,,,it ain't gonna be there when you go back.

    He who hesitates looses out,,translation,,ya snooze ya loose. HRP
     
  5. 48fordnut
    Joined: Nov 4, 2005
    Posts: 4,215

    48fordnut
    Member Emeritus

    this happened at Moultrie a few yrs ago. Had a nearly new Tractor Supply mini bike. Showed it to a couple, I wanted 300 for it. A while later a guy come up wants a short ride, ok. then another man comes up and is standing there when 1st man comes back. 1st man says what best price, seat is loose. Told him 300, 2nd man steps up pull start it hands me 300 and is on his way. I didn't care for second mans way, but he handed me the money. 1st mans face was priceless.
     
  6. farmergal
    Joined: Nov 28, 2010
    Posts: 2,074

    farmergal
    Member
    from somewhere

    they shouldnt need the last name of the last person that owned it. thats just silly; especially if the thing is over 50 years old and the orig title couldve been long gone. tell them you pulled it out of your grandpa's field or barn and the title was lost 40 years ago so you had a state cop do the vin verification. thats all you should need.
     
  7. I've been on both sides of this-

    Walked past a 5.3l Chevy engine at Brad54's swap a couple months ago and didn't ask the price because I figured it was more than I had... it went for $50 (needed new lifters).

    Fast forward to this weekend (still at Brad's swap) I asked about some Olds 455 heads- "$100 a pair". I went back at the end of the day and most were still there- "$60 for a pair... but I'll sell the lot for $100".

    Needless to say, I have lots of 455 heads floatin' around right now :)
     
  8. ROADSTER1927
    Joined: Feb 14, 2009
    Posts: 3,127

    ROADSTER1927
    Member

    The be back bus has bad brakes-----It never stops! Gary
     
  9. rosco gordy
    Joined: Jun 8, 2010
    Posts: 648

    rosco gordy
    Member

    I love the ....how much....make me a offer...they offer ya 20 I say ok and they walk away no one knows what to do any more there all confused .... and they call us horders ..... none want to step up to the plate ....
     
  10. I heard guys haggling over 50 cents- go figure!
     
  11. el Scotto
    Joined: Mar 3, 2004
    Posts: 4,698

    el Scotto
    Member
    from Tracy, CA

    I dunno you guys, I'm in both camps I guess.

    On things I know I need/want, I rather buy it than have remorse later.

    On the other hand, I say "Let me think about it" often too, as the price is either not right given the necessity of the item to me or sometime I just don't know if I want to carry it. I have gone back and bought things before, but I've missed things that way too.

    Such is the life of the swap...
     
  12. s1buell
    Joined: May 12, 2011
    Posts: 35

    s1buell
    Member
    from Indiana

    With this mind set, you leave disappointment nearly out of the equation.
     
  13. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 31,174

    Jalopy Joker
    Member

    like buying anything, gotta know what your bottom line to spend is. most of us have a list of what we need/want. so,when you see part on your list and price is good buy it. if you find a better deal can always resell first buy. as a seller I try my best to price things to sell, and usually will drop to a good offer. quite often will see same guys selling same parts time after time. prices are unreal but, looking for that one guy with money to burn.
     
  14. Bingo.
     
  15. 01spirit750
    Joined: Oct 27, 2010
    Posts: 86

    01spirit750
    Member
    from Ohio

    I have learned my lesson, but usually with stuff I was not sure I needed in the first place (impulse buys).

    Luckily I learned quick.

    I was at Turlock one time and I needed a factory service manual for my OT Corvette. The exact year I needed was an odd ball and out of print. The corvette parts houses wanted $80+"when" they got them.
    There was a service manual seller at Turlock and I asked for my vette manual, he had it and wanted $20. I handed over the money without saying another word.
    Now this is where is gets weird. The next week back at work I find the same exact corvette manual on my desk. I was freaked out. It turns out that a retired co-worker had found out that I had a corvette and dropped off an old manual that he did not need. It was the exact one I needed. So now I have two.
     
