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10-17-2012, 04:25 PM | #21 |
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
Never had the opportunity to go to Hersey; however, appears more often than not, the excess rain & very muddy conditions were mentionned far more often than any types of dry, dusty conditions.
Is it possible that one could investigate if there is a month during the year for this particular area that historically has less rain, & drier conditions. Excess rain & mudddy walking surfaces may appear less attractive to all of our young Model A people with gray hair. Just a thought. |
10-17-2012, 04:34 PM | #22 |
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Location: Eastern CT
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
I saw a nice Jag E type 12 cylinder come in, and it had a sign on it for $31,000. Friday evening it had a sign on it $21,000 and SOLD.
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10-17-2012, 05:50 PM | #23 | |
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Location: West Point, VA 23181
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
Quote:
She and I will take vacation days to attend mid-week next year too. - of course; I didn't take a SINGLE picture. R/ Roger. |
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10-17-2012, 06:12 PM | #24 |
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Location: Bozeman, Montana
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
Mike, I too am a "glass is half full" person. It is something I look forward to every year for many of the reasons that you mention. For me there are some issues that need to be addressed so that it continues to be a viable antique car experience. Adjustments and improvements are made to things we want to see continue and grow.
H.L. don't worry about mud. Every swap space is on pavement. I, too, don't understand the pack up on Friday mentality. Though the car show is the big draw it seems like many are unable to be at a swap meet during the work week. The car corral is just amazing. A couple years ago my brother-in-law came to Hershey. His dad had a gas station and as a kid he worked on many vehicles. As we walked the corral he pointed out the good and bad points on vehicles from the 50's and 60's. That walk was "priceless" as they say. I love the swap, car corral and show at Hershey. I know it's a song about West Virginia but the John Denver song phrase that goes, 'Almost heaven...' fits Hershey too. Dean |
10-17-2012, 06:29 PM | #25 |
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Location: Dallas
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
I spoke with a car judge on Saturday. He said they had 1300 cars in the show but that they were short 80 judges!
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10-17-2012, 07:01 PM | #26 |
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
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The pre-war one in Oklahoma, now that is a different story, would love to go to it. |
10-17-2012, 07:09 PM | #27 |
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
Great minds think alike, I have been thinking similar thoughts the last couple of years. Haven't been going as long as some of you, but I definitely remember the mud and unbelievable amount of brass in the late 70's. Met master restorer Walter Seeley, with his American Underslung. Oh, Hershey of the past! Fall Hershey and spring Carlise were the must go swaps. Haven't been to Carlise but once in the last 20 years, cause not much there for me. I will continue to go, hopefully for more than one day, and b*tch about the boobs with traffic control and parking, the motorized people movers that have taken over the last couple of years, and the unused spaces. Each year I still feel the excitement knowing I will see at least one spectacular thing I had never seen or may never seen again.
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10-17-2012, 08:38 PM | #28 |
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Location: Englewood, Colorado
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
I have not been to Hershey for 20 years, but here are a couple thoughts on swap meets in general.
I have attended swap meets my entire life, and have noticed less Model A Parts every year. Here is why. 1. 30 years ago, the Model A was only 50 years old. Today it is 80 years old. 30 years worth of parts that are now on cars... 2. Internet. The other day I noticed we needed some more Zenith carberators to rebuild, and many folks have purchased them from us without sending us a carb. to rebuild. Years ago I would have gone to a swap meet to find some. Instead I got on Ebay and bought 10 Zenith carbs. and never left the couch.. so....I no longer needed to go to the swap meet to find any. 3. Fuel prices. 20 years ago you could drive to Hershey from 1000 miles away for $150 in gas each way. Now ....$400 in gas each way..... I LOVE swap meets. But.....the internet makes more sense often to find things now then driving and driving and driving..... Just my thoughts...... Steve Becker Berts Model A Center |
10-17-2012, 08:41 PM | #29 |
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
First off I've never been to Hershey, but the graying of the hobby and the scooters is a common trait at any old car swap meet. Between scooters and people pulling wagons it can make for tough going on anyone walking on foot. I may sound cold when I say this, but people poking along slowly on scooters talking to their buddy in the scooter next to them clogging up the aisles 2 or 3 wide is one of my pet peeves. I have arthritis in both knees and by rights should be using a scooter, but walking is great exercise.
