BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
For those that actually attended the 2023 Chickasha swap meet, what were your thoughts??
Chickasha 2023 thoughts??
- Thread starter BRENT in 10-uh-C
- Start date
Ron Blissit
Member
Not much turn out of vendors or buyers. This was once a great swap meet for early cars.Not like Hershey where you walk for miles to look at chrome junk
AzBob
Senior Member
All right, sure it's a little smaller this year. Still some great finds and bargains to be had. Enjoy chatting and meeting up with folks.
I saw several Pre-War cars that I would not see anywhere else! Where else are you going to see a '34 DeSoto Airflow 2 door, a 1924 Willys-Knight with the sleeve valve engine or a 1914 Studebaker Touring barn find?
I picked up a set of five 19" Model A wheels complete with white wall tires and nice hubcaps all in decent condition for $400. These were not your typical rusted beat up bent spoke wheels one usually finds.
I will continue to go until it is no more. In addition, it was a 2,000 mile round trip for me. I actually enjoy the drive. Sort of like a yearly pilgrimage.
I saw several Pre-War cars that I would not see anywhere else! Where else are you going to see a '34 DeSoto Airflow 2 door, a 1924 Willys-Knight with the sleeve valve engine or a 1914 Studebaker Touring barn find?
I picked up a set of five 19" Model A wheels complete with white wall tires and nice hubcaps all in decent condition for $400. These were not your typical rusted beat up bent spoke wheels one usually finds.
I will continue to go until it is no more. In addition, it was a 2,000 mile round trip for me. I actually enjoy the drive. Sort of like a yearly pilgrimage.
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I agree with Bob ^^, I go every year. 1600 mile round trip. It was down a bit this year, but weather was bad and I think to blame. Also lots of upset folks mad about the new system of keeping the spectators out of the line up pre show. Are they trying to stop sales in the parking lot?
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
Let me start by saying it was a fantastic swap meet for me, ...however, -the purchases I made that made it a great meet for me were not related to Model-A.
With the above said, many of the people I spoke with (-both vendors and buyers) said they will not be back in 2024. To me, it seemed the North Building's spaces were over 50% unoccupied. The South Building's spaces were close to about 50% occupied, ...and the exterior spaces were likely near 25% occupied (-or 75% vacant!!). I guess I would agree that maybe the weather did have something to do with it, but for the vendors who had spaces inside one of the buildings, I would have thought that wouldn't have mattered.
Interesting thought about trying to stop the presales. Ironically, everyone that was inline also had a space, so not sure what the Ersland's motive is on trying to stop the sales. Sales on Thursday when we arrived were very, very good for us, and we became overwhelmed so we pulled a tarp over things to catch our breath. Things took off again for an hour or so after we were set-up on the space around 3:30 to 4:00 and then sales fizzled. On Friday, from about 8:00 - 9:30AM things were selling well ...and then it just 'died'. Not just for us, but for almost everyone! Around 2:30 that afternoon we decided to start packing things on the trailer to leave, and by 4:00 people around us were pulling out heading home. So in a nutshell, over ½ of the attendees decided not to come, and for the ones that did, halfway thru the event it seemed like over half of them left to go home a day early.
Bob, like you it was about 2,000 miles for us too. My takeaway judging by this year is there was/is some good stuff there, but not enough to fill the needs and to make the trip worthwhile financially. Maybe that is because the east coast has some better options for Model-A swap meets.??.
Bob, you also said above "where else are you going to find those cars?". Last year at Luray, there was 3X that many cars like you are describing there. To be honest, when you look at the brass-era cars that were at Chicksha this year, Mark Freimiller (from Florida) brought that early Cadillac and that Woods, and then the Studebaker you mentioned made-up all of the early cars that were there. What about Model-As?? The Convertible Sedan was not for sale, and I don't recall seeing a single restored or unrestored Model-A there for sale. There were a few 20's-era Model-Ts for sale, but not many cars for sale beside what has been mentioned above. It was never like that in years past from what I remember. There was only one new parts vendor there and that one was selling Model-T parts.