  16. Verminator
    Joined: Mar 27, 2007
    Posts: 813

    Verminator
    Member

    Mr. Beeback and his brother Alby Back spent a lot of time at my Compounce spot yesterday. Best was the guy that didn't take the 1 dollar hubcap that he needed cause he didn't want to carry it -- came back hours later and it was gone. A One Dollar Hubcap???? What's to think about? Was it that friggin heavy????
     
  17. Flathead Johnny
    Joined: Jul 26, 2011
    Posts: 744

    Flathead Johnny
    Member
    from MA

    if i ask "how much" and they say "make me a offer" i will always say "a dollar" :rolleyes: it does shock me how many people fall into that trap and end up paying more money....but its good line for the seller

     
  18. cshades
    Joined: Sep 2, 2011
    Posts: 554

    cshades
    Member
    from wi

    I went to the elkhorn swap meet early because i had to get back for a wedding in the afternoon and its a good thing i did.I was a little ways in and found a 46 chevy coe body made a good deal with the guy and he delivered it. He told me when he brought it up he could have sold it aleast a couple of times.Sometimes you just have to do it.:cool:
     
  19. Flathead Johnny
    Joined: Jul 26, 2011
    Posts: 744

    Flathead Johnny
    Member
    from MA

    strange....just a tire kicker, probably came back to offer you 25 cents!

     
  20. R Frederick
    Joined: Mar 30, 2009
    Posts: 2,658

    R Frederick
    Member
    from illinois

    I don't know, but swap meets just flat wear my ass out.
     
  21. Flathead Johnny
    Joined: Jul 26, 2011
    Posts: 744

    Flathead Johnny
    Member
    from MA

    yea, i figures between the 2 day i walked a total of 14 hours with little sleep in between, but I slept 12 hours today :D

     
  22. 1946chevytruck
    Joined: Feb 9, 2008
    Posts: 717

    1946chevytruck
    BANNED
    from london ,ky

    when i go to a swap meet i go to buy not to talk to people or hang around
     
  23. grabrr
    Joined: Nov 9, 2010
    Posts: 129

    grabrr
    Member

    Depends on the time of day for me, usually early in the morning I'm moving slow, and find what I'm looking for, then by the afternoon, I'm sick of being there.
    I found something this spring, that I've been looking for, for over 20 years, 3rd booth in, I even knew the guy. I was ready to pay the price (200+ on Ebay) and he only wanted $30, I explained to him what it was worth, he said he was just happy that I found it.
     
  24. 48fordnut
    Joined: Nov 4, 2005
    Posts: 4,215

    48fordnut
    Member Emeritus

    on the big and heavy stuff I tell people to leave it at my spot, and pick it up on the way out. name and phone no on a piece of tape does a trick sometimes.
     
  25. arkiehotrods
    Joined: Mar 9, 2006
    Posts: 6,803

    arkiehotrods
    Member

    At the Tulsa swap meet in 2010, a guy had a running 59AB flathead for sale for $325. While I called a buddy to see if he thought that was a good price, the seller got a buyer. I learned a lesson that day.
     
  26. HEATHEN
    Joined: Nov 22, 2005
    Posts: 8,552

    HEATHEN
    Member
    from SIDNEY, NY

    For those of you who aren't fluent in lame excuses for not buying something at a swap meet, here you go:

    "Well, I just got here". I've never known what how long you've been on the grounds has to do with buying or not buying something, but I hear it a lot. As for myself, I don't care if I've been there for 5 minutes or 5 hours---if I see something I want to buy, I buy it. I know, I know....what if you buy it and, five minutes later, see someone selling the exact same thing for five cents? If so, buy that one too and sell it for a profit.

    "I didn't bring any money with me". This one really baffles me...would you go to a whorehouse with no money? Didn't think so. All you'll get is discouraged and depressed. You already know that you're broke, so don't waste the vendor's time. The chances of him feeling so sorry for you that he gives it to you for free are slim to none.

