Just wondering what every body thought about the 2008 Hershey.Did anyone find the hard to find part they were looking for?Did anyone get run over by a golf cart or bike?I did meet a lot of very good people,But way to many spaces empty or selling 3 items on the honer system,that no one would take for free,just so they could have parking.All in all,Hershey is awesome,great place to meet old car buffs,but something has to be done about the none vendors looking for a good place to park.The car show gets better and better,keep up the great work .I would like to here some replies to your time at Hershey,good or bad.Any day at Hershey is still better than work.

Great weather for sure!! Always a good time!

I had a great time at Hershey this year. I saw a lot of friends and had some great conversations with others I just met in the flea market. The weather was great! It's the best car show in the world!

Hershey was an absolute BLAST. The weather couldn't have been better and the cars on display on Saturday were excellent as usual!

I'm already looking forward to '09!

My 2 vending neighbors for the second year were no shows. 4 spaces of parking only. One drove in... donned their sun hats and shot straight for the neighboring car corral for a day of fun in the sun.

I as a parts vendor... with setup and selling and cooking didn't make it to see ( and enjoy ) the car corral till about midnight that same day. Great weather even at midnight wow.

So why not just turn the old White Field into premium "$70 dollar all week" parking spaces.... one must consider sporting a white field sticker would be a badge of distinction.

Personally, and this is just my opinion I'd call up 3 or 4 local tow companies and turn them loose. Then use the old White Field as a impound lot and charge $300 to get your car back. Donate 1/3 to a local charity. I'll volunteer to video "the parade of rollbacks" and youtube it.

Ok... time to go unpack the truck and do 3 days worth of dirty dishes...

We were looking for the almost impossible when we left, a 1926-1927 Hupmobile horn button. No we did not find it.
We thought the Chocolate field was the ""worst"" for the "no shows" one place had one half row of nothing on both sides except for new cars. Not one vender was there.
Bike guys were a lot worst then the golf carts this year. Every row we were in had at least one biker who would lay their bike down and walk away, one almost got ran over by a golf cart guy that did not see it and he was trying to get out of a cars way. I saw one old man trip over one.
Weather was perfect and the new friends you meet always make up for the bad stuff. ( I have to say I do miss the mud a little it just doesn't seam the same:):):):)
I have it on our calendar for next year already!
Deby

I think the row you speak of with just new cars is a worker parking area.

Great show, great weather, and some wonderful cars in the show on Saturday. I, too, wish that the flea market was more of a seller's area, and not a parking lot. As mentioned, why not sell stickers for one certain area that are "parking only." Would also like it if it were somewhat compartmentalized. Why not have one large section and consolidate all the Ford stuff? And one section for all the new tools and accessories?

I realize the logistics are tough, but there are just too many spaces that have no parts for sale, and the walking is getting tougher and tougher (hmm.. getting old I guess).

That said, the Hershey region does a great job of putting on the entire event. Am glad to see that the Museum did well, too, on fund raisers.

David Coco Winchester Va.

Ted, it makes plenty of sense to the hard working volunteers who spend a year putting on this show. They arrive before daybreak, work long hours on our behalf and deserve a prime parking space so they can carry out their duties. The region headquarter's tent is located in front of the parking area and they need to check in there for many of their assignments!

Had a GREAT TIME!!!!!!!!!!!! Sold as much as I bought, load in and out looked the same. Lots of great cars, Brass Cars on one end Race Cars on the far end. Great to finally see the David Coco Stoddard Dayton!!!! There is something special to me seeing a life long project displayed in the up and running stage before the job is finished. Got some killer deals in the flea market on Tuesday and early Wednesday.

Parking Part Two....

Crowds and Weather were great... but it's now Monday night and I'm still a bit tired from all the walking I did. Yes I walked every row and only missed one section of the red area due to the clock ran out.

If we could condense all the serious vendors into 3 fields instead of 4 fields then one could walk this flea market in 3 days easily. Our competition is the internet where you push one button and your part shows up on your door step by Friday.

