Between the time involved loading up ,traveling,setting up waiting , reloading what's left, cost of fuel (closest decent meet is over 300 miles each way) hotel room (got to have a bed and hot shower) and now cost of space at the meet, after 50 years I just don't have the energy or finances to do it any more.
If you take your stuff to a swap meet you probably are doing it just for the enjoyment. Not for the money. You could make more cash picking up aluminum cans along the road. Like has already been said im too old to drag the stuff out and then sit in the heat at petit jean for a couple days and drag it back home. As far as im concerned. If you want to buy or sell.The classifieds on the HAMB are the best swap meet in the world . OldWolf
I used to love flea markets from about 1980 -- 1995. THAT turned to a wasteland & a waste of itme. Then eBay turned into FEEbay after my 6-year involvement. Hell, I guess that's why I went SEARCHING & found the HAMB! I've already got forged pistons that would have cost me 2-3 times as much on feeBay. As Jimmy Buffet would say, "Don't go chasing false echoes." When something ceases to WORK, it's time to find a better WAY!!!
In essence, what I am saying is that the guys on the HAMB are in the same tight band, all sharing a common interest AND actually HELPING HAMBers down on their luck with free services and/or tech advice. WHERE the f--- else in the world can you get this kind of comraderie & support???? End of rant.
A friend and I spent the spring running to all the swaps within a 200 mile circle of Indianapolis, and like said before not what they used to be. Lots of rust at big dollars and, don't forget the China Bling out there now.
I setup at Hershey only,started in 1969, and then only bring heavy bulky stuff that costs too much to ship. Having it as a HAMB meeting place is way more fun than selling stuff. If I'm not there I went shopping.
Holycow, I just spit my tea all over the laptop, when I read that, funny as hell, but the truth!!!LOL!!!
I have had this same thing happen to me at Pomona more than once. I would get in Sat afternoon to set up for Sun. There are always a few buyers around. I would sell my stuff and then see it down the aisle a ways for more. Ahh, such is capitalism Pomona is a huge swap meet held here approx every 5 weeks. I go because most of my friends go. I usually buy parts from the new parts vendors because that what I need. It is very rare that any of the guys selling used parts either has what I need or, if they do, are even remotely reasonable with their price. When I used to clean out the shop and haul my crap to Pomona it was to get rid of it. Now days these guys are just as willing to haul it all back home and trundle it all back out again in 5 weeks. Seems silly to me but, hey, it's their shit and they can haul it as many times as they want Pomona still is one of the best places to buy and sell cars. I still do that several times a year Hey, speaking of swapmeets. I havent been to Portland in about 6 years and was thinking of going in April. Any advice?? Still a good event??
for 5 years I went to every swap I could make it to and filled may wagon with all sorts of good junk to sell on ebay. now that ebay sucks I just go to look and buy a few trinkets I don't need. to get the good stuff you need to get there early and look in all the boxes of crap that people have. if you are walking down the middle of the isle and bullshitting with yout buddies you'll never find anything went to the Hayward swap a couple weeks ago and sold some junk... did alright considering Turlock swap was the same day.
Yeah, swap meets & flea markets, evrybody playing ALL sides agianst the middle. Ebay's the same. WHAT SOMETHING IS WORTH is what somebody is willing to pay (then don't look back or worry about it). I'm glad to hear a bunch of guys here say they don't care much about profit -- they at least wanna break even on the day AND know they helped out somebody who needed a part. As far as those opportunists, they go with the turf. I've seen 'em come around when things are getting ready to CLOSE UP & offer you a shit price, 'cause they think you don't wanna truck it back home. I always tell 'em NO SALE.
As far as those opportunists, they go with the turf. I've seen 'em come around when things are getting ready to CLOSE UP & offer you a shit price, 'cause they think you don't wanna truck it back home. I always tell 'em NO SALE. I've bought everything a person has in his spot on more than one occasion. there are plenty of people who go to swaps to clean out the garage. nothing wrong with helping them out. opportunist? I don't think so. how big do you think swaps would be without the resellers?
I heard a rumor last night that there may have been a swap down the street from me this weekend. So I wake up at 6:30 to go down and check it out, but nothing. I send out the message that its a bust and stay in bed. Maybe tomorrow. I am getting the itch for a swap meet, just to look at what's out there. We used to have a swap every 1st Sunday of the month and now its only like 2 times a year at gcc. It was getting a little old seeing all the same stuff each time and then the construction tools coming out. There have been times where a guy has a sign "anything on ground $1", I picked up 2 appliance 5 spoke steel rims for $2. Found a couple other 5 spoke steel rims for $5 each and a single keystone rouge for $15. And other times when I find what I need and pay what the guy is asking. I also thought about going to the pull it yourself yard on 50% off days and trying my hand out at the swap meet. I bought a jag xj6 rear suspension once for $46 on the 50% off day.
49RatFink, didn't mean any disrespect. YES, flea markets & swap meets are a lot like that. ALL I MEANT was, when you KNOW you have a nice set of hubcaps, let's say, and somebody says would you take $5 . . . I know how hard they were to come by, so I say NO. Heck yeah, sometimes people juts wanna get rid of stuff, which was covered earlier. Everybody gets it. It's up to each person to decide what they want, price-wise, and if they just want to clear out the garage, that is certainly NORMAL. Peace, bro! (Besides, if you can find a situation where you are HELPING somebody and YO still have to truck it home, they are happy and you have work on your hands typing & pricing everyting for the next swap meet!
