I was at the Frogfollies a few years ago with my 41 chevy coupe. A guy in the swap meet had a pair of front fenders from a 39-40 chevy truck. I pretty much buy all of the 39-46 truck stuff I can but I am sitting there looking at these fenders wondering how in the world I am going to get them from Evansville back to Wisconsin? One of my friends that lived in Kansas city(Dave) was with a group of guys from there. He talked to one of them that had trailered his car down and he said that he would haul them in the back of his truck but I had to figure out a way to get them to our hotel. As we are walking through the swap meet Dave sees another guy from Missouri that he knew and he agreed to haul them to the hotel for me. So I buy the things and haul them to his car and he is driving a KIA or something similar. We some how managed to stuff those fenders into the rear seat and get them to the hotel, the other guy hauled them back to Kansas city and then my friend Dave hauled them to Wisconsin in the back of his truck(his wife hates old rusty stuff and was glad to see them out of their ba*****t). Dave has since p***ed away but every time I see those fenders I think of how much fun we had figuring out how to make it all work. The other fun part at the same swap meet I bought a grille for a 40 chevy truck and Dave was carrying it back for me because I had bought a bunch of other stuff. We told his wife that he had bought the grille to start a new project and I thought her head was going to explode over that old junk. We still see Daves wife when she comes to town and laugh about teasing her.
Gotta be some recent stories to add to this fun thread! Sent from my SM-N910G using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I had a brand new in the box Offenhauser SBC tri-power manifold at a swap last year. Three guys walk up together and one guy is the leader, he is the "brains" for the guy that wants the manifold. It was about 10:00 AM but I think they may have been in the suds already anyway. No matter, not for me to judge them. Anyway the group leader asks how much and I tell him $250. He proceeds to fondle and frisk this thing like he is making love to it. He literally put each and every threaded hole close to his eye to inspect it. You'd have to be an idiot not to see it was brand spankin' new, but whatever, they are interested. Actually they were the only ones all day. Finally he says "Will ya take $325?" Why yes, as a matter of fact I would! By this time my swap space neighbor is really interested, so much so that he was snickering. I could never cheat a guy, especially if he had a few beers so I told him I had said $250 right from the get-go. Now he wants to bargain it down to $200!!! We settled on $215, and that was OK with me, it had been an anchor around my neck. Offy made two different manifolds and this one was for the large base 2GC's, those that recognized that fact were not interested, the really sharp guys noticed when it was still on the ground!
One of the old hot rodders we used to go to the local swap meets with was fun to watch. He was in his 60's, and always brought highly sought after '32 Ford or old sprint car parts to sell. He didn't mind bringing it all back, and just seemed to go for entertainment! If a potential buyer walked up and tried to haggle down the price, the old rodder would just wave his hands in the air and yell, "Well if it ain't worth what I'm askin', then just take it!" "It must be junk, so just take it with you!" The buyers would just shake their heads and walk away very angry. He would later laugh at people's reaction to him. I don't know how he escaped being punched in the head over the years!
