An Ode to the Swap Meet

Ah, there's nothing like a swap meet. There's just something special about those mornings when you get out of bed long before the sun has even thought about coming up, throw on your long underwear and coveralls, brew an extra big pot of coffee, and head out to look at other people's junk. Every vendor's booth and abandoned project in the car corral represents the possibility that the very thing you've been looking for might be just around the corner. Then, the parts that you haul home become part of the story of your project car. "I picked that up at the swap meet, guy said it was on an old drag car." You get it. We don't have to explain it to you.

In excited anticipation of the 2023 Lincoln Area Street Rods Swap Meet that's being held right here in our own parking lot at Speedway Motors Lincoln HQ, here's an appreciation of the swap meet. What follows will be some bench racing, tire kicking, and a look at things that might be just as easy to pick up new from your favorite speed shop.

Seeing piles of rusty early Ford sheet metal like the one above always gets our hearts pumping. That sedan looks like it needs some work, not to mention that it seems to be missing the whole cowl, but just think of the possibilities. '28-'29's look great on '32 rails. A fenderless, hoodless highboy would be easy to screw together and would be a great home for a vintage engine, or even an SBC crate with some vintage goodies on it. Add some mags and slicks to the rear and you're ready for 60's era hot rod glory!

Take a look at that Cutlass above. G-Body GM's are getting hot and the aftermarket has taken notice. While famously suffering from wheezy smog-era engines, these cars come to life with an upgrade to late model power. Once you've added some oomph under the hood, Speedway Motors offers tubular control arms, sway bars, and shocks to actually make these things handle. Just imagine canyon carving in this thing with the T-tops off and the wind in your hair!

When it comes time to actually finish that project that you dragged home, there are a handful of parts that we always seem to find ourselves looking for at the swap. Sometimes buying old, used parts can actually be a money saver and add some cool vintage funk to the project. But sometimes, the money saved on the front end ends up costing way more money and time in the long run. Here are a few things that might be best to just buy new.

The most obvious issue is width. We all take a tape measure with us to the swap, and a quick measurement might show that it's "almost" right for our project. But often, that almost ends up being costly when we're ordering up custom wheels to make it all fit. Even if the width is ok, don't forget the bolt circle. That 5 x 4 1/2" or 5 x 5 1/2" bolt pattern might not be what you're after, so then you'll need to drill or buy new axles. Then, let's hope that the gear ratio in the 3rd member is what you want. You get the picture.

Here's where Speedway Motors could just save you some time and money. We sell 9" housings in various widths, so you can get just what you need. We manufacture our own 3rd members and can offer up the perfect gear ratio and limited slip or spool. There's no brackets to cut off before welding up your spring perches, caliper brackets, and shock mounts. You'll thank yourself later for the money that you spent on new 9" components.

Thanks for indulging our little appreciation of the swap meet. If you're in the Lincoln Area on April 22nd, 2023, stop by the Lincoln Area Street Rods Swap Meet right here at Speedway Motors. And if you can't find the old part that you're looking for, the parts counter will be open!