Swap Meets... remember when...

[67 cst swb]

Also... Sound like I need to go to this Portland Swap Meet.
When and where exactly is it?

[Longhorn 70]

I sold auto parts for many years for stores, at swap meets and dealerships. No matter what there are people that are happy to get it and some that aren't so happy.

There are a lot of guys that want to retire by selling old car/truck parts. They may get rich or get what they get. There are a lot of bobble and bangle pushers out there too. But I don't need chromed muffler bearings or nitrogen filled carpet foam. They aren't for me. Sounds like they aren't for a lot of people in this thread.

There used to be better stuff cheaper at swap meets and bone yards. Back then parts were more plentiful too. You couldn't walk 5' without bumping in to one of our trucks. Our trucks were not as collectible then either. Looking at it from the angle of needing parts for our trucks, OEM NOS and other parts for our trucks haven't been made in 30+ years. Some parts are like hen's teeth.

Bone yards know this too. PLUS regulation on the junk yards and theft limits what they can do. I went to one a few months ago looking for an air cleaner body for my truck. They wanted $2.00 just to walk through there to see if the part I wanted was there....

I laughed at them and left.

Once in a while you'll meet a guy that bought a ton of that stuff years ago and just wants out. He sells it off and we like him. OR someone buys him out and has to raise the price to run their business, them, we like less. To me, the big difference is customer service and attention. If a guy has reasonably priced parts but isn't nice, I go somewhere else. If the guy is nice and might be a little higher in price, I'll still go back to him.

We buy what we want at a price we consider fair or we wait.

[72bowtiestepper]

Here on the East coast we have Englishtown Raceway Park swap meets (1 in the spring, the other in fall)...10-15 yrs. ago was always worth going...lots of private sellers with decent prices & lots to pick thru.....now, the last few years, there are more people selling T-shirts...toys...lawn equipment..u-name it, then car & truck stuff.
Carlisle Pa. is still pretty good, but not like it was back in the day.

[67 cst swb]

I have been in the Auto Parts biz for almost 30 years, so... I don't fall for "nitrogen filled carpet foam" either.
Sorry, just loved reading that... nitrogen filled carpet foam... LOL

[scampr]

Old and crabby here too... but bummed too there is a local flea market here too and i just found out the owner of it passed away after many decades of running it and as of now no one is going to keep it going. I am bumming. There are the typical high priced guys and some decent ones too, you just have to laugh and walk away sometimes. If i do come across a good guy with a decent deal I dont try to haggle at all I just say thanks a lot and pass the $$$$ Case in point a guy wanted $20 for a nice but dirty green visors and a am/fm radio .I thanked him many times and passed the $20 as fast as i could and i do believe he was just as happy to clean out as i was to buy.. On the other hand i see guys wanting 300% over real prices.. i just smile and walk away. So if anyone can tell me about any nice flea markets in the woods on NH PLEASE let me know...

[Eddie H.]

I have been going to swap meets for 40 years and I still have to laugh at the vendors who keep bringing the same overpriced junk for display year after year. You would think they would eventually get tired of hauling it around and price it to sell. Every once in a while I find a good deal, but it is getting to be more rare. I just go for the entertainment value, kinda like a treasure hunt.

[FlameOut]

I was just talking about this the other day! The wife and I were thinking about hitting Spring Carlisle again, but she quickly pointed out how I *****ed about the obnoxious venders there, and at the Canfield OH swap meets we attended last year. I went to both with lots of money to spend on parts, but all of the parts apparently have hidden gold inside of them, so I ended up with things like sand paper, hose clamps, painting supplies etc, but zero parts for my truck or chevelle. It's still fun looking, but I think the days of deals are behind us, thanks to shows like Mecum and Barret-Jackson.

[bronze 72 super]

I just read though this tread and noticed that several members go to the PORTLAND OREGON spring SWAP MEET. I usually vend there, but can't this year. Work relented injury has me on restrictions. Can't walk very far, or bend over or sit for long time. I have THREE PAID booths available for the price I paid for them, in the 9000 area. That's out by the red gate. If anyone is interested in buying one to sell parts, or trucks or cars, please let me know on this tread, and I'll send you all my vender passes etc. with payment. Thanks Mike.

[67 cst swb]

Bummer, I just found out online that the Portland Swap Meet is April 10-11-12, 2015.
This is the same weekend as the NHRA Drag Races in Las Vegas. Which is a good portion of the reason I live in Vegas from Mid-Feb to Early-May.
Maybe next year.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I've been going to the large swap meets (started with Spring Carlisle in 1994) for a long time now.

Without a doubt the biggest change is lack of original metal/parts and the huge influx of aftermarket parts.

I have really great memories of spring Carlisle in the mid 90's (went a few years in a row with dad). I kid you not when I say there was guys there with trailers packed full of beds, doors, fenders, even cabs from 50's-70's cars and trucks from the south and Midwest. Gold for us northerners. It was wonderful. Most prices were reasonable too. I bought a set of rust free 55-59 GM truck doors for $250/pr. It was a great time. Very few "new" parts vendors were there.

Fast forward to now. I've been going to either the spring or fall (or both) autofair in Charlotte since 2004. Huge difference. The supply of original metal has almost dried up (more on that in a sec) to where random doors and fenders, maybe a bedside will pop up. The infield is PACKED with new parts vendors, which is great that you can now order a first gen Camaro/mustang, etc or 67-72 chevy truck complete from a catalog.

