11-10-2015, 07:12 AM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 2,763
|
Swap Meets?
It's hard to imagine that the largest retailer is Amazon, larger than Walmart... Times they are a changing and with that trend, what is the future of swap meets? In general, you can find all and more online (ebay and others)...
__________________
-Mike Late 31' Ford Model A Tudor, Miss Daisy I don't work on cars --I'm learning about my Model A. Cleveland, Ohio |
11-10-2015, 07:31 AM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Eastern CT
Posts: 2,732
|
Re: Swap Meets?
I find that the local shows have fewer parts sellers, and more junk that is not car relataed. the exception is the British motorcycle show which has vendors from several states, and the swap meets that are not car shows. Even so, the big one here in CT has gone down hill, and is filled with Chinese tool vendors, small block chevy 2 barrel manifolds, used tires that should be in the dump, and junk like that. The quality stuff seems to be missing, and it may be due to the internet, ebay, craigs list, etc.
As Bob Dylan said "the times they are a changing". |
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|
11-10-2015, 07:39 AM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southbridge, Ma.
Posts: 1,614
|
Re: Swap Meets?
I went through Hershey looking for some items I needed on my pickup (86 model) and couldn't find a thing, came home and ordered everything I needed on Ebay and Amazon. That tells you something is changing doesn't it.
|
11-10-2015, 08:14 AM | #4 |
BANNED
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto.
Posts: 5,800
|
Re: Swap Meets?
One of the major problems with swap meets is that they have regressed since they allow a mixture of garage sale items with cars and parts. If the wives want to sell pots and pans, dishes and baby items put them in their own section. We don't go to a says peer to bug a rattle or a dust mop. Wayne
|
11-10-2015, 09:49 AM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Rocklin, CA
Posts: 779
|
Re: Swap Meets?
I just got back from the SEMA show in Las Vegas. While there were lots of booths displaying everything car related you could think of, there was a large E-Bay booth where you could use a computer in their booth and buy things. So they are moving into all kinds of sales now!
|
11-10-2015, 10:28 AM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Calaveras County, Commiefornia
Posts: 1,767
|
Re: Swap Meets?
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
|
11-10-2015, 10:37 AM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
|
Re: Swap Meets?
The Model A swap meet at the Gilmore is also growing each year.
I still like to buy in person when possible, but I know ebay has taken away many sellers from some swap meets. |
11-10-2015, 10:40 AM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Calaveras County, Commiefornia
Posts: 1,767
|
Re: Swap Meets?
Good point, Tom. Also, since eBay came along, now the most often heard phrase uttered by swap meet sellers is, "Those go for $xx on eBay".
|
11-10-2015, 10:48 AM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 9,125
|
Re: Swap Meets?
Rarely do any of the "swap meets" that we have here (and they are few and far between) ever have Model A stuff.
eBay, Amazon, and the swap meet here are our friends. And, yes, we still run into "we don't ship to Alaska" stuff all the time.
__________________
Alaskan A's Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska Model A Ford Club of America Model A Restorers Club Antique Automobile Club of America Mullins Owner's Club |
11-10-2015, 10:54 AM | #10 |
BANNED
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto.
Posts: 5,800
|
Re: Swap Meets?
Bottom line is it costs a lot in expenses to travel to Hershey to buy or sell. Many of the sellers now do so on EBay throughout the year so they have less to offer at Hershey and other locations. Table or lot fees, accommodation, food, gasoline, etcetera have sky rocketed. If there is an enemy of the swap meet it is EBay. An enemy to the swap meet but a friend to the car collector. Wayne
Last edited by C26Pinelake; 11-10-2015 at 12:32 PM. |
11-10-2015, 11:16 AM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Roseville Ca.
Posts: 141
|
Re: Swap Meets?
I like Turlock swap meet & also like the goodguys, all though goodguys is VERY costly to go to. I think alot of people go to the swaps to find or flip items they have purchased weather its at ebay, craigs list or other swap meets. Its hard sleeping if I know ther is a Swap meet near by. See alot of my old pals & looking for that special find.
|
11-10-2015, 11:53 AM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 333
|
Re: Swap Meets?
