Who says swap meets are dead??

[dustinm]

Originally Posted by 67since67

I spent a weekend at Iola about 20 years ago. Didn't sell enough to pay for the fuel and almost nothing for '67 Chevelle parts, no NOS. I did score a nice Chevy dealership clock to justify the trip. No reason to go back...

The first time I went I was probably 20? Just out of school and broke but I did have a 68 Chevelle. Anyway there was a guy there with an entire collection of NOS 68 Chevelle panels. I needed them but regardless the price I needed the lottery to afford them. He sold them.
Subsequent trips I started seeing the career junker patterns and stalls, so I got pretty good spotting the new guys who were just trying to clean out the shed.

[Too Many Projects]

Originally Posted by 67since67

I spent a weekend at Iola about 20 years ago. Didn't sell enough to pay for the fuel and almost nothing for '67 Chevelle parts, no NOS. I did score a nice Chevy dealership clock to justify the trip. No reason to go back...

I went about 10 years ago looking for parts for my 2 Chevelles and Camaro. Yes, walking those hills got tiring and I saw about 3 parts for anything newer than 1940. Mostly early 1900's to 1930's. Like Bill, no urge to go back.
Dustin, where is this Lincoln swap you speak of ? Can't be Lincoln, IA, population 121 ?? Nebraska ?

[dustinm]

Originally Posted by Too Many Projects

I went about 10 years ago looking for parts for my 2 Chevelles and Camaro. Yes, walking those hills got tiring and I saw about 3 parts for anything newer than 1940. Mostly early 1900's to 1930's. Like Bill, no urge to go back.
Dustin, where is this Lincoln swap you speak of ? Can't be Lincoln, IA, population 121 ?? Nebraska ?

As mentioned its Lincoln NE at the Lancaster event center. Its one day and on a Sunday at that. Doors open at 3AM. I get there around 7AM and thats probably too late. This one is very weather dependent also, any hint of rain or cold temps will end out door swappers attendance and some of the 40* stalls as well. Good weather and I havent been able to see it all. Chevelle/ Camaro parts arent bad most years

For as far away as you are, I dont know if I would dedicate the 3 days it would take unless you could combine a visit to Speedway museum or Omaha activities

https://www.enwicc.com/49th-annual-r...swap-meet.html

[Too Many Projects]

Originally Posted by dustinm

For as far away as you are, I dont know if I would dedicate the 3 days it would take unless you could combine a visit to Speedway museum or Omaha activities

https://www.enwicc.com/49th-annual-r...swap-meet.html

3 days ?? Leave at 6 pm the night before, get there early, nap for a while in the truck, walk the swap, load any treasures I buy and beat feet home by 12 pm...
Actually, I'm starting to get a little on the grey side for those hours anymore, but, I'd still try it. 5 yrs ago, I drove straight thru from San Antonio home and 4 yrs ago, from Ocala straight home. That same yr, I drove to Buffalo, NY and back in 42 hours for an NOS Camaro fender.

[napa68]

Originally Posted by 67since67

I spent a weekend at Iola about 20 years ago. Didn't sell enough to pay for the fuel and almost nothing for '67 Chevelle parts, no NOS. I did score a nice Chevy dealership clock to justify the trip. No reason to go back...

It's only 2 hours from me.........not worth the trip for cars or parts IMO. If you want signage and memorabilia, it's a good trip. If you need some jewelry, a t-shirt, or a mower deck, it's the place for you!!

[Pro Stock John]

I bet some of you guys have spotted and bought some great (rare) parts over the years.

[William]

For you So. Cal guys:

What is Pomona like these days?

We would arrive in CA Thursday, shop the Pick-A-Parts. Rarely any 1st Gen Camaros to pick, but plenty of '60s Chevelle, Nova, full-size. Arrive at the swap Sunday by 0500a, walk around with a flashlight. Bought armloads of stuff; 66-67 Chevelle 4-speed consoles, 67-69 Camaro doors, trim, air cleaners, you name it. Recall buying a '69 Camaro BB 4-speed shifter with rods and mount for $40.

We had a colleague there that would ship it all to WI for us.

Pics from the early '80s.

[AnthonyS]

Well, I saw this thread start on Sunday after I returned from Pomona... was going to eventually chime in, but I may as well now since the question has been asked directly...

I've been going to Pomona for nearly twenty years now and I too, initially bought a space so I wouldn't have to haul any finds out to the parking lot and so I could lay out enough stuff to recoup the cost of admission.

It's never been "amazing" IMHO, and I often lament that I missed the heydays but I have at least, on every trip, found something that has made it worthwhile in terms of a rare, valuable, or needed part...

It is big, but really, only about 15% of any of the sellers, their spaces, or their stuff would interest us... there's lots of toys and hotwheels, and I don't mean redlines or collectable stuff, I mean the new stuff that you can get at target straight out of those cardboard boxes with the purple stripe that likely fell of a truck on their way into the target back off loading room... There's tons of kitsch too, not cool old stuff but dolls and man cave signs and that kind of stuff. There's lots of yardsale stuff and tools, oh my gosh... every fellow who buys a storage unit of tools brings them out here. And lawn equipment... never mind the little red wagons that are ubiquitous. But to be fair, I've sold some wagons there too; people will buy any wagon to help get that third member out of the lot...

