MTFCA Forum

I’ve been to Chickasha several times and always on Friday and Saturday and the official fliers say that those are the days of the swap meet. But I see a lot of references to people saying they’re going to be there Thursday morning.

What’s up with that?

Friday and Saturday are the official days of the swap meet. Thursday is "set up" day. We usually arrive about daylight on Thursday and get in line. Other folks arrive all thru the morning till afternoon. At 4:00 on Thursday the vendors are allowed into the swap meet grounds for set-up. But a lot of buying and selling happens before the 4:00 gate opening. After 4:00 and the rest of the day Thursday is a bad time to try and buy anything. The vendors just do not have time to mess with folks wanting to buy. Some people will take the time to sell something you see, but it is also a good time to have someone in a tired, worn out, mood to "bite your head off". Now before 4:00 Thursday is another thing. Most folks will sell and some even set up tables, ect in the parking lot. That is when the very good deals can be found .... but you still can not see it all in the parking lot. Most of the stuff does not get set out or can not be easily seen. My favorite days are parking lot Thursday and all day Friday. We always stay till afternoon Saturday to pick up the leftovers. A few years ago I would not have mentioned this...... trade secrets ... but now, Im just a old man having fun ......... Hope to see you there .. we are in spaces SL 11- 12 and 13 in the south building... But I am very hard to catch at the spaces. Too many boxes to dig to the bottom of ...

Thanks Donnie. Maybe next year, I'll take an additional day off work to do the Thursday thing.

I got a good deal on something during line-up, but it was more than three days ago, so I don't remember what it was.

I gathered all my Chickasha items today....how in the sam hill did I end up with a pickup truck load of spares in just two years of messing with Model T's?

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 10, 2019 10:54 am

I got a good deal on something during line-up, but it was more than three days ago, so I don't remember what it was.

Two ways to look at that....one way is to look on the bright side and be surprised and happy when you find something in your shop that you completely forgot about buying.

If you want to truly experience Chickasha, you had better be there for the lineup. Be there with cash, and keep it discrete. That is where the deals are made, the rest are made on heavy stuff when the meet is winding down.

I think I'm going to try to leave here early enough on Thursday to get there around 3pm. Maybe I'll be able to get in on some of the action.

I have always sold more before noon on Thursday than the rest of the weekend combined.

Unfortunately, I won't be coming this year.

Derek Kiefer wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 13, 2019 12:37 pm

I have always sold more before noon on Thursday than the rest of the weekend combined.

That begs the question...are you "early buyers" then turning around and re-selling most of your purchases on Friday and Saturday?

If you're not and just making the Thursday thing your swap meet, then leaving...then you're partly responsible for killing the swap meet. The swap meet organizers aren't making any money off of you and the attendees who come on the advertised days, aren't seeing the good stuff that you've removed from the available stock.

If you're simply snagging a good deal, then turning a buck on it, I have no problem with that...it's capitalism at work in a free country.

If you're not and just making the Thursday thing your swap meet, then leaving...then you're partly responsible for killing the swap meet. The swap meet organizers aren't making any money off of you and the attendees who come on the advertised days, aren't seeing the good stuff that you've removed from the available stock.

BINGO

Many hobby flea markets have taken a turn for the worst due to early sales depleting the number of quality items on the advertised sale days; sales which by definition are unethical. I've seen it with clocks/watches, and auto parts. My experience has been that quite often, the perpetrators would crow about their sales/purchases implying that folks that didn't work out of their trunks were chumps. I recall as the quality of the clock/watch shows declined, these "Hot Shots" complained the loudest.

Any ‘early buyers’ aren’t hurting the swap organizers as buyers don’t pay admission to the fairgrounds or area of the meet.

Selling vendors pay for spaces and must have stickers on vehicle to enter the marquee gate off the highway. Vendors support the meet.