David in Winchester;
Compartmentalized MAYBE... MAYBE NOT

Each year I never know what I'll be selling in my Green Field spots... last year it was a trailer load of NORS collection of 1950's Mufflers in original Wizard Brand boxes selling for $20 to $40 each all depending how close to Saturday it came. Next year I might hook up with my pal who has the parts inventory of a 1930's Chevy dealership tucked away. Or maybe I'll buy that entire inventory from a midwest 50's engine machine shop I've ponderd over. So for me you would have to put me in a compartmentalized section called "Unknown Trailer Load of Treasures Await You Bring Cash".

I do know that if we could make our swap meet "walkable" in just two days we'd again be some what competitive with the speed and efficiency of those pesky internets. This is all Al Gore's fault.

The weather last week was the best I have seen in 25 trips over the last 28 years. I am a vendor and we had a pretty good week, however, we were wheeling and dealing and selling at deep discounts. Our goal is to pay the flea market and trip expenses and we got close. Wednesday was good in the flea market. Thursday and Friday we not as good. It seemed like folks were just walking around enjoying the weather on Friday. There were a lot more no-show vendors this year. Probably due to economic uncertainties.

My biggest complaint was the Wireless Internet. For the price that was charged the signal on the Red Field should be a lot better. On Friday night I couldn't even download email. It would also be nice if the tool, toy, and non car parts vendors had never been allowed to get a toe hold. There are way too many non-car related flea markets and that means a lot of extra walking.

Alan

Parking Part Three....

Just got back from recently vending in Spring Field Missouri.... where for the first time in 41 years they filled all 5 parking lots with attendies. My impression is that no matter what happens car buffs will always flock / turn out to visit the swap meets and check out the cars and trucks.

On the other hand what do we do about all the hobbiest who say our hobby is dyeing and the younger generation is not all that interested in our vintage vehicles. To that statement I have but one thing to say.... VEND ALL THE WAY THRU SATURDAY... THAT'S WHEN THE KIDS HAVE OFF SCHOOL.

Was at Chickasha Oklahoma and by golly by Thrusday night the place was deserted. Most of the vendors made their loot and packed up and left Dodge. Maybe it's because I'm a full time substitute teacher and I notice things like.... there were no kids at the swap meet Tuesday-Friday. But... on Saturday I saw a dozen or so kids with their families walking around looking at the 20 percent or so of the vendors who were still around.

A pal of mine visited me at Hershey and came up on the only day he had available.... Saturday. This pal has over 150 vintage cars garaged ( no they don't all run ) and he brought along his grandson. He needed to visit Mac's and David Carpenter... rumor I heard was Carpenter packed up and left town Friday night.

Are you tired of vendors leaving the show early after their wallets are fat ??? Then maybe split the flea market into 2 very distinct areas.... the A-Team makes their money and leaves by Friday. The B-Team makes their money early also and then sticks around all the way thru Saturday just because we like to meet and greet all these nice attendies. Could we raise the price for those folks who like to leave early, and give us loyal flea market folks who stick around a price decrease ???

Please don't think I'm a complaining here... I make most of my money in this hobby selling via the internet. I just wish I didn't have to walk so far at the big swap meets just to see less and less each year.

Rant mode now off: This 2008 Hershey show was my best ever... great weather and great crowds. Made homemade icecream Thrusday night and let me tell you I made a lot of new friends that night. Brought my 18 year old nephew with me to help put some cash in his pocket ( hard to find a job these days ) and we both had a heck of good time getting to really know each other. He's got a all original 64 1/2 Mustang manual tranny tucked away in a barn just waiting for the funds to start the restoration. He enjoyed taunting everyone that he had a rare classic back home even if it was filled with cob webs. 2008 Hershey ROCKED...!

Thoroughly enjoyed our 1st Hershey! Boy, the feet are still sore though. I totally agree with some sort of consolidation of vendors, such as parts, misc, fleas, etc. Lots of wasted walking. Saw many areas with nothing but junk laying around (not good for sale junk either!). Lots of open spaces, don't know if folks packed up and left early or what. Otherwise a fine show. Need to tack on an extra day next year to take it all in!! Kudos to all the Hershey volunteers that helped make it a success. Only downfall was the lack of assistance trying to locate the Registration tent to pick up needed materials and it was going on 4pm. Asked 5 people, no clear direction to the area. Never walked so fast in my life!! Now we'll know where to go!! Making plans for "09!