One thing that I did find frustrating is the apparent lack of Model-A hobbyists looking for quality merchandise. I had a restored set of 1930 hubcaps for sale and most who looked at them said they could buy new ones for $10 a piece. I had a NOS 30/31 soybean steering wheel and I cannot tell you how many argued that it was an old reproduction. The same thing with a late '31 distributor body with the Ford script and the USA. Even after I showed one guy and his buddies where it described that in the JS book, he still argued that I didn't know what I was talking about and what I had was an old reproduction. I also had a 1930 shell that Doug Bruce had restored that was show quality on the table for $1400. Guys would look at it and ask what planet was I from because they could buy a new repro for $300 from all of the vendors. Blake & I explained that Snyder's price is $800 now and they don't fit, ...but they still said I was crazy. Guys like that quickly took the fun out of being there as a vendor. I did see some Fordbarn guys that we chatted some and that made those moments very enjoyable however I think the mindset of some Model-A attendees have made this swap meet become a junk fest. Ironically some of the Model-T guys I spoke with said the same thing. And, it appears the older HCCA guys just do not have the energy to participate any longer which does not look good for the future of this meet. Kinda sad.
With the above said, many of the people I spoke with (-both vendors and buyers) said they will not be back in 2024. To me, it seemed the North Building's spaces were over 50% unoccupied. The South Building's spaces were close to about 50% occupied, ...and the exterior spaces were likely near 25% occupied (-or 75% vacant!!). I guess I would agree that maybe the weather did have something to do with it, but for the vendors who had spaces inside one of the buildings, I would have thought that wouldn't have mattered.
Interesting thought about trying to stop the presales. Ironically, everyone that was inline also had a space, so not sure what the Ersland's motive is on trying to stop the sales. Sales on Thursday when we arrived were very, very good for us, and we became overwhelmed so we pulled a tarp over things to catch our breath. Things took off again for an hour or so after we were set-up on the space around 3:30 to 4:00 and then sales fizzled. On Friday, from about 8:00 - 9:30AM things were selling well ...and then it just 'died'. Not just for us, but for almost everyone! Around 2:30 that afternoon we decided to start packing things on the trailer to leave, and by 4:00 people around us were pulling out heading home. So in a nutshell, over ½ of the attendees decided not to come, and for the ones that did, halfway thru the event it seemed like over half of them left to go home a day early.
Bob, like you it was about 2,000 miles for us too. My takeaway judging by this year is there was/is some good stuff there, but not enough to fill the needs and to make the trip worthwhile financially. Maybe that is because the east coast has some better options for Model-A swap meets.??.
Bob, you also said above "where else are you going to find those cars?". Last year at Luray, there was 3X that many cars like you are describing there. To be honest, when you look at the brass-era cars that were at Chicksha this year, Mark Freimiller (from Florida) brought that early Cadillac and that Woods, and then the Studebaker you mentioned made-up all of the early cars that were there. What about Model-As?? The Convertible Sedan was not for sale, and I don't recall seeing a single restored or unrestored Model-A there for sale. There were a few 20's-era Model-Ts for sale, but not many cars for sale beside what has been mentioned above. It was never like that in years past from what I remember. There was only one new parts vendor there and that one was selling Model-T parts.
One thing that I did find frustrating is the apparent lack of Model-A hobbyists looking for quality merchandise. I had a restored set of 1930 hubcaps for sale and most who looked at them said they could buy new ones for $10 a piece. I had a NOS 30/31 soybean steering wheel and I cannot tell you how many argued that it was an old reproduction. The same thing with a late '31 distributor body with the Ford script and the USA. Even after I showed one guy and his buddies where it described that in the JS book, he still argued that I didn't know what I was talking about and what I had was an old reproduction. I also had a 1930 shell that Doug Bruce had restored that was show quality on the table for $1400. Guys would look at it and ask what planet was I from because they could buy a new repro for $300 from all of the vendors. Blake & I explained that Snyder's price is $800 now and they don't fit, ...but they still said I was crazy. Guys like that quickly took the fun out of being there as a vendor. I did see some Fordbarn guys that we chatted some and that made those moments very enjoyable however I think the mindset of some Model-A attendees have made this swap meet become a junk fest. Ironically some of the Model-T guys I spoke with said the same thing. And, it appears the older HCCA guys just do not have the energy to participate any longer which does not look good for the future of this meet. Kinda sad.
