You know, it's funny how guys can have a completely different experience at the same meet. My brother and I gave Monroe a try after vending for years at Portland. Despite the rain, we had steady sales all day Saturday, and did OK on Sunday. We sold double what we'd expected. Meanwhile, I went shopping and came away with the following: real-deal vintage military bomber/jump seat pair of folding front seats from a 47 Ford panel pair of vintage King Bee headlights, cloth wire nice clean oval Model T gas tank 1932 OR plate, near mint/cool number vintage brass m/c fire extinguisher + a dozen or so smalls to resell (already got my money back on those with just two sales) ALL of that for under $300. And for the record, I couldn't get away from the booth until Saturday afternoon, so that stuff had been hanging around in the rain all day. As a buyer, I don't mind rain, because some guys just want to sell cheap and get out.
I always find lots of stuff too. In the spring I went with two other guys. I was hooking up with Paul to buy a motor and a bunch of parts to go with it, that took up a good part of my day, yet I still found time to get more stuff at the swap than either of the other two guys I was with, and if I had more time, I would have probably left with even more stuff. I always find tons of shit there, and its usually priced right. I couldn't go this time for various reasons, but I'll be back in the spring, for sure. Plan to go to Portland next year as well.
Not a great picture. We put up two easy ups. The one we sat under we put out chairs in the middle because the rain would come down in sheets at times and just waterfall over the edges lol.
Some stuff I got this weekend. Great deals! *King Dick Whitworth wrenches $10 ($80 set from England for Triumph, BSA, etc.) *1961 Hawk Bonneville Streamliner plastic model complete and unbuilt with extra body $5 (Really dirty when I got it. cleaned it up and ready to display) *Pair of chrome concentric air cleaners for Triumph twin motorcycles-$5 (cleaned 'em up, polished the chrome and painted the tops black). Good as new.
The thread that never dies. It's just taken an eleven month and three week nap every year for the past nine years.
Clear weather all week, then Saturday light rain later in the day. Hopefully it holds out. I've scored a number a good items since the first time I went in 2012.
I aint gonna make it this year. Hankster, Chris, 56Sedandelivery, I am setting up a parcel drop in Blaine today, I will get in touch with all of you by pm later today.
Rats. George, I can`t make it either. I have to get your T to you. I might make a special trip up next month. PM me if you have any good ideas. I`m about out of those....
I had already figured you werent gonna make Monroe, didnt you have to go to El Mirage this weekend? I will send you a pm tomorrow. Are you coming up for deuce days?
I'll be there Saturday, hoping to find some wheels for my truck, and who knows what else! Oh, and scones...
i guess i won't have to bring the wcfb's then! i'll still wear my " scumbag" hat for good luck though.
I sneak in Friday afternoons and walk around while guys are setting up. Usually can get some good buys. If you enter up at the horse area you can just sorta wander on down and get right in no gates no gestapo, no one seems to care. just sayin' brasscarguy
I may have told this story in another thread, but I did the same thing the one and only time I've been to Monroe, except my wife and I were able to sneek in in the van with the vendors and sleep inside the fairgrounds overnight. This was in the early 80's, probably not that easy to do nowadays though. Was even chatting with the security guard when I went to take a whiz at 3:00 am. Because I was scoping out stuff before the chickens were up; I was able to buy some really cool parts, dirt cheap, I even bought a small rototiller (like new) for $25.
The Jalopy Journal
