Spring Carlisle 2012
Spring thaw brings enthusiasts out in droves
Andy Bolig - June 14, 2012 10:00 AM
Vendor’s wares ranged from used car parts to tools and even bulk items for your car, like these brackets that were laid out in various boxes.
There was no shortage of vintage performance parts. This Edmunds/Edelbrock intake and valve cover set was for a Y-block Ford.
If you had five grand, you could have this set of original Boss 429 heads AND a burger!
The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow were having their regional competition during the event. These future hot rodders are learning teamwork, as well as keeping to the details.
This ’29 Model A was spotted driving around the fairgrounds. It would make a great driver!
Literature about cars is almost as hot as the cars themselves. There were many booths that provided factory brochures and information about almost any make and model.
You never know what gold nugget might be hiding deep down in the dollar bins! There were plenty of opportunities to go exploring.
Thunderbirds are popular among collectors. Check out the dual-teapot set-up in the background.
Many companies have started re-manufacturing steel body panels. The Early Ford Shop had a large display of panels for sale.
This vendor focused mainly on Bowtie-equipped cars. Note how everything is labeled for easy reference. This makes searching for that one item much easier.
Reproduction decals and stickers are also a hot item. Jim Osborn Productions had a display chock full of items for enthusiasts.
Insurance is important, whether your car drives or not. It’s YOUR investment that you’re protecting! Hagerty was on-hand, answering questions and giving quotes.
Engines were strewn all around the fairgrounds. Here, a Pontiac 455 finds itself next to a later-model Ford Flathead.
This “Twin-H” intake is sure to make any Hudson Hornet fly!
Major tool vendors like T-P Tools were on hand. You could check out the items before purchasing.
Accessories are always big sellers, and they’re not always for late-model cars. NOS items can make or break any restoration.
If you wanted a dual-carbed Caddy, this set up could be yours for only $2,600.
This ’60 Lincoln Mark V had been pulled from long-term storage and showed 77,000 miles. Asking price: $19,000.
This 1954 Pontiac Star Chief was equally as nice. No price listed and no one to ask.
The number of complete engines was encouraging. Scrap prices have been consuming a lot of these early powerplants.
The same could be said for body panels. This vendor had them set up as pairs.
This S-24A (1956 Desoto 341 Hemi) was sold before we got there. It’s a rare, valuable piece.
This vendor was bending up exhaust systems right in his space! He had them all marked for various models.
This Willys-Overland had a large assortment of parts, but no one to ask about it.
Petty’s Garage was on-hand in the Manufacturer’s Midway with their Challenger that we featured in the March 2012 issue of Auto Enthusiast.
This ’32 Chevy had a long list of parts, including engine. But there’s a few pieces to find before you start driving it for $8,500 (obo).
Things tend to get very green around Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in late April.
That’s when they hold their annual Spring Carlisle event at the fairgrounds that is central to many exciting automotive events throughout the year.
Sometimes, the green grows up from the ground, while other times it mysteriously appears from the wallets of enthusiasts, searching for that just-right part. After hunkering down for the winter, many car-crazy enthusiasts consider the spring meet as the first official event of the year. It definitely merits the distinction with over 8,100 spaces, all dedicated to swap meet type fodder.
Parking is nil on the fairgrounds with every space accounted for and highly sought after as they become available. With a quickly recedingfrost line, it was obvious that enthusiasts were anticipating warmer weather and the push was on to obtain those last few items to make them whole, or, to obtain a whole new project altogether.
Whether shopping for parts or entire cars, new, NOS or slightly used, Carlisle is surely a place where you can find it. We spent the better part of the weekend scouring the aisles during the spring event and here is just a fraction of what we saw.