End of Hershey report Saturday 10-10-2015

[bettlesr]

Highlight of the week was when the wind and rain came up and the porta-john in front of us blew about 50 feet away in the orange field!

[Bruce Lancaster]

I sold a bunch of Flathead stuff with no trouble at all (I hate seeing stuff go, and my prices are not great...but I want to justify having a space!)
A guy across from me with lots of used original Model A parts varying from pretty good to barely useable did well...I could see more bare asphalt every time I looked over there.
Both of us spent a lot of time yakking with people interested in learning more about the parts, what is correct, etc., which is a BIG part of Hershey...meeting people with similar interests, teaching and learning.
As far as I could tell, there were lots of real car parts around and lots of sales.
Foreigners are big and getting bigger. Scandinavians, Germans, Australians, and some with languages (probably Baltic) I couldn't identify. There were a few Japanese and a few that were some sort of Slavic, I think, and I heard some Spanish spoken. And these that I encounter are just the ones that like Fords.
There have ALWAYS been lots of empty spaces and spaces that are just motorhome parking, even back when it was nearly impossible to get a space if you hadn't had it for a long time. These are old timers who don't like walking and who are generally messing with high-zoot classics and using professional restorers, not people who are out scrounging for parts. They've always been around. They are part of the establishment, too, and they are NOT going to be punished for wasting spaces.
AACA has always had a substantial proportion of old guys, each generation whining about the new cars getting in...it hasn't been long since most of them considered Model A's to be late model trash. The old guys also tend to be rich, often with a considerable contempt of mass produced cars and the whole idea of a flea market.
I'm near retirement and my budget can now allow regular meals, but the old and rich were the enemy on the Saturday thing when I was young and raising kids...I had to go on Saturdays, since Hershey in the middle of the school year is a poor choice for a family vacation, and I fully understood that the motorhome and Duesenberg crowds running the event did not give a damn about the riffraff who had to worry about days off.
The Saturday thing is a permanent problem for all the specialist clubs, too...if you go to their events on Saturday, all the cars are in trailers ready to depart while the club members are in the hotel banquet room! Younger people with families just aren't in the picture for them. Many Ford clubs have become VERY geriatric, even as I meet lots of people in their twenties who are eagerly searching for hardware and knowledge about Model A's and early V8's.
I think that in 10 or 15 years, the local Ford groups I have seen will be GONE, and Hershey will be shifting to control by a VERY different breed of Old Car people, who will probably be seen as a bunch of Bolshevists by the AACA members commenting from nursing homes.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

"Some" folks would complain, even if they were HUNG with a NEW POLYESTER ROPE!
Bill W.

[msmaron]

Originally Posted by forever4

Hershey is still great, and much, much better than the past in regarding food, lodging, parking, traffic, etc.


I recommend anyone who has never gone, to go and judge for yourself and plan to attend the activities that interest you, and not pay any attention to the haters on Ford Barn.

Originally Posted by ronn

Glad you had such a great time Forever.....................

as I said, will never go back, so I guess I need an attitude adjustment.

MAYBE...had such a fantastic time I have already booked for next year, GREAT NOS Parts, great used parts, great linking up with friends and great findings!! I mean GREAT!...saw very single vendor and there is something for every single person in this hobby and it is what you make it...Just did NOT want to come home at all...WORK!! damn that thing that pays for all this..

[brum1]

This was my second year at Hershey and like the first, I found everything I was looking for. I found many prices that I would not pay, but eventually came across the individual who had the bargain or just wanted to get rid of the parts. (perfect Model A screwdriver for $1.00, engine crank $1.00, grease gun $5) Not to mention all the other fun to be had,

[Bruce Lancaster]

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ALWAYS remember, a bad day at Hershey is better than a good day in your regular existence!

[32forddump]

I have been going to Hershey for about 7 years. I am in heaven as soon as I get on the field. I brought a list and found everything on it. Found that the best sales were on Tuesday. The only gripe is that we like to get there around 7am and there are many tarps on the tables. Maybe 7 is too early but the tarps weren't off the tables until 9am. It is frustrating when it takes a long time to walk the swap meet and the thought of back-tracking is annoying. Otherwise I will be there until I cant muster the energy. I save up all year and enjoy the experience immensely. I did hear that the hurricane in the south was a reason that some of the venders and visitors weren't there. Not sure. See you next year. Walt

[Wick]

First the Elect. carts and golf carts were everywhere,most were just lookers not hauling parts. Then I kept smelling urine around my camper,Thursday evening I found out why,I caught the vendor behind me taking a leak on my back bumper. He told me to F.... off!
Then he packed up and left.

