Toowoomba Swap Meet

[hodgo]

Just got back from the Toowoomba swap meet, arrived at 10 am a tad too late I feel as a lot of the sellers started packing up about 1 pm, worth the trip and I am happy with my day as I picked up both rubber boots for the main gear box and transfer case levers new, $20 for both and the only two left and 2 new Lucas parking lights the correct ones for my ser 2 and the amber indicators complete units at a price I could not pass up, and the window channeling for two doors .
The only other L/R stuff I saw was a rear door off a 10 seater and a bit of ser 1

Hodgo

[Mick-Kelly]

Colour me jealous its always worth the trip up there. A lot of bargains to be found. How are they doing for water.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Still level 5.

Went at 7.30 this morning,,
saw the mile long car queue to get in the gate and turned around:o

[incisor]

personally i think it is crap compared to what it used to be....

but i didnt get there first hand this year...

[hodgo]

personally i think it is crap compared to what it used to be....

but i didnt get there first hand this year...

__________________________________________________ ____________

From a Landrover interest I tend to agree Dave, But as it was my fist time I cant compare

[dck7aok]

WOW what a dissapointment. Haven't been for last 5 years, it appears like most markets nowadays nicknack and CRAP has taken over from auto parts. Did however get a couple of good deals. few and far between. Organisers must be more interested in the $$$'s from a site - just me five cents worth

[Mick-Kelly]

Sounds like its slipping, Last went 2 years back and it was OK then. Too much to see in half a day.

[Bigbjorn]

WOW what a dissapointment. Haven't been for last 5 years, it appears like most markets nowadays nicknack and CRAP has taken over from auto parts. Did however get a couple of good deals. few and far between. Organisers must be more interested in the $$$'s from a site - just me five cents worth

Unfortunately, for many motoring clubs, their annual swap meet is their principal source of income. The dollars have overcome their commitment to promoting their hobby and assisting fellow collectors and restorers, thus the large numbers of bric-a-brac dealers. There was even a bridal gown on sale at Nambour swap two years ago, on a stall filled with cutlery, crockery, cook ware, etc. There are only two clubs in SE Qld. that forbid bric-a-brac and insist that stall holders only sell hobby related items. The Historical Motor Cycle Club's area chapters run three swap meets each year, Maleny, Pine Rivers, and Gatton and are absolutely strict about non-hobby gear. A tool dealer was chipped at Gatton about the quantity of wood working tools in his displey. The Triumph Sports Owners Assn. runs the All British Makes Swap Meet and also preclude bric-a-brac. All other events are glorified flea markets attracting the flea market group of vendors. A member of the Professional Swap Meet Vendors Action Committee refers to them as "the flea market grubs, tax dodgers, dole and pension cheats, & fences". Been a long time since I have seen police checking the stock of stall holders.

[Bigbjorn]

personally i think it is crap compared to what it used to be....

but i didnt get there first hand this year...

I arrived at 7.30 am Friday. This year they opened the gates at 5.00am to avoid the traffic jams of past years that got them bad publicity. There were small numbers of lookers at that time and numbers steadily increased through Friday and activity tapered off sharply around 4.00-4.30pm. By my Friday's takings, I was on the way to equal or better the best result I have ever had here, 2006. Saturday was a different story, started slow and remained so. Numbers of people were fewer than on the Friday and the spenders among them even fewer. Total takings were in fourth position over the 15 years I have been selling here. IMHO far too many bric-a-brac stalls. The club claims 100% pre-paid site bookings but there were a number of vacant sites unused on both days but not as many as last year which was also supposed to be 100% pre-booked and paid for. Saturday seems to be heading towards the usual fate of the last day of two & three day swap meets, a social event with lookers and strollers but not much business being done. I had a ring around members of the Professional Swap Meet Vendors Action Committee this morning. All who attended report good to reasonable returns on Fiday and much reduced sales on Saturday. All report takings down on the last two-three years.