To the defense to a lot of those vendors, many of them are judging cars on Saturday and can't be in two places at once.

If a swap meet space is FULL of stuff for cars you wouldn't be cought dead in is it full or empty? Tuesday and Wednesday were the best buying days. The place is a ghost town after 8:00 with only a few Brass Era cars driving over to the Ice Cream stand. As a vendor I see no reason to stay open after people stop spending money.

To respond to Wowabunga - yes, those groups of guys bringing oddball junk are great (I cleaned out my storage building and brought a strange assemblage of stuff myself - and I will say that I had to sell cheap to move anything at all - what were reasonable asking prices to me were ignored by buyers- but I'm glad to have moved some stuff). But there are also those people who are dealers in specific makes, particularly Ford, the catalog people etc. who could all be placed in one area. This is of course selfish, I don't normally look for Ford parts (just an example), and some large percentage of vendors that is all they sell.

Same for the foreign tool vendors, with all their modern stuff.

The debate goes on. Happy motoring to all. David Coco Winchester Va.

Hershey was great!
Didn't sell the 38 Chrysler Imperial, but did sell a bunch of low dollar stuff that I thought I would have to throw out.

I personaly love the tool venders at Hershey.
If the tool vendors are eliminated I will probably not go to Hershey.

I have bought tools at Hershey that I had looked for in every part, hardware and tool shop in the Binghamton area.

I'm a tool junkie. There's nothing like being able to look at the tool before buying. Would rather by face to face at Hershey than be forced to buy on the internet!

Hi- just to be clear, I was not saying eliminate anyone. Just put them all in one place, if they are all selling similar things. And, this does not apply to the guys selling barn find misc. stuff, just the guys that have the tents of brand new tools, straps, etc. And why not have one section of a field that is all the "mail order" guys, like the numerous Ford "new part" dealers.

Oh well, guess part of the fun is seeing what booth is around the corner. I think it is the old age talking, the walking (even on smooth asphalt vs. up and down dirt hills) is getting harder.

David Coco Winchester Va.

Sounds like a good idea if they could do that. It would make comparison shopping a lot easier. Any maybe foster some price wars.



I just wish, as I am reading here from others, that we could get back to the good old days of being able to find parts for our cars. It is hard to believe that with three different makes and years we only found literature for our lastest car, the Mercedes Benz. No parts for it at all. Nothing for the 1939 Dodge or the 1963 1/2 Falcon Sprint. And it has been that way for several years. I did manage to whine just enough to get Bill to agree to one more year. If we don't go then our friend Rodger Woodrum couldn't go either since he stays with us in our RV. He also judges like we do.



I will be fifty-eight on April 30th next year. I have tendon issues in both feet so walking on fairly level asphalt is actually easier on me than walking on hilly dirt. I wore a pair of the new Croc sandals that just came out, with two pairs of socks. My feet, knees and hip joints were in much better shape this year than ever before. In years past I had to take pain pills to sleep. This year I took three Nuprin on Wednesday night, the most walking in one day this year, and that was all I needed. The rest of the week I was fine.

Hi Susan - agree that the older parts are getting harder to come by, and some of the same parts I swear I have seen at the last 10 Hershey's. Maybe I'll start putting an X on them just to see if they show up again! I'm 57, and Wednesday was the roughest day for me walking too. It did seem to get better the next couple of days. Plus, I noticed all pain went away when brass was spotted...interesting. David Coco Winchester Va.

Hi David, Nice to "meet" someone the same age.

And you are right, certain metals sure seem to make the pain go away.

It's funny you mention tools Steve. In years past there used to be a guy who was always selling sandpaper by the stacks at great prices, and we didn't see him.

Hi- 1937hd45 attributes the Stoddard Dayton to me, wish it were so, but it belongs to Greg Cone. I believe I posted a link to a Youtube of it running once, maybe that is the confusion! thanks David Coco Winchester Va.

I believe I saw your sandpaper guy. He was in the orange or green field (I did both fields on friday).