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Old 10-11-2017, 11:09 PM   #22
montanafordman
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Meridian, ID
Posts: 568
Default Re: Some Hershey Observations

This was my first year attending Hershey! I work as an airline pilot so its not too hard to get around the country if I have the time - especially if I'm traveling solo. I kicked around the idea of stopping by sometime and some friends from my local club that were attending encouraged me to join them. (enablers I tell you!)

I only had a couple days so my time there was unfortunately brief. I arrived around noon on Tuesday and walked most of chocolate north and red flea market before things were officially kicked off. On Wednesday I walked Green and Orange and some of chocolate south. This left me with only Thursday until about 12:30pm to see the rest of chocolate south and I didn't even finish it! (let alone get back to chocolate north) aside from the beeline through it back to where we were staying a few blocks east of the grounds.

I must say I was amazed on many levels. I expected it to be big, but I didn't expect in that time I'd feel like I missed seeing 30% of the field or more. I did find pretty much exactly everything I had hoped to find in original parts maybe save for those elusive $20 NOS fenders... . Attending Hershey saved a lot of searching online for the correct timeframe original parts. There is a major benefit to being able to handle parts personally too rather than going on a couple pictures and someones word. I don't feel like I made any smoking deals but I don't feel that I overpaid either. It was one stop shopping for things I have been searching for, for quite some time. I also did ok in the fact I had friends willing to drive my goods all the way back to Washington State while I hopped on a plane and went back to work. I enjoyed meeting other people in the hobby and it was fun connecting with some sellers and seeing them get excited about a guy under 40 doing a restoration - and then seeing the boost to their enthusiasm and their salesmanship game haha.

Another cool observation was all the oddball and rare parts for now defunct automakers. Looking for parts for a Hispano-Suiza, Willys Overland, Stutz, Packard, Kaiser, Pierce Arrow, Franklin, Deusenberg, Auburn, or Studebaker? yep there were guys selling that stuff. I will never be on the same planet of some of those makes and couldn't fathom employing a machine shop and tool and die maker to keep one on the road when something breaks but it was cool to see. Automotive history and art in the flesh.

Its too bad I hardly saw anyone under 45-50 the entire time I was there. The subject of youth and our hobby has been pretty beaten to death. I'm certain younger people that are involved in actively restoring an old car make much more use of social media, craigslist, and ebay to find what they need without ever leaving home. I know I have to some degree when I get specific about what I'm looking for. I do love going to our local swap meets but unfortunately it seems with every passing year I find less and less at our local meets too. I'm pretty sure I bought a couple minor things from Dave Frazier and was impressed at the variety and quantity of good original stuff he had and was saddened to hear it was his last year. I'm afraid that narrative will be replayed more and more as the really knowledgeable people with incredible access to the original parts that keep us going scale back their activities. I totally see Brent's point of view but feel the way Dean does. Hopefully I'll get to go again sometime and spend a little more time - and while I'm at it spend more time getting to know individuals and associate with users on the fordbarn.

-Aaron
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Aaron in Tacoma
(although still a Montana hillbilly at heart )
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