It’s Over

[Dan Hatch]

I am out of here!

Loaded up Thursday evening. Chocolate South is all but empty.
No foot traffic all week. No food vendors in our field that I found. Saw a lot of old friends and some new ones. But few buyers. After coming here since 1980 going to have to I think about it. Staying with Luray and may try the new Duncan meet.
Got to hit road for two day trip home. Stay safe anyone traveling. Dan

[Henry K. Lee]

SAD..., But Dan I said it 10 years ago about support of the hobby and producers of replacement parts as you know. All your expenses to and from, risk of an accident, wear and tear, etc makes you rethink the future. I have loaded the last of my Model T parts on a scrap trailer so on to the final chapters in my life.

[Joe Bell]

Glad to chat with you Dan, this year was better for me than the last couple, still brought plenty of things back that did not sell?

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

I had a great time and made a nice chunk of money with relatively few items. Green field was relatively busy, both with vendors and shoppers, well into late Thursday. Other fields were not so great. Red field was pretty sparse for vendors all week long.

[KWTownsend]

Hershey is on my bucket list...

[George House]

Duncan OK swap meet seemingly had good buyer with cash traffic last March. I made good money there - but mainly on small parts I could sell in USPO flat rate boxes from home. Also drove 6 hours to get there with 7 good T fenders and only sold 1. Also had restored rear taper leaf spring for $200 and no interest. Funny thing: had no interest in an excellent $450 Fat Man steering wheel there but immediately sold it to OR here on Classifieds. Man emailed me back to say it didn’t fit. Turned out he was building a hot rod using a ‘40 Ford column.

[George Mills]

Kind of goes with age and old stuff maybe? Orange Field seemed to be mostly a storage lot for the most part? I put miles on my legs and hips and went to bed early at night…lol. A bit of a real hike to do red field but that is part of the draw, eh? Came back from hotel to spaces Friday morning in OA, ghost town, by lunch Friday I could make my way back by sight from the car show! Didn’t run into as many as previous but had great catch ups with those I did. To me, the car show was a bit lame on old iron, but what did show made the trip worth the time.

[Ed Fuller]

I had another amazing week at Hershey buying, selling, visiting with old friends, and meeting some new ones.

I think I had more sales this year than any other. I made enough to pay for my expenses and for the treasures I found and I still came home with a very nice profit.

I’ve been going to Hershey for almost 20 years. There is one thing that I have learned from selling there. If you can’t sell it at Hershey, I’m sorry to inform you, but your prices are too high.

Yes, Hershey has changed. Everything in this world changes. Stop complaining, enjoy the hobby and find a solution.

-Can’t find the part you need? Keep looking.

-The part you need is to expensive? Make a reasonable offer or pay up.

-No one is buying your parts? Lower your prices.

-Don’t like walking past empty spaces? Get a vendor space and start selling.

-Too much walking for you? Find another way to get around.

-It’s raining? Bring an umbrella.

Reminds me of a Henry Ford quote:
“Don’t find fault, find a remedy. Anyone can complain.”

[Norman Kling]

Sad to say, but the car hobby has turned to muscle cars from the 50's to 60's. The Model T's and other early cars are slow and cannot be driven on the freeways. Most of the collectors don't even remember when they were seen on the streets every day . Those of us who were born during the great depression and WW 2 remember seeing them every day because either people could not afford a new car or they were not being produced during the war except for military vehicles. So we are getting older and fewer, and those people left might not be driving anymore.
Norm

[dobro1956]

ED I totally agree.

[J1MGOLDEN]

Dan, I spent four times as much as I sold, but I did buy a lot of good things!

Will see you again at Luray in seven months!

[michaelb2296]

Wednesday morning wake-up for most vendors was 10am-11am….. then they started closing at 4pm and some didnt open up at all on Wednesday due to Tuesday night storm. Some didnt bring enough product so i ordered from the usual vendors when i got home.

Perspective. It is what it is.

But i still found AWESOME deals…. Was it worth it monetarily? No. Is it worth it? Absolutely!!!! Thank you for coming!!!!!

My grandson got 13 free cars! Free candy. Pizza and soda-pop,
And, to look at all the cars and a free ride in the wagon all day!

Luray is great! See you there!

[TXGOAT2]

If I ever make it to Hershey, it won't be to make money. But I would hope to have some spending money to take with me.....

[Will]

Iv been twice in my life, Enjoyed it both times. If I do move to Pa in the future it will only be an hour away so it will be a lot closer. I'm no longer able to walk very far but I will make due.

[John kuehn]

As Norman Kling noted and I agree is that it’s the classic car era cars that are more desirable these days for most older guys that grew up driving the early Ford V8’s , 55-57 Chevs, older Dodge and Chrysler Hemi’s and Plymouths plus etc.
I had the 24 Ford Coupe my Grandfather gave me but I wanted the 56 Ford I fixed up and drove it to school. My neighbor who bought a 56 Ford found a 427 Ford Fe engine to put in it and that was one fast car. Another friend had a 56 Ford that a Cadillac transmission hooked up to a V8 Buick engine in it.
As I was told around 20 years ago at a Swap meet the generation that grew up driving and owning Model T’s and A’s are long gone and it’s the kids of those folks that are the ones that have kept the antique era cars like we have still fairly popular. And that’s if they aren’t diving the classic era cars instead.
BUT as the Bob Dylan song lyrics say “ the times they are a-changing.”