9 tips to make the most of a swap meet
The internet has changed a lot of things in the automotive world. One exception is the thrill of shopping for a deal at a swap meet. The sight of endless trailers and tables and buckets, each heaping with potential, scratches a special part of a gearhead’s brain. Sometimes, our foot twitches just like a dog getting roughed up behind the ears. (Just me? Moving on.) Rummaging through piles of crusty parts for that one bracket, accessory, or assembly that our project needs is often cathartic—even if, most of the time, what we are picking through is junk.
The search is half the fun, because it means a day spent walking and talking with other like-minded people. While everyone approaches swap meets a little differently, a few tips and reminders hold true for anyone headed to Pomona, Hershey, Chickasha, Barber, or Mid-Ohio to see just what the farmer’s almanac says is going to be a good crop of parts and projects ripe for harvest.
Know what you are buying or selling
Some people love searching through unidentified parts, but any amount of help given to a potential buyer is likely to work out better in the end. Take a moment to write a brand, model, or year on a piece of tape and stick it to the part. The inverse goes for buyers: Don’t expect every seller to know the exact fitment or specifics of a particular part. If you need a hood latch for the hood on a Dodge Brothers from 1930, know what that looks like.
Organization goes a long way
Considering the number of vendors at most swap meets, few buyers have the time or patience to sort through a giant jumble of parts. Bins with labels encourage buyers because they know their time won’t be wasted on a bunch of radios when all they want is a headlight control. Group similar parts together, and passersby will be more likely to take a look. Some amount of organization provides at least the appearance that you care about the parts you are selling, which makes buyers more likely to make a serious offer.
Price tags open wallets
We all expect to haggle at a swap meet. However, we also know the awkward moment when, after a potential buyer breaks the silence to ask the price of a part, the seller names a price so far from the buyer’s expectations that the two are left staring at each other for a moment before the potential buyer sets the piece down and walks off. Give buyers a clear starting point, and you’ll likely have fewer “tire kickers” asking you random questions, then strolling away.
Cash is king, but consider other options
It is fun to hide a physical fun-money fund from whatever set of eyes or acronyms you fear may threaten it, but making and accepting digital payments has never been easier or more secure. Apps like PayPal or Venmo have precautions in place for both buyer and seller, and either app allows you to easily accept credit cards. In my experience, there is a little less haggling when buyers don’t have to watch the bills leave their hands. That’s a win for any seller.
Consider unconventional negotiations. A beer once tipped a motorcycle purchase for me: Seller wanted $1800 for a vintage Kawasaki, I only wanted to pay $1700. When I noticed his cooler, I said I would pay asking price if the seller included a beer for me and each of my two friends. Are three beers worth $100? Not even close, but we enjoyed hanging out with that guy, and everyone left happy and refreshed.
Bring a bag, backpack, or cart
Since a swap meet is not a store, you never know what you’ll find or, more importantly, what it will weigh. Taking a trip back to your truck with each item is annoying, yet somehow less of a pain than juggling—and inevitably dropping—your latest prized possession. If you are mentally prepared to buy something big, make sure you are physically prepared to deal with it. Otherwise, you will leave disappointed and empty-handed after realizing you can’t get it home.
Be reasonable
You can often cut a deal at a swap meet, but if you can only get a low price by being a pain in the butt, take a moment to remember that we are all in this hobby together. If either party in the transaction burns the other, it is that much more likely that parts, pieces, and experts will just stop showing up to swap meets: The money is no longer worth the stress. Smile, be reasonable, and move on if the two of you cannot meet in the middle.
Just ask
The secret power of a swap meet is the ability to find anything you are looking for, but it’s not always something that will be there in the booth. If I see a few Honda motorcycle or Corvair parts sitting out front of a seller, I will typically skip straight to asking if they have something I am looking for.
If you see it, buy it
If there is one hard and fast rule of swap meets, it is this: Never walk away from anything you are interested in, because it will be gone when you circle back. If you want it, buy it at the first opportunity. Few people restock at swap meets; they’re more likely to rearrange, moving the part you wanted to another booth and raising the price.
Take the time to learn
Sellers often have some idea of what they have. If you see something that seems extra strange to you, take a moment to ask the seller what the story is. You never know what you could learn or which friend you might make. That seller is just hanging around—why not engage in a little conversation?
In short, go out and have fun looking for parts and projects among other folks who love the same things you do. The internet has never been more powerful, but the joy of finding a part in a pile alongside other people doing the same is what keeps the swap meet alive.