Everyone once in a while there's the family or kids of someone who's left this world and left their collection to be spread to the wind; sometime those spots are good, sometimes not, but always interesting. That's happening more and more now, sadly.

This past weekend, there was a guy who had, junk was the only way to describe it, in his truck and he didn't seem to value it too much as he lowered his tailgate and reversed into his spot then with a sudden brake let everything slide out. I was impressed that he kept it all in his spot actually and went over to investigate when I heard the crash... I wondered if he ever cleaned it up when I left on Sunday.

The kids came with me this weekend and they often have fun, but with full sun and the heat it can get tiresome for them, who knows what adventures of Boss Baby they're missing on that dang tv...

Then there's the guys that are just there to cook and hang out, nothing wrong with that but those spaces don't have any interest to me but then again, every once in a while, the aromas coming off their BBQ's make me pause, some could certainly be paid chefs.

And the place is full of people that quote what the last thing that sort of looks like what you're asking about sold on eBay for last year. The prices that most people are asking for are crazy too... everyone quotes the internets for what their part is worth, and it gets quite tiresome if not annoying... This reminds me of an episode of Pickers from maybe a decade ago when the guys found and old blue kiddie stroller with beads on the front, you remember, anyway, they "valued" it at something crazy and wouldn't you believe it, for the last ten years you can find that same stroller at Pomona for the same $200 at any number of sellers' spaces?!

Finally, the tough guys walking three abreast down the isles just looking for you to look at them sideways is quite off putting, especially at a family event.

But the anticipation of the weeks leading up to each meet is what keeps me going; I'm so excited the week before, thinking this will be the one! It's like holding that PowerBall ticket two days before the draw!

Cheers Friends!
Anthony

[Formula455SD]

Originally Posted by AnthonyS

Well, I saw this thread start on Sunday after I returned from Pomona... was going to eventually chime in, but I may as well now since the question has been asked directly...

I've been going to Pomona for nearly twenty years now and I too, initially bought a space so I wouldn't have to haul any finds out to the parking lot and so I could lay out enough stuff to recoup the cost of admission.

It's never been "amazing" IMHO, and I often lament that I missed the heydays but I have at least, on every trip, found something that has made it worthwhile in terms of a rare, valuable, or needed part...

It is big, but really, only about 15% of any of the sellers, their spaces, or their stuff would interest us... there's lots of toys and hotwheels, and I don't mean redlines or collectable stuff, I mean the new stuff that you can get at target straight out of those cardboard boxes with the purple stripe that likely fell of a truck on their way into the target back off loading room... There's tons of kitsch too, not cool old stuff but dolls and man cave signs and that kind of stuff. There's lots of yardsale stuff and tools, oh my gosh... every fellow who buys a storage unit of tools brings them out here. And lawn equipment... never mind the little red wagons that are ubiquitous. But to be fair, I've sold some wagons there too; people will buy any wagon to help get that third member out of the lot...

Everyone once in a while there's the family or kids of someone who's left this world and left their collection to be spread to the wind; sometime those spots are good, sometimes not, but always interesting. That's happening more and more now, sadly.

This past weekend, there was a guy who had, junk was the only way to describe it, in his truck and he didn't seem to value it too much as he lowered his tailgate and reversed into his spot then with a sudden brake let everything slide out. I was impressed that he kept it all in his spot actually and went over to investigate when I heard the crash... I wondered if he ever cleaned it up when I left on Sunday.

The kids came with me this weekend and they often have fun, but with full sun and the heat it can get tiresome for them, who knows what adventures of Boss Baby they're missing on that dang tv...

Then there's the guys that are just there to cook and hang out, nothing wrong with that but those spaces don't have any interest to me but then again, every once in a while, the aromas coming off their BBQ's make me pause, some could certainly be paid chefs.

And the place is full of people that quote what the last thing that sort of looks like what you're asking about sold on eBay for last year. The prices that most people are asking for are crazy too... everyone quotes the internets for what their part is worth, and it gets quite tiresome if not annoying... This reminds me of an episode of Pickers from maybe a decade ago when the guys found and old blue kiddie stroller with beads on the front, you remember, anyway, they "valued" it at something crazy and wouldn't you believe it, for the last ten years you can find that same stroller at Pomona for the same $200 at any number of sellers' spaces?!

Finally, the tough guys walking three abreast down the isles just looking for you to look at them sideways is quite off putting, especially at a family event.

But the anticipation of the weeks leading up to each meet is what keeps me going; I'm so excited the week before, thinking this will be the one! It's like holding that PowerBall ticket two days before the draw!

Cheers Friends!
Anthony

Sadly.... This has become the norm in all of California.

[L78_Nova]

Lincoln, NE was always a good one but it was hell from Canada when the speed limit was 55.... HA !