by Willy Vinton
©
Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum
When I arrived in Hershey, PA this year for the annual swap meet I was greeted by rather decent weather. It didn't rain until Saturday morning, and then not too much, so it was much better than 2013 when we almost got washed away. It appeared that visitor numbers were down, but they were spending money and the vendors seemed busy.
This early original, single-cylinder Cadillac was a great looking survivor, and I would have brought it home if owner was selling. It was one of those cars that reached out and called my name, saying, "I would fit into Fairbanks just fine!" The owners were driving the car/pickup around the meet and it appeared to run smoothly like a Cadillac should.
This was a first for me, as I had never seen a Model T converted to a 4x4 like this. It was a very crude but clever job, and looks like it would have worked fine. It really makes you appreciate how these old cars got modified and used.
If you have never made it to the Hershey fall swap meet, you should go just to see what all is there. It always amazes me to see some of the things that show up at a swap meet for old CAR parts. I never thought I would see a pronghorn mount or a bear rug for sale there, but there they both were. I didn't bother to stop and ask what he wanted for them.
It is rather hard to imagine a scene like this--a nice warm day, and not having to elbow your way thru the aisles between the rows of vendors. Granted, this photo was taken early in the morning, but it is normally much busier than what I encountered. I think the rain last year must have scared some folks away.
I didn't find a lot of the parts we needed, as most are rather rare items. I did, however, find this and thought, "Wow, this would be perfect for the wife!" Then either common sense or fear made me rethink that idea.
There are always treasure collections that you can't walk by, just in case the part you need is nestled in one of the piles. And no, I did not buy the full antelope mount standing near the trailer.
So, another Hershey meet has passed, and I'm already planning to go to the 2015 meet. I know our parts will be there!
Coming to Fairbanks to see the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum and other area attractions? Support the museum by staying right here at Wedgewood Resort. All guests receive half-price admission to the museum!