Any predictions on this years Turkey Run? I heard that it will be open to all years, not just the HAMB Friendly crowd. <O</O
Very true Bro. Also, if you hang around "late" as in 11 AM, some sellers are asking for insulting offers, that's where the deals really happen for CHEAP.
Most of it is Ebay ,Alot of people are starting to hoard .Some people don't want to get involved in shipping.For the seller he also has to buy other stuff at a 1/3 to make money on. Old car parts are beginning to get hard to find.At herhey we found only one 48 ish Ford steering box. I've seen people getting 200 or better for these ,Last year at hershey I passed on a few for 75 .I got mine 2 years before that, For 35 .I just bought one off little wing for a 100 and that Im keeping for an extra. So basically If you see a good deal grab it.
Did you need to revive a by then 2 1/2 year old thread to chip in those two cents? And that should have been a new thread all it's own, not tacked on another month later. The fact is eBay killed the swap meets, and idiots trying to wring the last ounce of profit out of eBay have killed that, in the meantime the economy's tanked and no one's buying nearly as much as they used to. I carry more than just car parts to the swaps - I have to if I want to sell anything and come out ahead a little on the day. If you don't like it, buy more car parts and bitch less about the price and I'll bring more car parts and less other crap. But if it goes for $100 on eBay and you have to pay $10 to get it shipped to you, buying it from me in person for $100 you already saved the $10, there's no reason I should sell it any less.
havent found anything in the local swaps around here for the past 3 I went to this year..just the way it is sometimes. at least for me
WOW!..what a diverse group of opinions.....I love going to swap meets and have for years...and lord willing..will continue to do so. I've bought lots of stuff there, some I didn't know needed until I saw it. Having said that however, I also am appreciative of e-bay....I've found several things there I likely would not have found at a swap meet, especially small parts, and was thrilled to find it, and even if it was a little pricey....so what, I needed it and I didn't have to drive all over kingdom come to find it....how much would that have cost? As for as those here and elsewhere who think they are entitled to SPECIAL pricing just because we are all "enthusiasts".....get real! Do you sell your labor at your place of employment for significantly less than you could easily get somewhere else? I doubt it. I agree with those who have posted the notion we should show APPRECIATION to those who make the effort to market their stuff, whether it's at a swap meet or on the web. How else would you find it! Does "needle in a haystack" have any relevance to you? Frankly, I am appalled at the number of unrealistic/immature attitudes displayed in some of these posts. If you sold to a guy who offered you an acceptable amount...what he does with it is none of your business...really. He now owns it a higher price than you did, presumably, and must get a much higher price to come out on the deal. Why weren't you willing to ask that amount if you are offended that he is? Oh, I know, you didn't know it was worth that much!. So, do YOU ever try to buy something cheap from someone who appears not to realize it POTENTIAL value? I hope you don't........'cause that would make you a hypocrite, now wouldn't it? As for a general shortage of vintage parts......do the math....only so many were made in the first place, even including spare parts.....time passes, attrition occurs, cars get scrapped, really scrapped, not just parted out, a few generations of enthusiasts, like you, were ahead of you in line, they took their share, more attrition, and then we have population growth. We are some were north of 330,000,000 people now. In 1965 or so, I think we were around 200,000,000. Even if the percentage of vintage iron enthusiasts dropped as a percentage of the total, it's still has more looking for less. Well HELLO Supply and Demand!!!!.........and older law than the oldest profession.......which began because of supply and demand, by the way. Kwit cher bitchin !! and make the best of what's available.......whatever your interests may be..................
In my area the portland oregon swap meet is the largest, and i have been going to it for years it as increased in size dramatically, unfortunately not necessarily for the good. You now have to park in a lot a mile or more from the meet, and get packed into a school bus. I see the junk people are trying to sell, that i would have taken to the scrap-and they want serious cash for it. Also, my biggest pet peeves, people with those large wagons, people bull shitting in the middle of a busy aisle, die cast cars-sure i know people collect them, (but keep them in a seperate area), and finally clothing. When you attend a large swap meet, you need to be efficient, if you are going to see it all, and frankly i don't need these obstacles in my path!
How true... the inside of the buildings should be for flea market crap..shirts, clothing, collectables that are repops and the like. The classic real deal parts should be outside, in the sun..ha ha.. and be like a giant wrecking yard... deals everywhere to be had...
It's not just the car swaps, the bike ones are as bad if not worse. Takeoff parts from the dealer's junk room, rusty scrap laying in a leaking garage, Taiwan junk bought from either a dealer's dead stock. Junk is junk. I usually deal one on one with a group of friends for what I need. And them likewise. I am more than willing to pay a fair price for a item, but come on now. A rusted solid 401 motor, missing rocker arms, pushods, valve covers, distributor and etc. for 2K, well, somebody's been testing the quality of street LSD again.
I like swap meets as both a buyer and seller and just looker. when I don't like them I won't go any more.
I find most of the guys bitchin about swapmeets are the guys who never sell at swapmeets. Take your stuff, get a stall and sell. If all of the whiners did this the swaps would be killer The internet has help screw em up! -Shiny
Swap meets have been going down hill, for sure. We still have a swap or two out here made up of guys who just want to unload their shit, but they are few and far between. Sam
Yep, 3 year old thread. I have noticed our swap getting BETTER. There was so much good stuff at our last fairgrounds swap.
The Jalopy Journal
