This years BIG 3 swap meet was the typical curve ball.
Every year is the same but different.
Last year I was thrashing on the chocolate & cheese roadster,
the year before this area was flooded and closed down,
the year before that there was a good steady rain all weekend.
Like I wrote a couple days ago,
this was the year of the conscious procrastinator.
I waited til the very end to get everything together,
and in a (not bad) way paid the price.
**************************************
#21 for possibly the last oldies month installment.
- four seasons - big girls don't cry
Yeah what a way to end the month but here it is!
**************************************
First off...
Remember when I told you that our RPU Chief had battery issues?
Well after starting it up a couple nights ago,
the poor thing also ran out of gas.
Basically Jakob and I would have been stuck about a block away,
which would have been way worse than the 15 minute jump-start frenzy.
We got off lucky!
This year the layout was really sparse.
The swap spaces were sold out,
but many sellers didn't feel like braving the 70 degree so-cal winter.
The buyers weren't as thick either.
Tough with craigslist and ebay taking over the market.
Not to say there weren't some good deals.
This is the place to go for the guys that aren't internet friendly.
Part of the fun is in the search and actually talking to someone.
Another cool aspect is seeing where these parts should end up,
as a car or truck.
To many of the sellers,
the Big 3 is more of a car show than a parts swap.
The rusty 40 has some patina competition with these two.
This was a cool 80's Sportsmobile Ford van.
Not sure the differences between the quadravan.
I'd love a diesel version.
The perfect armageddon vehicle.
Here's something my cousin-in-law Brandon was drooling over all weekend.
A sweet custom paint 1978 honda 110cc pull-start ATC.
If it had started he'd have brought it home.
These are so off my radar.
After a couple walk-by's,
I started seeing parts of these things all over the place.
Didn't realize they had such a cult status.
I'm really glad we brought the old dock cart.
This year we really scoured the swap meet,
doing a thorough walk a couple times each day.
Basically I'd sell something and go for a stroll,
picking up something else that had caught my eye.
I haven't done that much walking in a long time.
So let's see what else we scrounged up other than that bellhousing and multimeter.
A friend Victor was basically giving this skate stuff away.
I hadn't seen him in years so it was great to catch up.
That blank is really cool fiberglassed with the stringers.
This is where my scores took a bit of a wrong turn.
The guy I got the chromed bellhousing from had these saginaw transmissions.
He basically gave them away and I couldn't resist.
This was exactly what I didn't need - heavy and dirty.
The gear oil leaked all over the cart and the van.
Whatever I couldn't pass them up I love these OD transmissions.
The only thing I was really on the hunt for was that ford rim on the bottom.
A 15 inch 5x4.5 inch lug pattern.
Impossibly more difficult to find than they should be.
Years ago I scrapped these things.
One guy wanted $180 for a pair!
I found this one for cheap and never found the second.
The other wheels are 14 inch,
and really I should have passed on them even for the $10!
My best score was this Victor torch set.
I've got too many of the big 315 versions,
and have always wanted the smaller style,
mainly for brazing or gas welding.
Someday I'll get a jeweler's torch too.
Here is a good comparison of how little the j28 is next to the 315,
the two cutting torches on top.
The yellow capped one is the j27,
and the bottom is the medium duty 100 series.
For guys that weld/braze for hours these light torches must be a relief to use.
The bummer is the little torches also use a smaller hose fitting.
Another bummer is I don't do as much gas welding right now,
but these could change that!
Wow got a little distracted there!
For next year I'm gonna try to get my own space,
instead of taking over Brandon's!
I've got some ideas to go a little bigger,
so we'll see how that works out as the year goes by.
Always a good time..
TP
Every year is the same but different.
Last year I was thrashing on the chocolate & cheese roadster,
the year before this area was flooded and closed down,
the year before that there was a good steady rain all weekend.
 |
| cousin brandon slinging at the BIG 3 swap meet san diego |
Like I wrote a couple days ago,
this was the year of the conscious procrastinator.
I waited til the very end to get everything together,
and in a (not bad) way paid the price.
**************************************
#21 for possibly the last oldies month installment.
- four seasons - big girls don't cry
Yeah what a way to end the month but here it is!
**************************************
First off...
