Just a thought about a swap meet...

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Just a thought about a swap meet...
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wes Nelson ........Bucyrus, MO on Thursday, June 05, 2014 - 08:13 am:

Why couldn't we the forum members put on a swap meet? I myself have no idea what it takes, but would be willing to learn. From other threads I've heard, too far, wrong days, not long enough, not enough space, too expensive, too many rules, etc.. In the 1980's, I started to attend the Iola, WI show, it was a small town where Kruse publications were located, during the next 10 years, the meet grew and so did the town. What finally broke my spirit was that the state of WI started contacting me at my home looking for tax money for parts sold, I quit going. My suggestion on this thread would be, how about the center of the country? I Bing mapped Lebanon, KS, it is a small town in the middle of nowhere with about 220 residents. If we were to descend onto this town, we would either be denied or welcomed. If welcomed, I would expect the first time or two we would have to bring our own food and lodging. And perhaps they would allow us to drive our cars around town, spending money. Your thoughts?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Hatch on Thursday, June 05, 2014 - 08:44 am:

What a lot of people do not know is what is now required to have any type of public meeting. I worked on the car of a local couple that was in a club that put a car show/swap meet for years( about 20+). The show is now gone. I ask them why and the main reason was the things now required by the Patriot Act. The wife (she ran the meet for a few years) said that when that was passed the new rules almost broke them. The cost of the campground was nothing, it was the extra sec. and EMT people required. Dan


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Huson, Berthoud, Co. on Thursday, June 05, 2014 - 09:00 am:

Wes Nelson:

I don't think you realize what work it takes to put on a successful swap meet. I was in a club that did it for a couple of years. After two years no one wanted do the work that it takes to put a swap meet on. Forum members are to scattered to ever put a swap meet on. It takes days of preparation even before the meet and clean up after the meet plus all the work during the meet.
For your information Denver is considering trying to put a PRE 45 Meet Next year if they can stir up any interest.
pickup


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Thursday, June 05, 2014 - 09:21 am:

Ebay has become so much of a retail store for new ChiCom items that there's room for a specialty online auction of old car parts. I would make it so the item sells when the bidding stops, just like a real auction.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Wicker on Thursday, June 05, 2014 - 09:37 am:

Most every AACA event has a swap meet. Richmond Va. is June 14th. Last year I was the only one with T parts and only the second with A parts.
More sellers need to show up.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Huson, Berthoud, Co. on Thursday, June 05, 2014 - 10:04 am:

Fred Wicker:

Your right about very few T sellers showing up at swap meets. 30 years ago there was rows of T venders at the swap meets but to day almost none in Colorado. The best swap meet for T parts by far in Colorado is the Loveland swap meet. By far the largest swap meet in Colorado is the Cow Palace It has thousands of venders but you can not find a T part at the entire swap meet. That is why I think more PRE 45 meets are needed. Our largest swap meet used to be the Denver OCC meet but it went down hill to one day and even that was cancelled this year

blocks


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Thursday, June 05, 2014 - 10:10 am:

I agree that a good meet requires work before, during, and after. This has to be done by local folks who have the time and energy, or visitors who have the time, energy, and money to be there early and late to do the work.

While Lebanon is in the geographical center of the lower 48, that's about all it has going for it when it comes to putting on a swap meet. Besides the lack of facilities for those who need a motel room, its distance from any major airport makes it inconvenient for those coming by air. Looking at it by satellite, I don't see a fairground or other facility that might serve as a venue.

I think the best bet for a new prewar swap meet is Denver, as Dave mentioned. Those who have never been there may have heard "Mile High City" and assumed it's in the mountains. It's next to the mountains on the high plains (elev. 5280'). That's high enough for relatively comfortable temperatures during the summer. I love Kansas, but folks from the frozen tundra of the northern states think it gets too hot here. When I'm in Wisconsin and hear people gripe about how hot it is at 85º I have to smile.

Denver is relatively close to the geographical center, and readily accessible by air and interstate. If the folks there do go ahead with a prewar meet, I hope it will get lots of support.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Thursday, June 05, 2014 - 10:18 am:

I've been needing a good excuse to go to Denver again. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Huson, Berthoud, Co. on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 01:00 am:

Another thing that Wes Nelson is not thinking about is what kind of space that a swap meet should be held on. I would think that the only place in Lebanon big enough to hold a swap meet would be some ones Cow pasture. 30 years Ago the Pate Swap meet was as big as Hershey. It was held entirely in gullies and hill sides so every time it rained you had to get towed out by local farmers with their huge tractors. If a vender has to pay a hundred dollars or more to get towed out of the field he may not be back again.