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having a cell phone with a data plan makes it easy to get a rough idea what something is worth – even if all you can find is a listing for an NOS or new aftermarket part it can keep you from overpaying for a “core” or “rebuilder” – or if all you can find is “cores” and “rebuilders” (at terribly high prices) you know a deal on the NOS part and don’t risk getting shot for low-balling the guy by TOO much!!! Knowing what OTHER vehicles the needed part fits is always good too – Got a brand new “Mazda” A/C compressor for cheap ($50) that fit my Ford Ranger because the guy was SURE it only fit Mazda and he was going to be stuck taking it back home — – ($200+/- Canadian plus shipping on RockAuto)
I have an old wheelchair that I restrung with a set of 26 inch mountain bike rims and tires that I plop a big “blue box:” recycling bin on for swap meets – pushes easy on grass or gravel – and if/when my back gets sore or I get tired a just pop the bin off, sit down and put my feet up for a while. Having the wheelchair readily visible in the truck often gets me a bit closer to the gate when parking too
I do 2 local (San Antonio area) swap meets every year, one in April, the other in July. The last couple of years (post-COVID) have been miserable. As a buyer, there is very little decent stuff at the swap meets anymore, with most of the stuff looking like they pulled it out of the dump. These swap meets also now appear to be more of a flea market, with lots of household items and ladies trinkets, clothes, etc. This year I again set up my stuff, all new parts in original packaging, asking about 50% of the original prices, and didn’t even sell enough to cover the cost of the spaces. Plus, in South Texas, this year was HOT and dusty! I don’t know if I am going to set up a space anymore, but I will still probably go to see what’s there just in case that special item shows up.
I understand that the Pate swap meet in April/May is different and is large enough to take 2-3 days to cover, but I haven’t traveled that far for a swap meet in a few years.
Another item I would add to your list of experiences is the guy that comes by and tells you that the part your are selling for a X-brand will fit his Y-brand, even though you told him it won’t. So he buys it and then comes back the next year and is all ticked off ‘cuz the part you sold him didn’t fit.
As a buyer the “get there early and find that elusive part” theory is valid, I also use the “end of the day and seller doesn’t want to take it home” theory for some screaming deals. Seller has already made most of their money, and less parts to pack up and take home makes for some great deals.
As a seller, I try to make things nice and visible. Tables that have parts labeled with prices. Parts all for one type vehicle together. Parts cleaned up reasonably well sell much better instead of a dirty greaseball. Put some blingy stuff to catch buyer’s eyes as they pass. Always try to make the deal, don’t let a buyer walk away if they are serious about a part. Bundle deals are good for buyer and seller, helps get rid of more parts even if higher discount.
I always joke as a seller go with full truck and empty wallet and goal is to come home with empty truck and full wallet.
Bring cash – and bring more than you intend to spend. Not usually good advice, but if you see that unobtanium gem, grab it
Pay a price that includes some risk cushion
Bring a truck and/or a trailer
Know what the parts you are looking for look like – do not rely on the seller to tell you it fits a 65 Impala. They might not be lying, but they just might be wrong
1) My pet peeves are seller has hundreds of items but not one single price tags or listed price. there is no way you can remember the same price for everyone that asks, besides don’t seller get annoyed w/all that same questions – how much for that?
2) Seller don’t have any change – C’mon you sellers in business – bring singles / 5’s /10’s – you won’t believe how many times I paid for items w/ exact change & seller would ask me if they can swap all your one’s/ five’s & I have a few inches of that. no way Jose – that is the reason I carry small bills at swaps so I don’t need to waste my times w/people like that huh.
3 ) Some crazy insane price Ex: 4 wheel covers VGC for 68 Buick Skylark $ 800.00 FIRM or I’ll bring it back home / no rush to sell sign – at least he has a price so no need to waste time for everyone / either buy or keep walking! that’s the fun part keep walking / looking.
I did Hershey annually for many years…Carrying a newspaper carrier’s bag (remember when kids on bicycles delivered an actual newsPAPER?) which contained a detailed parts wanted list, a rain poncho (no rain at Hershey…impossible!), toilet paper, a small towel (see previously mentioned poncho) and still had plenty of room for all those parts I found. On the carrier’s bag rain flap, I pinned a list of parts wanted, written large enough for vendors to see from their perches. I was always amazed to be flagged down by vendors who had just what I wanted–but would have never found otherwise. It pays to advertise!