Cedar Rapids, IA swap meet years ago. Had my racing partner and my oldest (high school at the time) daughter with me. We had a box of odds and ends. About a 8" square box. Heim ends, some new switches, 1" racing lug nuts, distributor cap, etc. Put "Choice $2" After no takers, for most of the day we "X'ed" out the $2 and wrote "FREE!". People looked but not a single sole took a part. A lot asked questions and even offered to pay for a single part. Nope, wasn't the deal. I told my daughter people basically don't trust other people so I "X'ed" out the free and wrote "We will pay you $5 to take this box of parts". More people looked. Some wanted only one part and wanted to pay but I kept telling everyone "you have to take the whole box and the $5". No takers. After another hour or so I changed $5 to $10. Still no takers. Everyone wanted to know what was wrong with the stuff. "Nothing, all new just doesn't fit anything we are doing these days". No takers. Finally had a guy come back for what had to be the 4th or 5th time. "Let me get this straight", he says, "I can take this whole box AND the $10 but I have to take it all". I told him that was right. He wanted to know what was the catch, what was wrong with stuff, was it really our stuff to give away, etc. Asked questions for 5 solid minutes. He finally pulled a $5 out of his pocket and took one part out and said that was all he wanted to buy. Told him no, he had to take the entire box and our $10 that was taped to it. He got really flustered. Finally he kind of yelled at me "What if I don't want any of the other stuff?!?!?!" I pointed to a dumpster and said he could throw away anything he didn't want. He finally put the part in his pocket, pulled the $10 we had taped to the box and stuck that in his pocket and carried the box over to the dumpster and set it on the ground by the dumpster and took off on a dead run while looking right at us. We were dying laughing. The guy in the space next to us had been watching us all day. He looks at me and says "now what do you do about what he laid by the dumpster?" I told him we were going to let it stay there, we couldn't use any of it and somebody might want it. He went running to the dumpster and grabbed the box and threw it in the back of his truck. Several years later I saw him at the swap meet again and he still had that box of parts with a "$5 choice" sign on the box with most of the parts still in it. I was telling the story to some friends at Pate a couple years ago. I had a box of odds and end '55 Chevy parts (broken radios, dash pieces, odd trim pieces, pitted emblems). We put a "free" sign on it and lots of guys looked, offered to buy a single part but I told them they had to take the whole box for free. None did for over an hour. Finally several "south of the border, barely speaking English" guys stopped to look at the box. One asks what is wrong with all of it. I tell him best I know it is all good with the exception of the radio with the knobs broken off of it, I just didn't need any of it. He grabs the box, tucks it under his arm and tells his friends he just got the deal of Pate! Guess they were more trusting than Iowans were. SPark
Not an automotive swap meet per se', but a drive in theater, weekend swap meet. I had a bunch of stuff I had no use for any longer, and rather than just throw it all out, I told my wife I was taking it to the Puget Park Drive In Swap Meet, and could I use her card table to display the stuff on? She never used the table for anything any longer, it was just in the way out in the garage, so she let me take it, very reluctantly (she's a bit selfish). I had an old Harmony solid body electric guitar (I actually grabbed a guy looking at someone else's Harmony guitar that was in bad shape, and for more money, just to show him the one I had for sale-he bought mine too), a couple of rally wheels, some old distributors, a couple of Holley's, a radar detector, and some other stuff I don't remember. When I came home my wife asked me what all I sold, and I told her everything. She asked where her card table was, and I told her I sold it, and I actually did sell it. She does't believe me to this day I sold everything, AND her card table. True story! I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
Few years ago i was ready to head off to a big swapmeet near London , UK. Had the van loaded to the brim. I get a call via-via if i could bring back a one-piece roof for a Myers-Manx beach buggy for a guy in Germany that i don,t even know. Someone else who i don,t know would deliver it to my swapmeet stall. So i said sure , give it a go. Damn thing was bigger than i thought it would be. Anyhow it fitted in the van ( sold lots of stuff ) and a few weeks later the German guy showed up here with his small stationwagon, tied it to the roof of his car , shoved a 50 euro note in my hand and off he went.
My story isn't all that crazy, but memorable. I drove to one of the bigger swap meets over here in Aus and did a full loop of the swap only to get back to the exit gate empty handed. It was a big drive and I was feeling disappointed. I looked over at the exit gate and spotted half hidden behind a venders car, three 28-29 coupe quarters, upper deck lip and other panels for a coupe I wanted to build at the time. I was excited, but with my girlfriend... all the parts were $650. I was keen to snap them up. My girlfriend.... not so much! She kept saying "what $650 for that junk...." we walked out the gate empty handed, me telling her it was a good deal all the way! She stopped, and said ok I'll go back and offer him less.... I waited patiently with very little hope by the gates, out of site. She came jogging back... "grab the ute, I've got them for $420"! The guy wouldn't even budge on the price for me. Some times it pays to have a lady to negotiate [emoji5].I've since sold all the parts for the coupe for $4,500. Sent from my SM-N910G using The H.A.M.B. mobile app We're married with two kids now!