Remember when I told you that our RPU Chief had battery issues?
Well after starting it up a couple nights ago,
the poor thing also ran out of gas.
Basically Jakob and I would have been stuck about a block away,
which would have been way worse than the 15 minute jump-start frenzy.
We got off lucky!
 |
| krown rockers - big 3 - 2013 |
This year the layout was really sparse.
The swap spaces were sold out,
but many sellers didn't feel like braving the 70 degree so-cal winter.
The buyers weren't as thick either.
Tough with craigslist and ebay taking over the market.
 |
| big 3 swap meet 2013 - san diego |
Not to say there weren't some good deals.
This is the place to go for the guys that aren't internet friendly.
Part of the fun is in the search and actually talking to someone.
 |
| 1939 ford deluxe sedan |
Another cool aspect is seeing where these parts should end up,
as a car or truck.
To many of the sellers,
the Big 3 is more of a car show than a parts swap.
 |
| 1954 studebaker pickup truck |
The rusty 40 has some patina competition with these two.
 |
| 30's buick i think |
This was a cool 80's Sportsmobile Ford van.
Not sure the differences between the quadravan.
I'd love a diesel version.
The perfect armageddon vehicle.
 |
| ford sportsmobile 4x4 van |
Here's something my cousin-in-law Brandon was drooling over all weekend.
A sweet custom paint 1978 honda 110cc pull-start ATC.
If it had started he'd have brought it home.
 |
| 1978 honda 110 ATC |
These are so off my radar.
After a couple walk-by's,
I started seeing parts of these things all over the place.
Didn't realize they had such a cult status.
 |
| 1978 honda ATC 110 |
I'm really glad we brought the old dock cart.
This year we really scoured the swap meet,
doing a thorough walk a couple times each day.
Basically I'd sell something and go for a stroll,
picking up something else that had caught my eye.
I haven't done that much walking in a long time.
 |
| aluminum dock cart |
Our friend Mario had brought this beater Schwinn Stingray to sell.
We had made a handshake deal early on,
and man it was a lifesaver for the kid(s).
Instead of trudging behind me in sheer agony,
the bike made it much more fun.
They'd either pull one another on the skateboard,
or try to outsmart the security guards.
Now it's home.
Gotta work that thing off now on one of Mario's rides!
 |
| 70's schwinn stingray |
So let's see what else we scrounged up other than that bellhousing and multimeter.
 |
| skateboard parts score |
A friend Victor was basically giving this skate stuff away.
I hadn't seen him in years so it was great to catch up.
That blank is really cool fiberglassed with the stringers.
 |
| saginaw 3-speed overdrive transmissions |
This is where my scores took a bit of a wrong turn.
The guy I got the chromed bellhousing from had these saginaw transmissions.
He basically gave them away and I couldn't resist.
This was exactly what I didn't need - heavy and dirty.
The gear oil leaked all over the cart and the van.
Whatever I couldn't pass them up I love these OD transmissions.
 |
| ford wheels |
The only thing I was really on the hunt for was that ford rim on the bottom.
A 15 inch 5x4.5 inch lug pattern.
Impossibly more difficult to find than they should be.
Years ago I scrapped these things.
One guy wanted $180 for a pair!
I found this one for cheap and never found the second.
The other wheels are 14 inch,
and really I should have passed on them even for the $10!
 |
| victor j-28 + j-27 + 550-j torch set |
My best score was this Victor torch set.
I've got too many of the big 315 versions,
and have always wanted the smaller style,
mainly for brazing or gas welding.
Someday I'll get a jeweler's torch too.
 |
| VICTOR 315 vs j28 vs j27 vs 100 torch |
Here is a good comparison of how little the j28 is next to the 315,
the two cutting torches on top.
The yellow capped one is the j27,
and the bottom is the medium duty 100 series.
For guys that weld/braze for hours these light torches must be a relief to use.
The bummer is the little torches also use a smaller hose fitting.
Another bummer is I don't do as much gas welding right now,
but these could change that!
 |
| big 3 swap meet |
Wow got a little distracted there!
For next year I'm gonna try to get my own space,
instead of taking over Brandon's!
I've got some ideas to go a little bigger,
so we'll see how that works out as the year goes by.
Always a good time..
TP
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