Marshall V. Daut
Well-known member
What was the point of someone trailering an A-400 all the way to the meet if it was not for sale?
Marshall
Marshall
trulyvintage
Well-known member
Lang’s was there.
I talked with Dean Yoder early Thursday afternoon
as he waited for the gates to open.
He had already bought some rods
and transmissions.
If you are just going to auto swap meets
to buy & sell stay home - do your business
on the internet.
Bakersfield Swap Meet died because HCCA
local members got tired of doing the work
and decided to shut it down.
For many years - I have covered swap
meets live - posting on Facebook & YouTube
and public forums.
I wasn’t able to attend Chickasha this year
because I was in the Seattle area dropping
off a car for The Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum.
But - others did - and they posted about it:
@ https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=35415
Wanna see The Hobby Die ?
Don’t go to swap meets.
B*tch & Mo@n on Interweb Forums.
Jim
I talked with Dean Yoder early Thursday afternoon
as he waited for the gates to open.
He had already bought some rods
and transmissions.
If you are just going to auto swap meets
to buy & sell stay home - do your business
on the internet.
Bakersfield Swap Meet died because HCCA
local members got tired of doing the work
and decided to shut it down.
For many years - I have covered swap
meets live - posting on Facebook & YouTube
and public forums.
I wasn’t able to attend Chickasha this year
because I was in the Seattle area dropping
off a car for The Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum.
But - others did - and they posted about it:
@ https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=35415
Wanna see The Hobby Die ?
Don’t go to swap meets.
B*tch & Mo@n on Interweb Forums.
Jim
For many years Chickasha has been the best pre-war swap meet for those of us who live in the DFW area since it is only a 3.5 hour drive from Dallas. Now that it's on the decline, what other good pre-war type swap meets can we set our sights on in the future other than Hershey?
trulyvintage
Well-known member
The Chickasha Swap Meet is a barometer of
what is happening to the way folks buy and sell
in the hobby.
Changing the location doesn’t change the trend.
I will repeat what I just posted …
Don’t go to swap meets if you are just
planning to buy and sell.
If you don’t get it by now, then you never will.
Folks have to find value in getting together
and doing business in person for swap meets
to continue to exist.
It is an investment in the present that ensures
the future of the hobby.
Jim
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
Likely because it is a good central meeting point. About 15 years ago I had a 1931 DeLuxe Delivery brought from Albuquerque, NM to the swap meet where I picked it up to save myself 1,000 miles of extra driving.
I agree, -and that's a great question. I'm kinda in the same situation trying to determine where to go. Ironically about 25 years ago +/-, a person living in the DFW, Houston, San Antonio area could travel in under a 250 mile radius between these towns, and attend swap meets about 30 weeks out of the year. Decatur, Pate, Spring, Conroe, Chickasha, et/al had good swap meets for finding Model-A parts. Not sure if these are even happening any longer.
As for now, if good-quality Model-A parts is what you are after, then I think the Model-A swap meet at Gilmore, -or the swap meets at the national events are probably the best value. I have found Luray to be a decent Model-A meet. There is one in S Carolina the same weekend as Charlotte that I am going to try. If you are mostly looking for brass-era stuff, then likely Tulare for the west coast, Luray for the east coast, and Gilmore's Brass Celebration or Mark Cameron's swap meet in MN for the midwest.
Jim, I'm not sure of your logic about not attending a swap meet if my intention is to buy or sell
(-as I thought THE reason for a swap meet was to buy and sell!!) but now I guess buying & selling is not what is supposed to happen there. Thank you for letting us/me know that. As far as the hobby dying, I doubt a swap meet has any bearing on whether our hobby will continue or die, ...but then again, what do I know?? 
trulyvintage,
Please don't misunderstand my question, I think we're on the same page. I enjoy the camaraderie of a swap meet and I look forward to seeing friends and acquaintances that share the same interests as I do as well as meeting new people in the hobby - I'm sure you do too. It's the people that make our hobby what it is and it always has been that way. I also prefer to buy and sell face-to-face; I want to see what I'm buying in person. Swap meets are good for our hobby and I want them to survive and thrive. I plan to attend as many as physically possible, and spend money while I'm there!