    "I don't want to carry it around all day". Hey, Einstein, ever notice the wagons of various shapes and sizes being pulled around? That's what they're for. Furthermore, I've never known a vendor that wasn't willing to let you leave your purchase at their spot until you were ready to pick it up. You want to give him money, he can be that accomodating. Also, since you came here looking for a pair of cast iron cylinder heads but weren't smart enough to bring a wagon, you can use mine for a fully refundable deposit.

    "Well, it's what I need, but I'm not to that point in the restoration yet". Some guy actually said this to me at Fall Carlisle concerning a pair of '64 Impala SS bucket seats I had there. Nice condition, just what he needed, but since he wasn't to the point of bolting them in as soon as he got home....my reply was, "Well, when you Do get to the point of needing them, I sure as hell won't still be sitting here waiting for you to come get them".

    "I've got no way of getting it/them home". If so, then why did you even ask about it?

    "I only asked you how much you wanted for it 'cause I've got one at home and want to know what it's worth". You don't know me from shit, but you're going to take my price as the world standard? Furthermore, why would you admit that to a swap meet vendor? Sort of like telling your wife that you really don't care where she's going today, but you just want to find out if she's going to be gone from the house long enough that you'll be able to hook up with your girlfriend.

    "I'm only buying it to resell it". See the above analogy to cover this statement as well. I'm sure that several of my swap meet sales have been purchased with this in mind, but most of the buyers were bright enough not to blurt it out. As long as I get what I consider a high enough price for it, they can do what they want. Does anyone really think that, after saying that, the vendor will say, "Oh, well , why didn't you say so? If you're reselling it, of course you can have it for less".

    "$150.00? Are you kiddin'? A guy on the other side of the field has one for $40.00!". If you were too cheap to buy the $40.00 one, why are you even talking about this one? Besides, this IS the $40.00 one...I knew it was priced well below market value, so after you walked away from it, I bought it and drug it back here.
     
  27. ^LOL

    I kind of understand the 'I just got here' one. The guy may have a budget in mind for the swap and wants to look around to see if there was anything else he wanted. Of course in the mean time he could be blowing his chances at getting stuff he looked at because he'll go back and it'll be gone.
     
  28. mow too much
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 906

    mow too much
    Member

    I bought some parts from Bob Drake last week, he included a flier with some new parts he is repoping......Last April at the Pate swap meet I fond a NOS lower grille pan for a 35 Ford P.U. although I was made fun of by my buddies for what I paid for it, I was THRILLED to have it, these things NEVER show up........but there it was, Bob is now reproducing them........for half of what I paid.
    Oh Well, I'm Still happy, I guess.
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2011
  29. Bad Banana
    Joined: Jun 20, 2008
    Posts: 834

    Bad Banana
    Member

    I used to do a lot of swap meet stuff years ago. One swap meet a buddy and I had stalls that backed up to each other. However, we made it look like we were not together. When each of us got a "be-backer" as soon as they left, we took the item to the other guys booth and told him what happened and now the price is slightly higher. When the "be-backer" came back to look for the item, what he wanted was gone. Usually tell him to maybe try looking around to see if anyone else had what we was looking for. Sometimes we would disguise unique items so they didn't look like the same one we had. Other times you just told the guy "yea I bought it from my neighbor here because it was cheap. This is now what it costs". You would be surprised how many got off their wallets after they thought they might lose it a second time.. :D It was more about the entertainment then getting more money for it.

    My buddy one time had someone offer him an offensively low price on a breakable item so he took it from the guy's hand and smashed it on the ground then looked into the guys face and said "yea.... I'll take your offer now" ;)
     
  30. Fenders
    Joined: Sep 8, 2007
    Posts: 3,921

    Fenders
    Member

    Mass will accept a bill of sale and copy of the old registration from the seller, if the state (like NH) does not title older vehicles.

    I'm sure there are other ways, also......;)
     

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