Go Treasure Hunting At Swap Meets
March 7th, 2010
Need a part for a 1960s GTO? Looking for something to complete the engine restoration job on an old Ford? Automotive swap meets might provide the treasure you’re after.
Swap meets and classic car restoration tend to go hand-in-hand. In fact, meets are often held in conjunction with localized, regional and national car shows. At these events, owners and dealers show up in droves to offer up their parts and wares to buyers and traders alike.
If you’ve never been to an automotive swap meet before, think giant flea market. Instead of generalized wares, however, these meets involve tons and tons of parts and accessories for classic and antique cars. Here you will find private owners who have extra parts after completing their own restoration jobs. You will also discover some dealers on hand at most shows.
In the spirit of the “swap” part of the meet, expect some owners to be looking strictly for trades on parts. Others, however, will accept cash. It doesn’t hurt to have some items for trade if you have come across extra parts during your own restoration job, too.
While you can never be guaranteed of finding the parts you are after at a swap meet, they do deliver some advantages. In many cases, these meets have unusual parts available at very good prices. In addition, even if a desired part is not found, these are great places to network. When you make friends and contacts at meets, these people might just keep their eyes open for what you need to finish your own job.
Swap meets are a different way to get the items you need for a restoration job. In many cases, they prove to be valuable experiences for classic car owners.
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