I just returned from my annual trek to the Turlock Swap Meet in Turlock, CA. Technically the meet is sponsored by the Modesto Area A’s and held at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock. However, it quickly became known nationally as the TURLOCK SWAP MEET and become one of the premier events in the hobby of restoring and collecting cars. This is a real “old school” swap meet in that the vast majority of the “swap spaces” in the fairgrounds are manned by folks selling off their inventory of parts, tools, do-dads, gee-haws, and what-nots. California businesses also have spaces/booths displaying steering wheel restoration, jet and chrome plating, and a vast variety of services we car nuts will eventually need. Finally, there is a “cars for sale” area where you can find everything from a “project car” to finished or restored muscle cars, hot rods, or whatever. Need a car book or old magazine — you’ll find it there. Need real wood spoke wheels — you’ll find them there too.

I have a friend who is rebuilding a 1968 Buick Riviera. Not a show car restoration but a back-to-nice driver-status car. He needed the top lid for his air cleaner. Sure enough, I found one–$ 2.00 bucks !! Many of the “spaces” look like someone backed in a pick-up truck full of parts and swept out the bed. But, looking through them you’ll find jewels. Need a set of period-correct mag wheels? Just about any mag made will be there someplace. The “hardcore” Turlock visitors all have wagons to haul their finds around. These wagons are works of hot rod art. I saw wagons that looked like scaled-down ’23 T bodies on wheels with flame paint jobs. One guy had go-kart mag wheels and tires on his stake-bodied wagon. Most had nicely done “little red wagons”.

If you were looking for intake manifolds– Turlock is intake heaven. Almost anything you can think of — some rather rare — was there. I saw TWO complete 1963 Stage II Dodge cross-ram manifolds. At $ 1,000 each they were not cheap but when was the last time you saw any? Dual quad, three deuces, log ram, blower, and fuel injection setups were everywhere. If it were not for the fact my wife absolutely forbids me from building or owning a front-engined fuel dragster, I could have bought several 392 Hemi’s, blowers, and set-ups as well as narrowed rear ends.

Now, to be sure, hunting eBay or CraigsList can find lots of this, but strolling around a fairground looking at tons of “stuff” and finding some got-to-have-it parts is a lot of fun for us car guys. A word of caution. Turlock is always held on the last weekend in January. It has been cold, wet, and rainy for some years. This year was warm, sunny, dry, and spring-like. But I have my waterproof hiking boots, rain hoodie, and warm clothes in case. Bad weather never stops the true car guy !! So, if you get to California in January, try Turlock. If not, check out swap meets in your area. They can be fun.