Box 156, Cumberland, Iowa 50843
Sunday, May 28, 1978, was the date for the Central Hawkeye Gas
Engine and Tractor Association’s annual swap meet. Formally
held at Coon Rapids, Iowa, the meet was moved to the Hawkeye
Antique Acres for the 1978 meet. Hawkeye Antique Acres is where the
Club show is held and its location on 1-80, 15 miles west of
DesMoines, Iowa made for easy, access for out-of-state swappers.
Friday, people began arriving and by Sunday 502 lovers of antique
iron had passed through the gate, the largest swap held to date by
the club. License plates indicated people from Kansas, California,
Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois,
as well as all parts of Iowa had arrived.
Sunday, by 8:00 A.M., all swapping, selling and general chewing
of the rag was in full swing. A large selection of engines and
accessories was on hand for swapping, selling or finding
information about. Much pacing and packing down of ground was done
around a ? HP New Holland until it went to a new home. Several
other engines that received much rubbing of the flywheels were a 6
HP John Deere, a very early headless Fuller & Johnson, a nice
two cylinder Edwards, and a very scarce model L International.
Several very nice Economies and a Gade were seen with sold
signs.
Quite a line of engine and tractor parts were available. Several
people specialized in magnetos and igniters, while others had
everything from flywheels to pistons for sale. Sales of gasket sets
for old John Deere tractors were brisk. Several sets of gas engine
trucks were on the grounds for sale. They did not seem to be in
abundance as in previous years. Many more people are trying to get
their engines on trucks it seems. I did see original John Deere,
headless Fairbanks, and vertical Famous trucks go to new homes.
Also several sets of very old, odd looking trucks changed hands,
but nobody seemed to know what engines they originally carried.
Several newcomers to the hobby of collecting and restoring
engines showed up and at least one went home with a smile and an
engine to work on. He’ll be back for another. That old bug
bites hard!
Quite a few tractors and steel wheels showed up. One man had a
whole low-boy stacked with steel wheels for sale. With rubber tires
so high and the collectors striving to make their tractors as
original as possible, steel wheels are in big
In Iowa many antique tractor pulls are springing up all around
the state. Classes for steel and rubber wheeled tractors are
usually available, so all old tractor parts for the pullers have a
good market. Several people who pull toy tractors were also at the
swap with parts and accessories.
A great variety of discontinued, but later manufactured toys
were also available with a great many tables set up displaying
them. Along with the toys a large variety of flea market items were
available with everything from dishes to old original watch fobs
for sale.
Everyone seemed to be having a good time at the swap with only a
few dark clouds around. Several clouds carried rain which
threatened all day, but never did get wound up to dump any rain.
Later in the afternoon one of the swappers got out his billfold to
buy a set of trucks and a large bunch of moths flew out. Those
mouldy money moths will get you every time.
One thing that makes this swap so successful is that everyone
who comes brings something to sell or swap and this makes for a
large variety of items to look at. Who knows, maybe next year
there’ll be just that special engine or part you’re looking
for.
