What has been your best Swap Meet Purchase?

This Model 20 Lorraine Appleton spotlight for $21 bucks


Any idea when these came out? I know the tag on it says "1930's" not sure how accurate that is. The wires were too short to splice onto when I got it, so I took it apart and made new ones. It works great, (for a 6 volt light)

 

Last year at Hutchinson,KS I bought 3 unsplit wishbones for $10 each. On way to car to stash them I came across a really straight express bed for my 25 TT ford. Today I got a complete shifter with nice "muncie" handle for $25.

 

About 8 years ago I scored a complete, mint '59 Impala steering wheel for $45. Last summer I found an NOS '42-47 Ford truck grill panel at a local garage sale for $20.
This summer I checked out a few farm auctions. These were my best scores...
$20 for a fantastic old "Beach" workbench:




$125 for a late 50's Coke cooler:

 

Purchased a 32 heavy axle at a swap meet two weeks ago. The axle has on small tapped hole and one cut off embedded spring perch to deal with. These guys making fun of me for buying an old model A axle. Been in the guy's dad garage forever. These guys are my age or older and that's dam old. Did not have the guts to counter the 30 dollar offer price.
Agreed to kept the axle under their trailer later pick up.
These were a great bunch of guys we were having fun at the swap. They were happy my cohort was not so happy as he was ahead of me, like duck hunting or fishing get to hole first, shoot first you know missed the axle as it was behind their table.

 

Just Today -

Mom is in a seniors apartment and every year they have a craft sale to raise money for the social club.
They sell jams & knitting done by the ladies and wood working by the men.
There is also the "White Elephant" area where residents donate junk that probably wouldn't sell at a garage sale for a buck.
I'm required by Mom to show up every year so I go this year to buy my 1 jar of jam and there is a lineup for the jams. Rather than stand in line I wander over to the White Elephant area to see what crap they are trying to sell this year and I spot it......a Proto breaker bar sticking out of the lamps and tupper wear like a turd in a punch bowl! I look in the immediate area and under some more tupper wear I find 2 large zip lock bags of wrenches and another bag of sockets and ratchets! The ratchets are old craftsman 3/8 & 1/2, lots of extensions. Got the 3 bags and the breaker bar and a couple of craftsman screwdrivers all for $15.

....but Mom still made me buy a jar of jam.
.

 

Many years ago: Latham supercharger for a Y-block complete $250 at a vette meet in Brighton Michigan.

2 years ago a complete 1962 FE tripower setup: aircleaner, carbs, linkage & fuel log all other accessories $300. Really a clean setup.

I just have to be patient since I'm retired.

Movin/on

 

It was around Easter 1984 and I had just bought a running, driving '59 Olds. It was a week later when a garage sale ad in the local paper advertised some '59 Olds fender skirts. I went over to see them and found a set of Foxcraft fender skirts still in the box--bought 'em for $20. I painted them and put them on my Olds and drove it for ten years or so and then sold the '59--minus the skirts.

I sold them on the HAMB a couple of years ago for $100

 

Did he enjoy it?

 

Being a good son does have its rewards.....!

 

A set of beuty rings for 10 bucks, or better yet my fuel pump took a crab on me @ the pomona fairgrounds and i found one there for 2 bucks.

 

about two years ago at Pate - a powder coated grill for my 39 Delux for $50....worst sale....a 39 delux grill at Pate around 1990...before I had my 39D....

 

I did better Last year at a tractor/pop engine swap, I found a 32 heavy laying next to a Model A wishbone. I asked the guy about it and he kept insisting it was all from an A. I kept saying I thought it was a 32. He almost got mad. price? $15 for both. No rust, all heavy paint on both, no pits ever.

 

Now that a price I wouldnt pay!

Doc.

 

old school tru spokes set with extra caps locks and stainless lugnuts(made in usa) for $400--- I am kinda new at this but it's still a bargain

 

A nice set of bumpers for a 51 Merc.Front and back for $175.00.

