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If so, post some pica, I was supposed to fly up, but the other guys backed out, So I cancelled my flight. Always the start of driving season in the northeast.
I was at Carlisle the last two days. I had to come home last night for a family function this weekend so I didn't set up to sell this year, but I don't think I missed much.
There wasn't a lot of Corvette stuff or vendors, though there were 4 or 5 (mostly way) overpriced hand laid 67 stinger hoods. None of the national vendors (Central, Knoch, Keen, etc) come anymore, but there were a half dozen small vendors with odds and ends. Lonestar Caliper was about the only big national vendor on sight. I didn't get back through the car coral yesterday, but Wednesday there were only two Corvettes in the coral, a tired 84-85 and decent black (color change) 75 (there might have been a midyear under the pavilion too I think). Half the vehicles in the coral seemed to be pick ups, though I don't know how many were for sale and how many were using sale spots to park? The coral did have a few GTO's and Camaro's, and way too many old four door sedans.
The grounds were packed yesterday, but none of the vendors I know were selling much. A friend is using a couple of my spaces to sell a bunch of NOS C1 parts he'd acquired over the years. He did okay on Wednesday, but didn't do $50 Thursday. They're calling for showers this afternoon and rain with a high of about 50 for tomorrow, so it doesn't sound promising for the rest of the weekend.
This is how many Corvette vendors there are selling parts.
Some of the names there are legitimate Corvette parts vendors like Gale Gee, Mason Corvette and Eddie Wass, but a lot of others like Richard Campbell sell an assortment of used parts including some for Corvettes. Some like Century Tube sell general items like headers for all cars. Jack Podell does Corvette FI restorations as does John Grata, though John also does carbs for Corvettes and other cars. James Brazee is a collector car dealer from NY. Norn Werner is a full time Corvette vendor, but didn't come to the show this year (I think he's in the middle of moving his business). Many of the full time vendors who were at Carlisle, like Vette Masters, Vette Wrecks and Lonestar weren't even listed under the Corvette Vender section of the program.
The vendor next to me is typical of some of the vendors listed here. He had a sign on his space saying C3 & C4 Corvette parts. I looked though his tables and all I saw for Corvettes were a few used emblems, door handles etc.
Friends tell me the C10 " squarebodies" are the hottest thing going right now
Your friends are right, square bodies are hot but the trucks that were parked in the car coral Wednesday were mainly 2010 and newer, which is why I questioned whether they were for sale or just parked in the coral.
A Chevy salesman friend of mine has found a couple nice square bodies recently and sells them as quickly as he finds them. There were square body truck parts to be found at Carlisle, including a very nice 70's "3+3" crew cab body for sale that was amazingly solid, a rarity for 73-91 Chevy truck bodies.
I went Wed and Thu. I arrived after the morning rain on Wed, then the weather turned absolutely beautiful. I agree with the others, a few of the well known independent Corvette vendors, but it was a mix of all makes and models (but hey, that's the essence of Spring and Fall Carlisle). I bought a nice date-coded '65 carb from John Grata and some stainless steel hardware from Chuck Kinney. I'm happy.
A lot of very interesting items and OT cars for sale. It was crowded on Thu.
Most unusual golf cart. I'm not sure what the front end is, but the rear looks like a '59 Caddy. The hood ornament is a valuable pre-war radiator cap.
1950s version of Ozempic. First time I've ever seen one of these in person. A very nice two-tone paint scheme on a '66 Corvair. (The spots on the black paint were dust). A 531 date-coded 2818 carb I bought from John Grata.
I will say Friday was overly crowded, but it could have seem that way due to all the scooters and golf carts in the aisle ways blocking everything. it was great weather. a lot of little vendors selling decent stuff. I only walking seven miles yesterday. which is about my average for spring and fall.
We spent Thursday and Friday there. Not much C-1 stuff, but I knew that going in. I did pick up a restored windshield from James Keegan, for my 60. Really beautiful work and really looking forward to getting it put on the car
Always amazes me how the square body trucks are worth way more than the comparable corvettes, I guess people jusy long for them and value them more. That being said I would love a '87-90 Full size Blazer.
I will say Friday was overly crowded, but it could have seem that way due to all the scooters and golf carts in the aisle ways blocking everything. it was great weather. a lot of little vendors selling decent stuff. I only walking seven miles yesterday. which is about my average for spring and fall.
This is why I don't go very often anymore. I'm 3+ hours away and I have one early morning to drive down, power-scan the fields, and drive back home that evening for work the next day (I'm a golf course superintendent and spring/corvette Carlisle events are right in my busy time)
I just don't have the time or patience to mess around with scooters and golf carts, most of which are being ridden around by what appear to be teen and twentysomething guys who could probably run the Boston Marathon but who are instead just riding around taking up room at Carlisle.
I am...not. Would love to. All through the years of doing this old car thing, since the late 80s, being right being wrong, looking like a genius, looking like a dummy, pushing my dead car, stopping to help some classic owner with his dead car, finding the right part, finding I got the wrong part, I have loved all of it. It's been about so much more than just cars. I have had "gear head" thrown at me as an insult and I thanked the man, what a nice thing to say. Maybe one day I'll go to Carlisle.
This year I am looking forward to finally attending Corvette Day at Larz Anderson in Brookline MA though. Not the same thing as Carlisle by a long shot, but still, a dedicated day at a local car museum, for Corvettes. My light engine overhaul last summer should stand me in good stead this season; engine is as good as it ever was right now probably. Maybe better, short term. But I had to pay over ten grand in unexpected other bills since Christmas, AND I am out of pocket for light damage to my Pontiac that's my own stupid fault, so I doubt the engine and trans swap happens in 2026 that I budgeted for. A motorcycle I was storing for a friend at a garage I rent fell over on to it. 100% my idiotic fault, I chose where to put the bike, I chose to not have the car cover on the Poncho, I chose to not put a pad between the bike and car. I usually think of things like this and take precautions, but I did not this time. So I learned another lesson. Don't worry, the bike is fine. But it means even if I could get the time off work, the money to go to Carlisle just isn't in my budget this year.
Anyone going to Spring Carlisle?