It's easy to see why the parts have dried up. Why in the world would you part a 68 Camaro if you can sell it for 5 or 6K (I'm talking about a car that would have been considered a parts car 20 years ago). Same deal with these trucks. Have you seen the price of "patina" trucks lately? Why in the world would you part a truck if you can sell it for 4-5K? Even longbed prices are creeping up to the point where it's not "worth it" to part one anymore?

With that all said... stuff is out there. I bought a set of near perfect rust free GM 1967 Camaro doors for my 67 firebird. The doors for the first gens are a pain, because they're different every year and if you want the interior to be right, they're pretty much "one year only" doors. I also somehow scored a great set of 1967 firebird fenders that only need small corner patches, a perfect original decklid, front fender cups, and valence. I think it all cost me around $600 which I think is more than fair ($250 for doors, $200 for fenders, $50 for trunk, $100 for cups and valence).

That was in 2013, so for the hope that cool stuff is still out there, I keep going. I do see myself going less for parts and more for the show in the near future as I wrap up my parts hoarding for my bird project and my mustang and C10 projects draw to a close. 3 toys is enough. They all mean something to me (bird was dads car, owned c10 for 18 years, and wife loves mustang) so I look forward to a lot of cruising and less "work."

[cooperhw]

Craigslist is "todays swap meet". Except you don't have to load it all up, drive to the site, un-load it all, and (hate when this happens) load it back up at the end of the day and haul it home.
I have quit even trying to go sell extra stuff at the swap meets. Not worth my time of energy.
I am with others that say "if I haul it out there I do not want to take it home". Heck near the end of the day I give it away if I can.
So, I just quit. I can post that extra stuff on craigs and wade through guys just calling cause it's free to call on their cell phone and usually sell it. I also try to price my stuff to sell, not make a killing. Just want it out of my garage.

[67 cst swb]

My only issues with craigslist:
-searching takes me forever; 67 chevy pickup, then 67 Chevrolet truck, then 67 chev pu, then repeat with 68 etc...
-then repeat with all the same searches in all the areas that are close or cost effective to ship from or that I will be visiting soon.
By that time I used up half a day.
So, If someone has some helpful search advice? Im hopeful you will share.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by 67 cst swb

My only issues with craigslist:
-searching takes me forever; 67 chevy pickup, then 67 Chevrolet truck, then 67 chev pu, then repeat with 68 etc...
-then repeat with all the same searches in all the areas that are close or cost effective to ship from or that I will be visiting soon.
By that time I used up half a day.
So, If someone has some helpful search advice? Im hopeful you will share.

Use the following search string. I found it on the forum and modified it to be more inclusive. I use it on the local Craigslist home page search field and get trucks and parts in one listing.

1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 Chevrolet | Chevy (truck | pickup | c10 | c20 | c30 | k10 | k20 | k30 | Blazer)

[ChevEE]

Originally Posted by 67 cst swb

My only issues with craigslist:
-searching takes me forever; 67 chevy pickup, then 67 Chevrolet truck, then 67 chev pu, then repeat with 68 etc...
-then repeat with all the same searches in all the areas that are close or cost effective to ship from or that I will be visiting soon.
By that time I used up half a day.
So, If someone has some helpful search advice? Im hopeful you will share.

Have you used search alerts on CL? That's how I found my truck. Once you do a search, click "search alert" to right of search box. Then you do it for each region and click "search alert" each time. It will email you when a new listing is posted with the link in the email.

[RedRoad]

Originally Posted by 67 cst swb

I have been in the Auto Parts biz for almost 30 years, so... I don't fall for "nitrogen filled carpet foam" either.
Sorry, just loved reading that... nitrogen filled carpet foam... LOL

Didnt you know the nitrogen stuff is for minivans, the helium filled ultra lightweight stuff is what the baller street racers use these days!

Im in my mid 40s and can remember when Pomona actually had good deals. Ive noticed that the flippers (or profiteers) are the ones who have ruined it for me both at the swaps and internet. Id gladly give a bit more to an enthusiast than a hipster in greaser garb flipping stuff he got from a row over.

Craigs is getting bad these days too. You get a seller who posts parts for a price and gets hit with a ton of email interest. He then puts another ad with a huge increase in price (without deleting the original ad). Ive gone to see parts based on the original price and when agree on buying Im hit with the "updated" ad price. Waste of time for sure.

Like mentioned earlier old cars/trucks are in fashion now and prices are just going to keep go up. Locally it seems the specialty repair/restoration shops is where the money is at as the next generation owners dont know how to work on these old gems or the desire to get dirty...posers!

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by RedRoad

Craigs is getting bad these days too. You get a seller who posts parts for a price and gets hit with a ton of email interest. He then puts another ad with a huge increase in price (without deleting the original ad). Ive gone to see parts based on the original price and when agree on buying Im hit with the "updated" ad price. Waste of time for sure.

I haven't noticed it for parts (parts don't pop up on my local CL often) but for whole trucks. I'll see a truck that looks to be decent for what I would consider a fair, or maybe even somewhat low asking price. It will literally be gone in a day, maybe two. It will then be back on CL in a week or two with some cheap crap done to it to get it running, maybe brakes and tires, for double+ the original price. What's sad is that it usually sits for only a week or two or three, but then it's gone...