OK, I'll brag a little and point out that I did Carlisle, Hershey, and Pomona swap meets in a span of ten days. Last time I was able to attend a Pomona swap was about five or six years ago and it was disappointing. This time, it was great. Talk about a target-rich environment. Here's what I didn't buy since I'd have to lug it home: A nice E-brock 065 dual quad intake for $200 BEFORE haggling. (The one I bought on ebay a year ago cost me somewhat more than that.) Not one, but two Offy 2 x 2bbl intakes for the 215, one with carbs. A set of Offy Olds 215 valve covers. A BBO 7 qt (or more) oil pan with side wings and internal baffles and spring loaded doors for $40. A 1965 442 Sport Coupe with newer 455 and "numbers matching four speed trans" (don't get me started...) for $15K.

What I did buy was a copy of the massive Rochester carburetors book (about 10" thick) and a fiberglass air cleaner based on a 67 W-30 unit. The air cleaner had been gacked up somewhat, and it doesn't appear to be an exact repro, but close, and for $50 I'll fix the fiberglass. Also got a 4"-5" Brown and Sharpe micrometer to complete my set. Of course, I'm dragging this air cleaner through the rows trying to figure out how to build a box to ship it home without getting it destroyed, when I stumble over someone selling used plastic shipping boxes (the kind that have a hermetic seal and the quarter turn quick release latches). The air cleaner just fits, with room for the other stuff, and $10 later I'm dragging it TOO through the aisles (note that the little red parts wagon doesn't fit in the overhead bins on the flight out).

Of course, the big problem is that the shipping crate doesn't fit in through the trunk opening on the rental car, nor can I get it through the rear door, so it sits on the passenger seat next to me, blocking the window and side mirror.

Now I just need to convince United that it's not oversize luggage...

Back to my comparison, Hershey is never particularly fruitful for me, but I really feel gypped when I only have one day to do it and the vendors don't open until 9:00 or 10:00, then start to pack up at 2:00 in the afternoon, apparently to make the early bird special for dinner. Pomona gates open at 5:00 am. I got there at 6:00 and buyers are walking the rows with flashlights! Fortunately, I have the flashlight app on my phone. Car corral at Pomona was not only about three times the size of Carlisle, but not one car there had rust worth mentioning. Sometimes you just gotta love SoCal.

 

Yeah - they're all on my "bucket list' too, if the $$$$ ever get back!

 

Wow! I've heard Pomona is one of if not the largest on the West Coast. I used to go to the Portland Oregon swap meet when I lived closer. Its become smaller over the years as they used to have both the expo and race track full of booths, but no longer do. But even there the amount of Oldsmobile stuff was pretty lean. Congrats finding all that treasure. Too bad you couldn't have bought all the cool stuff you came across. If nothing else it would have made great trade stock!

John

 

I go at least twice a year. Spring and fall. The car corral is unparallelled. Imagine two football fields full of cars for sale from aircooled VWs to the aforementioned 65 442.

We were vendors there with our automotive metal art a few times too.

Another really good swap is the Reno swap meet which happens during Hot Aug Nights. Not massive but good quality stuff at reasonable prices.

It's good out here on the left coast ...

 

Willis Dennis made a few 1967 repro shrouds out of carbon fiber; could the one you found be one of them?

 

My old man has been to it and told me it was the best swap he has ever been to. Blows the PA swap meets away.

If that 4 speeds VIN stamp matches the cars VIN, then it is in fact numbers matching. The 4 speed I pulled out of my club coupe matches a 1970 Nova SS396, where that car is I have no idea.

 

Joe, Pomona is on my bucket list too. I got United to ship a tunnel ram as baggage once. CL seller met me at Dulles during a layover and I checked it in.

Can you ever have too many manifolds?

 

We are kicking around hitting the Pomona meet in December. I was lucky to be stationed in the San Diego and LA areas for 7 of my 27 years on active duty. Pomona is about as good as it gets. I did hit Hershey a couple of times when I was stationed on the east coast (never been to Carlisle) but I liked the Pomona meet better. There is also a big meet once a month in Long Beach (at Veterans Stadium?) that was always pretty good but I haven't been recently.

Half the fun of a swap meet is simply going to one; the other half is if you just happen to find that needle in a haystack you've been looking for forever!

Randy C.

 

It sounds like you hit pay dirt at Pomona, especially the Olds stuff. I've been there twice, and only managed to score some chrome plated Edelbrock valve covers. Being only six hours away by car, it's an easy swap meet for me to get to. I hear the Long Beach High Performance Swap Meet now has Pomona beat, at least for the serious car guy. My next LA trip will take in the Cruise-In at Bob's Big Boy in Burbank, the Grand National Roadster Show, and the Long Beach Swap Meet. (and Auto Books in Burbank if there's time)

 

No, it's definitely 'glass and not an exact repro (though I don't think it will be too hard to correct the flaws). Sorry I forgot to take a photo before packing it for shipment. I'll snap some when I get home the end of this week.

 

Well, since Olds didn't start stamping VIN derivatives until the 1968 model year, a 1965 with a "numbers matching" VIN derivative would be a one-of-none car, hence my reaction. Of course, the trans unit number COULD match the Protec-O-Plate, but no mention of the P-O-P by the seller.

 

Well, I finally decided to ship the crate. I had a friend who recently got flagged by United when he tried to check a bag with a long-dried up carb in it. There were still enough hydrocarbons to flag the sniffers and he had to pull it out at the last minute. Fortunately his wife was able to come and get it, but I don't have that option here in L.A., so I figured I'd play it safe since the air cleaner did have some grease and who-knows-what-else on it.

 

If my travel schedule holds, I'll be back in Dec for the Long Beach swap. When I lived in L.A. in the 1980s, Pomona and LB were regular stops for me (along with the old Rose Bowl swap meet and one at Cal State Long Beach). For those who don't remember, the LB swap used to be the OCIR Performance Parts swap. It moved to it's current location when OCIR was shut down in the early 1980s.