Event Coverage Portland Auto Swap Meet 2024

@ClarkH and his brother, myself and @Flootiebuell will be in spaces 6139-6143 at the Expo.

If you don't shop at the Expo...you're gonna miss a lot of good stuff.

 

The race track has always felt like the badlands from Mad Max.

 

My buddy Tom and I will be at the PIR race track in space 5046, in the SE corner. I'm bringing a '57 392 Hemi and a bunch more Hemi parts and a lot of Flathead era hyd brake stuff, starters, generators, buggy springs, etc.

Stop and say Hi!

Dave

 

I'm in.

 

I think I may change my mind and take a '29 Model A Roadster project to sell instead, then throw some of that other stuff on the trailer as well. We'll see!

 

Finished going through all the cupboards and shelves and got quite a bit of stuff out to sell, few big ticket items, but lots of smalls. Getting excited for setup day Thursday up at Expo!

 

I still have stuff priced from last year that didn't sell, added some new stuff. AR's off my 442 are going, another set of 14" ARs both 5x4 3/4. I still have to dig out more valuables.

 

Yep, the two Portland meets are a great combo. Kinda like Mary Anne and Ginger, you can't go wrong with either.

PIR opens to the public Thursday 4/4, and Expo opens to the public Friday 4/5. That means attendees can hit both, hunting for first-day treasures two days in a row.

My brother @Part Junkie and I are into our second decade of vending at Expo, and this year @Hitchhiker and @Flootiebuell will join us. We’re outside between Halls C and D, stalls 6139-6143.



We've got '30s Ford parts, gas and oil, '50s-'60s accessories, old shop equipment. Just lots of cool old stuff!

 

Oh Yeah, forgot to mention in my last post I'll have my ever popular 6x2 set up for a Y-Block for sale along with other mouth watering HAMB friendly stuff....at EXPO spaces 6533-34...if you can resist that manifold & carbs at least stop by and say Howdy!

 

Hey Spooky, you gonna have a booth at Expo this year?

 

Nah- my gal and I threw in the towel a few years back. Now I just go on Saturday, have some beers and look for cool stuff.

 

Wow- that is where I used to have my stalls! Good area

 

Anybody know what time they open access to parking. Looked around online and couldn’t find anything. Thinking I had to be at the tower at 4am for orientation of swamp navigation the one year I helped out.

 

There is always fun at this booth,

 

Yeah, and if you can't see the pretty lady sign, look for the Flying Pink Pig, which indicates when our Credit Department opens!

 

Looked at weather reports this morning. What I saw has now developed into rain every day starting Wednesday for setup and continuing through the weekend! Yep, it's Portland swap meets alright!

79 degrees predicted for Madras today and 48 for a high Wednesday and snow in the evening!

Dave

 

Don't panic. Reports are afternoon showers, not continuous downpour. That's what canopies are for.

 

Over the years I've had swap spaces at the PSM, when the weather was nice it was fun but not so much when it rained, haven't been to a swap meet for some time, don't have the feet and legs for it anymore.
When I was actively working on projects, hitting all the major PNW swap meets was a regular deal for me, found a lot of neat stuff, a good amount of it was NOS pieces that at the time I thought was crazy money, compared to todays prices they were a bargain.

 

Just picked up a three wheel bicycle for trips around the race track. Large basket on the back, three speeds and dual bell ringers.
I would post pictures but the Mods wouldn't like the 19" wire wheels and little skinny tires.

 

One year this was my transportation around PIR.
Good thing I didn't buy a bumper!

 

Planning to hit both this weekend! I tend to go by foot for two years and then get a booth the third year to sell off all the accumulated parts I never should have bought in the first place.

 

I am in the Tacoma, WA area if anyone
buys a vehicle who lives in California
or Arizona or even further and needs
transport.