 

Years ago a guy who was a long time Chevrolet parts guy bugged me to take his collection of shop manuels and parts books. The set ran from the late 40's up to the early 80's. I paid $50.00 for about a dozen boxes.I carried them around to flea markets for several years and made at least $2000.00 off them until I finally sold the rest off to another guy for $500.00
i

 

-powder coated corvette staggered bolt valve covers 90
-brand new 600 cfm carb elec choke 200 (in box)
-brand new 600 cfm carb man choke 175 (in box)
-old weiand 2x4 manifold with old star logo 50
-old weiand 4x2 manifold FREE for storage of my buddies cars
-350 trans with shift kit and converter with very low miles 100
-57 283 with 55 corvette heads FREE
-rebuilt 57 283 carb to pan 475

all this in the last 6 months. long beach swap meet and craigs list ROCKS!
you too Greg!

 

pair of guide headlights in perfect shape for $20.00 and a new in the box wico transistor ignition set up for $28.00

 

671 blower for a olds with manifold . 300 bucks sold it before i got to my truck for 900.
2 glass doors off and old gasser tri five..paid 100 bucks 2 hours later 500 bucks.
One swap meet i had to call the wife to come get me...sold every part and sold the truck i drove to the meet....7000 profit all cash.
Everything is for sale at the rite price.

 

I drove by a guy selling used drill bits and pencils on a table in his front yard. I saw part of a bumper in his garage under a car cover. 65 Dodge Coronet 2 door sedan. Not for sale. He was planning on restoring it. I said that's cool, I told him I could help him find whatever parts he needed. We talked for awhile and then I said what really pisses me off is when someone hangs onto a car until it's too far gone from rust and mice etc. But I told him he obviously is going to get this car done, good luck etc. He called me that night, 250.00

 

33 willys hood for 50 dollars. god bless Turlock swapmeet !!!

 

Got a pair of 57 chevy fenders at a aswap meet about 5 years ago for $200. They were not "Premo" but they got me on the road. Tom (Tired Old Man)

 

About 10 years ago at the Portland Swap Meet a guy was pulling out on Sunday morning and I yelled at him that he left something in his space. He yelled back you can have it and drove off. Turned out to be a complete Ford retractable top assembly. While I was looking at it trying to figure out what I was going to do another guy came up and offered my $300 for it. Quick profit and I never even touched the thing!

 

Original 32 grill at Canton Tx swap 3weeks ago ! Probably gonna sale or trade !

 

at the conroe swap meet near Houston this last weekend... there was a vendor there selling new whitewalls, after checking with him some prices for bias and radials for my sons truck and getting "sticker shock" and myself have never bought them new I walked off and went thru the rest of the swap meet and about 10 or 12 spaces down was a set of new "radials" 3 still in the wrapers setting in the bed of some old guys truck and he said that he wanted 250 for all 4 SO we hauled home 4 new 16 inch widewhites NICE SCORE

 

99% perfect trunk lid for a Packard 110 junior car and 3 beers for me and my buds for $25. Best deal all day and the guy was really cool to BS with. Using the badge and license plate frame for the Super then selling the rest. Although honestly as hot as it was that day I would have gladly gave the guy $25 just for 3 beers!!

Although not an automotive part I bought a Water Witch outboard at a swap for $15 that came with 2 free beers too. I love deals with freebees.

 

an early model dodge (i think) windsheild visor in perfect condition that i used for my RPU. i think i got it for like $17. not the best deal on here but thats what i got

 

Going to sale it? Like as in sail it around the world or SELL it?

 

My current project ,After all this car was an idea ,I was looking for a 27 roadster body at hershey and this is what I got .

 

Pomona Swap Meet about 10 years ago. 4 original GM beauty rings for 57-59 Chevy truck in near pristine condition for $1/ea. Guy didn't know what they fit!