I found all the parts I wanted close by. I closed up Thursday at noon,most everything was gone. Had a great time every day talking to people and hearing stories. Looking forward to Luray next year! Thanks to everyone who stopped by and said Hi!

[mhsprecher]

My problem is getting there early enough. As a working guy, I need to steal days away from work.

I don't need many parts, but I still miss the flea market. I first went to Hershey in 1966 when I was 15 years old and have been going intermittently ever since. I will post some photos from back then to provide some perspective.

There used to be a calliope on the flea market field that you could hear everywhere and which drove me crazy. People started sellling all manner of non-automotive stuff and they had to try and stop that. And the mud. Holy cow. When it rained the mud was epic and there were floods. Now it is all paved and a much better experience. The car show used to be held in the stadium and had more Model Ts than anything else!

I still love it. I live close enough that I can drive one of my cars and enter the DPC. I enjoy the car corral, too. Sorry I didn't run into more folks. I did get the chance to meet Jim Cannon who had a car entered in the show on Saturday.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Always different experiences with such a large event. Personally Hershey is still the best event of the year to me. Bear in mind that the show used to be held inside the stadium so even if it shrinks some I can't think of a larger event so heavily focused on the older stuff.

AACA cannot control asking prices or the general fact much of the best stuff is no longer in circulation or Internet and auctions really grab a lot of that activity. Those changes in the hobby are not specifically related to Hershey.

Too bad anywhere you have such a large number of people in one place you always have some trouble. A friend had a radiator cap stolen in the car corral and hopefully Wick reported his neighbor, but generally people are great. Unfortunately serious shopping is best done earlier in the week, by Friday pm, it can be a lot harder for sure.

Yes lots of change but not all bad. Fields, day parking, show venue and traffic flow / logistics are best they have ever been in my opinion. Less scooters might be nice but I hope if I ever find myself in need of one, to be able to use it there so you just have to be a little patient with the traffic.

Already have next year scheduled!!

[CarlG]

If I ever do make it to Hershey, I would definitely need a scooter. After reading about some of these guys that do 10 miles in a day, they would have to take me out in a stretcher if I attempted anything close to that. We ain't as young as we use to be!

[Tim Ayers]

First off, I love Hershey and think it still is a great show.

I do have one suggestion: It seems like spots are being purchased, but the seller/vendor/spectator is a no show. There should be some type of policy that if you no show for XX amount of years (to be determined by AACA), you forfeit your spot to someone else.

Not sure if this is possible, but something I would like to see.

Just my two cents.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

They might be empty, one thing I think has changed is that spaces are now a little more available. I know this as a friend was able to make a request for a specific field and they accomdated him, a first time vendor. Will be interesting to see how the region handles this, I am sure that they would prefer packed vs. Fields with gaps but we are thinking of setting up next year. As a hobbyist not a full time vendor I think I would like to be able to get the space and not be obligated to being open the whole time, we'll see. .

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by Steve_Mack_CT

They might be empty, one thing I think has changed is that spaces are now a little more available. I know this as a friend was able to make a request for a specific field and they accomdated him, a first time vendor. Will be interesting to see how the region handles this, I am sure that they would prefer packed vs. Fields with gaps but we are thinking of setting up next year. As a hobbyist not a full time vendor I think I would like to be able to get the space and not be obligated to being open the whole time, we'll see. .

Not to sound hypocritical, but that is what we do. Sometimes our spot is open, sometimes not. We have put a sign saying if you are interested in anything, give us a call and we'll meet you back at the spot.

I've seen other vendors leave an "honor" box. Meaning, if you want a part put the money in the box. Of course, this eliminates the haggling aspect that most buyers like to do.

[ctlikon0712]

Wick, were you in Chocolate south? If so my wife and I remember smelling the same... that's ridiculous! And then the gall to curse you after doing that....

All in all I loved the show and will return every chance I get.

[Divco one]

Hershey is the best, has been the best and will be the best for the foreseeable future. That said, it's all about the money. Anywhere you look at Hershey, somebody is making money. Hershey region will sell all the spots it can, doesn't matter how they will be used. Herco will park as many cars as they can. Hotels will charge as much as they can as long as they sell out. Things will slowly change in the future. Spots will get cheaper because more will go unsold. With all the new hotels that have been, rooms should get more reasonable.

[CarlG]

My niece and her family planned their family vacation to PA last week not knowing that the Hershey crowd had the place sold out UNTIL they tried to make hotel/motel reservations. Apparently they were able to be successful by skirting around the mass in and around Hershey where prices and availability were a little more reasonable.

[brum1]

Never had a problem getting a hotel room in the Harrisburg area(about 10 miles out or so) I usually book in the summer as my plans firm up for the year