Watch a guy looking at a set 997 heads 50 bucks I was ready for him to p*** he bought them the seller had no idea
I bought a Norton Commando at the swap meet. We had my wife's mini-van. Finally got it inside with the p***enger seat, my wife in it (she's 5-10), all the way forward and the seat back also shoved so far forward she had to put her head on the dash. It was a 2 hour drive.
Not a swap meet but back in the days before C-list it was the Buy&Sell and me and a buddy had big ads every week, mainly engine stuff. A guy shows up for a 350 SBC bare block and we offered him a killer deal on an as new 2 bolt block with no cylinder taper at all. Nope, junk, won't have it gotta be a 4 bolt etc etc. Well we had lots of those, too but everything had enough taper to need boring. This was not for high perf, just a cheapy roller deal. So after the big lecture by him about 4 bolt main's superiority we pointed to the rather large collection of bare 350 4 bolt blocks and said "pick anyone you want." He flops around for a couple of minutes then says "how do you tell if they are 4 bolt mains?"
I don't consider it to be a real swap meet until I hear the following conversation: Buyer: "What's if fit?" Seller: "What you got?"
Well back in the late 80s. Me and a buddy used to carry around part number books, we scored some hemi carbs $40- 50, big block torsion bars stuff that nobody checked part numbers on. About 10 years back I spotted a 70 GTO wing laying with a bunch of other ***orted parts, picked it up checked it out,it was a org and in nice condition. The seller was busy with somebody else and glanced over at me, I said how much he says $5 I don't know what its for. I paid him ask he wanted to know what it was for. He replied I don't care. He was happy with what he got. Sent from my SM-T510 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Finding something cool at super low price is probably the #1 reason I keep walking all those miles at our big swap meets! It always amazes me to walk up to a space and see something cool that is maybe 10% of it's true value! We didn't have our annual April swap meet here last year, and unsure if it can happen this year either? Still all screwed up here, so I expect to miss it again. But in 2019 I walked through the gate, and about 5-6 stalls inside I saw an old Eelco "moon" tank sitting on a table. In great shape, but no brackets. Asked the price and guy says, "How's $20?" Of course I ******ed it up. Same meet a little farther down I walk past a space and see a chrome I beam axle. It was in very nice shape, and I thought it looked like late 30's Chevy. Asked the price and it was $40. Another into my cart. Right after I bought it a guy comes up to me and says, "Nice '37 Chev axle!" He begins to tell me how he uses Ford Econoline spindles on them to convert to newer brakes, and asks what it's going under? I tell him nothing yet, it's just a good buy. He offers me many times what I paid, so I let him have it. Then a bit further down I see some transmissions sitting on a pallet. One is all smoothed, and has been polished to a show finish! I look at the tag and it says, 700R4. I asked what he wants for it, and he tells me he just took it out of his '55 Chevy show car to install a T56. I bought it for $175 with converter as a "core". Put it in my '39 Chev build, and it's a perfect transmission, no work needed! We're almost to the end when I tell my buddy I forgot to keep an eye out for a grille insert for my '69 Suburban! Can't believe I forgot to look for one with miles of spaces! We begin to continue on when the very next space I see the exact grille insert leaning against an awning. Ask the guy what he wants for it, and he tells me $5! Sold! What luck! I love swap meets!
At Pomona in 2000 I was looking for a Dana 90 transfer case. I started at the front and I had my wife with me. About the time we had done every row and got to about the end of the Corvette display, she had to sit down at a bench. Probably 15 more rows to the end. At the very last aisle I spotted one and made a deal. So now we're what, 1/2 mile from the entry and no wagon, nothing. The seller gave me a folding AL golf bag cart and I loaded up and found my wife. I struggled with that and made it just p***ed the gate when the cart just snapped. I said wait here and I'll go get the truck and come back. Got it up there with the help of a generous bystander or 2, pitched the remains of the cart in the bed and left for home — dead broke. I only had about 100 with me after paying the entry and buying a snack. Still works today.