What is offending is any so-called ‘seller’ who lines up outside and sells stuff then sneaks away when paying vendors start moving into the main gate to go to their assigned space!

Good point Dan

The early birds (sellers who don’t buy spots) are practically a disease at another (unrelated) Swap Meet I go to. It’s so bad that the organizer is working with the sheriff’s department to find a way to keep them off the side of the road on the day before the meet starts

I'm here now, and waiting to go to Jakes with Randall Anderson! I enjoy the line up before the meet, and have hardly ever bought anything that day.
I just hope it doesn't rain!

Looks like you're safe, Larry.

It will get down to freezing at night, but mostly clear skies all the way.

Every Swap Meet is different.

I go to Bakersfield Swap ( or try to ) every year because it is my ritual start of the new year & because I spent my childhood summers on the beaches of Southern California
in the 60’s,

When the Vendor Line forms - folks have an opportunity to catch up with friends they haven’t seen in awhile - they also get a preview of the sale to boot.

I love just watching the folks interact - I observe and report - random acts of kindness abound.

It serves to renew my faith in the Hobby and in
My Fellow Man.

If you see me wandering around - I usually have a Big Sh!t Grin on my face ....

What works for Vendors might not follow the letter of the law - but it is Tradition so respect that and if you
don’t want to participate - opt out .....


FJ

Gentlswapmeetemen:
looks like I won't make it out of my drive this year … deep drifts and many road closings in my area … probably should have left here on Tuesday when we had 60 deg. F. temps. … see you all next year ...also will try to make the Mcpherson swapmeet that Chris Paulson has posted … and the Denver Model T swapmeet … always an optimist ...Gene French

We are here from NZ. It is bl—day cold. Car park presales in the outside car park has been shifted to inside the grounds. We have been buying

I confirmed with Susie that next years event (2020) will be the last year of the Antique Auto Swap meet at Chickasha.

Let us go out with a roar. Come one and come all. Bring good stuff and that nice item hanging on the wall or in a glass closed unit. We all have something that would be best on someone's old car. I am glad that I made it this year. I am from Minnesota. I spoke to about ten friends from back home and a bunch of people from .other states. If I do not come next year, I would miss out on all the fun.

I heard as well that next year is it.

I’ll be there. Let’s make the final year one to remember

This year, I’m here with my dad in SG5 and 6 in the south barn. We sold a lot today but still have enough to fill our two spots.

I aim to come next year. There's stuff I forgot to bring this time.

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 15, 2019 10:11 pm

I aim to come next year. There's stuff I forgot to bring this time.

I'll be back next year too.

It was nice chatting with you Steve.

If someone has already posted photos of the spectacular Packard, please forgive me. I've looked and can't find them.

Seems like there's always at least one amazing car at Chickasha. This year it was a Dietrich bodied 1926 Packard that was placed in storage in 1942 with 21k miles on the odometer and thoroughly original paint. As an original paint junkie of sorts, this to me is about as good as it gets. If I'd had $85K in disposable income, it would've come home with me.

Great Packard, just the way you like to see them. Wonder if it sold? Sure looks kinda lonely there nearly by itself in the building. Was this after vendors had packed up to go home? Final reports/thoughts with pics of your treasures welcomed.
Terry

thats about all there was on that side. charley

I think it's after a lot of folks have left. I don't see some who were there. Here are a couple of other shots of the Packard.


I didn't buy much this time. My total treasures : two Holley G carb bodies for $15; a Holley G bowl for $5; two dozen mag headlight bulbs for $20.

Terry Bond, I agree it's a very nice Packard and the way you like to find them.
I should mention this to our Packard friend, Al Becker... he might like it.

Keith

Terry_007 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:02 pm

Great Packard, just the way you like to see them. Wonder if it sold? Sure looks kinda lonely there nearly by itself in the building. Was this after vendors had packed up to go home? Final reports/thoughts with pics of your treasures welcomed.
Terry

This was Thursday....right after they let everyone in.