Automotive swap meets are basically a get together of car hobbyists and collectors. It has grown to huge festivals with lots of family entertainments and car events. There are large spaces allotted to selling. These meets are places where car enthusiasts and collectors meet to see what items that they desperately need are available and set up deals to buy. Similarly, collectors who have rare parts or memorabilia they have lost interest in or have no use for will come to find a potential buyer.

Lots of such meets happen all across the country. Goodguys Rod & Custom Association is one of the more famous promoters of automotive swap meets. Gary Meadors, a hot rod enthusiast, founded the Goodguys in 1983. With about 70,000 active members, Goodguys Rod & Custom Association is considered the world’s largest hot rodding association. Thousands of people in the country powered and made tricked out old trucks, regal classics, huge muscle cars, candy-colored hot rods, street machines, and vintage cars to take part in their events. The association holds many driving competitions, like AutoCross, as well as sponsors many live shows. There are a large number of stalls at these events for all sorts of merchandise. Vintage cars, antiques, out of production cars and parts change hands and bargaining and deal-making is the order of the day. There is great food along with a lot of entertainment for non-enthusiasts to enjoy.

The Cherry Auction Swap Meet is another famous Automotive Swap Meet. The Cherry Avenue Auction is an open-air venue spread over 54 acres and functions as a marketplace on Tuesdays and Saturdays. It is located in southwest Fresno’s Resin belt known as Easton Area. Cherry Avenue Auction conducts Swap Meets in spring and fall. The events offer great marketing opportunities to the local community. One can exhibit their classic cars or sell them. One can clear their garage of old spare parts, tools and all things auto that are no longer useful or of interest to them. Similarly, one can buy essential parts for one’s antique, classic or out of production models. Depending on one’s bargaining skills, great deals can be struck. It is an occasion to enjoy oneself with great food, live shows and other types of entertainment.

Trader Village is located in Eldridge Road in North West Houston. This year’s Automotive Swap Meet was sponsored by Vintage Chevrolet Club of America, San Jacinto Region. There were swap dealers by the hundreds with over a million car parts and accessories. Hundreds of vintage and antique cars and trucks were on display and for sale. There were all sorts of auto parts, grills, wheels, tires and memorabilia. Sometimes, the parts available were unbelievable! One could see cars a century old. One could walk away with fantastic deals if one possessed good bargaining skills. There were certainly the usual pastimes of eating, drinking, and merrymaking.