2024 Detroit Indoor Swap Meet

[Frosty]

The annual Detroit indoor swap meet was held at the Suburban Showcase Collection facility in Novi Michigan last weekend. Here are some photos from the meet. Lots of engine and transmission parts, wheels and tires, but few body parts.

Enjoy!

A couple of cool jackets!

A Martin Cesario Award. Cesario was once Pontiac's general manager

A cool Cutlass fiberglass front clip.

Yes that is an actual accordion or squeeze box.

Got boost?

Have a seat.

First time I've seen slot machines at the swap meet.

Now that is a major air intake.

A complete tuned port injection intake / distributor / ECM

This Trans Am was for sale!

 

My next swap meet is in Saginaw at the end of the month.

Edited January 9 by Frosty

[indymanjoe]

the transam for sale was the guys wifes car.she passed away and he doesnt drive it. he has a v8 fiero. front mounted! v8
He showed me some pics nice car! doesn't live too far from me. I was hoping to find ya frosty but I had the wires phone.

I was there at 730 gone by 11 by buddy had the hemi engine and parts towards the back

[Frosty]

My buddy Chuck and I were there by 10 and left by noon Joe.

Most interesting thing I found was an Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick poster with all of his cars over the years on it.

I ended up buying some 1/2" drive deep sockets. Large ones closer to 1" or more.

 

[Wrongway]

Great pics bro, thanks. So I've gotta ask, what was the reason for the $20 price tag on the wrenches? Was it justa because they were larger size?

[64 kiwi boni]

Some nice eye lollies Frosty 

[Frosty]

18 hours ago, Wrongway said:

Great pics bro, thanks. So I've gotta ask, what was the reason for the $20 price tag on the wrenches? Was it justa because they were larger size?

Pretty much yes. These were all greater than 1 1/2" size wrenches. Plus guys pretty much set the price to whatever they want. It's up to you to try to haggle them down - if possible.

[Wrongway]

Thanks, may sound stupid but I haven't bought a wrench in I know over 15yrs. Not sure I have even looked at the price of one. I justa had no idea they had gone up in price that much. 

[Frosty]

If you get a chance, price out anything from Cornwell or Snap-On in your area. Great stuff but highly pricey IMO. Craftsman is not what it use to be either. Tools in general are going up, like everything else. So swap meets are a good way to fight high prices, especially if they are slightly used.

[Wrongway]

I knew Craftsman wasn't as good since they were sold which sucks. I was always a diehard Craftsman guy. I have a buddy who's a Frieghtliner mechanic and buys off of the Snap-On truck at work. We had this conversation last night and he justa laughed at me. But you have to understand, I started working on cars over 30yrs ago like a lot of you. If I barrowed a tool more than twice I bought it when I could afford to. I worked on my own big truck when I had them and drove for a living. Then I ran the shop for the trucking company I was contracted to when I came off the road. I have every american size wrench from 1/4 up to 2 1/2, Metric from 4mm up to 22mm and then a few random up to 36mm and doubles and triples of most, a full set of ratcheting wrenches and open-ended ratcheting wrenches. Some of the ratcheting wrenches were a gift from my wife or they were traded into from my truck mechanic buddy for big truck tools that I no longer used.  So yeah, I was serious about not buying or looking at the prices of wrenches in years, and I was seriously shocked. 

Kinda funny looking back after all these years, but I still remember when I was trying to build up my tool collection. I used to go to pawn shops. You could get Craftsman screwdrivers, wrenches and sockets for under a dollar. If they were damaged take them to Sears and swap them out.  I gave $5 for a used 1/2" drive ratchet and still have it and use it today.

[Fitzy]

It's the old saying - you get what you pay for. You can buy a wrench from China or India and it may keep working or it may bend or snap. In toolshops, you can buy German or Swedish stuff which are beautifully made and WILL last forever. Once upon a time, Sidchrome tools were made in Australia and were unbeatable. They are now made in China BUT to Sidchrome's standards. I have no brand allegiance but steer for mid price stuff. Having said all that, I lashed out and bought a Gearwrench torque wrench to replace my ancient Chinese one. It's a lovely piece of kit.

Fun fact: did you know that India has now overtaken China as the world's most populous country?

[Frosty]

I did not know that. Curious.

Craftsmen tools was the standard for decades. Theyvwere affordable and were sold at out local Sears and Roebuck stores. Mechanical tools had a life time guarantee. You break something, it’s replaced free, no questions asked. Sears/KMart sold Craftsman to Stanley tools quite some time ago. Still decent quality but no more lifetime guarantee.

[Wrongway]

I didn't know that Stanley was the company that bought them, I justa figured it was another Chinese tool now. My freightliner buddy did say that Lowes will now exchange Craftsman tools but there were some "requirements". Not sure what they are.