Selling and buying at Phoenix Good Guys yearly I was expecting better info. First is have a “Smart Phone” to research possible purchases. Even if you are super skilled the internet can fill in gaps of odd-ball finds. And definitely make a list of what you are looking for and needing. Run through looking for those items first, then go back through to rummage. I will admit each time I walk through I will always see something I missed. Carry a tape measure and a multi-tool. These are to verify before purchase! My friend had a junk wagon he brought to haul parts he bought… he sold it to a guy for $20 because it was a junk Radio Flier… I gave him crap for 2 days because wagons worse then his were selling for almost $100 due to location and demand! 3 Years ago I found a guy selling 67′ Camaro parts dirt cheap after he built a “resto-mod” for his customer. I had a 67′ Camaro RS that was so rough it wasn’t on my agenda for parts, but they were so good of a deal I bought his whole lot. Ended up making a great profit on selling car thanks to that and bought a better 67′ Olds 442 with 70′ 455.
Oh, and know what the pricing is of what you are looking at. I went to a swap meet looking for an Edelbrock Performer RPM Air-Gap intake for a 454 Chevy. I found one a guy had bolted in a Camaro, but due to hood clearance never ran. It was brand new and they go for $350+ new. He had it listed for $250 and a guy was trying to get it for $175… I walked up and said you want $250 for it and it’s never been ran… here’s $250. I loved the look in the face of that low balling guy that day. I still saved $100 new which it was. Some things aren’t worth the bidding battle, and some are.
It’s all in the details. At a meet, seller had a big box of multi-colored seat belts, NOS, no mfg. logos. I noticed they were all labeled “Irving Air Chute”. He wanted $10 / belt, but said he was tired of dragging the box of “aftermarket” belts, and sold me the whole lot for $50, his offer. Actual fit, lots of early ’60 GM models, OEM. I made hundreds reselling, by correctly identifying the application. As a note, this was years before the internet.
I agree if there’s no price I usually don’t even stop. I always figure he is asking so much that he’s embarrassed to put a price on it.
I have dealt at swaps but now go just to see if there’s anything there I didn’t know I wanted. I once made a reasonable offer on just such an item, the seller said “somebody else already offered that and they’ll be back”. What a weak tactic to get me to offer more. I didn’t want it that badly and happily sauntered away.
Swap meets are fun but go with a friend. You might learn something.
Our family and friends have had spots at Spring and Fall Carlisle since the ’70’s. Back when there was still a track around the infield spots. Hershey longer than that. It was always more to have a good time than make a real profit. One of the guys always said you never haggle with a buyer the first day. Baloney! I’d rather have a few bucks in my pocket than have to lug those rims back home!
Buying or selling – know what your part’s origin / fit. Case history, Pamona swap meet selling, but took some time to wander the aisles (good way to avoid booth stress). Bought a one year only ’64 GTO “wood” steering wheel, perfect condition, missing the center cap emblem. Guy insisted it was a Dodge Charger part. Paid $200, actual value around $1700 at the time.
Clear prices are always welcome. I know right away whether I might be interested in something.
I tend to bring some wrenches for things like transmissions and rear ends. Removing a side cover on a Muncie quickly tells a story, as well as a rear cover off a rear end.
You can find good and bad surprises. Synchro teeth, chipped gears, welded differentials, or even an aftermarket posi.
Automatic transmission – drop the pan. Fluid could have looked good, but what is in the pan quickly can tell so much more.
Some of the bigger ticket mechanical items you might be looking at rebuilding anyways. But having a better idea of if it is likely a simple refresh, or has some major parts which might be hard to find, can keep you from being burned.
If looking for something special, doing your homework to make sure that is what you are looking at is just that is important. A 283 crank – while dimensional similar to a 1967 Z/28 crank – many times is represented as a 302 crank. Forging number is different, along with finishing, and rear flange.
Along with that is know when you can use a part that was common across a model. A hood or door might be the same whether it came on a Cutlass or a 442 that year. GTO heads – RA III, or just 350 horse heads advertised as RA III in hopes to get more money?
Have some items in your head that you might want to buy if you run across them at a decent price. Could even be something for a friends project. They could do the same for you.
Carry a shoulder bag, and in the pocket bring a flashlight, tape measure, pad and pencil, a pair of work gloves, a small magnifying glass, a couple shop rags, and some antacid tablets (for those Italian sausage sandwiches with peppers and onions). Sounds like a lot, but it is just a handfull of handy stuff . … Gary