Event Coverage The Swap Meet is Dead! Long Live the Swap Meet!

Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

The Swap Meet is Dead! Long Live the Swap Meet!

Continue reading the Original Blog Post

 

That poor burn't 40 convertible had a title and was priced at $5500 and marked as sold. Had a great time as usual and bought stuff I don't need.

 

That ‘40 vert was one of the few "salvageable" cars from my friend @rich roberts’ garage fire

​

 

OW, OW, OW, OW, OW

 

Gotta love a guy that can find humor in tragedy. I'm diggin' the flames on the door.

 

Ahhh, Swap Meets, or sometimes referred to as "Day Care Facilities for Older Males with money to waste!"....at least that's what my wife calls them!

 

I'm optimistic about swap meets making a bit of a comeback. Hearing a lot of complaints about tax forms showing up for those who sell on line.

 

that 40 looked like it would come back pretty good. the trunk lid was pretty warped but not much else.
$5,000 seemed like a very good price.
I went looking for vintage bike parts and met up with some vintage bike buddies from the CABE, which is the HAMB for bikes. I only spent 5 bucks for a gooseneck and 3 bucks for a muffin.

any swap where you do not have to use the plastic potties is a good one in my book.

 

And the cost of shipping being so out of sight might help resurrect swap meets as well.

 

Dead bird, also, I would guess that more and more of us will be aging out of the hobby and thus liquidating their stash. There might actually be a resurgence in the next couple of years.

 

I hit around twenty swap meets a year, and the only ones I see dying are due to either an economic downturn in the area, or good old fashioned mismanagement.

 

1960's truck prices are through the roof. even just regular cars from the 60's. I was thinking of selling my 61 Dodge Dart for about $6,000, I'm going to double that price now.

 

shipping has pretty much doubled since my ebay days that ended in 1998

 

One good thing about living on the east coast is having several large swap meets within reasonable driving distance. I empathize with the guys who live in areas where they've got one or two meets that they can attend within a reasonable driving distance.

 

https://www.portlandswapmeet.com/

 

I went on Sat. It was larger then most, but (I'm gonna get crap for this) it was comparable to Pomona to me. All years of stuff (muscle, lowrider, vw...), had lots of collectibles also but not a lot of early Ford parts. I did notice A LOT of people had vintage intakes, some with carbs, some for old motors (Cad, Flathead, Nailhead) even if they didn't have anything else for that motor....was kinda odd. It was pricey to get in, the food inside was pricey and some of the stuff there was pricey (Not a huge negative, just an observation). The stuff for show/sale was good, some had too much red or big wheels for my taste. The odd thing also was there was a good lack of Model As but it was put on by a Model A club....I was just hoping for more As (I did find some seat parts for my '28).
Maybe I'm bias, but I miss the Big 3 in San Diego and can't wait for LARS. But I still need to make it to Hershey one day .

Overall it was good that I went to see it, any car swap meet is good in my book.

 

EVERYONE should make it to Hershey one day. I feel fortunate that it's only a 210 mile drive for me.

 

I know Englishtown Swap Meet is all but dead, unless your looking for lawn equipment or fishing poles. Use to be one of the east coast premier swap meets, now there's just garbage there.

 

My friends and I sold, spent time drinkin' and campin' and made a few bucks while at it.

For us selling at swaps has become a gathering place for our group. Life gets weird as you get older; jobs, kids, lives, etc so we get a couple spots and have a time and place to hang out.

My biggest score was a pretty nice unsplit '32 wishbone for $125 and an excellent '32 ford fan for $10. Both parts I needed for my '32 roadster. Some other little bits too including a bumper overrider I haven't been able to identify yet.

I saw much less "flea market" crap here than at the last few swaps so I consider that a positive.

 

I'm selling at the Tri State meet in Denver this weekend. It is a big meet with many vendors. Hoping for a big turnout and some interest in my old Ford parts. It is always interesting to just walk, shop, & meet up with many old friends.

 

Yes, I really used to look forward to that one. Now, it's hardly worth the effort.

 

I can hardly wait for Pate! Part of it is the thrill of the hunt, part is the fact it’s in my DNA having attended SoCal Swap meets since my age was a single digit. My important job when arriving before sunrise was to hold the flashlight steady while my dad searched for Model A parts. And frankly, there’s nothing like holding and seeing a part for yourself and negotiating a price. It’s what we live for!

 

We went to Hershey this year According to the wife’s fit bit one time thru it all was a bit under 14 miles

 

Glendale swap meet here in the Phoenix area on 2/5. I'll be there selling an enclosed trailer fll of stuff

 

7916 miles for me, most of it ocean. But I agree. One of our two annual events was about two weeks ago, and it was a huge disappointment. I gave myself a fairly generous budget and came back without so much as a dashboard switch. I didn't even bother to go back the second day.

 

Haven't been to a swap meet in 12 years. They charge you to park, they charge you to get in. Would you go to a store if they charged you to get in to buy things ?
It's all pick and pull crap these days.

 

There is no better place to spend a day or more than a swap meet. I have been selling car parts since I was 12 I am 63 now. All I can ad is when there is a local swap meet I make a point to go support it. You can always find shop supplies or ignition points , etc . It is like going to a auction you never know what you will find unless you go. But my selling days are for the most part all behind me now and I just go to a couple local small dragstrip shows. So that is even better, with good smelling gas, burning rubber and old car parts laying everywhere !

 

Ours locally are all fairly small. decent sized one in Lincoln, Neb coming up 1st week of March. typically good, last year weather wasn't. great so that really slowed it down and covid. I go to see ol friends and maybe pick up a item I need.

 

Some swap meets were put on by some of the vintage car clubs such as the AACA or VMCCA which many members have gotten up on age and could no longer handle putting on the swap meets. We recently lost our Washington Monroe Fall swap meet, the club that did that one decided to not go forth with it, don’t know any background on that one. Used to go to the Adrian swap meet every fall in Michigan, the guys running that looked to be in their 80’s-90’s, that one had ended although I had heard another club took it over but haven’t verified it.

 

Great Post.

Last season I attended and sold at 4 swaps and had a GREAT time with my friends, met A LOT of people, made a few extra bucks and more importantly supported my hobby.

If people don't spend a few hours digging out some junk to bring and setting up shop the culture will expire.

GET OUT THERE AND SET UP A TABLE, bring anything that is not sentimental and price it realistically as people LOVE to buy things, you'd be surprised by what sells and what doesn't....

My friends and I have just booked our spaces for the first sort of local swap this season which is a 4hr drive each way and hosted at a beautiful location.

Lastly I can only offer a HUGE thank you to the clubs and people whom volunteer their time to promote and host these events. We can only hope to encourage others to attend, especially as vendors.