The swap meet in Feburary (1st weekend) in Kalamazoo usually has quite a bit of Model A Ford and Model T parts plus many others. It is usually very well attended especially on Saturday. Sunday is a little slow. A lot of stuff changes hands on Friday during set up.
|
11-10-2015, 12:35 PM | #13 | |
BANNED
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto.
Posts: 5,800
|
Re: Swap Meets?
Quote:
|
|
11-10-2015, 02:01 PM | #14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 6,028
|
Re: Swap Meets?
The Albany Oregon indoor swap meet at the fairgrounds is Nov. 21st, next week. It is put on by the local Model A club and has A parts. It is a medium sized swap using 4 ag buildings and some more outside. I'm going!
|
11-10-2015, 07:48 PM | #15 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1,490
|
Re: Swap Meets?
There is still tons of Model A stuff at swap meets. Hershey is, without a doubt, the best for finding what you need. If you aren't finding Model A stuff, you aren't digging hard enough. The Big 3 Swap Meet in San Diego in late February sells out each year for vendor spaces and I always can find goodies there.
|
11-10-2015, 09:50 PM | #16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Central, IL
Posts: 3,968
|
Re: Swap Meets?
every swap meet ive been to (not many mind you) i always find SOMETHING. Of course i have my list of needs but never hurts to pick up a few spares of things or if the price is too good to pass up (noone NEEDS 2 extra starters but for $5 for the pair it cant hurt :P)
i highly prefer swap meets or auctions for stuff, part of the fun is the hunt and element of surprise at every corner. ebay you just type in what you want and it searches the entire country in .01 seconds...
__________________
1929 Model AA - Need long splash aprons! |
11-11-2015, 10:01 AM | #17 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,803
|
Re: Swap Meets?
Probably the best 'place' today to buy good Model A parts is from a person who is street rodding a restored Model A Ford.
Find such a person and they will be very happy to clean out their garage of unwanted Model A stuff. And, you will be saving good parts from the dumpster. We all benefit |
11-11-2015, 10:46 AM | #18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Lee County Alabama
Posts: 828
|
Re: Swap Meets?
Big one coming up Nov 20-21 @ Moultrie, GA with record number of vendors pre-registered. The Next meet is late Jan-early Feb as usual with another new weekend in April. Still growing. Haggler will be there...
|
11-11-2015, 11:12 AM | #19 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Reading PA
Posts: 243
|
Re: Swap Meets?
I think focused swap meets will continue to grow (all model A, all trucks, all prewar, all brass etc). If the material is focused then the seller and the buyers don't waste their time walking and looking at items they are not interested in at all. I think multi make shows like Hershey will lean one way or another (seems to be prewar) to survive in the future. There will always be idiots who bring used tires for some reason.
This buying to flip thing I feel is a limited time thing. There will always be someone who has a lot of money and little knowledge, but those guys are far and few between. Most buyers and sellers know what a part is worth. I personally will not let something go cheap if I am vending, because I can always put it on ebay if it doesn't sell for a fair price. I did see a number of younger vendors this year at hershey which was nice to see. |
11-11-2015, 03:43 PM | #20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: South Coast NSW Australia
Posts: 2,596
|
Re: Swap Meets?
It always amazes me to see old tyres at swaps too.
Way out of date, hard as a rock and hairline cracks and about 2000 kms away from the wear markers and the idiots think they are 80 % tread and a new one is $150 so they ONLY WANT $100 (unfitted unbalanced illegal and useless )...... ha ha . Over here in NSW, our tips (dumps) are "recycling " centres, whereby they re-sell junk . Just like a big garage sale. I reckon about 25 % of our swaps now are just this TIP JUNK brought along, nothing to do with car parts, just absolute rubbish. Last edited by pooch; 11-11-2015 at 04:03 PM. |
|
|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|