7 Tips for a Great Day at a Swap Meet

One seemingly universal side effect of our collective affliction of interest in old mechanical objects is the near-perpetual need for parts. A vintage car that still sees use will eventually need service, and at that point, something is often worn past the point of no return. We are then faced with three options: 

A. Repair and recondition said failed piece ourselves

B. Pay someone else to repair it

C. Replace the part

There are no small number of factors that go into how that decision is made, from the skills, tool, and times required, to the availability of replacements. A quick phone call or internet search might locate replacement parts, but the quality of new castings might be questionable or you might prefer to use the original part since it has the right finish. A usable original part is ideal. But where do you find that?

If you want a good deal on said part, you go to a swap meet. 

A swap meet is nothing more than a garage sale of only the cool stuff that goes in garages. Piles and bins and piles of bins of anything you can think of that might attach to, or enhance the function of an old car, truck, or motorcycle. While walking the aisles of this year’s Barber Motorsports Museum Vintage Festival, I put together seven tips for anyone headed to a swap meet based on my years of digging through cardboard boxes and plastic bins in search of carburetors, hardware, or that one out of production performance part.

Know what you are looking for

This comes down to needing to know your stuff because the seller might not know theirs. In my travels, I have seen sellers who would just reply “yes” when asked if a half-rusty and fully greasy part fits something. They are sellers who are trying to sell things. That does not mean the seller should never be trusted, but if you show up armed with what you are looking for and how to identify it you are much more likely to buy what you are looking for versus buying something you were looking at. 

Know the value

While some put prices on everything as the parts get laid out on tarps or in bins, some don’t and often put the onus on the buyer to make an offer. I’m all for trying to get a deal, but tossing out $50 for a $500 part or piece is not the way to do it. Scripted reality shows should not be your guiding light for negotiating purchases. Instead, have a real discussion with the seller about what the thing is, the condition, and an appropriate offer. In the past, I’ve found that showing that you know what you are buying helps them see that the offer you make is not as insulting as it might feel without a discussion.

Bring cash

While there is the chance that a seller has entered the 21st century and trusts digital payment solutions, the reality we live in at swap meets is that cash is king. If you are impulsive and trying not to be (I know the feeling), leave the cash secure in your car and use the trip to go get it to think long and hard about the decision. Or just buy what makes you happy. That’s a good plan too. 

Offer a trade

Most anyone with enough stuff to have a space in a swap meet likely has a mind like yours, which means anything you thought was a fun toy might be something they find as a fun toy—they just didn’t know they needed it yet. On my latest trip to the Barber Vintage Festival, I brought a bike to sell and before I had even written up the sign it got traded to a seller in the swap meet for a bike that caught my eye. When I asked for some details about his Honda that was for sale, I mentioned that I would need to sell what I brought before handing him cash, to which he replied he was interested in trading for what I had. You never know when the stars will align, but you have to be looking in order to know when they do. We shook hands and both rode away on new (to us) motorcycles. Shockingly simple. 

Talk to anyone who will listen

Tell them what you are looking for, nearly everyone walking a swap meet is a potential second seat of eyes for your search too. I’ve had great luck striking up a conversation with someone walking the opposite direction as me who went on to tell me there was a booth just a couple rows further on that had some of what I was looking for. The swap meet is not a zero-sum game. We are not all looking for the same parts and pieces. If I can help someone get a deal or find something that I don’t need, that’s a win for everyone. 

Have a plan for carrying stuff

Think there is even a chance you might buy something large, clunky, or otherwise heavy? Even just getting something back to the truck can be a task. At minimum a backpack is a good idea, and if the things you are looking for weigh enough to make a backpack uncomfortable or otherwise can’t be carried by hand, bring a cart. An old Radio Flyer wagon is a great example, especially if the bottom is solid and won’t let some grimy part leave an oil trail for the rest of your trip. 

Enjoy the view

Without a doubt, there will be some weird and wonderful things on display, and that’s part of what makes a swap meet fun. There will be stuff you wish you could afford, and stuff you know you shouldn’t buy but are far too tempted by. Even if you don’t find something you couldn’t live without, it’s possible to have a great time walking the aisles. It’s a bummer to leave empty-handed sometimes, but at least you spent a few hours out looking at cool stuff, meeting new people, and learning new things. If you did all that, how could it be a bad day?