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Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 01:53 am:

Yeah Dave, when it rained at Pate, you needed an old Power Wagon or Unimog. When it didn't rain, you needed sun tan oil, a hat, and dust respirator; but Boy was it fun and Boy did the parts and vehicles show up! The last year it was held at the museum, I made the mistake of parking along the side of the highway, as I wasn't a vendor. Texas D.P.S. gave me a ticket that I had no choice but to pay to the local Justice of the Peace.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Georgetown TX on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 07:02 am:

Pate was great. I was there as a vendor every year it was held at the museum. We set up the first year right in front of the museum, there were perhaps 25 vendors.

One year it rained hard all day Friday and Saturday. They were using a tractor and a big caterpillar to pull Winnebagos, 18 wheelers and car haulers out.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ed in California on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 09:18 am:

I remember going on a club "garage swap meet" tour when I was younger. The tour consisted on driving from house to house via a pre-made map, where each house had a mini-swapmeet of parts set up in their driveway. It was only known to the participants on the tour, and only t era or related parts were allowed. There was probably 20 houses we went to, and it was great fun. Lots of parts, since the homeowners did not have to drag them to a a swap meet, instead they set up in their driveway.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Hatch on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 09:27 am:

Ed that sounds like a good way to do it. I have been toying with the idea of a one day swap meet at my place. Just wonder how many people here in the South would come. It would be like Mark does up North. Dan


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Huson, Berthoud, Co. on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 09:49 am:

Terry Woods: I understand that pate has moved to some air port or something and it is level and paved, how is it doing now? There is some consideration, if the PRE 45 meet is put on in Denver it may be held indoors. So far the inside locations that is being looked at is a $1,000 a day. The swap meet at the Cow Palace is so big that even though its indoors I get lost. A couple of time I had to ask a vender how do I get to the front door. The Cow Palace meet is not only huge but held on three floors.

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Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Georgetown TX on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 10:20 am:

Pate is held at Texas Motor Speedway these days. It is quite successful if you like 1981 - present Mustang or Camaro parts. There are still a half dozen or so T part vendors every year, but they are few and far between.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Blancard on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 10:28 am:

Hey Wick - I hope to get down to the Richmond meet next weekend, I'll stop by and say hi.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Huson, Berthoud, Co. on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 07:09 pm:

Royce in Georgetown:

Swap meets in Colorado, except Loveland is getting worse than 1/2 dozen. In fact most don't even have 1/2 dozen. Its got so bad in Colorado that I quit going to some of them. That's why I hope Denver get a Pre 45 meet going next year or so.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Georgetown TX on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 07:28 pm:

I would go!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By brass car guy on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 11:15 pm:

A few years back there was an excellent pre war swap meet in Wichita, up at the fair grounds just north of the city. They had excellent all metal buildings with good rest rooms. Tons of parking and lots of close by inexpensive motels.

Why not contact some of the HCCA guys in Wichita and see if they might be interested in giving it a go. I suggest Garl Turley as a point person. He has some extra time and bleeds brass through his veins.

One of the added incentives would be piggy backing with the large antique show at the same time and at the same place. This was done for a few years with good foot traffic.

Just sayin'

brasscarguy


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerome Hoffman, Hays KS on Friday, June 06, 2014 - 11:29 pm:

Wichita a few years back had a prewar meet the weekend before Chickasaw in March. Went both times. The problem was it was too close to Chickasaw and for I who at that time could not make it later in the week it was a good deal for me. I'll go to Denver for a pre-45 meet but wont stay long now that the state is full of pot heads it's getting bad. J


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Richmond, Texas on Saturday, June 07, 2014 - 12:44 pm:

Mike Walker tells me Springfield (MO., I guess) is pretty good. I agree with Royce about Pate. It has become a hot rod and muscle car meet. I don't know what happened to the crowd that used to go to the Old Pate. I guess that they died off. There used to be a meet at Rosanky, Texas that was small but had some T stuff turn up. Then the old South Central swap meet was revived and was held in Brenham, Texas and some good stuff would show up there. Also, there used to be a nice swap meet in Fredricksburg, Texas. I haven't been there in probably twenty years. Now days, I can go to one of the hot rod club sponsored swap meets at Conroe, Texas and see as much as I can see at Pate in Fort Worth, Texas.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Saturday, June 07, 2014 - 02:31 pm:

The Springfield (MO) swap meet is in August each year, and it's quite large. Fortunately, the several vendors who have T parts usually are in one area, which happens to be where the shade trees are. :-)

The Heart of the Ozarks Model T club has some spaces there, usually with some cars displayed and a few parts for sale. Sometimes they'll have a T or 2 for sale as well.

http://ozarksantiqueautoclub.com/Swap%20Meet.aspx


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