Oct 2003 Corvette Swap Meet History

In the North East around 1970 the old Corvettes began to develop their own exclusive Corvette only swap meets. Tom Anjirsas responded to my for sale advertisement in Bargain News and bought a set of very decent 1963-1967 bumpers from me for about $50. He was the President of the Fairfield County Corvette Club and soon thereafter I joined. Tom informed me of their first club swap meet in Greenwich. It became very popular and years later I even announced our attendance at it in Bargain News. How about those prices?

Around 1975 2 buddies and me went to the Pittsburgh Parts-A-Rama. We had a great time. I met Al Knoch there and recall this was his early Christian Biblical period. Al has always had a great sense of humor. Wish I could still fit those shorts.

The Corvette Club of Delaware Valley held an event at a Naval Air Station north of Philadelphia on Rt. 611. This was a hanger for Navy blimps, circa 1977. We had some neat parts. Clockwise from nine: new seat belts, power brakes any year, elephant tusk big brake ducts, five new 1963 shifter consoles, NOS ignition shields.

In the 1970's the NEVVC (North East Vintage Vette Club) would hold two Corvette only swaps. First at the Uniroyal Complex and later at the Farmington Polo Grounds as shown below. We always got there early.

My dear Mother would meet me at lots of North East events since she lived in New York and I in Connecticut. Seated with her is my friend Tom Anjiras. Not only did Tom introduce me to the Corvette swap meet, he also later coined the title Dr. Rebuild while he was joking around on the phone one day.

Below is the second year we went to Bloomington, 1981. We had been making repros for two years and packaged and displayed them with fair success. We always used pastel colored packaging with instruction. I am examining frog skins that were traded for Indian beads, corn, dried fish and stem whackers.

Soon we changed to numerous rolling racks with permanent affixed displays that would roll down the ramp of our Ford HiCube at the right. It made it easier to move tons of merchandise rapidly. Below was 1991 Bloomington.

By 1994 we had retired the activity of traveling to numerous Corvette events with one to two trucks. It became more cost effective to simply distribute tons of catalogs at a few key large attended events. Below is 1997 Carlisle with catalogs being unloaded.

We now ship a pallet or more of catalogs motor freight, and then fly to some events. Below in Chicago at the McCormick Palace in 1999. Soldier Field is right out them windows. Da Bears!

We have been to over 500 of these Corvette events. Most were exclusively Corvette. Them were the days for tradin' parts. From Boston to Bend, Knoxville, Pomona, Greensboro, Cypress, Hershey, Anaheim, San Mateo, Indianapolis, Bowling Green, Columbus, Mahwah, Pt. Pleasant, Rye, Jenkintown, Atlantic City, Long Island, Southbury, Mt. Kisco, Rhinebeck, Chesire, Houston, Danbury, Hawthorne, New London, Port Ludlow, Victoria etc. etc. Back to Current Events

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