Please don't misunderstand my question, I think we're on the same page. I enjoy the camaraderie of a swap meet and I look forward to seeing friends and acquaintances that share the same interests as I do as well as meeting new people in the hobby - I'm sure you do too. It's the people that make our hobby what it is and it always has been that way. I also prefer to buy and sell face-to-face; I want to see what I'm buying in person. Swap meets are good for our hobby and I want them to survive and thrive. I plan to attend as many as physically possible, and spend money while I'm there!
trulyvintage
Well-known member
Before the Interweb - the traditional swap meet
was the logical choice for a social setting
for folks to meet to do business.
Successful ongoing business relationships are
based on personal interaction.
The swap meet provides the environment
conducive for new relationships to be made
and to strengthen and grow.
It comes down to what a person values
every day when they start their day ….
Some folks seek to help out others
and in the process earn a Living.
Some folks seek to profit from others
and view them as an economic asset
to their own personal financial gain.
Jim
Attachments
trulyvintage
Well-known member
2021 Chickasha Swap Meet Interviews
@ https://youtu.be/5z7qQLpFeKQ
@ https://youtu.be/c6bJs3Fd_-s
Jim
@ https://youtu.be/5z7qQLpFeKQ
@ https://youtu.be/c6bJs3Fd_-s
Jim
I had been a model A parts for over 20 years the weather has always been an issue. After last year there was very few vendors and almost no buyers and bad weather on Friday. for me it was a business decision not to come. twenty five years ago you could not walk it in a day I really miss that swap meet
On a positive note, a good friend who is a Pate Director told me that this year, Pate is hoping to sell close to 10,000 vendor spaces. Pate is certainly not in the same league with Chickasha as far as having a robust amount of pre-war parts, but there is still good stuff out there - like anything else, it's hit & miss. If you don't mind wading through row after row of small block Chevy stuff, pots & pans, and lawn mowers, it's not a bad swap meet. I'll be there myself with a mix of Model T, A, & Early V8 goodies.
Oldbluoval
Well-known member
I sorta understand some of the above logic. Sorta….
Swap meets used to be to get rid of excess parts and things unneeded. Or leftover.
Then they became true “swap meets”….I swap my parts for your dollars! Or vice versa..
I make a line of specialty parts and I charge well for them. My interest began, and is, because I have and like the body styles and no one else was making the parts. I truly make them to promote those body styles….but no intention of losing money just to help others
with a restoration.
There are NO Mother Theresa’s in this hobby!! IMHO
Swap meets used to be to get rid of excess parts and things unneeded. Or leftover.
Then they became true “swap meets”….I swap my parts for your dollars! Or vice versa..
I make a line of specialty parts and I charge well for them. My interest began, and is, because I have and like the body styles and no one else was making the parts. I truly make them to promote those body styles….but no intention of losing money just to help others
with a restoration.
There are NO Mother Theresa’s in this hobby!! IMHO
trulyvintage
Well-known member
The success of any aftermarket part
or service depends - in part - upon
real world personal interaction both
with potential and current customers.
No one should be expecting Mother Theresa
at a swap meet - just like no one should
expect a good or service to be provided
at or below cost.
Because I observe and report what I see
when I attend swap meets - my attention
is focused on human interaction.
@ https://youtu.be/4mpG01uNthE
Jim
KR500
Senior Member
Brent, I had hoped for many years to be able to attend Chickasha, just never made it. I had gone for many years in the 70s, 80s, and 90s to Hershey and have been an attendee to Iola, Wisconsin since 1975. I've seen many things that have in one way or another affected the appearance of good parts at the swap meets. If you are a true hunter and realize any particular part may appear at any on swap meet you'll join the hunt. The people, you will always meet fun and interesting people and make lasting friendships. When I can no longer go to swap meets I will be disappointed. Illinois has been a great hunting ground for me.