Apparently the stadium is being redeveloped into housing, so there will no longer be the huge parking lot that is required to host such a big event. Hopefully the sponsoring clubs (EFV8, Horseless Carriage, Etc) can find another location for this event. However, finding such a huge piece of affordable land in the San Diego area will be extremely difficult. I have attended this swap meet on and off for the last +/- 30 years. I started attending when I was a kid and it was at the old El Cajon Airport. It is really a great event and has become an institution in SoCal. It was always well attended and people traveled from great distances for this event. With the demise of quality swap meets, this is one of the few swap meets that has thrived over the years. It was always a great source for legitimate old car parts and cars. I really wanted to attend this year but, unfortunately, I can't. For those of you who are going: good luck, happy swapping and have lots of fun. If you can find time to take photos and post them, that would be awesome. Enjoy.
Not all together true Miguel. It might end up to be the last at the stadium but not the last. So as not to alarm everyone when they read the post headline, the sky isn't falling. The Big 3 Swap Meet was sold a couple of days ago. According to the new owner (Todd Harding and Sons), It'll continue. He'll be at the meet to answer questions. Maybe not at the stadium, but to your point GZ; with the SD Chargers moving to LA, their are 2 major proposals for the City owned stadium property. 1) Nearby SDSU wants to purchase the property to extend their nearby campus for classrooms, dorm towers, etc. (their Aztecs football team plays their home games at the stadium. 2) is "Soccer City", to bring major league soccer to the region. Both include a down sized stadium, mall shopping parking structures and public park land. We'll probably see something on the ballot. It's one of the best car swap meets for old car stuff. I've been going since the early 70's when it was held at Parkway Plaza Mall shopping center in El Cajon before it outgrew that and moved to Cajon Speedway, then finally the stadium. There are plenty of other venues in the region that could host the event. I don't know the new owner, but hopefully they paid a high enough investment to make damn sure they secure a new venue and keep the meet going! Big 3 Swap Meet has new ownership: http://www.big3partsexchange.com/ WONDERFUL NEWS! THE BIG 3 HAS BEEN SOLD TO TODD HARDING & SON AS OF TODAY FEBRUARY 18, 2018. THE BIG 3 SWAP MEET IS TO BE CONTINUED BY THE NEW OWNER FOR 2019 AND AFTER EITHER AT THE STADIUM OR ANOTHER VENUE TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Wow - one of those events that you just "assume" will always be held - have only been there a couple of times - but, well worth the journey - if you can get there be sure to go - never know what special parts/deals/rides that you will find
Hot Rods Ta Hell- Thanks for the update. Good to hear this great tradition will continue. Now I don't feel so bad about not being able to attend. Well, actually, I still feel bad, but not AS bad!!
I know Todd Harding ...have known him for 30 plus years. I dont know how this will shake out, because sometimes moving swapmeets isnt the best thing for their longevity...but the one thing I can attest to, is that he is a real car guy like us...Im going to give him extra latitude in regards to any changes. Being flexible might be the key to this great swap meets survival..
Great news, I have going since park way plaza too.. For us, its the Hershey of the West, besides being a great swappmeet it is also a social event. All the car clubs get together and barbeque and campout. Swappmeet are important , family's bring their kids who in turn grow into the hobby. EBay has taken it's toll on swappmeets and with real estate so expensive in San Diego, no body can afford to store the old car projects and parts anymore. It would be great if the new owner will post some info and I'll be getting the word out.
Hoping for the continuation of a great swap meet. I know it's the best one out there because my feet hurt like hell afterward.
Hi. Hope you California guys find another great location soon. It takes a lot of help & work to move and get everything prepared for a new Venue. Our biggie down here in Texas is the Pate Swap Meet held at the Texas Motor Speedway just north of Fort Worth the last weekend of April every year. Our local chapter of the AACA is one of the Texas Group of 16 clubs that own the Pate Association & put on this swap meet. We are nearing the point of running out of room on the huge paved south parking lot but there is lots of grass avalible right next to it to expand into if & when needed. We sell right around 9,000 vendor spaces each year as well that has a huge paved car corral. As part of the meet the huge Cherokee Antique Motorcycle Group has 400 + spaces reserved for their yearly swap meet & concurs Motorcycle concurs show as part of the Pate event so there is lots for the Motorcycle guys. Likely too far for most of you West Coast guys but just to say that a California Race Course might be a consideration for you to look at. If any of you decide to come be prepared for all kinds of weather that time of year. At least all of the vendor area is on pavement. Good luck finding another venue. Jimmie
How official is this? I say this because Irwindale should have be gone long ago but bad soil has kept it there. Qualcomm is over bad soil also. Is what ever is in motion presently going to absorb the clean up cost? Time will tell just like Irwindale.
I like del Mar but they won't let you camp out, barbeque , or bring any out side food or drink and you can't stay after hours. We had Cajon speedway but they tore it down and now it just sits there with bad soil, maybe the EL Cajon airport
Lots of misinformation posted above. I've talked with several people. Here is what I have discovered. 1- The stadium may still be a possibility for the next 3 years as it will take this long to get permits processed for re-development and other use. Right now the stadium cost the Big 3 $150,000 for the weekend. 2. Del Mar is NOT a possibility, those greedy people would rather have an unused facility as they are asking for $600,000 for a weekend use. Also, they are killing off the Godguys show slowly as they keep raising prices.... greedy bastards!!! 3. Nobody knows if Todd Harding will make it better or if he is greedy like John Buck,,,,,, remember how well John Buck handled the LARS swap ??? A 3rd grader selling lemonade can manage things better than John Buck.
I confirmed the above statements with a member of Friday. Give Buck a chance to fix what was wrong with LARS swap last year before writing it off.....I agree last year sucked but I'm hoping he learned some things and handeled the constructive criticism well......
Well maybe there is a chance to go to it yet. I went to the Pate swap meet in 70's when it was on the grounds of Pate museum and it was great then but already outgrowing the space it had. I'm starting to think that the west coast fair grounds managers must have group meetings with one topic being how to gouge organizations that want to rent the grounds for events. Their greed costs the whole town or area of the fairgrounds money when the event cancels or moves to more cost friendly locations. Just figure out what you spend in a town on a weekend for an event and multiply that by the number of folks there. Even the Joe cheap guys spend a reasonable amount in those towns.
I am going to give john a call to see if some things can be changed to bring it back, heard their are some improvements in the works
I cannot comment on the first two statements but here is my .02 on the third statement. Last year LA Roadster show was a shock to the system that was sorely needed in the swap meet area. I have been going sine the mid 80's and every year it got worse and worse with guys saving spots for their "friends". There was times where two guys had 15 spaces and nothing else. It got to the point of fights in the swap meet and not enough room for everyone. I feel last year was great with people paying for what you want. You want 15 spaces and only use 2 perfect since you paid for them. I will for sure be there this year once again in the swap selling stuff. A lot of my friends will not be going this year, so I will be there to see how it turns out.
The Big 3 member I talked to also said Harding wanted to do it twice a year....Feb. and August.....That would be a good thing....
I talked to several L A Roadsters members at the GNRS and got a preregistration form. From what they told me, I see Buck making it even worse this year. Go to LARoadstersshow,com and judge for yourself.