Jim

 

I hit the track at PIR at opening, and it was larger than usual. They've added a lot of spaces in places they never used previously. My list was pretty short, and didn't find anything I had on it, but still came home with a few things I liked and were great buys.
Not a drop of rain fell at PIR today, but it was pretty cold all day! I had the security cameras on at home, and whenever I got an alert to check I noticed the streets were wet, so rain seemed to be South and East of PIR, but missed the track today!
I was tempted by one car at the race track, but knew I had no room for it. It was a little Morris Minor 2dr. sedan that was extremely clean, with no signs of rust, great paint, great interior, and an engine that purred like a kitten! Seller was asking $4600 or best offer, and I was surprised it was still there as it was clean under the hood, and underneath, and getting lots of attention! Would be a fun little car to play with and jazz it up a little with tires and wheels, and some pinstriping.

 

Got all setup today in Hall E space 4242, got a little bit of everything, didnt think we still had this much stuff to sell.

 

I saw that Morris Minor, it was a great looking cool little car indeed.

 

Well, I left Seattle at 8:00 AM on Wednesday and got to the race track at 10:45 AM, on the way traffic was lite and just a touch of rain on the way there.
My friend Rick Turner had his big trailer at vendor spot #6090 on the race track, a spot we had used for years.



The ground was hard, and the area had been improved, where fresh gravel had been applied and that was very cool as well.
Well, reality set in pretty quickly.
I made it a bit over 1/4 of the way around the race track, and my 71 year old legs, feet, back, fat ass and body in general, said,
" This isn't going work, Happy April FOOLS WEEKEND "
And I dam sure wasn't going to rent a golf cart at the rate of $200.00 a day, at least that was I told that the daily rate was.

Too much laying around on my couch, watching endless stuff on YouTube !

Last year I took my mountain bike with me, that sadly doesn't have a kick stand on it, and I hate having to lay it down at a vendors booth, and just get in the way of others at the racetrack.

So this year I opted to leave the bike at home...............another bad move indeed.
How ever, I did retrieve the one thing that I had to pick up there, from a friend last year, so that was accomplished.

I did try to go see @Bandit Billy at his spot, but he wasn't there, sorry to have missed him.

I really mulled it over, and after a couple attempts to go at it again, the legs and feet said,
"YOU aint up to this and YOU know it "
So I got in the truck, and went out the gate at 5:30 PM, and was back at home in Seattle/Ballard at
8:30 PM.
Covered 344 miles, and bought nothing, so the money I took with me went back to the bank account.

Going to sell the Nishiki mountain bike I have, and invest in a nice old man, 7 speed, three wheeler GEEZER trike with double baskets, and ride in comfort and style at next years Portland Swap-meet.


Sorry I wimped out and missed seeing my friends @ClarkH and @Hitchhiker , but I will see them at the Monroe swap-meet indeed.



So to everybody else that is at the racetrack and the EXPO, I hope you all find many treasures and enjoy
the annual spectacle that is the Portland Swap-meet.
Get out there and spend that hard earned money, on a ton of great stuff, whether you actually need it or not!
Thanks from Dennis.

 

^^ Brutally Honest ^^ Great Post ^^


Jim

 

Well, it indeed rained in our booth at PIR today! Not lots but still rain. SE corner space 5046. Sounds like huge drops on the camper roof, probably not as big of drops as it sounds.

Dave

 

I may be right there with 41 GMC K-18 in that I've been looking at 3 wheel trikes and electric trikes lately as my knees don't survive much walking.
My problem is that I need to be down there with a truck and trailer load of stuff to sell rather than looking for stuff to buy. I've got a bunch of stuff that I need to sell not only to get rid of it but to pay for some pieces for the 48.

My shopping list for what I need for the 48 that I would find at Portland is pretty short though. Bed parts and figuring out what I want for taillights are the main things I need right now.

Keep those photos and cards and letters coming for us that didn't make it.

 

Hey @Mr48chev
I know exactly what you mean, and for sure, I will be styling big time, on a new, spiffy 7 speed GEEZER trike next year.
Ordinarily, I usually shoot a lot of photos each year, of the various cool stuff, seen at the racetrack.

This year, that didn't happen, but I did shoot just one photo, as I was leaving our section of the race track.
To me it was hilarious and truly indicative of just what shows up at the racetrack, and the hilarious prices that people put as prices on the items.
I will leave it up to you all, if this set up, was poking fun, at a current billionaire pop singer!
Your results may vary.
Thanks from Dennis.

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