The cost of fuels and lodging can add up when driving 1000+ miles one way to something like Hershey. An easy way to solve that is to carpool. A friend & I went to Chickasha in March, between fuel & hotel bills we spent around $400 each for a 2600 mile round trip. Not bad for a F-350 Ford Diesel loaded to the gills with T & A parts. Chickasha is ALOT smaller than Hershey, but I highly recommend it to anyone. I found lots of good stuff at very reasonable prices. It's small enough you can easily cover it in a day and don't have to weed thru a bunch of BS glassware and crybaby dolls. I would love to attend Hershey one year, but I'm far from retired and I'd have to carry 50 grand with me because I'd see alot of stuff I would want to bring home. Just my random thoughts. |
10-17-2012, 09:08 PM | #30 |
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Location: Chicopee, MA
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
From a young guy here, I attended Hershey last year for my first time. I was amazed by the variety in one place and there is a lot of rusty gold there. As I did not attend this year, I will attend a few times again in my life time. My thoughts were, with the internet you could get just about anything without leaving your house! Do you really think you saving money on shipping by picking it up at the meet??? Fuel, meals, lodging, parking, carrying your treasures and TIME...
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10-17-2012, 10:49 PM | #31 |
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Location: St Charles , Missouri
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
Hey guys... I'm 52 and have been going on and off for 20 years. Boy has it changed for me in that time! I've gone from finding really cool NOS ford stuff in my earlier years to scrounging to find anything for the projects I'm working on now, and I'm a box scrounger! I remember saturday's when the field were still fairly full. I had a few things that pulled me away from the swap area Friday so I tried to hit a few Saturday before the car show. The red field was all but gone, like almost vacant, and the chocolate wasn't much better. The only field that had much left was orange as it was over by the car show. It was really sad... There was one vendor that had quality Model A parts in red field ( i think he was the only one left) , I spend $60 at his space and probably gave a little more than normal for a few things... but then again he had quality items and was there for the duration. I was his only sale of the day. It's simple yet probably true.. they say if you build it they will come. If the vendors stay there will be customers. No vendors, no customers. It's just that simple. If vendors want to complain of no sales just look and ask yourself...do I stay for the sale or not. If your answer is go, then your neighbor will go, then his neighbor.. etc. Before long there's no vendors... and no customers as they don't come to see an empty parking lot!!!
I understand that vendors get there Tuesday, and get tired or otherwise... but then again... the show is suppose to be Wednesday to Saturday. There were vendors pulling out Thursday and Friday before noon. You've got to be kidding! You've already paid the majority expense to be there. If you all think it's so great why not stay and take it all in? I definately think the AACA should evaluate and make some changes. I think there should be a "veteran" parking area if you will for those who desire to have a small swap space but basically just use it for close proximaty parking/vending, and let the majority of the spaces be sold/used for those who really want to vend and sell parts. It's very frustrating to walk as I did this year around the entire meet only to have so many voids. It is sad. I can see that even though I enjoy searching for that special part and deal my days of coming and affordability at hershey are numbered. Unfortunately there aren't many younger folks getting in to it for obvious reasons as well. I see other swap meets like Indy... etc dying as well. In 20 years Hershey won't need all that asphault they have down... that's for sure! Unless they work on cultivating more youth, things to make the meet more affordable and attractive to folks, and improving on the cause/effect issues that are increasing every year. I think it's still a great show/time... but boy can I see room for improvement! |
10-17-2012, 11:55 PM | #32 | |
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
Ditto! Only flaw with Hershey is the fact that I've never had the pleasure of meeting you, that's my Hershey 2013 goal. Bob
Quote:
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10-18-2012, 03:32 AM | #33 |
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
I haven't been for a few years but I really enjoyed it,
If they had one field just for paid camping spaces they could put all those huge Motorhomes on it and give everyones legs a break!!! John Cochran |
10-18-2012, 05:53 AM | #34 |
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Location: South Mountain Pa
Posts: 147
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
Hershey has gone downhill somewhat but it is still better than Carlisle and on a positive note, no mud. I had a excellent 3 days and went home broke, infact I'm still trying to recover financially.