Not swap meet, but close. I was at an old timer’s shop, you know the kind, junk everywhere, when I spot a nine inch center section with obvious burn gears. I ask the shop owner what he would take for it? He says “ kid, that rear end is junk, has burned up gears in it! “ I told him I know! This went back and forth a few times, he finally said “ if you want it, take it, get it out of my way!” So I pick up an N case trac-loc for nothing! Bones
I go to swap meets to get rid of stuff. I'm not usually much into it, and sometimes take a loss. I know what I have, what it's worth, and how rare it is, which doesn't mean valuable always. I went to a meet in Fresno, and was determined to sell, everything for whatever was offered. A lot of guys walked away from my asking price, and it was funny to talk to them. One guy was looking at a Pete Jackson gear drivemy asking price was 65 bucks, and walked away. When I was wandering around, he told me how he was going to wait and offer me 40. He was quite surprised when I told him I had sold it for 11 bucks. Nobody even makes reasonable offers anymore, although this meet was an exception as I was in a low-ball mood. Same meet, I walked away, and told my wife to sell whatever for whatever. Now you guys all know, ya all can be ***holes, as you all brag about how cheap you buy stuff. What was left on my tables was heavy, Chevy flywheels, a broken Saginaw, broken carburetors, low end stuff. Guys where so caught up in ripping off my wife, they bought all my junk. I left with nothing but my tables, and a seat I had bought for 50 bucks for my El Camino. This was my best swap meet to date. My wife is my secret weapon.
I go to swap meets some, but not a lot. The way I figure it, there should be some bartering on price! But I also respect the vender that does not like to barter. Usually easily recognizable! If I want the part, I will ask if he will take less , offer a lower price and watch the vender, reading him or her. To me this is part of the fun! But in the end, if I want the part and the price is something I can live with, I buy the part then and there, wether it’s the full price or a discounted price. Most of the time a vender will come off the asking price a little. This is why they call them “ Swap “ meets, not “ retail” meets. Just my two cents! Bones
Haven't really read this thread. But I'm sure it's full of finding some very great deals. I must say, I Do LOVE swap meets. Hershey is my favorite! But one good memory was at a spring Carlisle meet. I saw this 29 gl*** roadster body on a 32 Henry frame. I was looking for a Deuce frame for my original 29 roadster body. The guy was sitting in he's truck. So I asked him if it was for sale? He said yes, and that he didn't have a swap meet space. But just hoped to sell it just parked on the street. So I asked if he would just sell me the frame? He said no, he would rather not split it up. So I said what ya asking? He said $1,500. This was a long time ago, but even back then, it was a GREAT DEAL! so I said we got a deal! After a hand shake, and parting with $1,500. cash. We slid it from his truck to mine, and I went home a very Happy Hot Rodder. I always say, that an offer never hurts anybody. You can just no thanks, or Thank you is a deal. And I still like hand shakes. Ron.....
Years ago, Dad and I used to sell a lot of Harley parts at swap meets. We used to tell anyone who would listen that we were the cheapest ****ers in town. A fast nickel is better than a slow dime. Our goal was to sell out, we just did it to clean out our shop and make room for other, different unneeded ****. Davenport Iowa, 2016 Chief Black Hawk Antique Motorcycle Club swap meet and Races, I’d had my gallbladder removed three days before the meet and I’m feeling “salty”. We have all of our wares displayed and as I’m feeling ****ty, I’m sitting on our Kawasaki Mule in the back of the space. Frank from American Pickers rolls up and starts rifling through our wares. We always pre-priced our **** and Frank tries on a leather motorcycle jacket. “How much?” I replied “it’s marked”. I had $30 on it, and I’m waiting for “I’ll give you $2.37 and you have to buy me dinner.” He didn’t even haggle, but as he’s counting out the $30, and wearing the jacket, he asks, “is this a woman’s jacket?” I said nah, it looks great on you! Of course it was, it belonged to my wife, she just didn’t like the style of it.
