Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Rootes75 · Posted: Mon May 20, 2024 8:49 am Post subject: Beaulieu Spring Autojumble

We made the 3hr trip down to Beaulieu in the sunshine yesterday, not many bargains about but a lovely place to get to for the enthusiast.

Many many empty pitches and stallholders packing up at 1pm even though people were still paying to come in at 2 or 3pm...Not something we like to see.

It made us chat in the car home about when we started our trips to Beaulieu 30 years back, about how much its all changed. Back then it was always packed, I would say hundreds more stalls. And so many friendly faces.

Its changed so much but why?? The price of a pitch maybe puts sellers off?? Ebay and now FB marketplace???
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badhuis · Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 1392 Location: Netherlands

Internet is the main reason I think.
Before that, I had a hard time getting parts. Beaulieu was fantastic for getting new old stock, boxed parts. I once even did go there with a trailer - bought new old stock wings etc. Before going I made a list with all Girling / Lucas / Lockheed numbers.
It also seemed there were more people clearing out their, or their parents, garage. They would sell for cheap, it was possible to get bargains.
Now if I go I do not count on getting much. The atmosphere is still good and it is a nice day (or two) out. If I can find anything then great, if not I will probably find it through internet.
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Bitumen Boy · Posted: Tue May 21, 2024 5:34 am Post subject:

Sounds like itś the same thing as the more local shows, the traders that used to go just aren?t there any more. Maybe they decided to retire, maybe their old van wouldn?t get through another MOT and a replacement is beyond their means, maybe theyŕe just not up to humping boxes around any more. Perhaps they just had a basinful of the inadequate and filthy toilet facilities on offer at many sites...

Used to go to a lot of the more local shows mainly for the autojumble, but something changed quite a few years ago now where those stalls were gradually replaced by more general market type stalls, the sort of thing you can see for free closer to home 52 weeks of the year... Gradually it just wasn?t worth the entry fee to a lot of the events Crying or Very sad

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4123 Location: South Cheshire

I'd agree its the internet that is the main reason, these days you can advertise a part to literally the whole world from the comfort of your own home, on purely a commercial basis auto jumbles don't make sense. Socially they were brilliant when compared to buying something off eBay, but if its how you make a living .......

Next is age, there can't be many Auto Jumblers who are <60?

Finally something I have noticed when precuring stock for the MR, 20 years ago most unused stock was NOS , these days we virtually never see NOS in any quantity, there clearly is a finite limit of what's around and most of it by now has been found and sold.

Sad , but I don't think the trend will change Sad

Dave

Keith D · Posted: Tue May 21, 2024 12:22 pm Post subject:

Many swap meets now have stalls selling 'third age' stuff, and other things totally alien to the car restorer. The idea seems to be to get wives along. Frankly, when I am browsing and buying old car parts, the last thing I need is my wife watching what and how much I spend! I keep right away when I see that there are amusments and attractions for the kids and wives.

Keith
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Rootes75 · Posted: Tue May 21, 2024 1:43 pm Post subject:

Many years back now we did take up a pitch at Beaulieu, I recall even 10 or so years back it was well over ?100 a pitch, then you add fuel and food and if you are just looking to shift stuff from the garage then you have to sell an awful lot just to break even!!

They also used to be really strict about what you actually sold on your pitch, this year we did see plenty of house clearance stuff and clothes stalls...

To me that's simply trying to fill plots with no regard to what it is.
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Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22469 Location: UK

I do notice people leaving really early at quite a few shows that we get to. I can only think that with breakfast and morning-only meets being so popular now, that many exhibitors have got used to turning up for just a couple of hours or so before going home. Not great if you've paid on the gate to visit a show and half the field is empty by 12.30pm.

RJ
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MikeEdwards · Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2492 Location: South Cheshire

Indeed, although it's annoying that large shows like Tatton Park prevent exhibitors from leaving before 4pm, I understand why they do it. I've noticed some of their autojumblers (who are fewer than a few years ago, more open spaces) starting to pack up early Sunday afternoon, too.
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lowdrag · Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1586 Location: Le Mans

Some years back the JDC held an E-type autojumble at Farnham in February. All went well for years but slowly started to decline. I telephoned one of our better teams and his reply was as follows:-

Why should I bother to load up the van the day before, leave home at 5am, spend my day setting up in the freezing cold and then go home when I can stay in bed and let Ebay do my selling for me?"

Rootes75 · Posted: Sat May 25, 2024 8:07 am Post subject:

I think for the social side autojumbles are great, but tbh if I were to sell parts now it would be just now and then via ebay. It does save so much hassle.
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MikeEdwards · Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2492 Location: South Cheshire

Rootes75 · Posted: Mon May 27, 2024 10:18 am Post subject:

I do still very much like a good autojumble. A good rummage through boxes of rusty or oily parts...finding that elusive bargain.

I just think my days of selling that way are done and I now prefer the social aspect of looking round and talking to people.

In a few weeks time Haynes Motor Museum are holding their second autojumble. My father and I went to the first one down there last year and tbh we found more on the 50 odd stalls there than we did on the hundreds of stalls at Beaulieu.
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