Went to one this weekend, looked at some crazy prices,misrepresented parts, a few decent deals.
couple of examples.
348 W motor and a 6 pack manifold and 3 carbs. $4000 looks like it just came out of aunt bessys station wagon.
Olds 12 bolt, guy told me its a chevelle 12 bolt.
67/8 camaro clip. package deal $400 bend header panel. one 67 fender/one 8 fender with rust. tweaked bumper, core support with a broken shroud, and 2 inner fender wells.
Centerline 05 drag riims 15x8.5 with good 275 60 15 BFGs and 15x3.5 with good 165R 15s $250.
new B&M 3500 stall 10" converter $150 guy thought it was a 2500 converter.
All in all it was fun, but you gotta be careful with what you buy.
I ended up buying a Honda Odyssey, pair of ATV tires and rims, that were the wrong size. A new holley 14in air cleaner in the box. and a 621 bell housing. Jim

I think swap meets aren't what they used to be since e-bay, but mostly for the sheer amount and quality of stuff. The hokey stories, over priced crap, underpriced stuff, story telling and camaraderie is still there.

Whenever I can, I get a booth. It gives me a place to camp out. I put stuff for sale -- both stuff I want to unload and stuff I don't just to round out my dislay. The stuff I don't want to sell is always prominently displayed and overpriced so that if I actually sell it I can replace it. And that is the stuff that draws people in and sells the rest of the junk. And then of course I buy on speculation. You can't believe the stuff I've bought and turned the same day and at the same time the stuff I've passed up and still wish I hadn't.

couple of guys were complaining about how they werent selling all that much. But I think all the stuff you hear about the repopped stuff being junk. To most of us it really doesn't matter. Why spend big bucks on a original 35 year old fender that needs work, when you can get a brand new repop? it may not be perfect, but for a driver who cares? And after the first parking lot ding, its not perfect anyway. I'm guilty of overpricing stuff myself. If I think I may need it later, I'll over price it, in case someone needs it more than I do. On the other hand If I don't think I need it, or I know someone that does, I'll just about give it away, as long as the parts are going to be used and not flipped. Jim

how'd that Honda get in there? :confused:

I like them although I havent been in many years. I sold everything I had by 9:45 that morning. My buddy selling in the spot next to me bought a lot of it as I was pricing it to go. Why tote the stuff around only to bring it back? It was funny..After I had been selling for about an hour or so, my friend had his kid watch his items while he picked through mine and loaded his truck up.

Got on my case cause I sold everything so cheap.
I came home with a few pockets full of cash and an empty truck, he came home with more parts. LOL.

I quit going because too many punk kids with their lowriders would park sideways takng up 2 spots at a time and generally act like fools, getting drunk and mouthy, security would never do anything about it.

Every time I hear Honda Odyssey. I always think of thier minivan and not the ATV. Must have been a real genious over in Japan in marketing to come up with that one for 2 seperate vehicles.

Every time I hear Honda Odyssey. I always think of thier minivan and not the ATV. Must have been a real genious over in Japan in marketing to come up with that one for 2 seperate vehicles.

oh you mean he wasn't talking about a minivan?? lol

I love swap meets, but do more looking than buying. Most of my actual purchases are parts I need that are selling for less than the catalog price at the classic chev parts vendor booths, and then I go nuts at the tool booths.

Odyssey is a go cart looking thing powered by basically a 250cc 2 stroke motor. Sitting on 4 balloon tires. full cage, hand controls. Jim

I still like going to ours in Englishtown NJ - but it's become over run by cell phone vendors and they guy that sells the anti fogging wax for your eye glasses -

I forgot the mention I actually saw a NOS vette fender still in the GM box. Unfortunately it was for a cheVETTE. Sometimes I wonder why someone would even bother. But I guess you never know. Somebody somewhere may be restoring one. Jim