But First, Chocolate
I can’t remember the last time I’ve been to a swap meet, (car-specific or otherwise) but based on what I had read in the last couple of years, the Porsche Swap Meet in Hershey Pennsylvania is one of the largest Porsche-only swap meets in the world. So we decided to head down from NYC and check it out.
We arrived outside Hershey in the early afternoon and after checking into our hotel, decided to make a quick run to the Hershey Museum before meeting up with friends for dinner. If you haven’t been to the museum, it’s definitely worthwhile. The story behind Mr. Hershey and his legendary candy company is pretty amazing.
The weather for the weekend called for showers and as we left the museum, it was pouring. We hoped the rain would spare the swap meet the following day.
Early Birds
We arrived at the swap meet early the next day to beat the crowds. In fact, we got there so early that we apparently beat some of the parking attendants and somehow stumbled our way into the VIP parking area, dodging the $25 parking fee in the process… Oops!
They say the early bird gets the worm and this could not be truer when it comes to the swap meet. Within the first hour, we saw several hand-trucks, wheel barrels, and other makeshift carts overflowing with wheels, fenders, hoods, seats and other precious finds to complete that restoration project. The vendors ranged from Porsche and other well-established companies all the way down to small mom-and-pop operations trying to sell a dozen or so parts spread out onto the ground or card tables.
Parts and Products Galore
Even if you’re not in the market for anything, in particular, it’s great to wander the lot and take in the vast array of Porsche-related products for sale. We even came across a particularly awesome example for an RSR: a set of New Old Stock (NOS) High Butterfly, MFI throttle bodies for $18,500. Wow! How often do you come across NOS parts for air-cooled Porsches let alone for an RSR?
There was even the occasional freebie: at one point, someone came up to us and said: “…you guys could use a Porsche…” and handed us a red Hot Wheels 930 slant-nose turbo. Hey, thanks! Now I can scratch that from the list of Porsches I need in my garage.
Until Next Time
The forecasted rain ended up holding off for most of the day and we only experienced a brief scattering of raindrops. Still, it was pretty clear that the weather had affected the turnout for vendors and visitors alike.
After getting our fill of P-car parts, we headed up to the nearby Hershey Hotel for some food and drinks. The hotel, which blends the elegance and conveniences of today with the charm of the past, is another must-see if you’re in the area. We snapped a couple of photos of the interior and their dinner menu from the late 1930’s – enjoy!
*Check back soon for more photos of the car scene from the Porsche Swap Meet.