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10-18-2012, 07:35 AM | #35 |
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Location: Reading PA
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
I've been going since I was about 12, I'm 36 now. The fleamarkets actually have been consolidated a lot since the 1980's because of development by hershey co. I agree probably more is needed. It's still the best out there for early cars. Also minimal household junk, china tools and fake signs. Lots of negotiating to reduce the historically high prices. Some vendors gave me a huge break.
I focused on the area in front and behind the Giant's stadium. That is populated with younger vendors and was packed with items. The areas closer to the old hershey park stadium are used by people that have been going for 40 years & that is where there is no longer much action. The days are shifting. People are showing up on Tuesday. By Friday they are out of money. Plus there are two day's worth of car auctions so likely people want to go to that too. You are right by saturday the flea market is done. I save 3 days vacation every year to go. Just because it's important to me. If you need something, it wills still be there. Still Lots of model a and t parts. I found everything I needed, even an early NOS taillight for my 46 willys jeep. And I could look at it and negotiate on price. I saw quite a few grand daughtes and grandsons driving cars such as in the highwheeler race and the vintage race car trials. Still the best in my opinion, but tweeks every year will keep it going. |
10-19-2012, 02:39 AM | #36 |
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
But i thought you were like 29 or something? Was this a side effect from paint fumes or something like that i should worry about?
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<Link> This is how we roll<Link> "I'm Convinced that no one really reads posts anymore; they just fabricate what they think the post says then ramble on about red herrings."--Bob Outcasts rules of old cars #1 Fun is imperative, mainstream is overrated #2 If they think it is impossible, prove them wrong #3 If the science says it impossible you are not being creative enough. #4 No shame in recreating something you never had #5 If it were not for the law & physics you would be unstoppable |
10-19-2012, 09:34 AM | #37 |
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
There is only one guy here in Alaska that regularily attends Hershey. He has several old cars, among them a 28 Fordor. We are meeting with him tomorrow morning for Breakfast to hear about his experiences and see pictures from this year's event.
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10-19-2012, 11:34 AM | #38 |
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
I'm in my 30s but arthritis knows no age barrier. Mine stems from prior injuries and genetics.
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10-19-2012, 03:35 PM | #39 |
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
My first Hershey was in 1974 . Seen dry spells there to 3 feet of water in the Blue field , snow , 80's to 30's in temp ....from parking around the air plane landing strip to parking on it [ the original white field] ..I paid $125.00 for a full set restored Dill valve stems to $375.00 for a restored set of 5 Schraders.. Heard stories on the field $300.00 for a n.o.s. battery box {sold} to $300.00 n.o.s. fan belt [bend able]. I just like walking around just to look at all the different parts that went on so many car manufacturers..This year i took a fall on early Thursday morning that screwed up my bad knee to start with, so walking was cut very short. One thing for sure i gotta buy something before i leave needing it or not.
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10-19-2012, 04:07 PM | #40 |
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Re: Hershey is Dying, Corrections are needed
If you arrive on tuesday the set up day all the big buyers are there and buy, buy and buy, even the forigners do that. What's left if often over price or not very good. By Friday afternoon things die down I was in the red field behind the stadum and did not get very good crowds. I agree that the people that just want a prrking space could be consoladated into one area. They could cut down the vast area to a more manageable size, everyone would benifit. I pack on Sat. morning so I can see the car show, this year I was not feeling well so went straight home. Still love Hershey! This bunch of posts should be copied and sent to the AACA! Any one know how to do it?
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