Nashville swap meet has always been good to me, both buying and selling. One year I had stopped at a space to browse and spied the rear of a transmission hidden under a tarp and shoved under his table. Looked closer and it was an AR model A, but with a 32 Model B banger attached. We dragged it out and it was a real deal vintage sprint car motor. The guy said it used to have a Cragar head on it, now long gone. What it did have was pop up pistons, front drive Pontiac oil pump, big sump oil pan, side drive, AR trans, cut down multidisc flywheel with all steel clutch pack, cut down clutch pedal and shifter. When I got it home I pulled the pan, and found a drilled crank for full pressure. He took $400 for all of it.
Ok here's my crazy swap meet story. A friend and I were at our annual swap meet, and I usually make a list of what I needed, but since I wasn't in the middle of a build I was simply there to see if I found anything of interest. I did have one item I wanted to find, and that was a correct grille cross bar for my old Suburban, but no reason to write down just one item. So we've gone through 80% of the show when I suddenly remember I totally forgot to keep an eye out for the grille bar I wanted! I mentioned my brain fart to my buddy as we were standing by a booth, and he asked what it should look like? I began describing the grille bar, and as I'm describing it I look at the pop up awning in the booth beside me and tied to one of the legs is the exact grille bar I'm describing! I pointed to it and told my buddy, it looks just like this! So I asked him what he wanted for it, and he says, "How's $5."! SOLD!
My mate picked up a really hard to find unique vintage tool. I can't remember what it was. He had been looking for one for ages. The seller says "if you can tell me what it is you can haveit". My mate told him. The seller was shocked. But kept his word and gave it to my mate.
this weekend have an old aluminum Halibrand wheel in my space marked looking for a pair 14 or 15s .junk man walks up says is this 14 or 15 $ I tell him I am looking for a pair .he says looks like a dollar sign to me it's just s****. tell him its a fairly expensive piece .he says looks like wheels I s**** all the time I told him a cubic zirconium looks like a diamond but there's a big difference in price don't think he was impressed.still wanted it for $14
This weekend I spent 3 days sitting at the local swap meet waiting for people to come. It was a ghost town. Worst I have ever seen. Was just other sellers wandering over to complain of the boredom. I sold nothing. The only one selling anything was the food truck
One of the big swapmeets here that has finished up now was in Ballarat, Victoria, and there would be people coming from all over Australia. Used to be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, most of the buying was done on Friday and Saturday, and most sellers have split by about noon on Sunday, so having bought a 3 day p***, we would drop in on the way home on Sunday morning, to have a final look, and to see if those parts which you had baled out on were still available at a realistic price. We notice that some sellers would pack up, but leave a lot of stuff on their site ( to be cleaned up by the organisers I suppose) so we drove through and filled up the van with all their "trash" which included NOS parts, tools, consumables , etc. It was better stuff than some we had bought, and we couldn't complain about the price!
another thing that happened was these 2 really old guys come putting up on this contraption made from 2 bicycles and an old lawnmower engine with no muffler as I seen them coming I thought they are going to offer me a quarter for something from previous dealing with them.I had a nearly new moon steering wheel on the table.that I had looked up the price .I wrote on the tag $100 $140 new. they tried to look without getting off there buggy but had to stop. the one guy gets off & says to his buddy its a dollar. I yell as loud as I can its a hundred. he says there no decimal point & I say yeah its one zero zero thats a hundred. he says theres one over there for 15 but its kinda rusty
Set up at Hershey and a vendor across from me puts out some parts with prices and walks off. He had a 12" chrome breather with new filter for $10. The next day it was marked down to $5 and the next day marked down to $2. I put $2 in his drop box and move the breather over to my table. Sold in about 40 min. for $10 asking price.
At the Iola swap meet a few years ago, things were kind of slow. So one of the guys with us rigged a fishing rod with a fake $20 on it. He cast it out in the road in front of our swap space just as a golf kart with 2 cops in it came by. One cop gets out and tries to pick it up, but our guy jerks the rod and moves the fake 20 a foot. The cop tries again, same thing. He looks up and sees we are all laughing at him. He says to us "If it was a doughnut I would have got it". Even cops have a sense of humor. True story.
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